Tyler Vile interviewed the guys in The Unsatisfied about the release of their new single and their legendary career...

Hey guys, thanks for doing this interview. Tell us a little bit about yourselves.

We've been kicking it's ass since 1986 and we've paid for it in blood every step of the way.

What about bands like The Cramps and The Damned spoke to you early on?

When I met Lux Interior he told me to "stay sick" and Dave Vanian told me to "smash it up". Sylvain played "Personality Crisis" on my piano and we cried about Johnny Thunders. No Cramps... no Damned... no Dolls... no Unsatisfied. These guys made The Unsatisfied possible.

In the interview you did with Ginger, your front man Eric Scealf said "being in a band made me feel invincible?" Do you all feel like that?

I feel invincible on stage and when we are writing a good song. Otherwise I'd say we're all pretty vulnerable people... like everyone else.

I was born invincible.

The power and ferocity of this band is unmatched and that's what makes me feel invincible. You have to be invincible to survive being a member of The Unsatisfied.

How important is a sense of unity to the band?

We and our fans make up the "Tribe". It's like a pack of wolves with the band being the leader of the pack. We depend on each other and draw our strength from each other. Tolerance and understanding needs to be a focal point for survival.

Unity should be a part of every band.

How does that cohesion come through in your songwriting and at shows?

Writing and playing shows is more like we are praying. It's more than just entertainment, it's enlightenment. We try to meet our audience on a spiritual level. We can approach everything on a spiritual level and it requires togetherness.

What was the most intense show you guys have ever played?

It was two nights in a row with The Misfits. First night I had to finish the set in a chair because I snapped my Achilles Tendon halfway through the set. The second night we were in Atlanta playing Masquerade and a skinhead decided to put his bird finger in my face so I clocked him with the cane I was using to support my one-legged ass. It's just another scar... our songs are the stitches for the wounds.

A band called The Biters featuring my friend Matt Gabs are playing Chattanooga in mid November with Social Distortion, any chance you guys have heard them or might be on the bill?

We LOVE The Biters and Social D. Track 29, the venue here in Chattanooga, said they weren't booking the support acts for that show. You got Mike Ness' phone number?

Who are some newer bands that you guys enjoy sharing the stage with?

We got to play with a reunited Living Abortions at Cruefest this year, those guys should give it another shot. They put on one hell of a spectacle.

Our latest favorites have to be Labretta Suede and the Motel 6, Sexual Side Effects and BIGFOOT.

We've played the past two Con Nooga conventions with Bella Morte and Radio Cult. They're a lot of fun to spend a weekend with.

Have you ever shared a bill with The Independents?

Yes, those we're great shows. It's been a while. Evil and the boys always treated us good.

Your single, "Blood Gospel" sounds tight. What's the recording process for the upcoming full length been like?

The process for recording this particular song was very different for us. It was sort of a "feeling out" process for Universal Recording and Capital to see how we work in the studio. We are happy with the end result. We plan to have a different approach when it comes to recording this new stuff though. That said, we're still releasing material from "Songs the Belt Taught Us" as free downloads and music videos. The new music video for "Morbius" will be up on our youtube page on Halloween. www.youtube.com/TheUnsatisfied1

We're in the midst of writing the material for the next album and the songs keep getting better. We hope to record some demos within in the next few months. We intend to take a much more organic approach... much like we used on "Songs the Belt Taught Us"

We have to nurture these songs. "Blood Gospel" was recorded under very controlled conditions and we considered their process a challenge. The experience was very interesting. We all learned a little something.

Do you plan to tour for the new album once it's released?

Yes, we plan play some festivals and whatever support slots we can get. Booking as a DIY band has always been our chief hurdle.

We are currently in the market for a booking agent who understands and doesn't want to bullshit us.

There's a documentary on you guys out there in limbo land somewhere, right? Tell us a bit about that if you wouldn't mind.

It's a touchy subject but I will say this... "Ambition Withdraw" was shelved in Canada where the laws are different with regards to distribution. Promises were made and broken but that hasn't stopped the story. We learned a valuable lesson about being on top of the business end of things. We've talked about doing a follow-up documentary on our own... we'll see.

I have so much footage. It would be a waste not to use it at some point.

If you guys were a young band starting out today, would you do anything differently?

We wouldn't waste as much time listening to the bullshitters.

I would pay more attention to the melodies from the start... it's what holds a song together. And I wouldn't let the nay-sayers have so much say. Young musicians tend to take themselves too seriously, I know I did. That's something I would change I guess.

I'd be a rich kid.

How do you think social networking has changed the way we listen to music?

It has definitely made it confusing to have so much "so-called" music to pick through to find the good stuff.

I think the internet has brought us back to the era of the "single". I don't see that as a completely bad thing. Speaking of singles.. you can download "Blood Gospel" free from our web store www.theunsatisfied.net/store

One good thing that has come from the social networks is that it gives you the ability to present your music to people all over the world. We have fans all over the globe. We were recently included on a compilation in Athens, Greece released by a Canadian label and that would never have happened prior to the internet and social "media".

How hard is it to balance whatever day jobs you guys might have with the music you're making?

It is so hard to make a living at being strictly a musician. Our guitar players have somewhat regular jobs and the rest of us work for ourselves doing lawn care and odd jobs. Being your own boss helps retain some of the independent nature that comes with being a musician.

It's like we are steering our destiny while walking a tightrope. Being a free man makes the music better. That is why I work for myself.

Where do you think the line is between music as an escape and music as a means to the truth?

I don't really see a line there. I write from my heart. Sometimes my fantasies come out in word form and that becomes my natural way to truth. When I am dealing with life, which is the catalyst for most of our songs, I am dealing with razor sharp reality. That makes a great song. And that's the honest truth. I want the audience to enjoy The Unsatisfied and maybe learn something about themselves because of it.

Thanks for the interview guys, any final words of wisdom for our readers?

Watch out where the Huskies go. And don't you eat that yellow snow.

Be true to yourself about yourself. Never settle for less than what you deserve.

Hang on to yourself and your soul. Give all the Luv'n'Blood you can.

Official Website
THE UNSATISFIED STORE
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The Unsatisfied on Reverbnation