The Locust

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The Locust
The Locust
Origin	San Diego, California
Country	United States
Years active	1994–present
Genres	Noise rock
Members	Justin Pearson Gabe Serbian Bobby Bray Joey Karam

The Locust is a noise rock group from San Diego, California, United States.

The Locust are known for their unique synth-heavy, distorted sound, and their stage presence. Singer Justin Pearson has said, "I just want to change the way people look at music or maybe just destroy it in general."

The Locust's music is complex and fast-paced, 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."

Members include Justin Pearson, singer and bass guitarist; Gabe Serbian on drums, who replaced Dave Astor; Joey Karam playing the synthesizer; and Bobby Bray on guitar. Some members formerly played in somewhat well-known political punk bands called Swing Kids and Struggle as well as the punk rock band Le Shok, and current side projects Holy Molar, Some Girls and Cattle Decapitation (the latter broke its connection with The Locust and ThreeOneG, Justin Pearson's personal record label, and acquired an avant-garde reputation of its own).

The Locust have a unique stage presence, costumed in skin-tight full-body white, green, or black nylon suits with bug-like black mesh eye and mouth coverings. Unlike most bands, which normally have the drums set up behind the other members, the four members of The Locust are all positioned in a line at the front of the stage.

Instead of talking to the crowd, The Locust tune their instruments after almost every song. While this happens they are frequently heckled by crowd members unfamiliar with the band. The group recommends that in order to get the full impact of the band, one should see them live.

The Locust boycotts Clear Channel Communications, refusing to play in any Clear Channel-owned venues. This boycott affected a 2005 tour with Fantômas.

In their lyrics The Locust satirize mainstream US culture, sexuality, and politics.

The Locust released New Erections in March, 2007 on ANTI-

[edit] Trivia

The Locust are known to produce what some consider tasteless merchandise such as their puddle-shaped (and bodily fluid-coloured) 7" split with Arab on Radar, compacts which some say look suspiciously like cocaine mirrors (a claim which they deny), soap, and small comic books that look like Chick tracts, coinciding with their debut record on ANTI-, Plague Soundscapes.

They also have released some of their cds in the 3" cd format or in the case of the Follow The Flock, Step in Shit cd, its a square 3" cd under 5 minutes.

Gabe Serbian and Justin Pearson staged a wedding while in Hawaii. Also, as a hoax Justin and Scott Beibin (of Lost Film Fest, Evil Twin Booking and Bloodlink Records) appeared on an episode of Jerry Springer, and shared a kiss.