Unsane
Encyclopedia
Unsane is an influential noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...

 trio that formed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 in 1988. Their music also touches on elements of hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 and metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

. Writer Patrick Kennedy
Patrick Kennedy (American musician and writer)
Baltimore native Patrick Kennedy is a respected music and travel writer, author, and musician. Having contributed to Alternative Press, CMJ, Details, Baltimore City Paper, Baltimore Magazine, Bizarre, Punk Planet, Big Brother , the Allmusic, and many others, he has made his mark as a champion of...

 writes that "while developing the blueprint for noise-metal bands to follow, Unsane cut a remarkable swath through underground music
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...

, inspiring a devoted, cult-like following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...

 around the globe."

Biography

In 1988, singer/guitarist Chris Spencer, bass guitarist Pete Shore and drummer Charlie Ondras were students at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...

 when they formed as Lawn-Chair-Blisters before changing their name to Unsane. The band signed to Circuit Records and recorded tracks with Wharton Tiers
Wharton Tiers
Wharton Tiers is an American audio engineer, record producer, drummer and percussionist.- Biography :Diplomed from Villanova University , he moved to New York City in 1976 and was part of the No Wave scene.As an audio engineer and record producer, he has worked on projects such as Sonic Youth,...

 for what was supposed to be their first album Improvised Munitions, but the label ended up never releasing it.

Unsane then became a part of a scene of loud, noisy, like-minded rock groups in New York City's East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...

 in the early 1990s. They often played gigs with bands like Pussy Galore
Pussy Galore (band)
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. Like many garage rock outfits, they were dogged by substance abuse problems...

, Cop Shoot Cop
Cop Shoot Cop
Cop Shoot Cop was a rock music group founded in New York City in 1987. They disbanded in 1996. The band were frequently classified as industrial rock, but were often quite different from many bands so dubbed, with a distinctive instrumental lineup that encompassed twin bass guitars, found metal...

, Surgery, Helmet
Helmet (band)
Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....

 and the Reverb Motherfuckers. Members of Unsane concurrently played in other bands such as Boss Hog
Boss Hog
Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez along with Jens Jurgensen , Hollis Queens and Mark Boyce...

 and the Action Swingers.

The band's self-titled debut album
Unsane (album)
-Reception:Patrick Kennedy from allmusic called it a a brilliant and daring debut that "assaults the senses like the Swans or Foetus before them, but tempers that art-scum priggishness with clear roots in punk and classic rock." Piero Scaruffi gave the album 8 out of 10, describing the record as...

 was released in 1991 and was known for its harsh music and gruesome cover art which was a photo of a decapitated man on a New York city
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 subway track wearing a Members Only
Members Only
Members Only is a brand of clothing that became popular in the 1980s with the Members Only jacket. The brand was created in 1975 and introduced to American markets in 1979 by Europe Craft Imports .Members Only was renowned for their brand of jackets, which were first introduced in 1981 and...

 jacket.

In 1992, drummer Ondras died of a heroin overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...

, and was replaced temporarily by Anthony DeLuca (Swirlies) and then permanently by Vinnie Signorelli (formerly of Foetus
Foetus (band)
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...

 and Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...

). In 1994, Shore departed from the band for unknown reasons and was replaced by Dave Curran.

The band toured heavily, and released Total Destruction
Total Destruction
Total Destruction is a 1993 album by New York hardcore punk/noise rock trio Unsane.-Track listing:#"Body Bomb"#"Straight"#"Black Book"#"Trench"#"Dispatched"#"Throw it Away"#"Broke"#"Road Trip"#"Wayne"#"Get Away"#"S.O.S."#"455"-Personnel:...

in 1993 on Matador Records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

/Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

. Their third album, Scattered, Smothered & Covered
Scattered, Smothered & Covered
Scattered, Smothered & Covered is the third album by the band Unsane, released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Scrape"#"Alleged"#"Blame Me"#"Out"#"Can't See"#"Get off My Back"#"Blew"#"Empty Cartridge"#"No Loss"#"Test My Faith"#"Ruin"#"Swim"-Credits:...

was issued by Amphetamine Reptile. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 for the single "Scrape", made for a mere $200, got significant play on 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....

. The video alternates between lo-fi rehearsal footage of Unsane, and a series of serious skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...

 wipeouts.

The band continued touring heavily (including a stint opening for Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

). Their next album Occupational Hazard
Occupational Hazard
Occupational Hazard is the fourth studio album by noise rock band Unsane, released on June 23, 1998 under Relapse Records. The song "Committed" is featured on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack.-Track listing:#"Committed"#"This Plan"#"Over Me"...

was released by Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

 in 1998. Later that same year - in seeming fulfillment of the album's title - Spencer was attacked by four people after playing a concert in Vienna, Austria. He ended up in hospital suffering internal bleeding and underwent major surgery. As a result of Spencer's injury, and touring over ten months of the year, the band decided to take a break in 2000.

Unsane regrouped in 2003, and released a greatest hits record, Lambhouse, followed by Blood Run in 2005. Ipecac
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...

 released the band's sixth studio album Visqueen
Visqueen (album)
Visqueen is the 6th studio album by Unsane, released on Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings record label.-Track listing:# "Against the Grain" - 4:40# "Last Man Standing" - 3:34# "This Stops at the River" - 2:48# "Only Pain" - 3:33# "No One" - 2:45...

in 2007.

Their song "Committed" was featured in the Activision/Neversoft video game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
-Reception:The game was very well-received by most critics, scoring an outstanding 92 on Metacritic based on 18 reviews for the PS1 version. IGN gave the N64 version of the game a 9.1 out of 10 praising the gameplay for "genius control, combo system and design" despite little criticism with sound...

. Another Activision title, True Crime: New York City
True Crime: New York City
True Crime: New York City is an urban sandbox-style action-adventure videogame published by Activision and developed by Luxoflux for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube consoles and Windows based computers. It is the second game of the True Crime series, released after True Crime: Streets of LA...

, features the song "D Train".

Activities outside the band

During the band's break between 2000–2003, Spencer moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 where he formed a new band with Dave Curran called The Cutthroats 9
The Cutthroats 9
The Cutthroats 9 was a band formed by Chris Spencer of Unsane when he moved to California after Unsane went on hiatus in 2000. Their first single "You should be dead"/"Can't Do a Thing" was releasd on Man's Ruin Records with Spencer on guitar/vocals, Mark Laramie on Bass and the one and only Billy...

 and released an album on Man's Ruin Records
Man's Ruin Records
Man's Ruin Records was an independent record label, owned and founded by Bay Area artist Frank Kozik. After the 1994 release of Man's Ruin's first record, entitled Experimental Audio Research : Delta 6, Kozik worked with artists who he wanted to release; he also designed all of the sleeve art for...

. Curran formed J.J. Paradise Players Club and Signorelli opened a tattoo shop in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

.

Signorelli later formed A Storm of Light
A Storm of Light
A Storm of Light is a band from Brooklyn,which is sometimes referred to as post-metal. Critic Leech has described them as "Doom Metal/Post-Rock".- History :...

 with Josh Graham (Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...

, ex-Red Sparowes
Red Sparowes
Red Sparowes is a Los Angeles post-rock band comprising current and former members of Isis, Halifax Pier, Angel Hair and Pleasure Forever. Their sound is characteristic of soundscape-influenced experimental rock, with an otherwise uncommon extensive use of a pedal steel guitar.-History:Red Sparowes...

, Battle of Mice
Battle of Mice
Battle of Mice was a post-metal supergroup consisting of Julie Christmas , Josh Graham , Joel Hamilton , Tony Maimone , and Joe Tomino .The band was formed when vocalist Julie Christmas and guitarist/keyboardist Josh Graham met in Austin, Texas while...

, Blood and Time) on guitar and vocals, Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs and Asea) on bass, and Pete Angevine (Satanized) on additional drums and percussion. A Storm of Light
A Storm of Light
A Storm of Light is a band from Brooklyn,which is sometimes referred to as post-metal. Critic Leech has described them as "Doom Metal/Post-Rock".- History :...

 spent most of the spring touring with Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...

 and they released their debut album in 2008.

In 2008 Spencer formed the band Celan with Ari Benjamin Meyers (Redux Orchestra), Niko Wenner (Oxbow
Oxbow (band)
Oxbow is a long-lived Avant-Garde band out of San Francisco, California notable for a unique sound. Oxbow plays a blend of Noise rock, Avant-garde jazz, Musique concrète , and Blues, creating soundscapes caustic, or plangent, with overtones of paranoia, revulsion, exaltation.-Current line-up:*Dan...

), Roeder (flu-ID), and Xavi (flu-ID), and in 2009 they released the well-reviewed album Halo on the Berlin label Exile on Mainstream Records and toured Europe.

Albums

  • Unsane
    Unsane (album)
    -Reception:Patrick Kennedy from allmusic called it a a brilliant and daring debut that "assaults the senses like the Swans or Foetus before them, but tempers that art-scum priggishness with clear roots in punk and classic rock." Piero Scaruffi gave the album 8 out of 10, describing the record as...

    (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    ) - 1991
  • Total Destruction
    Total Destruction
    Total Destruction is a 1993 album by New York hardcore punk/noise rock trio Unsane.-Track listing:#"Body Bomb"#"Straight"#"Black Book"#"Trench"#"Dispatched"#"Throw it Away"#"Broke"#"Road Trip"#"Wayne"#"Get Away"#"S.O.S."#"455"-Personnel:...

    (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    /Atlantic
    Atlantic Records
    Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

    ) - 1994
  • Scattered, Smothered & Covered
    Scattered, Smothered & Covered
    Scattered, Smothered & Covered is the third album by the band Unsane, released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Scrape"#"Alleged"#"Blame Me"#"Out"#"Can't See"#"Get off My Back"#"Blew"#"Empty Cartridge"#"No Loss"#"Test My Faith"#"Ruin"#"Swim"-Credits:...

    (Amphetamine Reptile
    Amphetamine Reptile Records
    Amphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, US The label is best-known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its Dope, Guns 'n' Fucking In The Streets series of compilations.-History:Hazelmyer...

    ) - 1995
  • Occupational Hazard
    Occupational Hazard
    Occupational Hazard is the fourth studio album by noise rock band Unsane, released on June 23, 1998 under Relapse Records. The song "Committed" is featured on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack.-Track listing:#"Committed"#"This Plan"#"Over Me"...

    (Relapse
    Relapse Records
    Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

    ) - 1998
  • Blood Run (Relapse
    Relapse Records
    Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

    ) - 2005
  • Visqueen
    Visqueen (album)
    Visqueen is the 6th studio album by Unsane, released on Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings record label.-Track listing:# "Against the Grain" - 4:40# "Last Man Standing" - 3:34# "This Stops at the River" - 2:48# "Only Pain" - 3:33# "No One" - 2:45...

    (Ipecac Recordings
    Ipecac Recordings
    Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...

    ) - 2007

Compilation albums

  • Singles 89-92, LP/ CD (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    ) - 1993
  • Lambhouse: The Collection 1991-1998
    Lambhouse: The Collection 1991-1998
    Lambhouse: The Collection 1991-1998 is a CD/DVD greatest hits compilation and collection of live and promotional videos by the band Unsane.-Track listing:#"Over Me"#"Committed"#"Wait to Lose"#"Sick"#"Hazmat"#"Lead"#"Empty Cartridge"#"Blew"...

    (Relapse
    Relapse Records
    Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

    ) - 2003

Live albums

  • Peel Sessions (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    ) - 1994
  • Amrep Xmas
    Amrep Xmas
    Amrep Xmas is a live album by noise rock band Unsane, released in 1997. The "Special Guest Appearance" track features Minneapolis band the Cows being urged to take the stage by members of both Unsane and the audience, where they used Unsane's instruments to play their song "Hitting the Wall" and...

    (Man's Ruin
    Man's Ruin Records
    Man's Ruin Records was an independent record label, owned and founded by Bay Area artist Frank Kozik. After the 1994 release of Man's Ruin's first record, entitled Experimental Audio Research : Delta 6, Kozik worked with artists who he wanted to release; he also designed all of the sleeve art for...

    ) - 1995
  • Attack In Japan (Rebel) - 1995

Singles

  • Split w/ Cows, Pagans, Bastards (Unsane - "Burn") (Treehouse) - 1989
  • This Town single (Treehouse) - 1989
  • Concrete Bed single (Glitterhouse
    Glitterhouse Records
    Glitterhouse Records is an independent record label based in Beverungen, Germany. The label specialises in the alternative country genre, and has released material by artists such as 16 Horsepower, The Walkabouts, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Hazeldine, Helldorado, The Shivers and Tom Liwa, but has...

    ) - 1990
  • Vandal-X single (Sub Pop
    Sub Pop
    Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...

    ) - 1990
  • Jungle Music single (PCP) - 1991
  • Split w/ Slug single (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    ) - 1992
  • Body Bomb 7" red vinyl single (Matador
    Matador Records
    Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

    ) - 1994
  • Sick/ No Soul single (Man's Ruin
    Man's Ruin Records
    Man's Ruin Records was an independent record label, owned and founded by Bay Area artist Frank Kozik. After the 1994 release of Man's Ruin's first record, entitled Experimental Audio Research : Delta 6, Kozik worked with artists who he wanted to release; he also designed all of the sleeve art for...

    ) - 1996
  • Committed/ Over me, single (Galaxia
    Galaxia
    Galaxia may refer to:*The superior form of Gaia , a planet in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series*Galaxia , a genus in the iris family*"Galaxia", a 1996 trance song by Ferry Corsten...

    ) - 1998
  • This Plan/ Ha,Ha,Ha, single (DC Records) - 2001

The Peel Sessions

The band recorded three sessions. The first two were released as an EP in 1994, while the third session remains unreleased.
  • May 21, 1991
  • November 26, 1991
  • June 7, 1994

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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