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Unsane (band)

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Unsane
Unsane in 2005
Unsane in 2005
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1988–2000, 2003–2019, 2021–present
LabelsMatador, Amphetamine Reptile, Relapse, Ipecac, Alternative Tentacles, Southern Lord
MembersChris Spencer
Eric Cooper
Jon Syverson
Past membersDave Curran
Vincent Signorelli
Pete Shore
Anthony DeLuca
Charlie Ondras

Unsane is an American noise rock trio that was formed in New York City in 1988. Its music touches on elements of hardcore punk and metal. The writer Patrick Kennedy wrote, "While developing the blueprint for noise-metal bands to follow, Unsane cut a remarkable swath through underground music, inspiring a devoted, cult-like following around the world."[3]

History

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The band's logo

In 1988, the singer/guitarist Chris Spencer, bass guitarist Pete Shore and drummer Charlie Ondras were students at Sarah Lawrence College when they formed Lawn-Chair-Blisters[4] before changing the name to Unsane. The band signed to Circuit Records and recorded tracks with Wharton Tiers for what was supposed to be their first album Improvised Munitions, but the label did not release it.[4][5]

Unsane became part of the scene of loud, noisy, like-minded rock groups in New York City's East Village in the early 1990s. They often played gigs with bands like Pussy Galore, Cop Shoot Cop, Surgery, Helmet and the Reverb Motherfuckers. Members of Unsane also played in other bands such as Boss Hog and the Action Swingers.

The band's first album, Unsane, was released in 1991,[6] and was known for its harsh music and gruesome cover art with a photo of a decapitated man on a New York subway track wearing a Members Only jacket. The band obtained this photograph from a friend who was working at the time with the police department, which was investigating the scene of the accident.[7]

In 1992, Ondras died of a heroin overdose and was replaced by Vincent Signorelli (formerly of Foetus and Swans).[6] In 1994, Shore left the band for unknown reasons and was replaced by Dave Curran.

The band toured heavily, and released Total Destruction in 1993 on Matador Records/Atlantic Records.[6] Their third album, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, was issued by Amphetamine Reptile in 1995.[6] The music video for the song "Scrape", made for a mere $200, had significant play on MTV. The video alternates between lo-fi rehearsal footage of Unsane and a series of serious skateboarding wipeouts.

The band continued touring heavily (including a spell opening for Slayer). Their next album, Occupational Hazard, was released by Relapse Records in 1998. Later that same year, Spencer was attacked by four people after playing a concert in Vienna, Austria.[8] He was hospitalized with internal bleeding and underwent major surgery. As a result of his injury, and having toured over ten months of the year, the band decided to take a long break in 2000.

Unsane regrouped in 2003 and released the CD/DVD compilation Lambhouse: The Collection 1991-1998 the same year. This was followed by their fifth album, Blood Run, in 2005. Ipecac released the band's sixth studio album, Visqueen, in 2007.

Unsane performing in 2007

Their song "Committed" was used in the Activision/Neversoft video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Another Activision title, True Crime: New York City, uses the song "D Train".

Unsane released their seventh album Wreck on March 20, 2012, and toured with Melvins in April and May that year.

Unsane released their eighth studio album Sterilize on September 29, 2017.

In 2019, Spencer announced the formation of a new band, Human Impact, with ex-Swans members Phil Puleo and Chris Pravdica. Spencer subsequently announced his departure from Unsane in August 2019, first in an interview about Human Impact with the Italian-language music zine Equilibrio Precario, and then in English in a comment on a Facebook post of the same article.

In early 2021, Unsane released Improvised Munitions. It was originally envisioned as the band's debut album in 1989, but the band's former label shutdown prior to its release.[9] On August 27, 2021, Chris Spencer announced the formation of a new lineup of Unsane via the band's Instagram page, alongside new members Eric Cooper and Jon Syverson, with the specific focus on performing the band's early material.

Activities outside the band

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During the band's break between 2000 and 2003, Spencer moved to California where he formed a new band with Curran called The Cutthroats 9 and released an album on Man's Ruin Records. Curran formed J.J. Paradise Players Club and Signorelli opened a tattoo shop in Middle Village Queens.

Signorelli later formed A Storm of Light with Josh Graham (Neurosis, ex-Red Sparowes, Battle of Mice, Blood and Time) on guitar and vocals, Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs and Asea) on bass guitar, and Pete Angevine (Satanized) on additional drums and percussion. A Storm of Light spent most of the spring touring with Neurosis and they released their first album in 2008.

In 2008 Spencer formed the band Celan with Ari Benjamin Meyers (Redux Orchestra), Niko Wenner (Oxbow), Roeder and Xavi (both ex-flu-ID) and, in 2009, they released the well-reviewed album Halo on the Berlin label Exile on Mainstream Records and toured Europe. Spencer now plays in noise rock band, Human Impact.

In 2015 Spencer formed UXO with Steve Austin of Today is the Day, Aarne Victorine, and Pat Kennedy. The band released its self-titled album in 2016 on Reptilian Records.

In 2019 Spencer formed Human Impact with ex-members of Swans and Cop Shoot Cop and confirmed his departure from Unsane.

Members

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Current line-up

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  • Chris Spencer – vocals, guitar (1988–2000, 2003–2019, 2021–present)
  • Eric Cooper – bass (2021–present)
  • Jon Syverson – drums (2021–present)

Former members

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  • Charlie Ondras – drums (1988–1992; died 1992)
  • Pete Shore – bass (1988–1994)
  • Anthony DeLuca – drums (1992)
  • Vincent Signorelli – drums (1992–2000, 2003–2019)
  • Dave Curran – bass (1994–2000, 2003–2019)

Discography

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Studio albums

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Compilation albums

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Live albums

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Singles

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  • "Scumbait #1" split with Cows, Pagans, Bastards (Unsane - "Burn") (Treehouse) - 1989
  • "This Town" single (Treehouse) - 1989
  • "Concrete Bed" single (Glitterhouse) - 1990
  • "Vandal-X"/"Streetsweeper" single (Sub Pop) - 1990
  • "Jungle Music" single (PCP) - 1991
  • Split 7" with Slug (cover of Slug's "Breathe the Thing Out") (Matador) - 1992
  • "Body Bomb" 7" red vinyl single (Matador) - 1994
  • "Sick"/"No Soul" single (Man's Ruin) - 1996
  • "Committed"/"Over Me" single (Galaxia) - 1998
  • "This Plan"/"Ha, Ha, Ha" single (DC Records) - 2001
  • "Fix It"/"Wrung" single for Bash 17 (Amphetamine Reptile Records) - July 2017

The Peel Sessions

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The band recorded three sessions. The first two were released as an EP in 1994,[4] while the third session remains unreleased.

References

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  1. ^ "Explore: Noise-Rock (Top Artists)". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  2. ^ "Explore: Post-Hardcore (Top Artists)". AllMusic. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  3. ^ Unsane's Biography, AllMusic
  4. ^ a b c "Matador Records | Unsane Biography". Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  5. ^ Joseph, Daniel. "Life at the Bottom - Unsane on Noise, Growing Up, and Surviving NYC in the '80s". Space City Rock. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 464. ISBN 0-7535-0257-7.
  7. ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (October 29, 2015) (October 29, 2015). "Exclusive: Have A Religious Experience With Unsane In Clip From Amphetamine Reptile Doc 'The Color Of Noise'". Indiewire.com. Retrieved March 12, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "::: LOWCUT #28 - Interviews :::". March 12, 2006. Archived from the original on March 12, 2006. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Manning, Todd (May 4, 2021). "Unsane's Journey Through The Past". Rock and Roll Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  10. ^ BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 21/05/1991 Unsane, BBC
  11. ^ BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 26/11/1992 Unsane, BBC
  12. ^ BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 07/06/1994 Unsane, BBC
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