<Unwound><all><read 1999 Q & A here>

Vern: We're kinda working on an album now. We're hoping to get a good portion of it done in February and March. I never start bands with people who are not already good friends of mine. Maybe that's a good guideline?

Justin: When you start a band you should have a name and a concept, preferrably something that will piss somebody off. Do that before you play any shows. Never practice on the day of your show. Eventually learn how to play your instruments. Practice everyday and read about Bob Dylan, Beatles, the Who, Patti Smith etc. Yeah, we are kind of working on our new record.

2.2.00 Alex asks: hey is the live 12" that is gonna be put out by PMNV (or maybe the new swedish counterpart label?) gonna be the same as the live in london or something new? also I know more then a few people would love to get their hands on the LHL/Karp split any idea when the reissue will happen?

Vern: Those 12"s are infact the same. As far as the LHL/KARP split 7" re-release. That will happen when I got the time and money. Probably soon.

Vern: I haven't read those particular books by Dahl, but I will now go check them out... I'm just finishing "Breakfast of Champions" by Vonnegut, I've read it a million times, but tonight I'm going to see the movie. When I was younger I was really into The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. All that kind of 'Fantasy' bullshit. Narnia chronicles and David Eddings, etc...

2.2.00 Quinn asks: Dear Unwound, Let me start this message by telling you that your music has affected my life in the most wonderful way. You've shown me how intelligent, moving and spiritual music can be. You've inspired me and provided me with so many brilliant songs and I feel indebted to you. My question for you is, a while back I sent Vern a letter asking him if you had any old tour shirts you could sell. Well, he said you did and that maybe at some point you might sell them. I was wondering if you ever would, or if I could send you an amount of money and you could send me an assortment of your left overs. I know it sounds silly but the two shirts I have of yours (for repitition tour and challenge tour) are my favorites and I love the shirts you guys made for the Future of What tour but unfortunately couldn't get one. Please let me know if this is possible. You guys are a very, very talented group...please stay together a while longer.

Sara: thanks, Quinn. I really like your e-mail address [Fujazzy@------]. it makes me giggle. I don't have an answer re: t-shirts, 'cause I don't have any. sorry.

Justin: Thanks for the message. I dont personally have any of the old shirts, but Vern might know something about those.

Justin: Yo, can I have some more crack, yo?

2.2.00 Robert asks: Alright, 1.)Who the hell is Crispin Glover?! 2.)Fuck Steven Spielberg! 3.)Christian Slater is getting too old...

Justin: Try out our fast and easy home loans.

Sara: I thought it was "Where the hell is Crispin Glover?!?"

Justin: Like we would display any of our personal problems on this web page, you weirdo. In regards to your legitimate question: I write the lyrics after the music is written and yes, "jamming" is important to the early stages of the creative process. I'm 27 and I don't know how much longer we'll be a band. As long as we please, I guess.

Sara: well, the person who sings the song, writes the lyrics. so far, thats mostly been Justin, with one exception, being Vern. most of our songs are born out of "jamming", but occasionally, someone will start with a riff and then we just see what happens. we are Sara: 26, I'm an Aries, so I'll be 27 in 2 months; Justin: 27, Scorpio; Vern: 27, Aquarius, so he just turned 27. I've never forgiven them for the stripper they bought for my 22nd birthday, live in Cleveland.

2.2.00 Bizz asks: Dear Unwound, is the title of your wonderfully danceable album "New Plastic Ideas" perchance a reference to Piet "Crazylegs" Mondrian and his wacked out theory of how his art could create an entirely new, albeit sterile, universe? Also, who would win in a three way battle between Justin, Vern, and Jasper Johns? Defend.

Justin: Well me and Vern would probably go tag team on that spindly freak and easily pin his ass down. "New plastic ideas" isnt a reference to old Mondy, but merely an arty toss in the wind. I think I will start using that reference from now on, if you don't mind.

Justin: I dont really understand...

2.2.00 Burd asks: Dear Justin, a few weeks ago I told you about an old Kustom Challenger amp that I have, and that I wanted you to come to Indy to save it from a life of boredom and uselessness. You responded by saying, "Wait, do we get to keep it? Or only for a few shows?" The answer is, if you guys actually play a show somewhere that I can get to, (I may be able to help set it up), you can do whatever the hell you want with it. It would be nice to see you folks play live at least once before I start wearing brown dress socks and loafers on Saturdays and swearing up and down that Lawrence Welk re-runs are the only good shows on television.

Justin: We'd love to add it to our semi-functional junk-pile. Now we just have to play that show...

Sara: we try to play Bloomington, 'cause that's me home town, dontchya know. but we haven't played there in awhile. I feel like next time we tour in that area, we will play there. is that close enough, mr. brown socks? p.s. how 'bout that Cowboy Bob?

Justin: On the Johnny Carson show, March 85.

Sara: ...side?

Vern: Out of the closet? Out of the woodwork? Out of the womb? If you're asking how long we've played music together, it's been about 10 years. If you're asking about how long Unwound has been around it's been about 9 years.

2.2.00 flowers asks: the stranglers or psychedelic furs, and why?

Justin: Stranglers, but I'm not a huge fan of either.

Sara: stranglers are punk, P.F. are new wave. stranglers are sexist. p.f. are gayist. jerry springer or oprah winfrey?

Justin: I guess a tiny Japanese karaoke/noodle bar stocked with alot of Czech beer in an alley in Barcelona. Italian barristas make me delicious cappocinos when I'm hungover the next morning. There could probably be alot of these combos.

2.2.00 Eric asks: Would your band be pissed if I put up mp3s on my website of a live show by your band that I recorded? I was just curious, because I think your live stuff is great and would be a cool addition to my website. If you want to see my site, go to: http://www.crystal-night.com/~indiepoplive it features mostly NW stuff.

Justin: Thanks for asking. I'm not very excited about live recordings, they are usually embarrassing. Maybe a song but not a whole show. See what the others think.

Sara: what show is it and can we hear it first? just because you think its good, we might think it sucks, so we would prefer to hear it first. any way we can work that?

Vern: How about Crispin Glover playing Holden and David Lynch directing? Maybe Christian Slater playing Holden, Christina Ricci playing Phoebe, and Steven Speilberg directing? Oh no! Better yet... Macauley Culkin playing Holden, the little girl from "My Girl" playing Phoebe, and Rob Reiner directing? In the latter case, they just might have to make it a mini-series for television!

Justin: Don't run over that box, Robert, it might have a baby in it.

Sara: you mean like Goodfellas? that was kinda like the Wonder Years directed by Martin Scorsese. hey maybe Hilary Swank could play Holden.

1.24.99 george asks: Dear Unwound, Ive been really wanting a good book to read lately, but ive read most things by my favorite authors, which are kurt vonnegut, william burroughs, and philip k. dick...any suggestions?

Sara: if you like Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., try "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. or "Youth in Revolt" by C. D. Payne. or "Naked" by David Sedaris. if you like Dick and Burroughs, try Will Self. "Cock and Bull" and "My Idea of Fun" are a nice romp. or, if you don't mind trying something different, right now I'm reading "I Know This Much is True"

Vern: Although this might sound like a stuffy, even "educated", read... I must suggest "A People's History of the United States". If you thought this country was fucked, think again. If that sounds like too much, then try "Alice in Wonderland" or "Winnie the Pooh". One of my all time favorites though is Roald Dahl. When I was a kid I loved such twisted tales as: "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Danny the Champion of the World", but now that I'm grown up I realize that even his "adult" stories are just as, if not more, amazing.

Justin: An author that I enjoy who shares many of the listed authors' qualities is Will Self. If you havent yet checked him out, try "The Quantity Theory of Sanity" for short stories or his novel "My Idea of Fun"(my personal favorite). His latest available as far as I know is "Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys", which is a collection of short stories. You can get them at the library.

Sara: hmm, drummers most influential to me. I don't have a top 5 list, as I try not to play favorites, but I do have a few favorite drummers. Rey Washam, Stevie Wonder, Jaki Liebezeit, Jason Funk, Jody Stephens, and then of course John Bonham, Keith Moon, Charlie Watts, Bill Bruford, without whom where would we be?

1.24.99 tony asks: once, i went crazy...at least thats what i thought at the time. i was living through that period of life magnified by experiences stacked upon one another viewed through sad eyes. i always liked "you speak jealousy" when i was growing up and it is one of the sole largest influences on my musical reality. i was feeling bored and frustrated with life outside of rehearsals with jeremy and invaded by my own mind through others' actions. i picked up repetition one day and i took mushrooms. i walked through the snowy golf course and i retained one of those mental pictures of a specific time. in any case, fingernails on a chalkboard was playing in my head for the first time during the creation of this memory. i felt it exemplified everything in my life and that record became one of the greatest influences to human life. so, around this place where this memory is centered ,i later, while attempting to figure out a non-existent world, encountered a human body that spoke to me. it told me it "had a girl" on a nearby hill. you know the rest. so i got all these memories just waiting to be put into sound for the world to enjoy. i wish to gather a large group of recording artists of "underground" stature to create a project in which i participate in each song in various ways. my idea is to create and mix one continuous product that plays straight for 60 minutes with all sorts of roller-coasteresque noise disaster and crescendo. though the songs would be actual vocal projects, individually, they would be seamlessly connected, but divided by selection numbers upon cd perfectly. i'm able to get a thousand dollars or so, to travel and maybe record, but i'm needing the help of the bands involved. thanks for bringing me to life.

Justin: Yeah, the echoplex is a tried and true motherfucker. We almost always play the all-age shows, pretty much how its been on the whole adventure. Seattle definately could use a decent all-age club, though the afternoon deal at the rock bars seems ok for the time being.

Sara: yes, the Velvet Elvis is missed. but it did kinda suck playing in the afternoon. answer to part 2: we are primarily an all ages band, for obvious reasons. the only times we play 21+ clubs, are when we can play an all ages show somewhere in the area, or if there honestly is no choice. but, 9 times out of 10, our shows are at least 18+. even though that sucks, too.

1.24.99 Denis asks: Are you ever planning to play Colorado? Just a suggestion ... I think you should do a cover of La Vida Loca or Dio's Rainbows in the Dark.

Sara: well, we've played Colorado many times. Boulder, Denver, the works. what do you want?

Vern: We'll probabaly end up in Colorado again. Not sure when though. We are working on a cover of Nilsson's "Lime in the Coconut", hopefully all will find it enjoyable.

Justin: Summer, you wouldnt happen to have a piece of crap lodged in your ear would you? justin wondering...

Sara: they're all right. why, do you?

1.24.99 Mike asks: Dear Unwound, I am in the process of starting a new band (again). Is it possible for any of you to help me with the naming convention?

Justin: How about "truck pillow".

Sara: ok, I came up with a list for you last night. but some of these may be used as album titles. Tepid Trousers (or) Warm Slacks Naked Mattress Peanut (if its a three piece) Triangle Jerk Ridiculously Stoney

Justin: Yeah, if we can find someone interested in bringing us over and financing the whole affair.

Sara: hells yeah, if we can get someone to bring us over! why, you know anybody?

Vern: Sure. If you could convince someone down under to pay for plane tickets. Either that or get a few more people to buy our records.

Sara: yes. we have it all.

Vern: I use a bass and a distortion pedal. Sometimes I use a delay pedal I play with a pick, not my fingers. I use a 2x15" cabinet and a Sunn head.

Justin: You just listed off a partial list of our equipment. For a complete list try: www.unwoundscompleteequipmentlist.com

Vern: I think of us as a punk band, but I don't know why because punk means purple mohawks.

Sara: check out Portland's Hochenkeit for totally trippy shit, dude. not bad, pretty good, eh? we are not above doing that 7" for T'n'G. we just haven't recorded anything yet. you'll see.

Justin:Not really any cover bands, but plenty of "bad" bands, good and bad. Middle school band (never practiced) called "dead eddies".

Vern: Me and Justin have been playing together for about 10 years. We learned how to play together, so the list of bad high school bands could go on for a long time.

Justin: You mean Jerry Gabberjaw? I think vern probably loves thailand over new wave. Just guessing.

Sara: whats THAT supposed to mean?

Vern: Can you even call him Gary Jabberjaw anymore? If he would start a club again I might think of being his friend.

Justin: Yeah, so pumpernickle and marmalade sundays. If you come to olympia I might throw a snowball at you!

Sara: there are mountains so very close, covered with snow. but the snow in the towns never sticks. oregon or olympia? you want to choose between an entire state and a small town?

Sara: if used properly, I believe regret can be put to good use. but watch out, she's a killer.

Vern: I suppose any emotion in strong enough volume can be considered an asset

Sara: some times I don't know what to do on sunny days and just stay inside and feel guilty about not doing sunny day things. usually, I try to take a walk or sit in the yard or play badmitten or barbecue or go swimming in a lake or river or drive to the beach and play in the sand (the water's too cold to swim in up here) or just take a moment to feel the sun on my face. but I don't sunbathe because thats bad for fair people like myself. I've had enough bad sunburns.

Vern: We go intertubing, duh!

Justin: Sunny days are spent bleaching out my hair, chasing butterflies, and shouting obscenities in train tunnels.

Sara: why not?

Vern: It's an easy way to make a quick buck.

Justin: So we can hopefully drive you insane.

Justin: Wait, do we get to keep it? Or only for a few shows?

Vern: We'd be glad to add it to our pile of vintage stuff in our studio. Hopefully it will remain working, unlike everything else of ours.

Sara: thanks for the compliment(?). never had my finger stuck in a bottle, but for further adventures in extremities stuck in bottles, please see "My Life as a Dog"

Justin: Just be sure to drink the beer first.

Vern: I have never gotten my finger stuck in a beer bottle, which now that I think about it is kind of suprising. I have, however, taken drinks out of a beer bottle that had cigarette butts in it (several times), and once I took a drink out of a beer that had a ladybug in it.

Sara: dear geb, I live in Oregon. yes it rains, but it rains more in Olympia where I used to live and where Justin and Vern still live. where do you live? how can I tell you if the weather is better if I don't know where you live? what? ps the summers are better here in the Pacific Northwest than anywhere in the world.

Justin: I've never been to Oregon. Could you tell me what its like after you move there? If it rains, I don't think I will want to go there!

Vern: Sara lives in Oregon. You are right about the rain. It does rain alot. I don't particularly like it, but I get really sick of hot weather after a while.