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The Unicorns

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The Unicorns
OriginMontreal,Quebec
GenresIndie rock,indie pop,lo-fi
Years active2000–2004, 2014
LabelsCaterpillars of the Community,Alien8,Suicide Squeeze,Rough Trade
Past membersNick "Neil" Diamonds
Alden Ginger
J'aime Tambeur

The Unicornswere a Canadianrockband formed in the year 2000 byNicholas Thorburn(Nick Diamonds) of British Columbia andAlden Penner(Alden Ginger) of Quebec.J'aime Tambeurjoined in December 2003.[1]The band announced their split in late 2004, before reuniting for a short run of shows in 2014.

History

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The Unicorns began inCanada[2]in December 2000. The founding membersNicholas ThorburnandAlden Pennermet in high school in 1998. Alden was new to his 10th-grade class and decided to wear a skirt to school, which intrigued a 12th-grade Nick and quickly sparked their friendship.[3]The duo self-recorded a nine-track CD entitledUnicorns Are People Toowhich was released in March 2003 through their own label Caterpillars of the Community. The release was limited to 500 copies, but was later distributed widely through file-sharing networks and fansites.[4]Around this time they also self-recorded a Mini CDr entitledThree Inches of Bloodwhich was given to venue owners who arranged the band's early shows. A split 7-inch withArcade Firewas also announced, but never materialized.[5]

In June and July 2003 the band recorded their debut studio LPWho Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?with producer Mark Lawson in Montreal.[6]The album featured several reworked versions of songs fromUnicorns Are People Tooand featured contributions fromRichard Reed Parry(Arcade Fire) and drummerJamie Thompsonwho joined the band as a touring member later that year. The album was released in November 2003 onAlien8 Recordingsin North America andRough Tradein Europe. The album received glowing reviews fromThe Village Voice,NME,online magazinePitchfork Mediaand numerous other publications around the world.[7]

The band toured continuously across North America, Europe and Australia following the release ofWho Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?,including shows withThe Decemberists,The Fiery Furnaces,Hot Hot Heat,andArcade Fire.[8]A promotional video was also produced for the song "Jellybones", which aired occasionally onMTV2's120 Minutes.In 2004, footage from multiple live performances was used to produce a promotional video for the song "I Was Born (A Unicorn)". In May 2004 an EP entitledThe Unicorns: 2014was released by Seattle labelSuicide Squeeze.The band became known for their chaotic live shows, described as "unruly, sometimes transcendent, sometimes akin to tantrums".[9]

Split and subsequent projects

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The band's hectic touring schedule became exhausting, leading to tensions between band members.[10]Their final show of 2004 took place at the Engine Room in Houston, TX on December 20, where they played several unreleased songs including "Haunted House", "Livin' in the Country" and "Rough Gem" (later recorded byIslands).[11]On December 28, a short message appeared on the Unicorns' website reading "THE UNICORNS ARE DEAD, (R.I.P.)",[12]leading fans to speculate as to whether they had broken up. In January 2005 the websiteDrowned In Soundconfirmed that the band had indeed split.[13]Asked about the band's demise in 2006, Thompson commented, "we all hated it like 70 percent of the time. It was just not getting along with one another on the road, and then being on the roadall the time.That pretty much killed it ".[14]

Immediately following the split, Thorburn and Thompson continued to collaborate as Th' Corn Gangg (a hip-hop project featuringSubtitleandBusdriver) andIslands(an indie rock project). On May 28, 2006, Thompson announced his departure from Islands.[15]He returned to the band in June 2009, but left again a year later. In 2005 Thorburn co-wrote the satirical charity single "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?".[16]His other post-Unicorns projects have includedReefer,Human HighwayandMister Heavenly.In July 2011 he released an album entitledI Am an Atticthrough Bandcamp, reverting to his Unicorns nickname "Nick Diamonds".[17]

In 2005 Penner released a 7-inch single entitled "The Ghost of Creaky Crater" on theMelbourne-based Art School Dropout label, recorded while the band was on tour in Australia. His post-Unicorns musical projects have includedCluesand The Hidden Words, in which he reunited with Thompson. In February 2014 he released solo album entitledExegesisthough Bandcamp.[18]

Reunion

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In early 2014, ten years after their split, it was announced that the band would reunite to supportArcade Fireon a handful of arena shows in Inglewood, CA and Brooklyn, NY.[19]On September 21, 2014, they returned to thePop Montreal Festivalto play a headline show at Metropolis, but have not announced any further live dates.Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?was also reissued on CD and vinyl through the band's own imprint, Caterpillar Records.[20]

Members

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Discography

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Albums

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Singles/EPs

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See also

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References

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  1. ^"Alien8 Recordings".Alien8recordings.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-05-09.Retrieved2020-03-12.
  2. ^Jason Heller (1 April 2004). "Horn Again: The Unicorns resurrect the mystic rite of having fun".Denver Westword.
  3. ^Mclaughlin, Virginia (November 21, 2010)."The Indie Spotlight: UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The Unicorns".Findthemusichere.blogspot.
  4. ^"Unicorns Are People Too".Archived fromthe originalon September 12, 2012.
  5. ^"The Unicorns:: News".Cs.mcgill.ca.
  6. ^"A Completely Biased Ranking of the 60 Best Canadian Indie Rock Songs of the 00s Part II".Vice,Cam Lindsay Apr 10 2017,
  7. ^Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic.Metacritic (2003-10-21). Retrieved on 2011-04-10.
  8. ^"The Unicorns tours, tickets, shows".Last.fm.
  9. ^"The Unicorns Can't Just Get Along".Exclaim.ca.
  10. ^Farr, J. M. (March 28, 2014)."Portraits of Alden Penner".Maisonneuve.org.
  11. ^"The Unicorns at Engine Room (Houston) on 20 Dec 2004".Last.fm.
  12. ^"The Unicorns:: Official Website".January 6, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon January 6, 2005.
  13. ^"Who will cut their hair now they're gone? - Unicorns split".DrownedInSound.Archived fromthe originalon 2017-08-09.Retrieved2014-09-26.
  14. ^Seigel, Stephen."Extinction of The Unicorns".Tucsonweekly.
  15. ^Phillips, Amy (May 30, 2006)."J'Aime Tambeur Quits Islands".Daily Music News.Pitchfork Media.Archived fromthe originalon June 15, 2006.Retrieved2006-06-03.
  16. ^ "Sum 41, The Arcade Fire And Beck Collaborate On Anti-Halloween Single".Chart.22 August 2005.ISSN1198-7235.Archived from the original on 7 June 2011.Retrieved30 December2007.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^"I Am an Attic, by Nick Diamonds".Nickdiamonds.bandcamp.
  18. ^"Alden Penner – Exegesis".Discogs.Retrieved30 August2023.
  19. ^"The Unicorns Reunion in the Works".Pitchfork.13 February 2014.
  20. ^"The Unicorns Announce Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? Reissue, Share Cover of Daniel Johnston's" Rocket Ship "".Pitchfork.21 July 2014.
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Interviews & Articles
Fansites
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