All the Units

Q: Why are the Units the "S.F. Units?"
A: Because there was more than one band named the "Units."
On this page, I will talk about a few.





Units, Albany



The Units were an Albany, New York punk rock band. They formed circa 1979 and consisted of Val Haynes, Steve Cohen, Todd Nelson, Doug White, and Al Kash. They released a single in December 1979 called "Japan / I am Sorry." It was advertised in the December 1979 issue of Trouser Press, one month after the San Francisco Units advertised their 4 song EP. The magazine wrote a clarification with the December issue:

Due to the name conflict, the Albany Units tried to lay a cease and desist order on the San Francisco Units. It was proven that the San Francisco Units put out their EP first, but some concessions were made. The 7", "Warm Moving Bodies," lists "S.F. Units" on the label.

Copyrights Held:

SR-14-317                   
TITL: Japan / S. Cohen, T. Nelson, V. Haynes ; 
[performed by] The Units.
IMPR: Iron Cyst Records AR-1023-A, c1979.
PHYS: on 1 side of 1 sound disc : 45 rpm ; 7 in.
NOTE: (With I am sorry)
CLNA: (c) Stephen M. Cohen, Val Haynes & Todd Nelson
INNN: notice: Norbert Songs
DCRE: 1979           DPUB: 5Dec79           DREG: 18Dec79
APAU: words and music: Stephen M. Cohen; 
music: Todd Nelson; words: Valeria Haynes.
PREV: Prev. reg. 1979, PA 96-638.
ECIF: 37/M
XREF: S.  Cohen  SEE Stephen M.  Cohen , 1955-.
      T.  Nelson  SEE Todd  Nelson , 1956-.
      V.  Haynes  SEE Valeria  Haynes , 1954-.
      Val  Haynes  SEE Valeria  Haynes , 1954-.   
                          
SR-14-334                  
TITL: I am sorry / V. Haynes and The Units ; 
[performed by] The Units.
IMPR: Iron Cyst Records AR-1023-B, c1979.
PHYS: on side B of 1 sound disc : 45 rpm ; 7 in.
NOTE: (With Japan)
CLNA: (c) Valeria Haynes, Stephen M. Cohen, Alexander Kash, 
	J. Todd Nelson & Douglas White.
DCRE: 1979           DPUB: 5Dec79           DREG: 19Dec79
APAU: words & music: Valeria Haynes; music: Stephen M. Cohen, 
	J. Todd Nelson, Douglas White & Alexander Kash.
ECIF: 37/M
XREF: acV.  Haynes.  SEE Valeria  Haynes , 1954-.  

The Albany Units changed their name to "Fear of Strangers" and released a self-titled LP in 1982. [Note: that is why this album is listed in the AMG under Units]. Distributed by San Francisco's Faulty Records.

Jandek

Jandek's first LP, Ready for the House, was released under the name "the Units" in 1979. Upon hearing about the San Francisco Units, he changed his name back to Jandek. The music is of the odd folk variety.

Units, 1986

A yearlong Rhode Island project which consisted of David Chandler (voc/kybd), John Sprier (voc/bass/guitr) and Arna Zucker (voc/trombone/kybd/bass/guitr/harmonica/percussion). Their epitaph, derived from a posthumous page was that "the band proved that humor and music can mix as long as the proper amount of bozons, free radicals, and photons are in play and abundant."

Units, 1987

A Units released a single, "Baby, You Flirt / Grill Room," in February, 1987. Thanks to the International Discography of New Wave for that one.


The Unitts



The Unitts were a Tucson, Arizona band. They existed in the mid-1980's and consisted of Martin the Holt, Mike-Mike Olson and Darrell Stackhouse. They released this cassette (Strategy:electradynanasoarfusion) in 1986 through the Unique Zounds label. It contains some interesting guitar-based rock, with lots of odd sounds. The tape even includes a cover of the Beatles' "Things We Said Today."



For help on this page, thanks to: Bob Lukomski, Mike O'Hagan, and Terry Sharkie.