The Locust was formed by Justin Pearson, Bobby Bray, Dylan Scharf, Dave Warshaw, and Dave Astor. After a number of personnel changes, they arrived at their current four-piece lineup in 2001, consisting of Pearson, Bray, Gabe Serbian, and Joey Karam. Originally a powerviolence band with a strong tendency towards synth-based passages, they have more recently stripped down much of their past sound, but retained the heavy distortion, synthesizers, screamed vocals, and intense stage presence. On the band's unique sound and live presentations, singer/bassist Justin Pearson has said, "I wanted to change the way people perceive music, or maybe just destroy it in general." Their music is complex, dynamic and fast-paced, often featuring abrupt and inconsistent time-signature changes. These erratic elements are, according to guitarist Bobby Bray, "a reflection of perhaps how our brains have to function in order to be able to do anything in the Western societies we live in."
The Locust have a unique stage presence: costumed in skin-tight, full body nylon suits (which the band refer to as uniforms), they have at times come across to first-time viewers as frightening. The last 5 different suits were designed and made by Ben Warwas. Unlike most bands, which normally have the drums set up behind the other members, the four members of The Locust are usually all positioned in a line at the front of the stage. The group recommends that in order to get the full impact of the music, one should see them live. The Locust boycotts Clear Channel Communications and refuse to play in any Clear Channel-owned venues. This boycott affected a 2005 tour with Fantômas as well as another tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They also have a policy of only playing all-ages shows. The band's lyrics range from stream-of-consciousness poetry to satirical portrayals of mainstream ideas of sexuality to political commentary and critiques of religion.
Straight From The Horse's Mouth
The Locust Lyrics
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The song "Straight From the Horses Mouth" by The Locust has cryptic and metaphorical lyrics. The opening lines "Tighten the tie, lengthen the leg. suck on the shit, scramble the egg" suggests that people are required to conform to certain societal norms, and in doing so, they have to do things that are unpleasant but necessary in order to climb up the ladder of success. The line "shed that old skin for some feathers" could refer to people shedding their old identity to take on a new one, like birds molt their old feathers to make place for new ones.
The next line "as noses bleed, trumpets are trumpeting, noses are bleeding" could be interpreted as the cost of success, where the people have to undergo a lot of stress and tension to achieve it. The following line "triumphant cattle mutilations" seems to criticize the meat industry, where cattle are often mutilated and killed for commercial purposes. The last line "that damn saint nick with chocolate-flavored razor blades" has a sinister undertone, suggesting that things that are expected to bring joy and happiness could turn out to be dangerous and harmful.
Line by Line Meaning
Tighten the tie, lengthen the leg.
Adjust your appearance to fit the mold of society by tightening your constraint and lengthening your stride.
suck on the shit, scramble the egg.
Consume the unpleasant realities of life and mix them with the chaos of existence.
shed that old skin for some feathers.
Discard your past and embrace a new, more colorful identity.
as noses bleed, trumpets are trumpeting, noses are bleeding.
The contrasting levels of pleasure and pain in life are simultaneously occurring.
triumphant cattle mutilations.
Celebrating the destruction and mutilation of those without power or say.
that damn saint nick with chocolate-flavored razor blades.
The darker aspects of society, hidden behind the guise of innocence and joy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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