Well tribe, here we are at the close of yet another year. 2011 has been huge for The Unsatisfied. In April we released our 4th CD ‘Songs the Belt Taught Us’. The disc stirred up some critical acclaim, a little national radio play, and international attention from the press and rock fans everywhere! We couldn’t be happier! The day that the CD was released the entire Southeastern part of the U.S. was devastated by a huge rash of tornadoes. Our hometown of Chattanooga was hit by 3 or 4 that day. Luckily we were all spared any real losses and were even able to help host a Tornado Relief Benefit just 4 days later. It was a roaring success with a truckload of food, clothing and other necessities, as well as a healthy cash donation to The American Red Cross. Simply amazing, considering most of the area was still without electricity!
Around the same time that the CD was released we, as well as many of our fans were stunned by the news that Wayno was leaving The Unsatisfied due to health issues. Wayne Shadwick was a great guitarist and a valued member of the group for many years. Wayno was instrumental in writing alot of the group’s material and he worked tirelessly in the studio helping to get “The Belt” finished. We love you, brother. Always.
Wayno’s spot was soon filled by Joel Hastings. Joel spent the last several years playing guitar for the punk group Local Union. He fell right into place and we couldn’t have found a better friend and brother to join us. Joel’s contribution so far has been invaluable.
After the CD’s release we spent the entire Spring and Summer playing concerts and benefits all over the South. We had some great adventures on the road in our trusty(?) Winnebago Warrior that was generously loaned to us from John and Jeni of JJ’s Bohemia. I’m not sure how many miles we put on the ol’ Warrior but, I do recall at least 3 blowouts and one totally wrecked transmission that left us stranded in Kentucky. We all had to ride home in a Uhaul…that’s a tale of its own.
2011 also saw the passing of our dear friend and comrade John Johnson. He was a punk rock icon in the local scene when The Unsatisfied was just getting started and a close friend of everyone in the group. We miss you John. Luv’n’Blood.
We did a lot of charity work in 2011 and had a blast. We learned that we can use even what little celebrity we have to turn people on to good causes and to at least help bring attention to some of the things we believe in. We’ve recently adopted the local organization ‘Chattanooga Room in the Inn’. They are a charity that helps battered and homeless women and children. You can learn more about them here: http://www.chattanoogaroomintheinn.com/ and we’ll have plenty of announcements and fund raisers coming soon.
These are mostly just the highlights of our year. We’ve made a ton of new friends and contacts and our tribe continues to grow daily. We love each and every one of you. 2012 promises to be the biggest year yet for The Unsatisfied.
It’s also been said that 2012 will be the end…Well, if you look around there’s plenty that needs to be ended. Before rehearsal a few weeks ago we were all talking about this 2012 Mayan Calendar end-time scenario. We came to the conclusion that this dark and foreboding outlook may be nothing but pessimism. What if there is a drastic change in the planet, but a change for good? What if the things that come to an end are greed and avarice, prejudice and intimidation? What if egos are torn down and people built up? What if we all try to walk in somebody else’s shoes? I know this may sound a little “peace and love, Summer of 69”-ish coming from some bad-ass rockers like The Unsatisfied, but think about it. What if we all try to be just a little better…besides, if it is the end of the world then you can go out feelin’ good about yourself! I wanna die smilin’! Join us in making the Apocalypse an unveiling of Truth and Brotherhood. Anyway, it may be something to think about.
On that note, here’s a little New Year’s Wish from The Unsatisfied. We shot this in our practice studio with the help of the wonderful Hollie Stockman. You can get an inside view of the luxurious surroundings where we create our songs. You also get an idea what it looks and sounds like at an Unsatisfied practice…and we were just warming up! The song is an older number that we’ve recently resurrected since it seems to speak to the current times. Happy New Year tribe!
That’s it for this edition. Tune in next time for more news and opinions from The Unsatisfied! Be safe, be happy, and have a great new year!
Luv’n’Blood
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