Legendary Noise/Sludge band Unsane has kicked off their current US tour. The new lineup features Cooper (Made Out of Babies) and Jon Syverson(Daughters) performing their classic early-era of Unsane on US tour. Recently given a shoutout in our 8 Album Noise Rock Primer Feature, they are a can’t-miss band if they come to your town!

 

 

Photo credits: Cody Cowan

“Playing the early shit with Cooper and Jon is amazing! It’s really fun to get to play the songs from the beginning of the band.” – explains Chris Spencer, talking to IDIOTEQ. Commenting on getting the band together, Spencer, the founding member of a noise-rock trio explains: “During the pandemic, me and my friends Cooper[Made Out Of Babies] and Jon [Syverson – Daughters] started playing the early Unsane material for fun”. – explains Spencer: “Now that the lockdown is over, we’re super excited to get out and play this stuff for people. The new line-up is much more high energy as is the early Unsane material. We’re fucking psyched to get out there!”

 

Bio:

Forming in 1988, the trio created a relentless brand of rock with their well-versed influences of the Hardcore, Punk and Metal genres. The early days of Unsane began in the late ’80s under the original incarnation of the band — Chris Spencer, Pete Shore (bass), and Charles Ondras (drums) — crawled larvally out of the practice space in 1989 and began playing New York’s seediest haunts. It was these graveyard slots at clubs like CBGB’s where the band developed and honed their trademark sound and delivered the goods with due intensity and volume.

Unsane’s growing intensity, combined with their strong DIY touring approach influenced this greatly iconic self-titled album [recently reissued by Lamb Unlimited]: “It seemed important to capture that aspect in recording. I was using a cassette recorder to record the live shows and actually put between song live noise on the album.” – explains Chris adding: “For me, getting to play the early material that I had written during a super chaotic period in my life and the city of New York feels amazing. Unsane never did a majority of this stuff after Charlie (our drummer) passed away, so to have the chance to revisit it now really brings back a lot of the personal shit that was going on at the time. The uncompromising nature of the material is nightly catharsis that is much needed after the shutdown of the pandemic!”

Unsane quickly became a mainstay in New York noise and heavy music scenes. Originating from New York scum rock scene, while still pushing their unique “extreme” sound, Unsane’S relentless, non-stop touring established them as an important part of the Lower East side New York City music scene of the late 80s.

Lamb Unlimited has recently reissued two early albums of Unsane:

1.Improvised Munitions & Demos

Chris has also unearthed the “long thought lost”, and unreleased first Unsane release titled “Improvised Munitions”. This was slated to be released in 1989 on defunct Long Island-based label Circuit Records (Monster Magnet/Surgery/CopShootCop) but saw the light only in 2021 via Lamb Unlimited.

2.Self-Titled Unsane LP

Originally released in 1991 on Matador Records with legendary train tracks crime photo, keep an eye out for limited special edition version available at these shows.

“We have manufactured a special, limited edition of 500 each on colored vinyl of as follows: Improvised Munitions album on oxblood red 180 gram vinyl and Self Titled Matador album on clear w/ blood splattered 180 gram vinyl. These will only be sold only while supplies last at the shows during October/November tour in Europe and UK.”

The Dates Of The Upcoming Tour Include:

2/6/2023 Albuquerque NM Launchpad

2/7/2023 Tucson AZ 191 Toole

2/8/2023 Tempe AZ Yucca Tap Room

2/9/2023 San Diego CA Casbah

2/10/2023 Los Angeles CA Zebulon

2/11/2023 Costa Mesa CA The Wayfarer

2/13/2023 Albany CA Ivy Room

2/14/2023 Albany CA Ivy Room

2/15/2023 Sacramento CA Cafe Colonial

2/17/2023 Seattle WA El Corazon

2/18/2023 Portland OR Mississippi Studios

2/19/2023 Boise ID Neurolux

2/20/2023 Salt Lake City UT Urban Lounge

2/21/2023 Laramie WY The Lair

2/22/2023 Denver CO HQ

2/23/2023 Omaha NE Reverb Lounge

2/24/2023 Kansas City MO Record Bar

2/25/2023 Dallas TX Amplified Live Inside Stage

2/26/2023 Austin TX The Lost Well