Unwound
Encyclopedia
Unwound was a United States post-hardcore
band based in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington
. Formed in 1991, the band consisted of Justin Trosper
(vocals, guitar, songwriting), Vern Rumsey
(bass), and Brandt Sandeno (drums), all of whom had previously been in a band called Giant Henry. Brandt Sandeno quit Unwound in 1992 and was replaced by Sara Lund. This line-up would remain in place until the band's dissolution in 2002. The group was strongly associated with the label Kill Rock Stars
throughout the 1990s. Unwound was sharply dissonant and angular, often resorting to unusual guitar tones, and associated with post-hardcore
and noise rock
. The band toured frequently, preferring "all ages" clubs. The group spawned numerous side projects.
in 1995). Two songs from the demo tape later appeared on A Single History: 1991–1997. In July 1992 Sara Lund replaced her friend Sandeno. The band makes an appearance in the 1994 cult
roadmovie Half-cocked
. The group released several singles and albums, primarily on the Kill Rock Stars
label, before disbanding on April 1, 2002, shortly after co-headlining that year's All Tomorrow's Parties
festival. The fact that they broke up on April Fool's Day fueled speculation that they would, in actuality, remain together; an early band t-shirt had the inscription "Unwound 1991–2091". Unwound's Fake Train
was the first full-length musical release on Kill Rock Stars; it had been strictly a spoken-word label until its owner Slim Moon
attended an Unwound concert and decided he had to release their upcoming debut (though technically second) album. Unwound also had the maiden releases for several other key underground record labels, including Gravity Records
and Troubleman Unlimited Records; side project Replikants had the first release on 5 Rue Christine
, an esoteric KRS offshoot. Rumsey founded and ran Punk In My Vitamins? Records, releasing material by Lowercase, Yind, the Bangs, Karp
, Thrones, Dub Narcotic Sound System and Chokebore
. Trosper published several issues of his own underground rock fanzine in the early 1990s. Unwound and sonic/geographic contemporaries Sleater-Kinney
were generally considered KRS's flagship bands of the 1990s; no other band released anywhere near as much material on KRS as these two did.
Troubleman Unlimited's Mike Simonett after hearing of the band's breakup posted a quick eulogy to Unwound on his record label's Web site: "Unwound were (and still are) beautiful people. Unwound was one of the most influential and vital bands of the '90s, and their last record was a masterpiece. You just don't know it yet. Unwound's influence will live on for a long time to come, and they were everything a band should be: independent and non-compromising in every aspect."
, Fugazi, Big Black
, The Wipers, Black Flag
, Rapeman
, Pixies
, Can
, Mission of Burma
, Hüsker Dü
, Nation of Ulysses
, Spacemen 3
, Loop
, Flipper
, and Gang of Four
. Evidence of the Black Flag influence can be seen in Trosper and Sandeno's side band, The Young Ginns (named after Black Flag guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn), and in their sample of Black Flag's lyric "I'm not a machine" in their song "Machine" (on Replikants' debut album). Trosper was also in a band called Worst Case Scenario. Unwound's early work was characterized by intense vocals, jagged guitar lines, and more complex drumming than the band's peers. Trosper's lyrics were highly existential, cryptic, and generally bleak. From this angular, atonal starting point, the band developed their signature sound over the course of several albums and numerous singles. With 1996's Repetition
, Unwound added synthesizers to the mix. Free-jazz style saxophone found its way onto 1998's Challenge For A Civilized Society
. The band recorded Peel sessions with John Peel
at the BBC in 1998; these were broadcast over the radio, and were released as the semi-official bootleg Unwound - Live in London (on Love Letter). This new direction set a precedent that the band would follow for their remaining albums, culminating in the release of 2001's Leaves Turn Inside You
, a double album the band recorded themselves over the course of two years. Unwound never covered any other artists' songs on their albums, though they did cover "Plight" by The Minutemen
and Torch Song by the (pre Versus
) band Flower on singles.
('95), Fugazi ('95), Hovercraft
(European tour w/ them, '96), Lowercase, Polar Goldie Cats, Deerhoof
('98), Mogwai
('99), Slug (rock band, not rapper), the Peechees ('98), Clikatat Ikatowi (approx. '94), Chokebore, The Most Secret Method ('99), Yind ('99), Blonde Redhead
('95), Dub Narcotic Sound System
, xbxrx
(who formed after attending an Unwound concert in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1998) (2001), Bikini Kill
, and many more (members of Unwound and Yind occasionally performed live as "avant-Norge" "supergroup" Shag Bath). During their final (2001–02) tour, Unwound enlisted David Scott Stone
as an additional guitarist and original drummer Brandt Sandeno on keyboards, percussion and guitar.
The band was known for having an all-ages policy at almost every concert which it headlined. This meant that they would often choose to play at unconventional locations such as basements, jaycee halls, and college auditoriums, rather than at the traditional 18+ or 21+ (alcohol-serving) music clubs. They did this because they frequented all-ages shows in Olympia as teens, so they wanted to let fans of any age attend their own gigs.
pickups. He sometimes played a clear Lucite (Plexiglas
) guitar, a budget copy of the expensive originals made by Dan Armstrong
. He sometimes used an Echoplex
in the band's spacier ambient passages. Rumsey generally played a Fender Jazz Bass
. He and Trosper often used Sunn
and Kustom
amplifiers, generally solid-state models; Trosper's main amp up to 1999 was a Sunn Concert Lead. Lund played a 1970's Ludwig drum kit.
Trosper and Sandeno, who have collaborated musically since the mid-'80s, helmed an experimental venture called Replikants (not to be confused with the band Replicants, which featured members of Failure and Tool). Early on, they each acted as multi-instrumentalists for the group. Inspired by John Cage, Can, and Miles Davis, they combined jazz, ambient music
, tape loops, musique concrète
and vocal samples atop a krautrock
-propelled base. Debut album This Is Our Message (1997) consisted of home recordings from 1994 to 1996 (the CD version contained ten bonus tracks not included on the vinyl version due to time constraints). They were fleshed out to a full band (featuring Joe Plummer of Bare Minimum/ Black Heart Procession on drums), with more of an electro-rock sound, on their second and final album (Slickaphonics, 1999). A tour ensued, beginning that summer; after it, Trosper shelved Replikants to focus his energy on finishing Unwound's next (final) album.
Rumsey and friend Greg Allen recorded as enigmatic New Romantic
-styled pop band Long Hind Legs in the 1990s. Rumsey used the pseudonym "Wolfgang" and Allen used the alias "Paul", with only astute Unwound fans aware of their real identities. Following a slew of singles, their debut self-titled album came out in 1997 on Kill Rock Stars. The 12" EP "Open Wide" (+ remixes)/ "Alphabets Of Unreason" was released simultaneously. Atop peppy, carnival-esque backing music, "Alphabets Of Unreason" features the odd lyrics, "Atoms, boys' cars, dead-end fags/ God, his image, and Jerry's Kids
/ Love-making noon orgies/ I want to kill, I want to kill.../ Pills, quinine
reveries... Scornful tramps, unwitting vamps, wasted xenophobes & all the young zeroes/ I want to kill, I want to kill..." (note the first letter of each of the main words in the verses, then refer back to the song title). The February 4–14, 1998 EP was released in 1998 on Kill Rock Stars.
Trosper and Sandeno also played together in two other bands, the Young Ginns, and Worst Case Scenario. The Young Ginns also featured Tim Green of The Nation Of Ulysses on guitar (Justin played bass). The project was first conceived in 1991 when Brandt and Justin were stuck at Tim's house while on tour with Unwound. The band later became a reality when Green moved to Olympia. They released a 7" on Gravity Records in 1993. In 1998, all their recordings were compiled and released on CD by Honey Bear Records. After the Young Ginns, Sandeno and Trosper formed Worst Case Scenario. Worst Case Scenario released two 7"s, one on Troubleman Unlimited and the other on Lookout! Records
, and an album on Vermiform Records
. Vermiform would release the group's entire discography on CD in 1997. Both the Young Ginns and Worst Case Scenario displayed a hardcore punk
sound.
Justin Trosper also performed in Severed Lethargy (with members of Bikini Kill
) and Sara Lund and Vern Rumsey performed with the musical collective Witchypoo. Rumsey also played bass on Blonde Redhead
's "Fake Can Just Be As Good" album. In 2010, Lund became drummer of The Corin Tucker Band, on which she works along the former Sleater-Kinney vocalist and guitarist, as well as with the Golden Bears' Seth Lorinczi.
, Mineral
, xbxrx
, Cave In
and ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
s cover art is simply a defiled copy of a Tom Jones
LP cover which had been hanging over Trosper's doorway. The cover and inner artwork of The Future of What
are illustrations by Russian constructivist
artist Yakov Chernikhov
(1889–1951). A photo of Boston's stained-glass Mapparium
adorns the cover of Challenge For A Civilized Society
. Coincidentally, a similar photo of the Mapparium appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine a month after Challenge was released.
LP versions of Unwound's albums generally came with elaborate additional artwork/lyric sheets that the CD versions lack.
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band based in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. Formed in 1991, the band consisted of Justin Trosper
Justin Trosper
Justin Trosper is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, born in Olympia, Washington. He fronted Tumwater/Olympia, Washington band Unwound from 1991 to 2002. He has also been a member of bands such as Replikants, The Young Ginns, and Worst Case Scenario...
(vocals, guitar, songwriting), Vern Rumsey
Vern Rumsey
Vern Rumsey was the bass guitar player for the band Unwound. He generally played a Fender Jazz bass. He is also a recording engineer who has worked with bands such as Blonde Redhead, KARP, Enemymine, Novex and Replicator....
(bass), and Brandt Sandeno (drums), all of whom had previously been in a band called Giant Henry. Brandt Sandeno quit Unwound in 1992 and was replaced by Sara Lund. This line-up would remain in place until the band's dissolution in 2002. The group was strongly associated with the label Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
throughout the 1990s. Unwound was sharply dissonant and angular, often resorting to unusual guitar tones, and associated with post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
and 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...
. The band toured frequently, preferring "all ages" clubs. The group spawned numerous side projects.
Biography
Unwound released a full demo tape in 1991, and recorded a mini-album in early 1992 (released as UnwoundUnwound (album)
Unwound is the first album recorded by Olympia-based indie rock band Unwound. Although it was recorded in May 1992, it wasn't released until August 1995, at which point Unwound had already recorded and released three other albums...
in 1995). Two songs from the demo tape later appeared on A Single History: 1991–1997. In July 1992 Sara Lund replaced her friend Sandeno. The band makes an appearance in the 1994 cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
roadmovie Half-cocked
Half-cocked (film)
Half-cocked is a cult roadmovie, made in 1994 in Louisville, Nashville and Chattanooga. The movie tells a story about a group of kids who steal a van full of music equipment and pretend to be a band in order to stay on the road....
. The group released several singles and albums, primarily on the Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
label, before disbanding on April 1, 2002, shortly after co-headlining that year's All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival. The fact that they broke up on April Fool's Day fueled speculation that they would, in actuality, remain together; an early band t-shirt had the inscription "Unwound 1991–2091". Unwound's Fake Train
Fake Train
Fake Train was the first album released on Kill Rock Stars by the Olympia, Washington based group Unwound. It was recorded and mixed in two weekends. Though it was the first widely-available album by the group, Unwound had recorded an eponymous debut which would see release in 1995...
was the first full-length musical release on Kill Rock Stars; it had been strictly a spoken-word label until its owner Slim Moon
Slim Moon
Slim Moon is the founder of the independent music label, Kill Rock Stars. He also started its sister label, 5 Rue Christine...
attended an Unwound concert and decided he had to release their upcoming debut (though technically second) album. Unwound also had the maiden releases for several other key underground record labels, including Gravity Records
Gravity Records
Gravity Records is an underground independent record label from San Diego. It was formed in 1991 by Matt Anderson, a member of the influential underground band Heroin. It has been central in developing and promoting the "San Diego sound" - an idiosyncratic form of post-hardcore with loose, chaotic...
and Troubleman Unlimited Records; side project Replikants had the first release on 5 Rue Christine
5 Rue Christine
5 Rue Christine is a semi-defunct Olympia, Washington based independent record label, formed as a spin-off from the Kill Rock Stars label in 1997...
, an esoteric KRS offshoot. Rumsey founded and ran Punk In My Vitamins? Records, releasing material by Lowercase, Yind, the Bangs, Karp
Karp (band)
Karp was a post-hardcore band from Tumwater, Washington, that formed in 1990 and lasted until 1998. The band was formed by Chris Smith aka Chris "Slayer", Jared Warren, and Scott Jernigan. They released three full length albums entitled Mustaches Wild, Suplex, and Self Titled LP. Karp was a...
, Thrones, Dub Narcotic Sound System and Chokebore
Chokebore
Chokebore is an American indie rock band formed in the early 1990s in Honolulu, Hawaii, and subsequently based in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:...
. Trosper published several issues of his own underground rock fanzine in the early 1990s. Unwound and sonic/geographic contemporaries Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
were generally considered KRS's flagship bands of the 1990s; no other band released anywhere near as much material on KRS as these two did.
Troubleman Unlimited's Mike Simonett after hearing of the band's breakup posted a quick eulogy to Unwound on his record label's Web site: "Unwound were (and still are) beautiful people. Unwound was one of the most influential and vital bands of the '90s, and their last record was a masterpiece. You just don't know it yet. Unwound's influence will live on for a long time to come, and they were everything a band should be: independent and non-compromising in every aspect."
Musical style
Unwound's main influences included Sonic YouthSonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Fugazi, Big Black
Big Black
Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun...
, The Wipers, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Rapeman
Rapeman
Rapeman was an American post-hardcore/noise rock group founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini on guitar and vocals, David Wm. Sims on bass, and Rey Washam on drums.-History:In an interview, Albini reported that "'Rapeman' is .....
, Pixies
Pixies (band)
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. The group consists of Black Francis , Joey Santiago , Kim Deal , and David Lovering . While the Pixies found only modest success in their home country, they were significantly more successful in the United...
, Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
, Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
, Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
, Nation of Ulysses
Nation of Ulysses
The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...
, Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
, Loop
Loop (band)
Loop was a South London band founded in 1986 by Robert Hampson and his wife, Bex, and active until 1991.-Career:The band was formed in 1986 by Robert Hampson , with wife Bex on drums. Bex was soon replaced by John Wills and Glen Ray, with James Endeacott on guitar...
, Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
, and Gang of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
. Evidence of the Black Flag influence can be seen in Trosper and Sandeno's side band, The Young Ginns (named after Black Flag guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn), and in their sample of Black Flag's lyric "I'm not a machine" in their song "Machine" (on Replikants' debut album). Trosper was also in a band called Worst Case Scenario. Unwound's early work was characterized by intense vocals, jagged guitar lines, and more complex drumming than the band's peers. Trosper's lyrics were highly existential, cryptic, and generally bleak. From this angular, atonal starting point, the band developed their signature sound over the course of several albums and numerous singles. With 1996's Repetition
Repetition (album)
Repetition was the fifth album by Unwound . It was recorded in January 1996 at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track listing:#"Message Received" - 3:05#"Corpse Pose" - 3:05...
, Unwound added synthesizers to the mix. Free-jazz style saxophone found its way onto 1998's Challenge For A Civilized Society
Challenge for a Civilized Society
Challenge For A Civilized Society was the sixth album by Unwound. It was recorded in August 1997 at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track listing:#"Data" - 3:33#"Laugh Track" - 3:13#"Meet the Plastics" - 3:12#"The World Is Flat" - 4:34...
. The band recorded Peel sessions with John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
at the BBC in 1998; these were broadcast over the radio, and were released as the semi-official bootleg Unwound - Live in London (on Love Letter). This new direction set a precedent that the band would follow for their remaining albums, culminating in the release of 2001's Leaves Turn Inside You
Leaves Turn Inside You
Leaves Turn Inside You is the final studio album from Unwound. It was recorded by the band at their own studio, MagRecOne , between 1999 and 2000, seeing release as a double LP/ double CD in 2001. All songs were written, recorded, and produced by Unwound...
, a double album the band recorded themselves over the course of two years. Unwound never covered any other artists' songs on their albums, though they did cover "Plight" by The Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
and Torch Song by the (pre Versus
Versus (band)
Versus is an American indie rock band formed in 1990 by Richard Baluyut, Fontaine Toups and Edward Baluyut in New York City. Richard and Fontaine were to remain the two core members throughout the band's history. The band was noted for their marriage of indie pop songwriting and vocal harmonies to...
) band Flower on singles.
Unwound Live
The band was known for its nonstop touring of the U.S. and Europe, and occasionally Japan. It shared stages over the years with the likes of the following, with earliest known date in parentheses: Sonic Youth ('95), PolvoPolvo
Polvo is an American indie noise rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band, formed in 1990, is fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski. Brian Quast plays drums, and Steve Popson plays bass guitar...
('95), Fugazi ('95), Hovercraft
Hovercraft (band)
Hovercraft was an instrumental experimental rock group that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. It was co-founded by its core duo of guitarist/samplist/tape looper Ryan Shinn, and bassist Beth Liebling. Liebling and Shinn would use the pseudonyms "Sadie 7" and "Campbell 2000", respectively,...
(European tour w/ them, '96), Lowercase, Polar Goldie Cats, Deerhoof
Deerhoof
Deerhoof is a musical group consisting of Satomi Matsuzaki, John Dieterich, Ed Rodriguez and Greg Saunier.-Origins:In 1992, Greg Saunier, having recently graduated with a degree in music composition from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, joined a short-lived San Francisco quartet called Nitre Pit, on...
('98), Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
('99), Slug (rock band, not rapper), the Peechees ('98), Clikatat Ikatowi (approx. '94), Chokebore, The Most Secret Method ('99), Yind ('99), Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
('95), Dub Narcotic Sound System
Dub Narcotic Sound System
Dub Narcotic Sound System is an Olympia, Washington based indie-funk musical group founded by Calvin Johnson, signed to K Records.-Origins:The band is named after Calvin Johnson's basement recording studio, Dub Narcotic....
, xbxrx
XBXRX
XBXRX is an American punk band formed in 1998 in Mobile, Alabama.Their early sound very new wave-influenced, but is now more improvised and deconstructed, moving away from using the synthesizers that typify new wave. They are a collective with a revolving cast of musicians, including Steve...
(who formed after attending an Unwound concert in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1998) (2001), Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
, and many more (members of Unwound and Yind occasionally performed live as "avant-Norge" "supergroup" Shag Bath). During their final (2001–02) tour, Unwound enlisted David Scott Stone
David Scott Stone
David Scott Stone is a musician who has recorded and toured with artists like The Melvins, Unwound, Fantômas, The Locust, Jello Biafra, Keiji Haino, Mike Patton, Adam Jones , Merzbow, Masonna, Big Business, No Age, Joe Lally and others. He is currently a member of LCD Soundsystem...
as an additional guitarist and original drummer Brandt Sandeno on keyboards, percussion and guitar.
The band was known for having an all-ages policy at almost every concert which it headlined. This meant that they would often choose to play at unconventional locations such as basements, jaycee halls, and college auditoriums, rather than at the traditional 18+ or 21+ (alcohol-serving) music clubs. They did this because they frequented all-ages shows in Olympia as teens, so they wanted to let fans of any age attend their own gigs.
Equipment
Trosper played several kinds of odd guitars, including Univox Hiflyers (made famous by Kurt Cobain), generally preferring guitars with P-90P-90
The P-90 is a single coil electric guitar pickup produced by Gibson since 1946. Having a more complex architecture and larger dimensions than Fender's single coils, it is occasionally mistaken for a humbucker.- History :...
pickups. He sometimes played a clear Lucite (Plexiglas
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
) guitar, a budget copy of the expensive originals made by Dan Armstrong
Dan Armstrong
Dan Armstrong was a guitarist, luthier, and session musician.-Biography:Dan Kent Armstrong was born on October 7, 1934 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started playing the guitar at age 11, and moved to New York in the early 1960s in order to work as a studio musician and guitar repairman...
. He sometimes used an Echoplex
Echoplex
The Echoplex is a tape delay effect, first made in 1959. Designed by Mike Battle, the Echoplex set a standard for the effect in the 1960s and was used by some of the most notable guitar players of the era; original Echoplexes are highly sought after....
in the band's spacier ambient passages. Rumsey generally played a Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
. He and Trosper often used Sunn
Sunn
Sunn Amplifiers, are a brand of musical instrument amplifiers.- History :In early 1963, the Kingsmen, a band based in the U.S. state of Oregon, became known for the song "Louie, Louie". After its hit single, the band soon embarked on a fifty-state national tour...
and Kustom
Kustom
Kustom Amplification or Kustom Electronics is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers and PA equipment and accessories based in Hebron, Kentucky. It is part of the Hanser Music Group as of 1999, which also includes B.C. Rich Guitars, and Traben Bass.- History :"Kustom" was a brand and...
amplifiers, generally solid-state models; Trosper's main amp up to 1999 was a Sunn Concert Lead. Lund played a 1970's Ludwig drum kit.
Side projects
Members of Unwound participated in a number of projects that ran concurrent to Unwound, each self-styled as highly conceptual and distinct from the parent band.Trosper and Sandeno, who have collaborated musically since the mid-'80s, helmed an experimental venture called Replikants (not to be confused with the band Replicants, which featured members of Failure and Tool). Early on, they each acted as multi-instrumentalists for the group. Inspired by John Cage, Can, and Miles Davis, they combined jazz, ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, tape loops, musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
and vocal samples atop a krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
-propelled base. Debut album This Is Our Message (1997) consisted of home recordings from 1994 to 1996 (the CD version contained ten bonus tracks not included on the vinyl version due to time constraints). They were fleshed out to a full band (featuring Joe Plummer of Bare Minimum/ Black Heart Procession on drums), with more of an electro-rock sound, on their second and final album (Slickaphonics, 1999). A tour ensued, beginning that summer; after it, Trosper shelved Replikants to focus his energy on finishing Unwound's next (final) album.
Rumsey and friend Greg Allen recorded as enigmatic New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
-styled pop band Long Hind Legs in the 1990s. Rumsey used the pseudonym "Wolfgang" and Allen used the alias "Paul", with only astute Unwound fans aware of their real identities. Following a slew of singles, their debut self-titled album came out in 1997 on Kill Rock Stars. The 12" EP "Open Wide" (+ remixes)/ "Alphabets Of Unreason" was released simultaneously. Atop peppy, carnival-esque backing music, "Alphabets Of Unreason" features the odd lyrics, "Atoms, boys' cars, dead-end fags/ God, his image, and Jerry's Kids
Jerry's Kids
Jerry's Kids is one of the earliest Boston hardcore bands, formed in 1981, from Braintree, Mass.. Their first recorded output was on the Modern Method This Is Boston, Not L.A. compilation LP in 1982. They contributed six tracks along with other early Boston Hardcore band Gang Green.Frontman Bryan...
/ Love-making noon orgies/ I want to kill, I want to kill.../ Pills, quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
reveries... Scornful tramps, unwitting vamps, wasted xenophobes & all the young zeroes/ I want to kill, I want to kill..." (note the first letter of each of the main words in the verses, then refer back to the song title). The February 4–14, 1998 EP was released in 1998 on Kill Rock Stars.
Trosper and Sandeno also played together in two other bands, the Young Ginns, and Worst Case Scenario. The Young Ginns also featured Tim Green of The Nation Of Ulysses on guitar (Justin played bass). The project was first conceived in 1991 when Brandt and Justin were stuck at Tim's house while on tour with Unwound. The band later became a reality when Green moved to Olympia. They released a 7" on Gravity Records in 1993. In 1998, all their recordings were compiled and released on CD by Honey Bear Records. After the Young Ginns, Sandeno and Trosper formed Worst Case Scenario. Worst Case Scenario released two 7"s, one on Troubleman Unlimited and the other on Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
, and an album on Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
. Vermiform would release the group's entire discography on CD in 1997. Both the Young Ginns and Worst Case Scenario displayed a 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...
sound.
Justin Trosper also performed in Severed Lethargy (with members of Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
) and Sara Lund and Vern Rumsey performed with the musical collective Witchypoo. Rumsey also played bass on Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
's "Fake Can Just Be As Good" album. In 2010, Lund became drummer of The Corin Tucker Band, on which she works along the former Sleater-Kinney vocalist and guitarist, as well as with the Golden Bears' Seth Lorinczi.
Influence
Unwound have been cited as an influence by many contemporary underground artists, including most notably Blonde RedheadBlonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
, Mineral
Mineral (band)
Mineral was a prominent mid-90s emo band originally from Houston, Texas, but soon relocated to Austin following their formation. All four members of Mineral were signed to Interscope Records on individual contracts...
, xbxrx
XBXRX
XBXRX is an American punk band formed in 1998 in Mobile, Alabama.Their early sound very new wave-influenced, but is now more improvised and deconstructed, moving away from using the synthesizers that typify new wave. They are a collective with a revolving cast of musicians, including Steve...
, Cave In
Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995, in Methuen, Massachusetts. After several members changes in the late 90's, their lineup solidified with the 1998 release of Until Your Heart Stops through Hydra Head Records. Their early albums were prominent releases in the independent...
and ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas. The chief creative members of the band are Jason Reece and Conrad Keely . The two switch between drumming, guitar and lead vocals, both on recordings and live shows...
Artwork
Fake TrainFake Train
Fake Train was the first album released on Kill Rock Stars by the Olympia, Washington based group Unwound. It was recorded and mixed in two weekends. Though it was the first widely-available album by the group, Unwound had recorded an eponymous debut which would see release in 1995...
s cover art is simply a defiled copy of a Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
LP cover which had been hanging over Trosper's doorway. The cover and inner artwork of The Future of What
The Future of What
The Future of What was the third album released on Kill Rock Stars by the Olympia, Washington based group Unwound. It was recorded at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track Listing - CD:#"New Energy" - 1:57#"Demolished" - 2:49...
are illustrations by Russian constructivist
Constructivism (art)
Constructivism was an artistic and architectural philosophy that originated in Russia beginning in 1919, which was a rejection of the idea of autonomous art. The movement was in favour of art as a practice for social purposes. Constructivism had a great effect on modern art movements of the 20th...
artist Yakov Chernikhov
Yakov Chernikhov
Yakov Georgievich Chernikhov was a constructivist architect and graphic designer. His books on architectural design published in Leningrad between 1927 and 1933 are amongst the most innovatory texts of their time.Chernikov was born to a poor family, one of 11 children...
(1889–1951). A photo of Boston's stained-glass Mapparium
Mapparium
The Mapparium is a three-story tall glass globe of stained glass that is viewed from a bridge through its interior. It is a unique exhibit at the Christian Science Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts....
adorns the cover of Challenge For A Civilized Society
Challenge for a Civilized Society
Challenge For A Civilized Society was the sixth album by Unwound. It was recorded in August 1997 at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track listing:#"Data" - 3:33#"Laugh Track" - 3:13#"Meet the Plastics" - 3:12#"The World Is Flat" - 4:34...
. Coincidentally, a similar photo of the Mapparium appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine a month after Challenge was released.
LP versions of Unwound's albums generally came with elaborate additional artwork/lyric sheets that the CD versions lack.
Albums
| Year | Album | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Unnamed demo tape | Self-released | tracks: Bionic, Whilst You're Ahead, Lying at Best, Crab Nebula, Stumbling Block, LD Fifty (50), Rubberband Heart, Love & Fear. |
| 1993 | Fake Train Fake Train Fake Train was the first album released on Kill Rock Stars by the Olympia, Washington based group Unwound. It was recorded and mixed in two weekends. Though it was the first widely-available album by the group, Unwound had recorded an eponymous debut which would see release in 1995... |
Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission... |
- |
| 1994 | New Plastic Ideas New Plastic Ideas New Plastic Ideas was the second album Unwound released on Kill Rock Stars. It was recorded by Stuart Hallerman and Steve Fisk at Avast! studios from November 26-28 and December 13, 1993. All songs were written and performed by Unwound. "Abstraktions" is an instrumental... |
Kill Rock Stars | Recorded 1993 |
| 1995 | The Future of What The Future of What The Future of What was the third album released on Kill Rock Stars by the Olympia, Washington based group Unwound. It was recorded at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track Listing - CD:#"New Energy" - 1:57#"Demolished" - 2:49... |
Kill Rock Stars | - |
| 1995 | Unwound Unwound (album) Unwound is the first album recorded by Olympia-based indie rock band Unwound. Although it was recorded in May 1992, it wasn't released until August 1995, at which point Unwound had already recorded and released three other albums... |
Punk In My Vitamins?/Honey Bear | Belated release of the band's first mini-album from 1992 |
| 1996 | Repetition Repetition (album) Repetition was the fifth album by Unwound . It was recorded in January 1996 at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track listing:#"Message Received" - 3:05#"Corpse Pose" - 3:05... |
Kill Rock Stars | - |
| 1998 | Challenge for a Civilized Society Challenge for a Civilized Society Challenge For A Civilized Society was the sixth album by Unwound. It was recorded in August 1997 at John and Stu's in Seattle, Washington.-Track listing:#"Data" - 3:33#"Laugh Track" - 3:13#"Meet the Plastics" - 3:12#"The World Is Flat" - 4:34... |
Kill Rock Stars | Recorded 1997 |
| 1999 | Further Listening | Rebel Beat Factory/Matador Europe | Import-only best-of compilation. Rebel Beat Factory [Japan], Matador Europe [Europe] |
| 1999 | A Single History: 1991–1997 | Kill Rock Stars | Singles, Compilation tracks, Demos. |
| 2001 | Leaves Turn Inside You Leaves Turn Inside You Leaves Turn Inside You is the final studio album from Unwound. It was recorded by the band at their own studio, MagRecOne , between 1999 and 2000, seeing release as a double LP/ double CD in 2001. All songs were written, recorded, and produced by Unwound... |
Kill Rock Stars | Double album, recorded 1999–2000 |
EPs
- The Light at the End of the Tunnel Is a Train 12" (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)
- Live in London (1999) 12" (4-song semi-official bootleg on blue or orange vinyl; tracks: Hexenszene, Side Effects of Being Tired, Kantina/ Were, Are and Was or Is) (LoveLetter)
Singles
| Year | Single | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Caterpillar 7" | Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission... |
| 1992 | Kandy Korn Rituals 7" | Kill Rock Stars |
| 1993 | Unwound 7" | Gravity Records Gravity Records (US) Gravity Records is an underground independent record label from San Diego. It was formed in 1991 by Matt Anderson, a member of the influential underground band Heroin. It has been central in developing and promoting the "San Diego sound" - an idiosyncratic form of post-hardcore with loose, chaotic... |
| 1994 | MKultra 7" | Kill Rock Stars |
| 1994 | Negated 7" | Troubleman Unlimited Troubleman Unlimited Records Troubleman Unlimited Records is a record label specializing in indie rock and similar genres. Founded in 1993, the label is based in Bayonne, New Jersey and owned by Mike Simonetti.... |
| 1996 | split 7" w/Steel Pole Bath Tub | Honey Bear |
| 1996 | Corpse Pose 7" | Kill Rock Stars |
| 1999 | split 7" w/Versus | Troubleman Unlimited |
External links
- unwound.livid.com
- Kill Rock Stars artist page
- Kill Rock Stars factsheet
- Detailed discography
- MySpace Page
- 1999 interview with Trosper
- 2001 interview: The Unwound Sound
- Trouser Press entry
- enotes.com Bio
- 1998 gig preview
- Musical gear list
- 77 Boadrum Site Profile Viva Radio, Sep 2007. (FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
)