A lot of purging went into making Unloco's album "becoming i," according to lead singer Jose Duenas. "We had some things happen this past year that forced us to decide whether we wanted to continue making music or just quit."
Some of those things included the departure of guitarist Bryan Arthur, the release of the band's low-selling debut album "Healing" in 2001 (which caused Unloco's record company — Maverick — to halt the subsequent tour and order the band to record a new album).
Unloco members retreated to their hometown of Austin, Texas, and began working on the new album. For three months beginning last September, the band wrote songs, 14 that were recorded on demo tapes and submitted to the record company. Maverick liked what it heard.
In the early months of 2002, Unloco recorded, refined and tweaked the songs that would emerge as 'becoming i.' " "The studio sessions for 'becoming i' were therapy for us," Duenas said. "We resigned ourselves to the fact that we needed to record a good album — although we thought 'Healing' was good — and make sure we did the best we could."
Each day in the studio, the band felt that things were getting better, said Duenas. "We would wake up, and the fact that we were still a band was enough to push us and give us inspiration. It was always a new day for us to better ourselves. It was good for us to know we could wake up and play music."
Adding to the energy was the addition of guitarist Marc Serrano, who joined just before the band entered the studio. "We were put into a position to deliver an album on a deadline, and we thrived on that pressure. That was the approach taken this time around."
While Unloco is proud of the new album, some fans were caught off guard, especially when they heard some of the acoustic stuff. "We were criticized for that. Some said we sold out. Others said we mellowed out. But there were some who really dug and understood what we were trying to do. I can tell you, though, that we didn't do anything we didn't want to do."
Things began looking up for Unloco once 'becoming i' was released. "We started getting more radio play and gaining new fans," Duenas said. "Then we were asked to tour with Disturbed."
This tour, which also features Taproot and Chevelle, has canceled Unloco's run of bad luck. In fact, the Alternative Press called Unloco a band to watch in 2003. "We have been playing to more people than we ever have. We're being recognized, and we're getting instant response."
Still, Duenas said that doesn't mean Unloco is going to make any drastic changes. "When the sun goes down, we're still basically the same. We're still riding in the van, and we still have bills to pay and we still don't have any money."
If you go . . .
What: "Music as a Weapon II," with Disturbed, Taproot, Chevelle and Unloco
Where: E Center
When: 7 p.m., April 22
How much: $30.50
Phone: 467-8499 or 1-800-888-8499
E-mail: scott@desnews.com