BEN – If you could just introduce yourself for the tape…
GABE – Sure, my name is Gabe, and I play the drums in The Locust.
BEN – The biggest news that most people have been dwelling on is the signing to Anti Records (Epitaph offshoot) – how has that changed the way you guys go about things?
GABE – I don’t think it changes anything in the way we write songs or the way we’ve done our thing for…ever…we still have complete control. The way it’s helped us is to reach out through the label to a lot of people who might otherwise never have heard of us which is a good thing. It’s only helped us in the best ways possible.
BEN – What do you say to the people who have just found out about you guys? What would you like them to get from their first exposure to The Locust?
GABE – I just hope they have an amazing time and enjoy the music. Hopefully they’ll come to a show where we play alright, we just want people to have a good time.
BEN – On the other side of the coin, what would you say to the people who think that signing to Anti is the opposite of what you guys originally set out to do?
GABE – I don’t care enough to say anything. First of all, if anyone’s a fan of our music, then they suddenly aren’t a fan simply because we’ve signed to someone else, then they’re not in it for the music so I don’t care. I’m speechless, I don’t even fucking care.
BEN – What have you found the reaction’s been to your new album?
GABE – Pretty good I think, I haven’t heard anything negative which I would love to hear…some constructive criticism…I think it’s been alright so far.
BEN – Were you as happy with it as you were your previous releases?
GABE – I think we’re more happy. I think we’re all proud of it, I think this is the best stuff we’ve ever written.
BEN – While you were writing the album was there a conscious sense of testing yourself?
GABE – We don’t wanna do something that feels just like every other thing, you know? When we write, we write for ourselves, we don’t try and write the craziest song, we just try and keep it interesting. If there’s a part that feels like something else we’ve done, or feels boring, then we’ll change it. It’s constantly changing for the better, for us and our own amusement.
BEN – How much of being in The Locust is testing the boundaries of what could be considered a hardcore record, or a punk record, or whatever?
GABE – We try to keep it fresh and interesting. Whenever we’re writing we try and…just make ourselves more into the music.
BEN – Do you find that you guys have some kind of manifesto, some kind of core ideas that you want to put across?
GABE – Well yeah, we are real serious when it comes to what we’re talking about. We do take a stand on a lot of issues so I do think there is an underlying agenda but we try not to be blatant. It’s all how you interpret it.
BEN – Would you say a lot of your music is down to personal interpretation?
GABE – I think so, it’s abstract and can be translated in many different ways. We try not to be straightforward about many different things.
BEN – What other bands around right now are turning you on?
GABE – That’s easy, anything that Melt Banana does I’m right onto, same with bands like Dillinger Escape Plan. Dillinger is some fucking crazy shit. Anything that a band’s doing that is pushing the boundaries, or something that hasn’t been done yet, or is an extreme version of something is really good.
BEN – After having played a few dates in the UK, how have you found the audiences?
GABE – It seems like when we play the audience is more watching us and standing around, than dancing and having fun. When I’m on stage I’m not really conscious of what’s going on.
BEN – Do you enjoy touring, or do you find the writing and recording more enjoyable?
GABE – That’s a hard question to answer because I enjoy all of it pretty much equally, I can find just as many things that I like about touring as I can about staying at home and writing. I find enjoyment in both.
BEN – Have you found there’s been more acceptance of your band?
GABE – With Anti we’ve been able to touch people that probably would have never heard of us. Anti’s a big label with pretty long arms!
BEN – What would you ideally want someone to go away from a show thinking?
GABE – Just that they thought it was really cool and that they had a good time. Just someone leaving a show and being excited…that’s great! I couldn’t ask for anything more.
(Layout by Nick Sniper Wolf)