The Locust

Prior to The Locust founding members Justin Pearson and Dylan Scharf were in the hardcore punk band Struggle together, formed in late 1990.[2] The band only lasted three years. Despite this they had opportunities to share musical space with other significant bands with similar ideological perspectives such as Born Against, Downcast, Bikini Kill, and Econochrist.[2] The band disbanded in 1994.

The Locust was formed in 1994 by Bobby Bray, Justin Pearson, Dylan Scharf, Dave Warshaw, and Dave Astor. After a number of personnel changes, they arrived at the current four-piece lineup in 2001, consisting of Bray, Pearson, Joey Karam and Gabe Serbian. The Locust was initially a powerviolence project whose first release was a split with genre pioneers Man Is the Bastard. Later releases incorporated synthesizers and became increasingly theatrical.[3] The band regularly played shows in all-ages punk clubs in Los Angeles and San Diego,[4] usually donning insect costumes.[3]

In September 1998, The Locust released their first full-length album, The Locust, through Gold Standard Laboratories.

On June 24, 2003, The Locust released their second full-length album, Plague Soundscapes, through ANTI-.[5]

On March 20, 2007, The Locust released their third full-length album, New Erections, through ANTI-.[6] After lengthy touring following the release of New Erections, The Locust went on hiatus.[7]

On May 18, 2010 The Locust released an archive recording of their Peel Session recorded 9 years prior in 2001, simply named The Peel Sessions, released through Radio Surgery.[7] This 16-track recording was the first time Gabe Serbian had started playing drums for The Locust, finalizing the lineup of Bobby Bray, Joey Karam, Justin Pearson and Gabe Serbian that has remained ever since.[7]

On July 31, 2012, The Locust released a compilation album, The Gold Standard Labs, through ANTI-.[8] The album contains all the band's material released on the Gold Standard Laboratories label which is all their material from 1997 to 2002.[9]

In 2013, The Locust returned from hiatus and in 2019 they were added to the Desert Daze 2019 festival line up. Bassist Justin Pearson confirmed that the band would add more shows after this, with new material and new costumes. [10]

The Locust are known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, complexity, and new wave weirdness.[1] The band's musical genre is typically described as grindcore,[1][11][12] hardcore punk,[13] powerviolence,[14] and noise rock.[15]

About the band's aesthetic, vocalist/bassist Justin Pearson has said, "I wanted to change the way people perceive music, or maybe just destroy it in general."[16] The Locust's music is complex, dynamic and fast-paced, often featuring abrupt and inconsistent time-signature changes. These erratic elements are, according to vocalist/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."[17] Stylus described the band's sound as "Relentless blitzkriegs of high velocity noise, skinny tie keyboards and bloody screaming that often last less than a minute, Locust songs are tightly-wound, dynamic and bizarre expressions of frustration and hatred whose intensity and creativity are currently unparalleled in punk rock."[18] The New York Times stated "If noise-rock had superheroes, the Locust would surely be among them."[19] The band was praised by Dave Lombardo of Slayer, who said "There's a band called The Locust. Their drummer is named Gabe Serbian, and their music hits me now like D.R.I. hit me in the early '80s."[20]

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.[21] 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.[22] 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.

Pearson appeared as a “rock-star slut” in an episode of The Jerry Springer Show. It culminated in a French kiss with Scott Beiben, owner of the record label Bloodlink.[25] Pearson wore a T-shirt for The Locust during the appearance.[26] Pearson later stated "I was beat up during a commercial break by one of the 'security guards' pretty bad for blowing snot on the carpet."[26]

The Locust have been accused of encouraging the use of cocaine because the band sold vanity mirrors as merchandise, fans and others mistook the act of selling the mirrors as an implication to use cocaine off of them.[27] In an interview with Scene Point Blank Justin Pearson was asked "You guys make Locust compacts, modeled after cocaine mirrors. Do you feel it's irresponsible to sell these to your younger fans?"[27] Pearson responded "I'm not sure what you are talking about. I have never done cocaine and we never modeled any sort of merchandising product or idea after cocaine mirrors. However we did have vanity mirrors. In case you were not aware, they could be used for a variety of things such as make-up application, picking food out of your teeth, popping zits, fixing your bangs, etc. About the second part of your question, we are not responsible for anyone besides ourselves. We are a band and in no way are we a babysitting service."[27]

The Locust organized a number of "gender-baiting incidents," including Pearson and Serbian staging a fake same-sex marriage while on tour in Hawaii.[25]

• "Nice Tranquil Thumbs in Mouth" and "An Extra Piece of Dead Meat" are featured in the film Cecil B. Demented.[28]
• In the 2011 cult film Margaret, a poster featuring the cover of Safety Second, Body Last can be seen in various scenes set in the protagonist’s bedroom.

Current

• Bobby Bray – guitar, vocals (1994–present)
• Justin Pearson – bass, vocals (1994–present)
• Joey Karam – keyboards, vocals (1997–present)
• Gabe Serbian – guitar (1998–2001), drums (2001–present)

Former

• Dylan Scharf – vocals, guitar (1994–1996)
• Dave Warshaw – keyboards, vocals (1994–1996)
• Dave Astor – drums (1994–2001)
• Jimmy LaValle – keyboards, vocals (1996–1998)

Timeline

Studio albums

• The Locust (1998, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Plague Soundscapes (2003, ANTI-)
• New Erections (2007, ANTI-)

Compilation albums

• Molecular Genetics from the Gold Standard Labs (2012, ANTI-)

Live albums

• The Peel Sessions (2010, Radio Surgery)

EPs

• The Locust (1997, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Flight of the Wounded Locust (2001, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Well I'll Be a Monkey's Uncle (2002, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Follow the Flock, Step in Shit (2003, Three One G)
• Safety Second, Body Last (2005, Radio Surgery)

Splits

• split with Man Is the Bastard (1995, King of the Monsters)
• split with Jenny Piccolo (1996, Three One G)
• split with Arab on Radar (2000, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• split with Melt-Banana (2002, Gold Standard Laboratories)

• Official website
• Allmusic biography
• Myspace page
• ANTI-Records bio
• LA Weekly interview
• Audio interview with Justin Pearson (Jekyll and Hyde, Israel)