Unwound | |
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Vocalist and guitarist Justin Trosper and drummer Sara Lund
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Background information | |
Origin | Tumwater/ Olympia, Washington, United States |
Genres |
Post-hardcore Noise rock Indie rock Math rock Post-rock |
Years active | 1991–2002 |
Labels |
Kill Rock Stars Gravity Troubleman Unlimited Punk In My Vitamins?/Honeybear Matador Records (Europe) Rebel Beat Factory (Japan) |
Associated acts | Replikants, Long Hind Legs, The Young Ginns, Red Rumsey, Worst Case Scenario, The Corin Tucker Band, Giant Henry, Hungry Ghost, Flora v. Fauna, Survival Knife (band) |
Website | unwoundarchive |
Members |
Justin Trosper (vocals, guitar) Vern Rumsey (bass guitar) Sara Lund (drums/percussion) Brandt Sandeno (drums/percussion, keyboards) David Scott Stone (guitar) |
Unwound was an American post-hardcore band, based in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington, United States. 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 and are noted for their strong DIY ethic. The group spawned numerous side projects.
Unwound released a full demo tape in 1991, and recorded a mini-album in early 1992 (released as Unwound 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. Although Unwound was not part of the riot grrrl movement, the band supported gender equality.