FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
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| MUSIC UNSANE with Kittens Dave Curran, bassist for NYC noise-rock trio Unsane, doesn't munch on bat heads before performing, but don't try to tell that to a (very disturbed) German journalist who is trying to indict the band for diabolical deeds. "We were over in Germany once and this guy who was interviewing us was totally convinced that we killed people to make our album covers," explains Dave, "and, like, we wouldn't have it any other way. "We're like, 'What are you - retarded? We don't kill people to make our stupid album covers.' He's like, 'No, no, I have proof' and all this shit. We're like, 'All right, buddy, we'll see you in court.'" Dave thinks the prospect of he and bandmates Chris Spencer (vocal/guitar) and Vinny Signorelli (drums) killing for their covers is hilarious. But you have to admit, the artwork adorning Unsane's albums is beyond gruesome and stays with you until the images star in your evening's feature nightmare. Album covers for the band - who named themselves after a 1984 Dario Argento slasher movie - are created with pints of cow's blood (from a meat packing district on the west side of Manhattan) splashed on various props. The photo for their latest release, Occupational Hazard, was shot under a Manhattan bridge overlooking Brooklyn and caused quite a commotion with witnesses. "The cops pulled up and they asked, 'What you're doing?' We're like, 'We're students, we're making a student film.' They're like, 'All right, as long as you clean it up.'" Regardless of the covers, it's their punch 'em and crunch 'em music that sells the band. Crowds have flocked to hear Unsane's current offering of assaultive music since the trio began touring for Occupational Hazard nearly five months ago. Their experiences have been as thrilling and gory as their music: in Vienna, an anti-American attack on Chris left him with intestinal lacerations and severe internal bleeding. He was cut from sternum to belly button in order to reconstruct his intestines. Call it another case of life imitating art, except this time Chris was looking at real blood. "We're fascinated with it," says Dave, whose fave records include AC/DC's If You Want Blood and Motörhead's No Remorse. "We're into gore movies and stuff. Chris used to work and do prosthetic effects for cheap-ass b-movies. So you know, it's just the esthetic part of it. For us it's kind of funny. Like creating gore scenes." Is there ever going to be an Unsane album cover without blood and guts on it? "I would venture to say not," Dave snickers. "We're trying to keep the tradition alive." |
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