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Interview with Scott Ryser of The Units
Intro:
EC: What were the criteria for the selection of the songs on History of the Units? Scott Ryser: We focused on the early years of the band's music … the music we did before we signed with a major label. It's all music that we played at our live shows in the late '70s, and I wanted to put something out that reflected the artistic freedom and experimentation that was allowed and encouraged in the early punk scene in SF at the time. I feel like it's more unique and experimental than what followed. For various reasons we also wanted to include some soundtracks and background music that we had done for films, fashion shows and performance art pieces that our friends were doing at the time. And finally, we wanted to limit it to what could fit on a single CD. A sampler, I think it's a very good representation of what the band was all about. EC: How do you see the Units: Artists doing music or musicians doing art? Why? Scott Ryser: Good question. I would have to say “artists doing music”.
More specifically, I think of the scene we came out of as musical artists promoting Cultural Revolution in innovative ways. We were making confrontational statements about how the status quo of our culture was on a crash course of consumerism and conformity. One of my friends from the scene, Vale from ReSearch Publications, recently described the late 70's “punk” scene we came out of like this:
I could elaborate on Vale's list, but I think that gives you the basics.
The “black humour” was a very important element to the scene. It was a lot of fun. EC: Reforming the Units: Is that an option for you? Why, why not? Scott Ryser: Maybe. I'm waiting to see if the CD and some other new Units releases generate enough new interest in the band to make it worth taking it on the road again. Many of the old members of the band have been hounding me to do it. The Units never played in Europe. That's something I'd like to do. EC: What do you like about the idea getting remixed? Scotty Ryser: The Units will actually soon be releasing an album of our songs that have been remixed by well-known DJs and producers that will come out in early 2010. It will be on the Opilec label out of Italy.
I love the idea of remixes. It's a very “punk” idea to me. Like Sid Vicious covering Frank Sinatra's “My Way”. It's very funny and ironic. I love the idea of “reconfiguring” art and technology and taking it to places that it wasn't intended to go. Like graffiti, but in a musical way. I love the way Tom Ellard from the Severed Heads takes TV commercials and “remixes” them in funny ways.
It seems like remixes are usually reserved for disco or dance songs. I don't really consider The Units disco artists, but I love it when people remix Units songs for the dance floor. EC: How come you were blacklisted by Bill Graham? Scott Ryser: That's a long and ugly story that I try not to think about much. What happened was that the small indie label that we were on at the time was affiliated with Graham, and after we decided not to sign with them for our second (already recorded) album, they were upset. I guess we could have predicted the consequences. The next day our booking agent dropped us and we couldn't get a gig in a Graham venue on the west coast. The same venues we had been headlining in the day before.
As luck would have it, a few months later, Joel Webber (head of the Uproar label) from NYC put out a 12” single of ours called “The Right Man” that was an immediate hit on the dance charts and we signed with Epic and moved to NYC. The saddest thing for me about the whole episode is that it represents a time in which the punk music scene in California was repackaged and commodified as fashion and entertainment by the major labels that had avoided it before.
In hindsight, it really doesn't matter to me whether we were with Bill Graham or Epic or EMI or whatever big corporate organization. They're all the same. Their reason they exist is to make a profit, not to make a statement or make the world a better place. It is what it is. The problem that the major labels had with The Units was that we were better at making a statement than we were at turning a profit! (ha ha) EC: Where do see differences / similarities between the independent music scene in the late seventies and today? Scott Ryser: I think the independent music scene today is fantastic. It's very vibrant and creative. I see a lot of similarities artistically … there's a lot of really good, original sounding bands now. All over the world.
The difference that I see is that the scene today is not as regional and not as political as it was in the late 70's. Also, there was no commercial market for what we were doing when we started back then. People were doing it as an anti-authoritarian, anti-big business, anti-status quo protest, and now it seems like people are doing it more for fun and artistic reasons ... and I get the feeling it is more readily accepted and purchased by the masses. I have no problem with that. It's a different time. We've elected a black president (finally), and I feel like there has been small but incremental changes in our culture (through the internet) since then. EC: What was the wackiest product you created for a store and for which store was that? (Note: Today he and his wife Rachel Webber, the other main member of The Units, create Pet Bowls and accessories.) Scott Ryser: Rachel and I made a limited edition ceramic dog bowl with glazed on pictures (by Bruce Weber) of homoerotic topless cowboys on it for the designer Paul Smith's store in Japan. You can see it on this page: www.rascopet.com/personalized.htm EC: Internet: Curse or blessing for you? Scott Ryser: Definitely a blessing. Everything was so regional back in the '70s. It was difficult for someone in San Francisco to know what was going on in NYC … let alone what was going on in Germany or France. Artistically, everything is at your fingertips now. No need to go to the library. Gotta love it. We probably wouldn't be doing this interview without the internet. EC: The Units were formed out of desperation. Were they also the solution for this desperation? Scott Ryser: Yes. It was lucky for us that we were in the right place at the right time … There just happened to be hundreds of like minded creative “desperate” people in SF in the late '70s that encouraged, supported and spurred each other on. While it lasted, it was like I had died and gone to heaven. EC: Playing in Display window, writing film music and even having a minor hit in the US charts with “The right man”. Is that really punk? Scott Ryser: Yes. In my mind, that is EXACTLY what punk is.
Punk is not hanging out in a “punk” club and playing it safe with your friends. Punk is not hiding from popular culture in a “punk only” club or “punk” record bin. Punk is not a tight black pants and leather jacket uniform. Punk is the opposite of what everyone expects. Punk is the crazy surprise that makes you laugh… or be outraged. Punk is confrontation. It's putting up your DIY posters on Wall Street, not just on your bedroom walls. Punk is fucking with the status quo system. Punk challenges the entire culture, not just the clique. Punk is taking it to the streets and doing the unexpected.
In 1979, performing in a downtown storefront window with spray painted signs saying “Buy Now” and “Do You Like Your Job” … to the businessmen and passersby on the sidewalk … was real punk.
We thought we could do the same thing on a major label, but we were wrong … they were better with fucking with us than we were with fucking with them. I guess they have more experience doing it! EC: What are your musical plans in the near future? Scott Ryser: That's a question I often ask myself. The Units “ History of the Units” (community-library.net)
EAR CANDY:
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Right: The Units in the early '80s