Unsane

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For the Dario Argento horror film, see Tenebrae (film).

Unsane is a New York City rock music trio, formed in 1988.

They are generally classified as noise rock, but their music also touches on elements of hardcore punk and metal. Finding limited mainstream success, Unsane are nonetheless hugely influential; writer Patrick Kennedy writes that "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 globe."[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Unsane was formed in 1989 by singer/guitarist Chris Spencer, bass guitarist Pete Shore and drummer Charlie Ondras. They met as students at Sarah Lawrence College. The band was supposed to have their debut album recorded in 1988 by Circuit Records as "Improvised Munitions" , but Ernie Triccaro, the owner of Circuit Records, never released the album.

In the early 1990s, Unsane was part of a scene of loud, noisy, like-minded rock groups in New York City's East Village, often playing concerts with bands like Pussy Galore, Cop Shoot Cop, Surgery, Helmet and the Reverb Motherfuckers (Unsane's first show was as the opening act for the Reverb Motherfuckers). Members of Unsane were very active during this era and played in other bands like Boss Hog and the Action Swingers.

The band's self-titled debut was released in 1991 and was known for its harsh music and gruesome cover art: a photo of a dectapitated man on a New York city subway track, his body still wearing a Members Only jacket.

Ondras died of a heroin overdose in 1992, and was replaced temporarily by Anthony DeLuca and then permanently by Vinnie Signorelli (formerly of Foetus and NY icons Swans). In 1994 Shore departed from the band for unknown reasons and was replaced by Dave Curran.

The band toured heavily, and signed to Atlantic Records, who released Total Destruction in 1993 -- it was Unsane's only major-label release. Their third album, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, was issued by Ampehetamine Reptile. The music video for the single "Scrape" was made for a mere $200, yet earned significant play on MTV. The video alternates between lo-fi rehearsal footage of Unsane, and a series of serious skateboarding wipeouts.

They continued touring heavily (including a stint opening for metal icons Slayer), but did not release a new album until 1998's Occupational Hazard, issued by Relapse Records in 1998. Later in the same -- seeming to fulfil the album's title -- Spencer was attacked by four people after playing a concert in Vienna, Austria. [2] 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 [3], the band decided to take a break in 2000.

During the interim, Spencer moved to California where he formed a new band with Dave Curran called The Cutthroats 9, releasing one album on Man's Ruin Records. Curran also started a band called The J.J. Paradise Players Club and Signorelli opened a tattoo shop in Brooklyn.

Unsane reformed in 2003 upon Spencer's return to New York, and released a greatest hits record, Lambhouse, followed by Blood Run two years later.

Ipecac will be releasing Unsane's sixth studio album, Visqueen on March 13, 2007.

[edit] Trivia

Apart from their music, they are also famous for their ever gruesome cover art. The title of Blood Run refers to how the band assembles their cover art (in a "blood run" they purchase blood and do the photo shoot the same night[4].)

Their song "Committed" was featured in the Activision/Neversoft video game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

[edit] The Peel Sessions

Unsane have recorded several Peel Sessions:

  1. May 21, 1991 ·Members: Chris Spencer, Pete Shore, Charlie Ondras/ tracks: "Organ Donor", "Bath", "Street Sweeper", "Jungle Music", "Exeterminator" [5]
  2. November 26, 1991 · Members: Chris Spencer, Pete Shore, Vinnie Signorelli tracks: "Broke", "Body Bomb", "Hll", "Black Book (Vol II)" [6]
  3. June 7, 1994 · Members: Chris Spencer, Pete Shore, Vinnie Signorelli & Preston Long on Speak English / tracks: "Trench", "S O S", "Blew", "Radio 1", "Speak English" [7]
The first two sessions were released as an EP on 6 September 1994 [8] while the third session remains unreleased.

[edit] Band members

[edit] Current members

[edit] Former members

[edit] Discography (incomplete)

[edit] External links

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