Brand New Unit
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada |
| Headquarters | Vancouver , Canada |
| Products | Hardcore punk music, post-hardcore music |
Brand New Unit, commonly abbreviated as BNU, was a hardcore punk ensemble originating from the suburban area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Lineup
- Vocals: Gary Lavallee
- Guitar: Jinx Stringer
- Bass: Ben Hughes
- Drums: Garnet Kulhavy, subsequently succeeded by Gabe Mantle from Gob
History
Established in 1991 in Surrey, British Columbia, the group began by performing primarily within local venues and around Vancouver. Their victory in the 1992 SHiNDiG contest hosted by CITR-FM awarded them studio recording time, which facilitated the production of their initial EP titled Summertime. This release displays clear influences from bands such as 7 Seconds and Dag Nasty, while their subsequent material evolved towards a post-hardcore style complemented by energetic live shows.
In 1993, Brand New Unit contributed to Crank It Up - Volume 11, part of Thrasher Magazine's Skate Rock compilation series. Their debut full-length record, Under The Big Top, was launched in 1994.
The band broadened their reach into the United States through extensive touring schedules. In 1995 alone, they issued three EPs and later consolidated earlier tracks into the 1997 album Looking Back Again.
In 1998, BNU released Diddley Squat under Creative Man Disc. The following year featured a split EP collaboration with Kill Sadie and participation on a VML Records compilation that included The Pist and Supernova. Their final EP emerged in 1999 before the group disbanded in 2000.
Brand New Unit briefly reunited for a performance in Vancouver during February 2010 and continued to perform sporadically thereafter, with their last known show taking place in Victoria in 2018.
Vocalist Gary Lavallee passed away in October 2021, followed by drummer Garnet Kulhavy’s death due to COVID-19 complications the next month.
Discography
Albums
- Under The Big Top (1994), Excursion Records
- Looking Back Again (1997), BYO Records
- Diddley Squat (1998), Creative Man Disc
EPs
- Summertime 7" (1992), 3 Minute Mile Records
- All For Nothing 7" (1995), HeartFirst Records
- Quickdraw Richy Rich (1995), HeartFirst Records
- No Heroes (1995), HeartFirst Records
- Kill Sadie + Brand New Unit Split 7" (1999), Modern Radio Record Label
- Empty Useless Air (1999), Burning Heart Records