UNEASY

From Sacramento Ca, who starts a band on the cusp of a global pandemic? We do. Hi! We’re UNEASY, how are you?

Have you always been interested in music? What is your story and how did you start making music?
Music has always been a huge part of my upbringing, my dads side of the family are almost all musicians or singers to some degree. My dad got me Switchfoot LIVE in San Diego 2007, and that 100% made me want to be in a band, so I grew out my hair and I got started in church bands; but at 16 I joined a punk band and that was that. I had gotten a guitar from a friend and borrowed a church guitarist’s loop station and started going, and never stopped. Went from a punk band to a jazz-blues rock band, to Psychobilly (my absolute favorite), and now 12 years later, full circle to pop punk once more.

What are you working on now? Any future releases we can look forward to?
We’ve got about a full album written, though we don’t plan on doing an album format. 2021 will have at least one new track, but we’ve got plans for a 4 song release. The first track you’ll get to hear though, is gonna be a headbanger for sure.

What Is Your Ultimate Goal In The Music Industry?
I want to be able to play this music to people who want to hear it, regularly. Local notoriety has always interested me more then stardom. More Dance Gavin Dance level than Def Tones, ya know?

What Has Been The Biggest Challenge In Your Career Thus Far?
Not getting burnt out in the constant struggle for booking gigs. And the typical worries that no one will enjoy this music as much as we do.

How do you go about writing a song? Do you have a melody in your head and then write the other music for it or what’s Your typical songwriting process?
Typically I jot down lyric ideas in my phone, and as I noodle around sometimes a riff or chord progression will catch my ear and then it begins. I’ve usually got an emotion or a memory/event that I feel the need to express and that for the most part dictates where I try to go with the song. After that it goes to the band, and if they like it we tear it apart and make it ours. Our motto for song writing is “It’s not final till it’s recorded, and then we change it one more time”

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
I used to not give it enough credit. But I truly think it’s challenging the way the industry interacts with musicians and artists. Getting taken for a ride by a label isn’t the only option, We can do it all ourselves, granted to a different degree. But overall I think it’s doing good things and capable of doing more good.

List some famous musicians currently on your playlist
G: Green Day, Tom Waits, Settle Your Scores, Tyler Childers, Dance Gavin Dance, My Chemical Romance, Billy Talent

What Did You Do Before You Started Making Music?
I’ve held a bunch of jobs, from retail to banking, currently I’m an assistant brewer in the Sacramento Area.

Would you have any advice for young people wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Make the music you want to make. And make it proudly. Also, practice to a metronome! It’s annoying as hell but 100% you’ll end up a better rounded musician of the click track is your friend.

If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?
Get rid of pay-to-play venue operations. So many venues in Sacramento are getting snapped up by big companies (live nation) or by owners who are condensing them. 60-100 presale tickets to solidify your show spot is obscene especially when you’re starting out or have a small cult following. It’s disheartening and kills the local scene, some of our local venues went from being 10 tickets (reasonable) to the 60+ after being bought out.

How do you feel about originality?
I think expecting 100% originality leads to disappointment more often then not. If you try to make it sound completely new and your grinding at that, it’s gonna be a journey. Being original to me means being yourself musically, and being yourself as a band. That’s your true sound, and it’ll probably change as you do.

Is there anything else we should know about you? or Something that you would like to add?
We can’t wait to play our first show together as UNEASY, it’s gonna be a party for sure. We make this music because we love doing it, and if you enjoy what music we make let us know because we do it for the fans, we definitely aren’t making money lol.