The Unforgiven (band)
Encyclopedia
The Unforgiven were a roots rock
band that existed for four years during the 1980s. They were signed with a two-record deal to Elektra Records
after a bidding war with Warner Bros. Records
and several other labels. One label was willing to sign the band unseen and unheard. The band's attire and overall look was compared to that of actors in a spaghetti western
; three-quarter length overcoats, dusty boots, and wide brimmed hats.
The lineup on the band's sole album (released in 1986) featured Steve Jones aka John Henry Jones (lead vocals, guitar), Johnny Hickman
(guitar and vocals), Just Jones aka Mike Jones (guitar and vocals), Todd Ross (guitar and vocals), Mike Finn (bass and vocals) and Alan Waddington (drums and vocals). The self-titled album sold 50,000 copies. Steve Jones previously sang with and led the group The Stepmothers; two other members of The Stepmothers performed with a later incarnation of The Unforgiven, bassist Larry Lee Lerma and guitarist Jay Lansford. During the period that the band was active bassist Mike Finn was a teacher at an Orange County
public school.
When asked during a Los Angeles Times
interview about the record label's bidding war leader Steve Jones replied:
In the same interview Craig Lee wrote that the band came into the Los Angeles rock scene with a "defiantly macho image". The tough look wasn't just an act. Before each rehearsal the group would run and lift weights. Johnny Hickman gave up smoking
in order to join the band.
Drummer Alan Waddington stated in an May 24, 1985 interview at Madame Wong's West in Santa Monica:
The Unforgiven were unusual in their four-guitar lineup, their use of "gang vocals", their vintage cowboy image and their embrace of a country
-influenced roots rock
sound that would find greater popularity after they broke up. They appeared at the 1986 Farm Aid II
concert held at the Manor Downs
horse track in Manor, Texas
, and at the Farm Aid III show the following year held at Lincoln, Nebraska
. The band was one of the earliest bands to have their music videos distributed on channels other than MTV
, helping that format move beyond a single TV channel in genres other than mainstream pop/rock.
Alan Waddington moved on to perform with Desperation Squad
from Pomona and is on staff at Citrus College
in Glendora, California
. Johnny Hickman
became a member of Cracker
, and Just Jones, Mike Finn, and Unforgiven roadie Tim Allyn perform with the band The Hickman.
Steve Jones went on to write, direct, and compose in the music and television industries. He is credited with writing the "Days Like These" track off of Asia's Then & Now
album from 1990. More recently he worked as series producer for Discovery Channel
's first season of Pitchmen
, and in 2010 co-founded a talent development agency.
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
band that existed for four years during the 1980s. They were signed with a two-record deal to Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
after a bidding war with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and several other labels. One label was willing to sign the band unseen and unheard. The band's attire and overall look was compared to that of actors in a spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
; three-quarter length overcoats, dusty boots, and wide brimmed hats.
The lineup on the band's sole album (released in 1986) featured Steve Jones aka John Henry Jones (lead vocals, guitar), Johnny Hickman
Johnny Hickman
Johnny Hickman is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the rock band Cracker.Hickman is a native of Redlands in San Bernardino County in California's Inland Empire. Prior to his tenure in Cracker, Hickman had stints in various California bands including The Unforgiven and The...
(guitar and vocals), Just Jones aka Mike Jones (guitar and vocals), Todd Ross (guitar and vocals), Mike Finn (bass and vocals) and Alan Waddington (drums and vocals). The self-titled album sold 50,000 copies. Steve Jones previously sang with and led the group The Stepmothers; two other members of The Stepmothers performed with a later incarnation of The Unforgiven, bassist Larry Lee Lerma and guitarist Jay Lansford. During the period that the band was active bassist Mike Finn was a teacher at an Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
public school.
When asked during a Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
interview about the record label's bidding war leader Steve Jones replied:
I can only tell you what they tell me. The timing seems to be right for a band that seems healthy. We play very aggressive music, but it's still pop. We're not trying to be overly political — we mean what we say, we don't say more than we mean...
In the same interview Craig Lee wrote that the band came into the Los Angeles rock scene with a "defiantly macho image". The tough look wasn't just an act. Before each rehearsal the group would run and lift weights. Johnny Hickman gave up smoking
Smoking cessation
Smoking cessation is the process of discontinuing the practice of inhaling a smoked substance. This article focuses exclusively on cessation of tobacco smoking; however, the methods described may apply to cessation of smoking other substances that can be difficult to stop using due to the...
in order to join the band.
Drummer Alan Waddington stated in an May 24, 1985 interview at Madame Wong's West in Santa Monica:
It's great to know you're wanted, and that you're going to do something with a major label. The label has sunk a lot of money into us just trying to get a record made. Right now, that's their main concern.
The Unforgiven were unusual in their four-guitar lineup, their use of "gang vocals", their vintage cowboy image and their embrace of a country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-influenced roots rock
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
sound that would find greater popularity after they broke up. They appeared at the 1986 Farm Aid II
Farm Aid
Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States...
concert held at the Manor Downs
Manor Downs
Manor Downs is a horse racetrack located outside Manor, Texas, United States. It is Texas's oldest pari-mutuel horse racetrack. Live racing in the Spring features both quarter horse and thoroughbred racing. Simulcast racing is shown year round....
horse track in Manor, Texas
Manor, Texas
Manor is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. The population was 1,204 at the 2000 census; it was 1,877 in the 2005 census estimate. The approximate population for the City of Manor is 5,500, which is calculated from the number of...
, and at the Farm Aid III show the following year held at Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
. The band was one of the earliest bands to have their music videos distributed on channels other than MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, helping that format move beyond a single TV channel in genres other than mainstream pop/rock.
Alan Waddington moved on to perform with Desperation Squad
Desperation Squad
Desperation Squad is a rock and roll band from Pomona, California. They played their first live show on May 19, 1984 and are still active as of 2008...
from Pomona and is on staff at Citrus College
Citrus College
Citrus College is a community college located in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendora, California; the Citrus Community College District which supports the school includes the communities of Glendora, Azusa, Charter Oak, Claremont, Monrovia, and Duarte. The school is the oldest public community...
in Glendora, California
Glendora, California
Glendora is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the population of Glendora was 50,073....
. Johnny Hickman
Johnny Hickman
Johnny Hickman is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the rock band Cracker.Hickman is a native of Redlands in San Bernardino County in California's Inland Empire. Prior to his tenure in Cracker, Hickman had stints in various California bands including The Unforgiven and The...
became a member of Cracker
Cracker (band)
Cracker is an American alternative rock band featuring founders/songwriters singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their platinum-selling 1993 album, Kerosene Hat, featuring the hit songs "Low", "Euro-Trash Girl", and "Get Off This".Founders Lowery and Hickman...
, and Just Jones, Mike Finn, and Unforgiven roadie Tim Allyn perform with the band The Hickman.
Steve Jones went on to write, direct, and compose in the music and television industries. He is credited with writing the "Days Like These" track off of Asia's Then & Now
Then & Now (Asia album)
-External links:*...
album from 1990. More recently he worked as series producer for Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's first season of Pitchmen
PitchMen
PitchMen is a docudrama television program produced for the Discovery Channel in the United States. The show followed infomercial producers and talent Billy Mays and Anthony "Sully" Sullivan as they attempted to sell various inventions through direct-response marketing. The series was narrated by...
, and in 2010 co-founded a talent development agency.