Unstable Youth ***New Interview***

Unstable Youth is awesome street-punk/Oi! band from Cottonwood, AZ. They have an awesome live set and have shared the stage with a shit ton of great bands. Due to issues with in the state, they are known to play shows mostly in Phoenix. They have an awesome demo out and are working on an official release. They have also toured the south-western US. I got Monx to tell their story...

Introduce yourself…
Unstable Youth is Charlie Mantis/Vox, Franks/Rhythm Guitar, Eric Bunker/Lead Guitar, Lyle Keith/Bass, Monx/Drums.

How did the band start?
Monx: The band started just by chance in September 2008, after getting out of rehab in May 2008 I moved to Cottonwood, AZ. After a failed attempt to start a rehearsal/ recording studio/ record label with my cousin and my dad, (family issues) a friend I met ( Charles Folkman) earlyer that year came to me requesting I play some drum tracks for his solo rockabilly project. Now i've only been playing for maybe three months in 2007, but I was the only one he knew that was willing to play with a punk feel. I really liked his songs and we instantly clicked so I said "lets just start a band"because we wanted to play what we wanted fuck everyone else and their cover bands. Our first bass player by the name of  Darcie Trembley played for two months but had to quit due to being pregnant. We then asked our friend Jason Benatz to jump on who used to play with our friends band The Cheaters who at the time were the only some what punkish type power rock of a band. A week later our friend Derek asked to sing, and that New Years Eve 2008  in the red neck town of Cottonwood, AZ we had our first show at Kactus Kates. After playin shows mostly in the Verde Valley and some shows in Northen Az and in the Phoenix area, in September 09 Frank Arroyo joined the band on guitar after I met him at a party. At the time he was playing with another band, The Chemical Clowns. January 2010 Derek and Jason left, for a couple of months Charlie jumped on bass and lead vocals. We then found Eric Bunker to fill in on bass and in Oct 2010 Lyle Keith joined on bass and Eric moved to lead guitar. Since then we been playing ass much as we can.

How did you come up with the name?
Monx: Me and my cousin threw a party and my dad being the young soul that he is happen to be their talking to a girl. She told him "you guys are unstable" he looked at me and said that would be a great name for a band. So when it came time to think of a name I through that one out their, looked it up online and found that their was a crap load of unsigned bands, dj's, groups, and whatever else with the name. So I just said why not another youth band and made it Unstable Youth, Till this day I have not seen the name anywhere else.

Who would you say are your influences?
Monx: Well almost every type of punk genera, thats what the band was based off off since the begining. But just to name a few, The Casualties, Pennywise, Cock Sparrer, Bad Religion, Iron Maiden, Testement, Verbal Abuse, All City Boot Boys, The Industry, Rotten Youth The Unseen, Metallica, Krum Bums, Agnostic Front, American Hardcore Days, U.K Street Punk, and Ska Punk like Left Alone Voodoo Glow Skulls, Pogo bands like Bad Engrish, Worst Enemy, and modern East Los Angeles bands like Skeptical youth, Naked Agression, and The Dictions.

What is the punk scene like in Cottonwood?
Monx: Their is no scene, seriously none. Although in this past year I have sort of seen some kids getting into the 'we could call real punk', but there is alot of old-schoolers.

Describe the song writing process...
Monx: At the begining we sat and wrote maybe the first six songs, some of these songs we don't play anymore because we have changed the sound of the band. The first songs  were a mix of rock punk grunge rockabilly. But I think we really thrive when we just jam out and some thing just comes out of nowhere. Some one will start playing something, wheather its drums or guitar and the rest will just run with it at a basic level and its a song. Then once we get that down we start adding new riffs to the mix, new bridges or what ever, and through out this process Charlie will be writing lyrics and helping with the formating of the song. Most songs have to do with your own well being, we been told we have a n eclectic sound as far as punk rock goes. My girlfriend Audri said "it's integrative punk".

What have you released?
Monx: So far we just been recording our own demos, our 2010 demo got a pretty cool review "Unstable Youth-Self Titled Cd. This band plays Punk Rock with an intense chaotic sound all their own, all the songs on this CD kick ass! I especially liked Never ending War, which is the 3rd track on this CD. It is an awesome song that makes you pump your fists in the air and is really  catchy. This street punk band rules and i can't wait to hear the next CD these guys release." Joker In The Pack of the Minnesota Chap of Define Normal.
We are currently recording our first full length album, it will be released by the begining of spring 2012.

Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
Total Chaos, Verbal Abuse, SS Kaliert, The Freeze, Rick Agnews current band Poop, Rotten Youth, All City Boot Boys, The Industry, The Braskies, The Insurected, The Womboz, Worst Enemy Sekptical Youth, Doomed Youth, U.T.A, Krum Bums, Waste Brigade, White Flag Down and Global Crime Syndicate.

Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
Monx: We like the personal feeling with smaller shows, more chaotic. Stage diving is always a plus, but will play when ever, where-ever.

Have you toured?
We have done small five day trips hear and their, New Mexico, California, all over Arizona but we are doing our first three week tour in June of 2012. It will be from Arizona to San Diego then all the way up to Seattle.

Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
Rotten Youth, All City Boot Boys, The Industry, Worst Enemy, Awlful Truth, The Insurected, Krum Bums.

Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
Monx: Well we used to like playing at Sundances place in Presscott Arizona but they shut down, Club House is cool Tucson has a great scene, back yard gigs lol.

What do you see is the future of Unstable Youth?
Monx: Things are really starting to move so hopefully it goes on for a long time because we work our asses off for this shit and we sacafice alot too. We want to see the world and sleep on your couch lol.

How can people contact the band?
Either on facebook or our under-construction web site unstableyouth.com. We don't use myspace for messages but we do use it as far as uploading music. You  can also down load some of our demos on mohawkradio.com, thanx and we will see you in the pit!