Finding limited mainstream success, Unsane are nonetheless hugely influential; writer Patrick Kennedy writes that "while developing the blueprint for noise metal bands to follow, Unsane cut a remarkable swath through underground music, inspiring a devoted, cult-like following around the globe."
Unsane was formed in 1988 by singer/guitarist Chris Spencer, bass guitarist Pete Shore and drummer Charlie Ondras. They met as students at Sarah Lawrence College. The band was supposed to have their début album recorded in 1988 by Circuit Records as "Improvised Munitions" , but Ernie Triccaro, the owner of Circuit Records, never released the album.
In the early 1990s, Unsane was part of a scene of loud, noisy, like-minded rock groups in New York City's East Village, often playing concerts with bands like Pussy Galore, Cop Shoot Cop, Surgery, Helmet and the Reverb Motherfuckers (Unsane's first show was as the opening act for the Reverb Motherfuckers). Members of Unsane were very active during this era and played in other bands like Boss Hog and the Action Swingers.
Ondras died of a heroin overdose in 1992, and was replaced temporarily by Anthony DeLuca and then permanently by Vinnie Signorelli (formerly of Foetus and NY icons Swans). In 1994, Shore departed from the band for unknown reasons and was replaced by Dave Curran.
The band toured heavily, and signed to Atlantic Records, who released Total Destruction in 1993 -- it was Unsane's only major-label release. Their third album, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, was issued by Ampehetamine Reptile. The music video for the single "Scrape" was made for a mere $200, yet earned significant play on MTV. The video alternates between lo-fi rehearsal footage of Unsane, and a series of serious skateboarding wipeouts.
They continued touring heavily (including a stint opening for metal icons Slayer), but did not release a new album until Occupational Hazard, issued by Relapse Records in 1998. Later that same year - in seeming fulfilment of the album's title - Spencer was attacked by four people after playing a concert in Vienna, Austria. He ended up in hospital suffering internal bleeding and underwent major surgery. As a result of Spencer's injury, and touring over ten months of the year, the band decided to take a break in 2000.
During the interim, Spencer moved to California where he formed a new band with Dave Curran called The Cutthroats 9, releasing one album on Man's Ruin Records. Curran also started a band called The J.J. Paradise Players Club and Signorelli opened a tattoo shop in Brooklyn.
Unsane reformed in 2003 upon Spencer's return to New York, and released a greatest hits record, Lambhouse, followed by Blood Run two years later.
Ipecac released Unsane's sixth studio album, Visqueen on March 13, 2007.
Unsane's latest album was released on March 20, 2012, entitled "Wreck".
Only Pain
Unsane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since only I could stay
It's not the way shit could be
I know it′s always pain
I know the same. It's all the same
I know it's always pain
I know it′s always pain
It's not the way it drew me
We knew it either way
I knew the past would fuck me
I know it′s always pain
I know the same. It's all the same
I know it′s always pain
I know it's always pain
I know it′s always pain
The lyrics to Unsane's song "Only Pain" speak to the constant struggle and burden of pain. The singer acknowledges that it always falls on them and laments that things can never be easy. They are resigned to the fact that pain is a constant in their life, and that the past will continue to haunt them. The repetition of the line "I know it's always pain" highlights the relentlessness of this burden.
The singer also acknowledges that they knew what they were getting into, that they recognized the potential for pain but proceeded anyway. They had no illusions that things would be different, and yet they still find themselves weighed down by the pain they encounter. The line "It's not the way it drew me" suggests that the singer may have been drawn to this painful existence by some sort of allure or fascination, but they now recognize that it was not what they expected or wanted.
Line by Line Meaning
I know it's always on me
I'm aware that the responsibility always falls on my shoulders
Since only I could stay
Because I'm the only one who can handle it
It's not the way shit could be
This isn't the way things should be
I know it's always pain
I know that there will always be pain
I know the same. It's all the same
I know nothing has changed, it's all the same situation
It's not the way it drew me
This situation didn't turn out as I had hoped or expected
We knew it either way
Regardless, we were aware of how things could turn out
I knew the past would fuck me
I had a feeling that my past actions would come back to haunt me
I know it's always pain
I know that there will always be pain
I know it's always pain
I know that there will always be pain
I know it's always pain
I know that there will always be pain
Contributed by Christian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.