Unbroken
Encyclopedia
Unbroken was a Hardcore punk
band from San Diego, California
. They were influential in the Southern California hardcore scene during the mid-to-late 1990s. The band chose the name Unbroken because they wanted to emphasize their dedication to the straight edge philosophy of drug abstinence. However, most of the members have since given up this belief.
In 2008, Alternative Press
named Unbroken a band of significant interest in its cover story "23 Bands Who Shaped Punk", citing them as an influence on later groups such as The Hope Conspiracy
, Suicide File, Planes Mistaken for Stars
, Modern Life Is War
, and Bleeding Through
.
, Kill Holiday, Julia, Some Girls, Smooth Man Automatic, Johnny Angel, Stabbed By Words, and Over My Dead Body
before, during, and after Unbroken's existence.
Guitarist Eric Allen committed suicide 3 years after the breakup of the band. The band reformed soon after Eric's death for 1 show as a benefit to Eric's family.
Rob Moran until recently played in the hardcore group Some Girls and now resides back in San Diego with his wife Diana and their two dogs. He has more recently started a band with John Pettibone
(former member of Undertow, Nineironspitfire and Himsa), Ryan Murphy (former member of Undertow, Ten Yard Fight
, Ensign) and Aram Arslanian (guitarist of Champion
, The First Step and vocalist for Betrayed). The band, The Vows, is a straight-edge band that is musically influenced by the old-school hardcore band Judge. The Vows released a CD on Indecision Records
in 2006. Rob Moran is in a new band called Narrows
with Dave Verellen
of Botch
and Ryan Frederiksen of These Arms Are Snakes
. They have released a S/T 7", an album called New Distances, as well a split 7" with Seattle band Heiress. All releases are on Deathwish Inc.
He is also working on other musical projects with friends in San Diego. One of which is a goth band with Gabe Serbian from The Locust
.
Dave Claibourne sings for the band Stabbed By Words (who have a full length out on Hawthorne Street Records), and is a drum & bass dj with Dedication Crew in St. Louis, MO. He is trying to get Round 2 back together for a European reunion tour in 2011.
Steven Andrew Miller moved away from San Diego and now resides in Orange County. He now plays in Crushed On You who are set to release an EP later in 2008 on an as of yet unnamed label.
Todd Beattie now lives in Los Angeles, and is married to acclaimed furniture designer Tanya Aguiniga.
Despite talk that these would be their only reunion shows, as of 2010, Unbroken are also scheduled to play the annual FYF Fest (formerly F Yeah Fest and Fuck Yeah Fest) in Los Angeles, California
on September 4, and at ULU in London, England on October 16.
Unbroken played a reunion show in New York City
at Santos Party House
on April 10, 2011 with Indecision
, Jesuit, Damnation A.D.
, Unrestrained and Psychic Limb.
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...
band from San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. They were influential in the Southern California hardcore scene during the mid-to-late 1990s. The band chose the name Unbroken because they wanted to emphasize their dedication to the straight edge philosophy of drug abstinence. However, most of the members have since given up this belief.
In 2008, Alternative Press
Alternative Press (music magazine)
Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
named Unbroken a band of significant interest in its cover story "23 Bands Who Shaped Punk", citing them as an influence on later groups such as The Hope Conspiracy
The Hope Conspiracy
The Hope Conspiracy is a hardcore punk band from Boston, Massachusetts that formed late 1999. They were picked up by Equal Vision Records and Bridge 9 Records before signing a deal with Deathwish Records.-Biography:...
, Suicide File, Planes Mistaken for Stars
Planes Mistaken for Stars
Planes Mistaken for Stars was a emocore band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1997. They released music on Deep Elm Records, Dim Mak Records, No Idea Records and Abacus Recordings.-History:...
, Modern Life Is War
Modern Life Is War
Modern Life Is War , was a Marshalltown, Iowa-based melodic hardcore punk band. They were known for their incendiary live shows and unique take on the melodic hardcore and hardcore sound, usually avoiding standard songs structures and almost entirely abandoning the use of breakdowns...
, and Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1999, the band blends influences stemming from modern hardcore punk, symphonic black metal, and melodic death metal...
.
Biography
The band's members were also in the groups Struggle, Swing KidsSwing Kids (band)
Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s....
, Kill Holiday, Julia, Some Girls, Smooth Man Automatic, Johnny Angel, Stabbed By Words, and Over My Dead Body
Over My Dead Body (band)
Over My Dead Body was a straight edge hardcore punk band from San Diego that featured former members from Built To Last, Forced Life, Palpatine, Four Walls Falling and Unbroken. David Kennedy of Box Car Racer, Hazen Street and Angels & Airwaves fame was also in the band for a short period between...
before, during, and after Unbroken's existence.
Guitarist Eric Allen committed suicide 3 years after the breakup of the band. The band reformed soon after Eric's death for 1 show as a benefit to Eric's family.
Rob Moran until recently played in the hardcore group Some Girls and now resides back in San Diego with his wife Diana and their two dogs. He has more recently started a band with John Pettibone
John Pettibone
John Pettibone is the ex vocalist for Seattle metalcore band Himsa. Before joining up with the band for the 2001 release of the "Death Is Infinite" EP, Pettibone was the lead vocalist for Undertow, a straight edge hardcore band which was also based out of Seattle. He also did vocals for...
(former member of Undertow, Nineironspitfire and Himsa), Ryan Murphy (former member of Undertow, Ten Yard Fight
Ten Yard Fight
Ten Yard Fight was a straight edge, football-based band formed in 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with In My Eyes and Floorpunch, they spearheaded the youth crew revival in 1997. Ten Yard Fight's "official" last show was in Boston on October 17, which would become the first National Edge Day...
, Ensign) and Aram Arslanian (guitarist of Champion
Champion (band)
Champion was a youth crew band that was formed by vocalist Jim Hesketh, and guitarist Chris Williams, in the spring of 1999 in Seattle, Washington...
, The First Step and vocalist for Betrayed). The band, The Vows, is a straight-edge band that is musically influenced by the old-school hardcore band Judge. The Vows released a CD on Indecision Records
Indecision Records
Indecision Records is an independent American hardcore punk record label which was started by Dave Mandel in 1995. It is based in Garden Grove, California. Until around 2001, it was based in nearby Huntington Beach. Both cities are within Orange County...
in 2006. Rob Moran is in a new band called Narrows
Narrows (band)
Narrows is an American mathcore band based in Seattle, but with members "spread out across both the United States and two continents." The band has been described as a supergroup, as its lineup includes Dave Verellen of Botch and members of bands including Unbroken, These Arms Are Snakes and Bullet...
with Dave Verellen
Dave Verellen
Dave Verellen grew up in Tacoma, Washington and was the vocalist for the mathcore band Botch. He has since gone on to play drums for the folk-country band Roy with his brother Ben Verellen . In 2008 he formed a band Narrows with members of Some Girls and These Arms Are Snakes.-References:...
of Botch
Botch (band)
Botch was a four-piece mathcore band from Tacoma, Washington, United States, that formed in 1993 and disbanded in 2002.-History:The band released two full-length albums and a handful of smaller releases including several singles and an EP. Its members went on an indefinite hiatus to form Roy,...
and Ryan Frederiksen of These Arms Are Snakes
These Arms Are Snakes
These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch and Kill Sadie. The band was known for their intense live shows, which often feature vocalist Steve Snere crowd surfing and spending a large portion of the live performance in the...
. They have released a S/T 7", an album called New Distances, as well a split 7" with Seattle band Heiress. All releases are on Deathwish Inc.
He is also working on other musical projects with friends in San Diego. One of which is a goth band with Gabe Serbian from The Locust
The Locust
The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
.
Dave Claibourne sings for the band Stabbed By Words (who have a full length out on Hawthorne Street Records), and is a drum & bass dj with Dedication Crew in St. Louis, MO. He is trying to get Round 2 back together for a European reunion tour in 2011.
Steven Andrew Miller moved away from San Diego and now resides in Orange County. He now plays in Crushed On You who are set to release an EP later in 2008 on an as of yet unnamed label.
Todd Beattie now lives in Los Angeles, and is married to acclaimed furniture designer Tanya Aguiniga.
Reunion
Two reunion shows have been tentatively detailed on the band's official Myspace. Rob Moran has stated recently on the band's official Myspace page:
Here's the deal:
It may or may not happen, 100% of the money will go to various charities in SD and Chicago if it does happen. Spring 2009.
2 Shows:
One in So.Cal - May 9th at the Glass House in Pomona, CA with Swing Kids, Undertow, Threadbare and Fast Forward
One in Chicago - Burning Fight book release - Trial, Have Heart, 108, Split Lip and loads more.
Amazing people that have poured their hearts into a book and a scene have for the first time, made me and others in the band feel that it will be a fun and heartwarming experience for good causes. I am not going to lie, we have been offered huge money to play various fests in the states and abroad over the past 10 yrs and we have ALWAYS said no. We've known the people behind the Chicago show for over 15yrs. They are honest and sincere people, that have nothing but respect for the scene and their communities. It is because of their good intentions, this whole thing has come about.
We said the only way we will do it is if:
A:Undertow plays in Chicago as that band was VERY close to us.
B:100% of the money after their expenses goes to charity.
I feel some aspects of hardcore have been lost to antiquity due to bands doing tours for no reason other than their pocket book, here is a chance for some bands from the 90's to come together and have a great time for good causes. This is why we wanted to do a second and more local show as well.
In no way is it living in the past, it's investing in the future of various scenes. Places like the Che or a community center for homeless families…two places among many that will benefit from all this. That is what this is about.
I feel that I've kind of said too much, but due to the amount of BS that has come out over the internet about who, what and why this show may happen, something needed to be said. After this, people can talk all the shit they want. We know our hearts are in the right place and if people can't see that, I don't know what else to say.
This is going to be a great time if it all goes down...
Love,
- Rob XXX
Despite talk that these would be their only reunion shows, as of 2010, Unbroken are also scheduled to play the annual FYF Fest (formerly F Yeah Fest and Fuck Yeah Fest) in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
on September 4, and at ULU in London, England on October 16.
Unbroken played a reunion show 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...
at Santos Party House
Santos Party House
Santos Party House is a New York City nightclub, located at 96 Lafayette Street, in downtown Manhattan. Originally named the 'Lafayette Street Jungle Gym,' Santos Party House has been recognized as "Best New Nightclub" at Paper Magazine's Annual Nightlife Awards, and has also won awards for its...
on April 10, 2011 with Indecision
Indecision
Indecision was a hardcore band which was started in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in 1993 and officially disbanded in the summer of 2000 though they still play shows occasionally.- History :From the band:...
, Jesuit, Damnation A.D.
Damnation A.D.
Damnation A.D. is an American band from Washington, D.C.. The group released several albums in the 1990s before disbanding. They reformed in 2007.-History:...
, Unrestrained and Psychic Limb.
Members
- Dave Claibourne: vocals
- Eric Allen: guitar
- Steven Andrew Miller: guitar
- Rob Moran: bass
- Todd Beattie: drums
Full-length albums
- Ritual (1993) New Age Records
- Life. Love. Regret. (1994) New Age Records
- Both recordings were re-released on one CD, Death of True SpiritDeath of True SpiritDeath of True Spirit is the second of two compilation albums released by Indecision Records featuring material by Californian hardcore punk band, Unbroken. It is made up of 1993's Ritual, and 1994's Life. Love. Regret. albums...
(see compilations)
- Both recordings were re-released on one CD, Death of True Spirit
Compilations
- It's Getting Tougher to Say the Right ThingsIt's Getting Tougher to Say the Right ThingsIt's Getting Tougher to Say the Right Things is a compilation album of early material by the Californian hardcore punk band, Unbroken. All tracks were recorded between 1992 and 1995, and released on March, 2000 by Indecision Records. Love Will Tear Us Apart is a cover of the song from Joy Division...
(collection of all singles and EPs) (2000) Indecision RecordsIndecision RecordsIndecision Records is an independent American hardcore punk record label which was started by Dave Mandel in 1995. It is based in Garden Grove, California. Until around 2001, it was based in nearby Huntington Beach. Both cities are within Orange County... - Death of True SpiritDeath of True SpiritDeath of True Spirit is the second of two compilation albums released by Indecision Records featuring material by Californian hardcore punk band, Unbroken. It is made up of 1993's Ritual, and 1994's Life. Love. Regret. albums...
(2003) Indecision RecordsIndecision RecordsIndecision Records is an independent American hardcore punk record label which was started by Dave Mandel in 1995. It is based in Garden Grove, California. Until around 2001, it was based in nearby Huntington Beach. Both cities are within Orange County... - "It's For Life" Consequence Records
EPs and Singles
- You Won't Be Back 7" (1992)
- Unbroken/Groundwork split ("Final Expression"/"Set Up") 7" (1993)
- Unbroken/Abhinanda split ("Love Will Tear Us Apart") 7" (1994)
- And/Fall on Proverb 7" (1994, 31GThree One G31G Records, or Three One G, is a San Diego, California based record label, started by grindcore and hardcore musician Justin Pearson in 1994...
) - Circa '77 ("Absentee Debate"/"Crushed on You") 7" (1995, New Age Records)
- Unbroken/Ati's Warriors split (contains both bands' demos) (2002, bootleg)
Other Appearances
- Lacking Mindset Compilation ("Blanket") (1993)
- It's For Life Compilation ("Unheard") (1992)