Dead Unicorn: Horny Devils
by Peter Aaron
We get the idea. But what about the two-piece lineup, which came together in 2005, how did that evolve? “Mostly out of the frustration of the experiences we had in larger bands,” says Shaw, who also drums for local quintet Counterfeit Disaster and previously played in New York outfit Some Action. (Heath did time with Albany’s Phlegm Chuckers and the now defunct Kiss Ups, another bass/drums duo.) “It’s really the optimum setup; less people to argue with and divide up the money with. Probably the worst thing about it is that we always get people asking if they can play guitar for us. We’re not looking for one, thanks. But it’s funny, I told my grandma that our band was just drums and bass and she said, ‘That doesn’t sound like much of a band, Zac.’”
Curiously, it was another grandmother, that of Shaw’s girlfriend, who lent the band the basement space where it recorded much of Yellowstone Supervolcano with producer and engineer Jason Martin. “Zac’s also a writer, and he had a really unique concept for the album,” says Martin. “There are these crazy skits and fake news reports between a lot of the songs, and he came up with most of those. We also recorded some parts in the basement of [Kingston venue] Backstage Studio Productions. We chose both places because they have a thick concrete lining, which makes for great reverb. But it also felt like we were in a bunker when we were recording, which definitely fit the vibe.” Since the CD’s release the band has taken the concept ever higher, drafting in filmmaker and videographer Chris Rahm for live backdrop projections and the making of a performance video.
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