 2025: THE UNREASONABLES Northern Latitudes Records Copyright © 2025 Rio Paso Music (BMI)
FORTY-SOMETHING YEARS LATER, RUSTY'S 1980s-ERA HOUSTON ROCK BAND EMERGES FROM THE DARK! The Unreasonables is a compilation of demos recorded by Rusty Reid and mates between 1978-1982.
After a few years as a band member, in the late 1970s I wanted to get back to my original vision of myself as a solo artist. I just needed a crack ensemble of players to make it happen. That was easier imagined than bringing to fruition. Houston's musical landscape as the Seventies closed and Eighties began was fragmented into its lounge, party, country, blues, R&B, TexMex, dance, singer-songwriter, rock, punk nodes. As with most local music scenes, there was a lot of derivative copying of successful acts. When MTV launched in the summer of 1981, the pop-rock-punk-New Wave field got even worse in that regard. It was into this niche that I wanted to play, and likely only escaped fully plunging into copycat territory myself through the freedom I allowed bandmates to add their individual stamp to the songs. The problem all along was me. I was all over the map in terms of what I wanted it to sound like. We never actually achieved the sound I had in my head for these songs. I wanted a steady keyboard player and some harmony singers. The Universe said, "Nope and nope!" So guitars and more guitars it was. Given that there was virtually no money to be gained in joining the project, it is rather remarkable that we did somehow gather an ensemble of crack players (including a few who would go on to some notoriety... see notes below) and bumble into a sound all our own. Hopefully the skill and spirit of the individual players comes through on these comparatively crude recordings, as they each succeed in making the songs theirs, as well as ours. Alas, innately, the Unreasonables became a revolving door of players coming in and going out. Actual paying gigs awaited their departure, so it was disband and regroup over and over again. The original idea for these recordings was to consider them demos, get signed to a record deal, and re-record them. Yeah, that didn't happen. This batch of songs is in chronological order of recording, following the evolution of the band. This is the "sound" we came up with. These recordings are very close to live performances. We did a couple of takes, and that was that. The seven songs on this album with the David Turner, Brent Waters and Ed Martinson lineup are part of a batch of sixteen songs we recorded in two days! Of the nine other songs from that batch, four ("Oh Well, "No Deposit, No Return," "Too Many Poor," "My Troubles Have Just Begun") appear in re-recorded form on other of my albums. In late 1982, I made the decision to return to Los Angeles, and folded up the Unreasonables. We had fun, but had not accomplished much to speak of. We played around a bit, but weren't one of the popular bands in Houston. We didn't have many fans. We didn't release any records. We didn't get signed to a record deal. We did do a lot of recording, always in a tiny studio that we could afford, but I was rarely completely satisfied with the recordings. The Unreasonables had not achieved the goals I was shooting for. Before I left for L.A., I reunited the last version of the Unreasonables to record a final ten songs in a couple of days. These sessions were our best. We had finally made the jump up to 24 tracks. When I released my first album, "NWXSW" in 2001, I selected four of those recordings ("Miss Independent," "If You Were Me," "That's the Thing About That," and "I Want to Believe") to include, and re-recorded two other Unreasonables songs, "Hot as a Pistol" and "Hurricane," which are included here in their original form. The rest of the Unreasonables recordings were stashed away, all but forgotten. Many decades later, I heard from some former bandmates. It was cool but unexpected when they recounted the good times we had, and proclaimed their love for some of those songs. "What happened to those recordings?" they wanted to know. So I went digging through my jungle of boxes to find them. I wasn't expecting to find anything worthwhile, remembering them as too subpar in recording quality to be releaseable. But after having the old master multi-track tapes digitized and imported into my home studio, I was pleasantly surprised. True, the recordings aren't Electric Ladyland quality, but they were workable. In bringing them back to life, I realized we were better than I recalled!
The Unreasonables had no financial backers, no press agent, no hangers-on, no producer guru, no posh studio, no real plan. It was just us, me and a handful of other Houston lads, thrashing away at quirky songs destined to never go anywhere. But what do you know? Once upon a time in Houston, there was a rock and roll band. And through the miracles of technology, out of the vault of time they rise and ride again. Special thanks to all the bandmates and Magic Rat Studio. You made me sound good. Wherever in the world you are, I hope you are well and happy. I have the fondest memories of our too short time together. If you'd like to hear more Unreasonables, check out my first album, "NWXSW," for the tracks "If You Were Me," "That's the Thing about That," "Miss Independent" and "I Want to Believe," all recorded in Houston with the final band of Unreasonables.
BUY "THE UNREASONABLES" - signed by Rusty 
AMAZON MUSIC
Not too familiar with the sounds of Rusty Reid & The Unreasonables, then it's about time to join the party, as the artist recently released a massive album that spans such an amazing variety of classic and indie rock with genuine and aesthetically vintage tonalities, along with songwriting that feels driving but inviting at the same time.
The release is called The Unreasonables, and wastes very little time jumping in with its insanely catchy rock staples with the very first track, "Hot as a Pistol.
Right off the bat, you get this driving and sort of fuzz tone, almost garage rock-sounding guitar, and the riff is addictive and classic.
You also have soulful guitar work in the underbelly of this track on an almost constant basis, along with drums that drive everything, but also give the track and the entire album, for that matter, a lot of life.
I can't express enough how the soundscape of this record hits this amazingly vintage tone. The aesthetic was aimed for and nailed 100%.
A great example is just how the drums were actually recorded. You have this classic drum tone and sound throughout the record that really helps the vintage classic rock aesthetic come through in shining colors.
The guitar worked throughout the entire record is outstanding, delivering loads of soul, inventive, slightly outside-the-box but very familiar-feeling riffs and segments.
This is a very guitar-driven record, as again, it is pure rock and roll, classic rock, indie rock, and more.
There are even elements of old school punk in there at times. Not all the songs share this attribute, but some of them certainly do, and I just think it's outstanding how there was so much attention paid to the arrangements and how the energy of the songs comes through the way they were meant to.
There's something about the way this record was built and recorded that makes you feel like you're in the room and in the moment with them.
It seems almost like everything was recorded live on the floor, and everyone involved was feeding off of each other's energies the entire time.
The record is packed with melodic hooks and almost anthemic choruses that give you bouts of nostalgia because you feel like you're listening to a record that was released in the late 70s or early 80s.
Now, this is a huge record. The album as a whole spans 19 songs, and a lot of them stand on their own two feet as singles extremely well, but listening to the whole album is a real doozy.
This is an album you don't want to miss any songs from because if you like a few of them, you're going to love the whole record.
Listening to a few tracks off of this will give you a bit of an idea or gist of what you may expect on the full album; however, it will not give you the entire spectrum of what the record has to offer.
There's so much going on, so many layers of great guitar work, melodic and soulful vocal performances, massive hooks left and right, and one of my favorite aspects about the record is that it gives you instrumental or guitar hooks as well.
Guitar hooks are an imperative part of rock music, in my opinion. Over the years, I've seen this aspect sort of drop out, and I have never liked it.
Great guitar work is the essence of rock, and to have an album that brings back guitar hooks that are just as catchy as the choruses at times is brilliant.
This is an album that brings back a lot of what we've been missing, and genuine rock music, and it's something that a lot of indie rock bands strive to achieve.
The difference is that we're listening to something that feels authentic from a certain time. It's a different era of rock music that I'm hearing on this record, and it comes through so aesthetically perfect that I can't tell the difference.
This is an album worth listening to from start to finish. You get such a lush and full-bodied experience by doing it this way, and so many songs on the record stand tall, amongst a lot of the stuff that you hear on the radio in the past, and these days as well.
If you are a fan of this late '70s or early '80s era of classic rock music then you're going to love this record. Some songs and approaches make me think of bands like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, for example.
This, to me, was a high point in rock music, and it's amazing that Rusty and his band can capture that feeling so well.
This was done with outstanding attention to the little details. The tones of the instruments, the way it was recorded, the songwriting, it all came together like puzzle pieces.
Check this record out because if you're a fan of rock music and any facet, you're going to absolutely love this. There's almost no record more genuinely rock than this one that I've heard in a long time.
While you do that, check out our interview with Rusty below so you can find out more about where this record came from and Rusty himself.
Don't forget where you heard this first.
Rusty Reid Uncovers a Forgotten Rock Treasure with The Unreasonables.
Occasionally, music history presents us with the tale of opening a time capsule. Rusty Reid's "The Unreasonables" is just such a treasure - a forgotten double album of sharp hooks, insurgent melodies, and unapologetic rock attitude, made decades past and only now given its life. It is no retro project; it is a rebirth. Four decades or so on from when it was first adhered to and put on the back burner, the album is an epiphany and a miracle, a reminder of what could have been and what still very much is.
Reid, an American singer-songwriter from Texas living in the Pacific Northwest today, is a seasoned artiste for his introspective indie-folk and country-rock discography. But The Unreasonables shatters that vision. This is not a thinking or philosophical record. It's an elemental, sweat-drenched explosion of rock and roll - lusty, raw, alive. No sweeping manifestos, no incendiary epics. Simply a band tearing along at full cry, sawing out riffs and melodies with the kind of freedom you get when you don't think anyone's paying attention.
It starts with "Attitude Change," a catchy, sassy pop-rock jangle that gets the tone just right - hooky, confident, and frayed at the edges. It's the sort of track that would've fit neatly between Tom Petty and The Pretenders on FM radio in the early '80s, the sort you crank up loud in the car with the windows down. "Piece of the Action" comes with swing and swagger, sultry rhythm and sneer grin. "Shock Me" turns it up, a thudding come-on tune that's like a neon light turning on, and "Let's Just Talk" chills the temperature just enough to show the doubt behind the bluff.
It's easy to imagine The Unreasonables having held their own during their era - much the same as groups like The Cars, Dire Straits, and The Romantics all did the best they could to straddle radio-friendly hooks with subtlety strangeness. And yet, hearing it today, there's still something contemporary to it too. The snappiness of the melodies, the rough-around-the-edges sincerity, the lack of overproduction - it's precisely what modern rock could use more of.
There is also something oddly cinematic about this re-discovery. The tale of a lost group, an unreleased album that did not get heard, and a musician who carried that specter in silence all these years - it's like a sub-plot from Almost Famous or a strand out of Richard Linklater's Everybody Wants Some!!. You can almost envision a stack of reels unopened in a garage, the tape slightly gritty but otherwise unmolested, waiting for someone to press play once more.
Rusty Reid has ever written with intent, usually putting politics or philosophy in his work, but The Unreasonables takes all that away. It is the sound of passion - passion over dogma, beat over brain. What is remarkable is how up-to-date it still is. Melodies have not aged at all. Guitars are crunchy and thumping. Vocals come alive with sarcasm and humor.
Reid's decision to finally put out The Unreasonables is both nostalgic and defiant. In an era of music culture beset by algorithmic sheen and streaming numbers, here's an album from a previous age of purpose - where a group could plug in, play from the heart, and let the tape run. It's sloppy, human, and full of personality.
For readers of old-style rock storytelling, The Unreasonables lie between the peppery bite of The Kinks and blue-collar heartland romance of Bruce Springsteen's early albums. It has that same stubbornness and humanity - songs by people who weren't attempting to be famous, but real.
Hearing it today is like discovering a letter written some time in the past but with the ability to speak to the present. It's not revival. It's confirmation that great music never truly dies - it merely awaits the moment when it will be re-rediscovered.
And here is finally, then: The Unreasonables. Rusty Reid and his long-forgotten band didn't disappear - they were patiently waiting for the world to catch up.
Rusty Reid delivers a refreshing reminder of rock's instinctive roots with "Attitude Change," a standout single from his album, "The Unreasonables."
There's an immediate retro spark in its rhythm that feels unfiltered and human.
The drums snap with that loose, earthy quality you'd expect from a smoky '70s session-never locked into a mechanical grid, always shifting slightly as if powered by intuition rather than precision. Those subtle rhythmic turns give the song an unpredictable edge while keeping it firmly grounded in groove.
The guitars stay clean yet assertive, driving the momentum through percussive strumming rather than distortion. It's a choice that works beautifully here because it allows the song's pulse to shine through. Instead of hiding behind walls of sound, Reid leans into space, texture, and tone. His vocals carry an easy confidence, rich but never showy, riding on top of the band's groove like a storyteller guiding you down a winding road.
There's a distinctly psychedelic undertone drifting through the track too. The rhythmic push and pull, paired with flashes of color in the arrangements, give the piece a slightly hallucinatory shimmer without dragging it away from its rock backbone. It's the kind of song that feels instinctive and artfully shaped-alive, loose, and full of movement.
Several other tracks on The Unreasonables highlight Reid's knack for contrast. "Let's Just Talk" begins with a hypnotic, repetitive figure that gradually blooms into a wide-open chorus, creating a striking interplay between restraint and release. "Crossfire" rides the opposite path-a hazy, psychedelic-leaning ballad touched by subtle western inflections, perfect for a long drive into nowhere. Then there's "Shock Me," which crackles with infectious energy. It keeps you guessing through sharp rhythmic detours, including an abrupt stop at the 43-second mark that feels almost mischievous.
The Unreasonables captures the kind of rock energy that's instinctive, textured, and rich with personality-music that grooves because it chooses to breathe.
Rusty Reid is an American indie-folk-pop-country-rock singer-songwriter, originally from Texas, now based in the Pacific Northwest. His fourth album, "The Unreasonables," displays a different side of Rusty. No philosophical, political or spiritual songs here. just raw, primal, lustful rock and roll with his band of crack players, The Unreasonables.
Anything that captures even the smallest something of Elvis Costello while still plowing its own creative furrow through the sonic landscape is fine with me. And that is the sonic juggling act that Rusty Reid performs here with "Attitude Change." It might head in a more rock and roll direction, with something of the old school rather than the new wave about it, but there is also something of the same energy and attitude, the same infectiousness and use of dynamic drive found at its heart.
But that just means that Rusty Reid knows how to put a great song together, and if you are going to draw comparisons, you could do a lot worse. Sure, "Attitude Change" is more jangly and jaunty, less angular and running less on the nervous energy that drove young Declan's early music, but there is a lot of creative common ground.
And if the song is excellent, the backstory is equally as enjoyable. The song was recorded some forty years ago, as part of the double album The Unreasonables, which never saw the light of day and has only now been made available. And as a creative time capsule, it is revealing. This is Rusty Reid before the political stance and the more worldly, mature ideology; the younger man, yet to concern himself with the bigger issues, less involved in the world at large.
And it proves one thing. Even without the more poignant messages and the urge to enlighten the listener, when he was just happy to write about what most younger artists are concerned with -life, love, romantic loss, and longing, as well as everyday life and their own personal concerns -his songs are equally as compelling and infectious. I guess it is a talent that has always been there, he just uses it for a greater good now.
The talented Seattle-based artist Rusty Reid turns up the heat and delivers a rousing indie/classic rock sound with his new song 'Attitude Change' that you definitely shouldn't miss!
What immediately catches your ear is the unmistakable guitar riff, which quickly captures the listener's attention with its powerful, warm, distorted sound. This is complemented by the lively, expressive, and clearly defined vocals in focus, as well as the fast rhythms of the drums, which create an atmospheric atmosphere.
'Attitude Change' embodies an absolutely timeless style and impresses with a certain retro aesthetic. It could undoubtedly be an indie record from the 70s that hasn't lost any of its shine even today in 2025. If you like their style, we encourage you to discover the complete album 'The Unreasonables' with a total of 19 tracks on Spotify. A true gem of singer/songwriter and rock music!
Rusty Reid, a Texan singer-songwriter now based in the Pacific Northwest, returns with his new single "Attitude Change ," from his album The Unreasonables . From the very beginning, the song captures the listener's attention with a crystal-clear guitar line that transports the listener to a world that is both intimate and expansive. This first impression already heralds a rich and authentic musical journey.
The rhythm is driven by precise and energetic drumming, which perfectly structures the song. The lo-fi mix adds a retro dimension, evoking 80s rock, while maintaining a contemporary freshness. This production choice gives the song a warm, organic, and irresistibly catchy texture.
Rusty Reid's vocals add extra depth. His harmonies, both soft and punchy, reinforce the song's emotion and accentuate the mix's vintage charm. The artist elegantly blends his folk, pop, and country-rock influences, creating a unique and captivating atmosphere.
With "Attitude Change ," Rusty Reid confirms his talent for merging tradition and modernity. Every chord, every sonic nuance, testifies to his ability to deliver a sincere and immersive listening experience. This single will appeal to both fans of musical nostalgia and those looking for new, contemporary indie-folk sounds.
Rusty Reid - "Attitude Change": A Time Capsule with Timeless Spark. Rusty Reid's "Attitude Change" arrives with a story as compelling as its sound. Originally recorded some forty years ago for a double album that never saw release, the track is finally stepping out into the light, carrying with it the charm of its era and the fresh resonance of a rediscovered gem. On first listen, it's impossible not to feel the pull of its jangly, sunlit guitars and driving rhythm-a sound that nods to the rock and roll lineage of Tom Petty while carrying just enough of that clever, melodic flair reminiscent of early Elvis Costello. Reid's composition doesn't merely trade on nostalgia, but thrives on timeless qualities: hooks that land, a groove that rolls, and vocals that cut through with warmth and honesty.
At its core, "Attitude Change" is a rock song in the purest sense. It rides on the effortless chemistry between acoustic and electric guitars, intertwining lines that shimmer without crowding one another. Beneath it all, a buoyant bassline keeps the track grounded while lending it a sense of momentum, like a car cruising down a sunlit highway. The drumming is steady and unfussy, driving the beat forward without stealing the spotlight. This instrumental interplay creates the perfect canvas for Reid's vocal delivery, which falls somewhere between conversational drawl and confident storytelling. There's no excess, no attempt to dazzle with vocal acrobatics-just a straightforward, unpretentious voice that's approachable and assured.
Thematically, "Attitude Change" captures the outlook of a younger Reid-before his songwriting turned to broader political and philosophical landscapes. Here, he's writing in the familiar terrain of youth: love, life, longing, and the everyday struggles that define early adulthood. It's refreshing to hear him in this mode, unconcerned with global commentary, simply chasing the joy of writing a great song. And that's exactly what "Attitude Change" delivers: a track that balances jaunty energy with emotional accessibility, making it as infectious today as it would have been in its original era. The lyrics don't overcomplicate the picture; instead, they reflect the straightforward honesty of rock at its best-relatable, memorable, and tinged with charm.
There's also something liberating about the production itself. It doesn't rely on the gloss of modern overproduction, instead leaning into an organic, lived-in feel. You can almost imagine the song being born in a late-night studio session or hammered out in a barroom set-its raw edges and jangling chords feel like a reminder of rock's essential vitality. In an age where so much music is polished within an inch of its life, "Attitude Change" is a refreshing throwback that still manages to feel current. It's music that doesn't need bells and whistles to resonate. It stands tall on rhythm, melody, and spirit.
As a gateway into Reid's newly unearthed double album "The Unreasonables," "Attitude Change" plays a special role. It invites listeners to hear the artist in a different light, offering a glimpse of his younger self before the weight of politics and philosophy defined his songwriting trajectory. Yet even stripped of those layers, Reid's talent is unmistakable. This song embodies the raw, lustful, alive-in-the-moment energy that has always been at the core of rock and roll. And while the album promises nineteen tracks of expansive storytelling, it's here, in "Attitude Change," where Reid's heart beats loudest-a rediscovered anthem that proves great songs never lose their spark, no matter how long they've been waiting in the wings.
Rusty Reid drops new record 'The Unreasonables.' Rusty Reid has been a cherished figure in the alternative country landscape for decades, blending the melodic ease of country rock with lyrical writing that's thoughtful and politically astute. Spending time between Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle, his career has resulted a catalogue that balances Americana warmth with indie energy while tackling themes of love, determination personal growth and modern liberal politics. His songs acts as a vehicle for storytelling and reflection, inviting listeners into a dialogue as much as an engaging musical journey.
His first full-length statement came with NWXSW in 2001, a record that established him as a relevant voice within the alternative country scene. From that starting point, Rusty built a discography of albums, singles and remixes while his reputation grew on the back of songs that were accessible yet profound, driven by memorable hooks while probing into political, social and philosophical areas. Over the years, this balance of catchy melodies and incisive commentary has earned him a dedicated audience around the world and across generations.
Now, however, Rusty Reid revisits a different corner of his story that predates much of his recorded catalogue. After more than four decades, The Unreasonables finally sees the light of day, arriving as an expansive nineteen-track double album but unlike the projects for which he has become known, this one is stripped of politics, philosophy or spirituality. Instead, it's pure primal, lustful rock and roll, played with the crack band that gave the project its name.
The story of The Unreasonables begins in Houston at the close of the 70s, where Rusty sought to shift back from band life to his vision of a solo artist. What he needed was a group of talented musicians to bring the sound in his head to life, yet pinning down exactly what that sound was proved to be the project's biggest challenge. Houston's musical ecosystem at the time was fractured; country, blues, R&B, TexMex, punk and singer-songwriter circles all vying for space and the launch of MTV in 1981 only amplified a wave of derivative pop rock and new wave copycats.
Rusty and his bandmates avoided slipping fully into imitation by giving each member the freedom to stamp their individuality on the songs. The resulting sound was guitar-driven by necessity and what might have been a limitation instead became a strength, as the skill and spirit of the players shone through.
Kicked off by the twangy plucks of guitar on opener "Hot as a Pistol," the surge of energy rises with the full arrangement, setting up a grooving rock n' roll jam capped by Rusty's expressive vocal leads carrying instantly catchy hooks amongst the dash of bright guitar lines. Tracks like "Shock Me" bring infectious blues rock swagger with grooving riffs and commanding vocal work propelled by the steady march of drums and storytelling lyricism.
"Piece of the Action" brings smouldering vibes where slick percussion and smokey guitar rhythms form an engrossing backdrop for superb lead guitar flickers and theatrically performed vocals to shine above. With "Attitude Change," Rusty leans into a bright pop-focused sound, dialling back the distortion to craft a charming jam of lively rhythms and memorable melodic songwriting.
On "Let's Just Talk," the band crafts hypnotic off-beat groove as rhythmic vocal lines glide above to create a jumpy pop rock outing that's original and timeless throughout. Closing the record with "The Way She Does Me," Rusty showcases his more tender side with a laid back track brimming with gentle instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics delivered via alluring melodies, offering a stunning finale to his superb album.
With The Unreasonables, Reid resurrects a long-buried chapter, presenting a time capsule of shaking rock energy that serves as both a reminder of his creativity and a celebration of the ensemble spirit that helped shape his path. The album brings the past into the present via a truly enjoyable musical experience that finally has its long overdue moment.
Rusty Reid finds his groove on a timeless single, "Attitude Change." With "Attitude Change," Rusty Reid delivers the kind of song that makes you want to roll down the windows, crank the volume, and let all your stresses ease. It's a 3 minute burst of feel good rock and roll, alive with the spirit of classic Americana and the timeless drive of jangling guitars.
Reid, an American indie-folk-pop-country-rock singer and songwriter originally from Texas and now settled in the Pacific Northwest, has never been shy about blending genres. Here though, he strips away the heavier themes he's explored in past work and leans fully into a different energy. The result is a highlight that feels effortless yet meticulously crafted.
The track rides on a bedrock of guitar interplay with both electric and acoustic weaving together with the kind of natural chemistry you'd expect from a band that's been playing in smoky bars and late night studios for years. There's a rolling bass line that anchors the song while still leaving space for the guitars to shimmer, and the drum work is locked into the groove without ever overstepping.
Reid's vocal delivery carries a clear Tom Petty vibe, not in imitation but in spirit. It's the kind of unpretentious drawl that feels both conversational and commanding. He doesn't need vocal theatrics to get his point across rather his voice works like another instrument in the mix. It's got that classic charm about it that lets you linger on every word sung.
It's not just the catchiness of it all that has us absolutely loving this single. Reid isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, he's making music that harkens back to a simpler time, but still with a touch of modernity to bring it into the 21st century. There's a sense of liberation that comes when a song doesn't need to be overthought or overproduced. It's rock and roll as it was meant to be. Raw, lustful, and alive in the moment, that's exactly what you're gonna get.
Though the track stands tall on its own, it also serves as a gateway to Reid's new album The Unreasonables, an ambitious 19-song, 69-minute ride that shows off the full range of his songwriting. But "Attitude Change" is where the heart beats loudest, a song that feels destined to be played on repeat long after the last note fades.
Obviously we urge you to check out the song, but we've got a sneaking suspicion you're going to be listening on. So please, click those links below to check it out, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for all the latest. Enjoy!
Rusty Reid Uncovers Decades-Old Lost Album 'The Unreasonables.'
Guess what, Rusty Reid is back on our pages! Only, this time not regarding his solo project, but rather about a band he used to lead during his youth. The story behind it is truly interesting. The group apparently recorded a double album packed with power-pop, rock-leaning songs, then walked away from it and left it unreleased. Reid takes it with a grain of philosophy: "Time-travel forty-something years back and listen to a woulda, shoulda, coulda rock band that fell through the cracks and was never heard."
Well, that very same album, 'The Unreasonables', has now been released into the wild, championed by Northern Latitudes Records and Rio Paso Music Publishing. In it, we find a whopping nineteen tracks, all oscillating between fuzzy guitar euphoria and more posed, poppy efforts. We don't have exact dates for the recording sessions, but we suspect it was the early 80s, as 'The Unreasonables' holds a certain 70s flair, a wholesome rock'n'roll imprint that makes it quite nostalgic and retro.
In terms of quality, it still holds its weight, as does the songwriting, with Reid showcasing his lifelong passion for music. Truthfully, they are all catchy songs, and who's to say they wouldn't have been hits of their era? Everything sounds great, and while their appeal today might be limited, especially for younger generations, keen listeners out there might find it welcoming and heartwarming.
Rusty Reid channels playful rebellion and bold confidence in Attitude Change.
We previously featured Rusty Reid when he shared an inspiring ode to his sister with Our Love's With You, so when we heard that the talented artist was back with Attitude Change from his album, The Unreasonables, we were curious, to say the least, and couldn't wait to listen and share our experience.
The track draws us in with a timeless guitar rock soundscape and a vocal performance that reminds us of a fusion of early Elvis and The Beach Boys as Rusty sings the situational lyrics, "I don't like the way you've been treating me, baby, don't like the food you've been feeding me lately, seems like you'd rather make love to the TV."
In essence, the song is about dissatisfaction in a relationship. Rusty feels neglected and unappreciated. Instead of care and attention, he is being ignored, even replaced by distractions like television!
Philosophically, Attitude Change speaks to the need for awareness and a conscious presence in human connections. When one person withdraws into habits or routines, love and intimacy begin to fade. The song questions whether Rusty's partner is truly living fully or just going through the motions.
The repeated call for an "attitude change" is a demand for transformation. It suggests that love cannot survive without honesty, effort and renewal. It is playful in nature, and we appreciate the harmonies, the guitar riffs, and the emotive chord changes.
As mentioned, the song comes from Rusty Reid's album, The Unreasonables, which was recorded decades ago and never released, the double album has resurfaced to showcase a raw, primal, lustful rock-and-roll side of the artist, backed by his band!
Naturally, we are grateful for the raw and authentic throwback and have added Attitude Change to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the entirety of the album, including Piece of the Action, Shock Me, and Let's Just Talk.
Rusty Reid Unearths Lost Rock Firepower With The Unreasonables.
Sometimes music takes the long way around before finding its moment. In the case of Rusty Reid's newly released album The Unreasonables, that detour lasted over four decades. What began as a project in the late 1970s has finally emerged from the vaults, fully realized, polished, and burning with the kind of rock and roll spirit that feels both nostalgic and startlingly fresh. Released on August 31, 2025, the 19-track double album is not only a testament to Reid's versatility as a songwriter but also a rare gift: a time capsule that roars back to life with an intensity that refuses to fade.
Reid, known primarily for his indie-folk, country, and philosophically infused songwriting, takes a sharp detour here. The Unreasonables is not about musings on spirituality, politics, or philosophy. Instead, it is primal, unvarnished rock and roll. These are songs about lust, desire, frustration, fire, and heartbreak-raw emotional states that don't need lofty interpretation to cut deep. This is Reid and his band of crack players, also dubbed The Unreasonables, diving headfirst into melody-driven rock, delivering track after track of hook-heavy anthems that feel like they've been waiting patiently for their rightful place in the sun.
The album bursts open with Hot as a Pistol, a swaggering opener that sets the tone immediately. Guitars blaze with bluesy grit, and the rhythm section locks into a groove that feels like it could carry the entire record on its back. Reid's voice doesn't plead or whisper-it commands, straddling that sweet spot between grit and clarity. The song's fiery attitude declares what the rest of the album proves: this is rock and roll that doesn't apologize for being bold, brash, and alive.
Tracks like Hurricane and Crossfire follow with equal force, balancing power and melody in ways that recall the greats of 70s and 80s rock radio. They are anthemic but not overblown, the kind of songs that demand windows rolled down and volume cranked up. There's a universality to their themes-turbulent love, clashes of willpower-that resonates as strongly now as it would have back then.
But Reid and his band don't stop at pure adrenaline. The album shifts gears on songs like Coldhearted and You're Not the One, where sharp lyrics bite into failed love and disillusionment. The instrumentation stays tight, hooks never stray, but there's an emotional weight beneath the energy. In these moments, Reid shows that even in a collection designed for primal impact, his gift for storytelling remains intact.
What makes The Unreasonables so compelling is its sheer breadth. Nineteen tracks is a bold statement in any era, but this album earns every minute. Songs like Shock Me and Piece of the Action lean into playful, almost tongue-in-cheek rock bravado, while Impatient and Enough Is Enough bring a harder edge that hints at punk urgency without abandoning melody. Calcasieu Sue, meanwhile, veers into swampy rock territory, drenched in Southern character and groove, while Only Right Girl and Me and You tap into a more romantic, almost pop-rock sensibility.
By the time the album reaches Attitude Change and Let's Just Talk, it's clear Reid wasn't afraid to play with tones and textures, even while keeping the overall sound firmly rooted in classic rock tradition. The songs balance between muscular instrumentation and memorable choruses, never meandering, always moving forward. How Much More ramps up intensity again, bristling with urgency, before Edge of the End and The Way She Does Me close the record with powerful statements. The latter, in particular, sticks like a signature-catchy, lustful, and joyfully alive.
Listening to The Unreasonables is a strange and thrilling experience. On one hand, it feels unmistakably of its time, steeped in the aesthetics of a bygone rock era. On the other, its release now makes it feel rebellious in a different way. Where so much of modern rock gets lost in polish or drifts toward genre hybrids, Reid's record is defiantly straightforward. It's an album that remembers the power of riffs, choruses, and raw emotion-an album unafraid of hooks and unashamed of its primal energy.
The story behind its creation only adds to its mystique. What if, Reid seems to ask, a band crafted something with real hit potential, then shelved it for reasons lost to history? What happens when that work is finally unearthed decades later? The answer is an album that plays less like a dusty artifact and more like a live wire finally given the chance to spark.
For longtime fans of Rusty Reid, this album might come as a surprise. His earlier works established him as a thoughtful, philosophical writer, one who used music as a platform to examine the big questions of life. With The Unreasonables, he shows another side of his artistry, one driven not by questions of meaning but by the raw, universal truths of desire, frustration, and joy. It is a reminder that even the most reflective songwriters have roots in primal energy, and Reid embraces those roots with abandon here.
At nineteen tracks, The Unreasonables feels like a feast, and while it's easy to pick out highlights, the true magic lies in the cumulative effect. It's the sense of a band playing with chemistry and urgency, track after track, like they know these songs might never see the light of day again unless they make every note count. That urgency translates into a record that doesn't let go, even when the final chord fades.
The Unreasonables is more than an album. It's a resurrection, a second life for music that might have been lost forever. It's proof that good songs don't age-they wait, biding their time, ready to strike when the world is finally listening. Rusty Reid and his band have delivered something both timeless and timely, an album that embodies the reckless joy of rock and roll while carrying the weight of history.
Forty years late, but right on time, The Unreasonables isn't just a collection of songs. It's a reminder of why rock matters, why hooks still hit, and why sometimes the most unreasonable thing is to let music like this stay silent. Now, it finally has its chance to live, and it does so with fire.
Rusty Reid's "Attitude Change," the lead single from The Unreasonables, hits with a raw immediacy that feels both classic and urgent. The song wastes no time building an atmosphere - it throws you straight into a lived-in groove, ablaze with the unfiltered electricity of a garage session. There's no gimmickry here, just honest playing that channels the spirit of an era when rock was less about perfection and more about gut feeling. The heart of the track lies in the rhythm. The drums breathe with human ease, giving the impression of musicians following each other's lead rather than a machine-perfect tempo. This natural vibrancy forms the foundation for guitars that equally shimmer and cut through with understated authority. Reid's decision to keep sounds clean rather than burying them in distortion haze shows an artist unafraid of empty space - each note is allowed to stand on its own in the air.
Vocally, Reid delivers with ease and conviction. He doesn't overplay his role, but rather blends seamlessly into the instrumental flow with his narrative presence. His phrasing has an almost conversational quality, a delivery that seems intimate yet universal, as if he were describing a scene everyone has experienced before. It's precisely this blend of restraint and self-assurance that makes his delivery so magnetic. Beneath the rock facade lies a subtle, hallucinatory shimmer. Psychedelic nuances flow through the song not in striking waves, but as fleeting chromatic interplays at the edge of the sound.
This depth invites you to listen to the song again and again, discovering new textures and moods that went unnoticed the first time. This layering expands the song without ever diluting its straightforward rock foundation. Throughout "The Unreasonables," Reid demonstrates his mastery of contrasts. Songs like "Let's Just Talk" begin with restraint and then burst into expansiveness, while "Crossfire" drifts into dreamy mists with a Western tinge. "Shock Me," on the other hand, grips listeners with rhythmic surprises and playful twists, proof that rock can still be witty and unpredictable.
Each track feels as if it never wants to settle down, but rather constantly evolve. What makes this record resonate is its authenticity. "The Unreasonables" feels neither nostalgic nor trying to recreate past glory days; it's an album that remains vibrant, loose, and vital. Rusty Reid and his band tap into the visceral side of rock, where imperfection is not a weakness but a strength, and groove counts more than polish. "Attitude Change" functions here as both an introduction and a manifesto: a reminder that rock's true power lies in its humanity.
Rusty Reid revives classic rock joy on new single 'Attitude Change.'
Rusty Reid's latest single 'Attitude Change' is the kind of track that immediately makes you want to lean back, roll the windows down, and let the world drift away for three blissful minutes. It's a vibrant snapshot of Americana-infused rock that's both effortlessly nostalgic and freshly alive, capturing the essence of late-night drives and sun-soaked afternoons.
From the first strum, the song exudes a warm, familiar energy. Electric and acoustic guitars weave together with a natural ease, supported by a steady bassline and drums that lock in without ever crowding the space. The arrangement feels lived-in, like a band that's honed its chemistry through countless nights in smoky bars and intimate studios, letting the music breathe while still driving forward with momentum.
Vocally, Reid channels the spirit of classic heartland rock without ever feeling derivative. His delivery is relaxed yet commanding, conversational but confident, giving every line weight and personality. It's the kind of voice that feels like a trusted companion on a long drive, carrying the story with authenticity rather than flash.
What makes 'Attitude Change' so compelling is its balance between timelessness and modernity. Reid distills the joy of rock and roll to its core while still feeling contemporary. The song's simplicity is its strength, offering liberation in its unpretentiousness and leaving us with a lingering sense of euphoria.
As a taste of his new album 'The Unreasonables', this single sets the tone perfectly, hinting at the broader emotional and musical journey ahead. Yet even standing alone, 'Attitude Change' has that rare combination of instant hook and enduring charm, a song that will stay in your rotation long after its over. Rusty Reid proves here that rock's most enduring magic lies in its ability to make you feel, and he does it effortlessly.
A Timeless Call for Renewal: Rusty Reid's "Attitude Change."
Some songs arrive with a whisper, others with a shout, but Rusty Reid's new single "Attitude Change" lands somewhere in between. It is playful in delivery yet pointed in its message. Taken from his long-shelved double album The Unreasonables, the track is a refreshing rediscovery of an artist who straddles eras, genres, and emotional terrain with ease.
Driven by jangling guitars and a vocal that conjures echoes of golden-era rock and roll, Reid's performance feels both timeless and alive in the present. There is a raw charm to the production, a sense that what we are hearing is unpolished in the best way, capturing the immediacy of musicians locked into a groove rather than polishing away the edges. It makes the listening experience feel intimate, almost like being invited into the rehearsal room of a band that could have, and perhaps should have, broken through decades ago.
Lyrically, "Attitude Change" is Reid at his candid best. He tackles the strains of a relationship not with bitterness, but with wit and honesty, pointing to the quiet drift that can occur when one partner slips into distraction. The refrain serves not just as a plea within the narrative, but also as a wider call for renewal, whether in love, art, or the way we approach life itself. Beneath its humor and catchy rhythm, there is a deeper resonance about connection and presence.
What makes the track so compelling is Reid's ability to merge his folk-country storytelling roots with the energy of classic rock. His voice carries the weight of years spent writing and performing, yet it retains an earnestness that makes every word believable. It is rare to find a song that can sound nostalgic and urgent at once, but "Attitude Change" manages just that.
As the lead single, it sets the tone for The Unreasonables. This is a record recorded over forty years ago but only now being given its moment. If this track is any indication, the album promises to be a rediscovered treasure of hook-driven, heartfelt rock that feels strikingly relevant today.
Rusty Reid's "Attitude Change" is available now across all major streaming platforms.
The title of Rusty Reid's new single, "Attitude Change," has the sterile ring of a corporate warning, which makes the desperate, heart-on-the-floor plea within it all the more jarring. This is the sound of the final straw, a melodic ultimatum delivered while someone else in the room is looking at the baby, or the TV, or anywhere but at the person whose love is visibly fraying at the edges. Reid's guitar-driven rock is bright and insistent, a direct contradiction to the suffocating neglect being described.
There's a moment in the song that short-circuited my brain. The narrator, mid-ultimatum, confesses: "two times two / I fell in love three times more with you." It's beautifully incorrect math. The kind of faulty emotional accounting that happens when love and exasperation occupy the same space. For a second, I didn't hear a guitar; I saw the clicking, confused beads of an old abacus trying to calculate a feeling. The logic is a mess, and that's precisely why it feels so true.
This song isn't a ballad of sorrow; it's a frustrated anthem of thwarted desire. As a preview of an album supposedly about raw, primal things, it works perfectly. It's catchy enough to get stuck in your head, carrying a Trojan horse of domestic desperation inside its hook-laden shell. You could tap your foot to this, right up until you realize it's the sound of a connection on life support.
What kind of silence follows a demand like that-the healing kind, or the one that confirms it was already too late?
A healthy dose of jangling guitars, punchy rhythms, and classic rock swagger.
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Rusty Reid has recently released a nineteen-track-long album (yes, 19), and one of the tunes on it is titled "Attitude Change."
The standout song is a blast of retro rock energy that feels like it time-travelled straight from the 80s with some great vocal swagger. "Attitude Change" is filled to the brim with jangling guitars (think The Smiths), punchy rhythms, and classic rock'n'roll swagger.
With a plethora of tracks already online, we feel like if you enjoyed this, then you may find yourself delving deep into his back catalogue. "Attitude Change" can easily act as a gateway track into a great unearthed gem of an artist.
Opening with a timeless guitar interplay, Attitude Change explores the loss of spark in a relationship with a mature ease. Rusty Reid carries the track effortlessly, with the kind of self-assurance that comes only with knowing your craft intimately. With straightforward, effective lyrics ("seems like you'd rather make love to the TV. you're just about due for an attitude change"), Reid brings complex emotions to the forefront without overcomplicating them - all with his chill, relaxed vocal delivery. With a distinctly '90s texture to it, the song is tailor-made to be sung along to at concerts. It balances folk and rock with care, and this care bleeds through the whole track!
Rusty Reid's single "Attitude Change" bursts out with a spirit that feels both vintage and timeless. As the first track from 'The Unreasonables', the long-hidden album recorded decades ago, the song sets the tone with a lively pop-rock sound that is playful and confident. From the opening chords, the guitar work stands out-bright, jangly, and filled with an easy groove that instantly pulls you in. The beat is steady but not rushed, giving the track a smooth flow that lets Reid's delivery shine. It doesn't sound like a polished, overproduced piece; instead, it carries the raw energy of a band in their prime, capturing the excitement of music made for the joy of it.
What makes "Attitude Change" so engaging is the way it balances sass with simplicity. The song has an almost cheeky quality in its rhythm and tone, as if it's winking at the listener while keeping things lighthearted. Reid and his band let the instruments do much of the talking-the guitars shimmer with personality, and the rhythm section keeps the pulse sharp without overwhelming the mix. There's a certain charm in how the track feels effortless, as though it wasn't trying to prove anything, just to create something fun and infectious. That lack of pretense is what makes it stand out in today's world of heavily produced tracks.
Beyond its sound, "Attitude Change" represents a piece of musical history finding its voice after forty years. It asks listeners to not just enjoy the song for what it is, but to recognize the passion behind it-the spark of a band that almost never got heard. This rediscovered track carries the excitement of rock and roll at its most unfiltered, reminding us why people fell in love with the genre in the first place. It's bold, catchy, and memorable, the kind of song that feels like it was always meant to be played loud and shared widely. Rusty Reid and 'The Unreasonables' have given the world a gift: a track that connects the past to the present without losing its fire.
"The Unreasonables" by Rusty Reid.
So this album sat in storage for forty years. Wild, right? Rusty Reid recorded a full rock record back in the day, then just shelved it. Now it's finally out, and honestly, it rocks harder than his usual stuff.
Rusty Reid trades his folk guitar for electric mayhem here, "Attitude Change" has this bouncy, sarcastic vibe that gets stuck in your head immediately. "Piece of the Action" is pure swagger - the kind of song that makes you drive faster without realizing it. Then "Shock Me" comes in with drums that sound like they're trying to break something, and Rusty Reid's voice cuts right over them.
The guy clearly knew how to write hooks back then. These aren't deep, meaningful songs about life or whatever - they're just fun rock tunes that want to get your blood pumping. His band sounds tight too, like they actually enjoyed making noise together.
It's weird hearing Rusty Reid in full rock mode when we're used to his quieter side, but it works. The songs have bite. They move. You can picture people losing their minds to these at some dive bar in 1985. You should definitely follow Rusty Reid on Instagram if you want to see more about how these old recordings got rescued and what other musical surprises he might have hiding in his closet.
Channeling a melodic, throwback rock charm with shades of Elvis Costello, "Attitude Change" is a resonating new track from Rusty Reid. The Seattle-based artist has caught our ears in the past with tracks like "The United States of Selfishness" and "The American Villain" - and now continues to impress with "Attitude Change," which is amongst the many highlights on his new album, The Unreasonables. A no-frills rock spirit pairs with relatable lyrical introspections on this winner of a single from Reid, who is originally from Texas.
The album itself spans a variety of successes, from the scathing yet harmonious hookiness of "You're Not the One" to the scorching-hot rock ardency of opener "Hot as a Pistol." Its first single, "Attitude Change" succeeds with a familiarly inviting quality - enamoring with a jangly guitar drive, pulsating bass, and "don't like the way you've been treating me, baby" infectious vocal enthrallment. The "just about due for an attitude change" refrain envelops with punchy charisma, then venturing into the jangly, ethereal bridge and shimmering verses. "Attitude Change" is a resonating success from Rusty Reid, compelling in its depictions of a relationship in strife amidst a peppy, hook-filled rock spirit.
Rusty Reid, the Texas-born, Pacific Northwest-based indie-folk-pop-country-rock singer-songwriter, has unearthed a piece of buried treasure with his new album The Unreasonables. Written and recorded decades ago but only now seeing the light of day, the record leans less on Reid's usual philosophical musings and more on raw, unfiltered rock and roll. Among the standout cuts is the single "Attitude Change," a jangly, sassy pop-rock number that feels both of its time and timeless in its energy.
The track kicks off with shimmering guitar lines and a tight, thumping beat, immediately setting a vibrant mood. Reid's thick voice comes in playfully to pull listeners into his grievance and humor. He rattles off complaints about being mistreated with witty, wry humor, as if rolling his eyes in rhythm. He sings, "Seems like you'd rather make love to the TV," like a stinging jab and a clever cultural dig, conjuring the picture of distance creeping into intimacy.
The refrain, marked by the repeated cry of "Aye-ee-aye, are you trying or lying / Aye-ee-aye, are you surviving or dying," builds tension like a chant, each phrase driving home the sense of exasperation. The insistence on a long-overdue "attitude change" turns into a universal pushback against stagnation, lethargy, or apathy. The energy of the drums, bustling under jangly guitars, mirrors the demand for movement and spark.
By the bridge, Reid gets more personal, admitting, "Two times two I fell in love / Three times more with you," before flipping the confession into frustration, as though love itself can't outweigh a partner's inertia. The song barrels toward its final choruses with gleeful determination, ending in a cheeky "Ha!" because discontent is often served cold.
Rusty Reid turns up the heat with "Attitude Change."
Rusty Reid, the American indie-folk-pop-country-rock storyteller who became a rock frontman, is showcasing another side of his music with "Attitude Change," a highlight from his fourth LP, "The Unreasonables." A Texan transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, Reid puts away the political and philosophical considerations for which he's known and has instead taken out a pair of knife scarred boots and slipped them on with glee.
"Attitude Change" struts with a pop-rock cool that feels part timeless, part urgent. Guitars strike and snap with voltage, Reid's elastic voices carry a sly, knowing edge as if he were grinning through every lyric. There's a pulse here that you can't resist, a hook that lingers long after the song drops off, and an overall vibe that embodies rock and roll's most elemental appeal, fun, fire, and attitude.
Reid shows that he's not one to hesitate in changing lanes. Where his previous catalog could at times prompt listeners to think, this project encourages them to feel with every fiber of their being and get out on the dance floor. "Attitude Change" is not only a track title, it also doubles as a mission statement. Rusty Reid and company are letting us know he can shake the dust off of tradition, yet give music a good, hard smack while making it free to sing! "Attitude Change" is Rusty Reid showing off his rock side and sounding like he's having one hell of a good time doing so.
Rusty Reid has delivered a powerful musical demand with his new song, "Attitude Change," a track that hits like a shockwave of urgent rock and roll truth. This song is more than just music; it's a direct call-out, a final notice delivered with the confidence of an artist who knows his place among the great Texas songwriters. Rusty Reid, who comes from the same musical roots as legends like Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings, uses this track to show that he carries the torch of honest, powerful American songwriting, mixing his folk background with pure, gritty rock energy.
The music itself is a simple, heavy sound built on garage rock energy mixed with a strong blues-rock feeling. From the first second, the song hits you with an immediate, rough guitar riff that sets the tone for an angry but controlled burst of energy. This soundscape is intentionally direct-it avoids fancy tricks and instead focuses on raw power. The drums are loud and always moving, the bassline is thick and deep, and the guitars sound like sharp, abrasive tools. This combination of strong, basic rhythms and rough instrument sounds gives the song a feeling of frantic motion, like a tense argument about to explode.
The song works because Rusty Reid sings it so well. His voice sounds tired but real, like he's telling the truth. He sings the message in a direct, almost accusatory way, like someone who is done waiting. You can tell how angry and hurt he is, which gives the song its strong feeling. They even made the singing sound rough and added a second voice to make it stand out. This makes the message sound more like a hard, final statement than a soft idea.
The song "Attitude Change" is a clear warning about not dealing with your feelings. It really shows that common, painful feeling we all get when a good relationship (like with a partner or at work) fails because one person gave up. The song is about the key time when one person has mentally left, choosing simple, easy things instead of truly working to stay connected, which leaves the other person feeling totally by themselves.
This track dives into the difficult idea that all relationships need constant effort to stay alive. It asks a serious question: is the person still really living and loving, or have they fallen into a kind of emotional sleep? The whole message points to the absolute need for a person to wake up and fix their behavior. The song makes a strong case for the return of life and working together. The relationship is over if there isn't a real, noticeable change in how you think and act-a big "attitude change." It's a bold song for anyone who has had to give a partner the ultimate choice: change or lose everything.
Rusty Reid has long been known for his thoughtful songwriting that blends folk, pop, country, and rock into a style both lyrical and meaningful. But with his latest project, The Unreasonables, Reid shifts gears in a bold and unexpected way. The first single, "Attitude Change," released in September 2025, is a playful, sassy, jangly pop-rock track that instantly captures the spirit of a bygone era while sounding refreshingly alive today.
The story behind this release is as fascinating as the music itself. Imagine a rock band in the late 70s or early 80s recording a set of melodic, hook-heavy songs that could have been radio staples-only for the album to be shelved and forgotten. That's essentially what happened here, as The Unreasonables album sat dormant for decades before finally seeing the light of day. Now, Reid has dusted off the tracks, reintroducing them with the same energy and passion that first drove their creation.
"Attitude Change" kicks things off with jangling guitars and a buoyant rhythm that immediately sets the tone. It's upbeat, cheeky, and bursting with the kind of youthful confidence that recalls the golden age of pop-rock. The song's hooks are undeniable, the kind you catch yourself humming long after the track ends. Lyrically, it plays with the idea of shifting one's perspective-whether in love, life, or relationships-and does so with a wink and a nod that keeps it lighthearted while still relatable.
What stands out most is the authenticity of the sound. Reid and his band don't lean on nostalgia as a gimmick; instead, they channel it with genuine affection and craft. The guitar riffs are bright and infectious, the vocals carry a raw charm, and the production is warm without being over-polished. It feels like stepping into a time capsule, except the music doesn't feel dated-it feels timeless.
Compared to Reid's earlier catalog, which often explores philosophical, political, and spiritual themes, The Unreasonables is a departure into raw, primal, and lustful rock and roll. "Attitude Change" reflects that shift perfectly. It isn't trying to change the world or unpack life's biggest questions; it's here to make you move, smile, and maybe rethink how a good dose of rock and roll can shift your own attitude.
The single is just the beginning. The full album features tracks like "Piece of the Action" (a sultry rock groove), "Shock Me" (an electrified romance), and "Let's Just Talk" (hesitant but catchy pop). Together, they present a collection that could have been lost to time but instead resurfaces as a vibrant reminder of how good songwriting and energetic performances never go out of style.
With "Attitude Change," Rusty Reid proves that music doesn't need to be brand new to feel fresh. Sometimes it just needs the right moment to shine. For longtime fans, this single shows another dimension of Reid's artistry, while for new listeners, it's an easy and irresistible introduction. Either way, the verdict is clear: The Unreasonables are finally here, and they're well worth the wait.
This song [Attitude Change] is GREAT...!!! I TRULY enjoyed it. It's 'telling it like it is'...!!! The writing, arranging, performance and engineering on this are Stellar... Thanks so much for all of this..., and most of all for sharing this with the world at large... Thank you Rusty. -- Various Small Flames
I like the jingle jangle sound to this one. I am reminded of The La's for example.
I think you have the flow and the style to appeal to many.
Hey Rusty, very cool guitar tone. I really enjoyed the melody here as well.
You have the gift of songwriting that's so real. I was reading your lyrics song after song and by the third I got through "Enough is Enough" you had touched me.
I'm glad you've been working on bringing all this back.
I love Rusty's voice! Always have. His songs should never be canned and put on a shelf. They're awesome and timeless.
I saw 'em in person.... awesome!
Absolutely loved this track [Attitude Change]! The beat is infectious-tight, rhythmic, and effortlessly sets the tone from the very first second. The lyrical arrangement is just as impressive-thoughtful, well-paced, and delivered with genuine emotion that really draws you in. It's the kind of song that sticks with you long after it ends. I'll definitely be sharing this across my socials-people need to hear this! Keep the music coming!
Thanks again for sharing your music with us - we genuinely love hearing it and supporting artists like you.
The progression and melodies make this a pretty catchy song!
We do very much appreciate your pop rock vibes and think the vocals are strong.
Hi Rusty Reid, Thanks so much for submitting ' Attitude Change ' . We really liked what you did, especially the guitar arrangement- amazing work! Great job on the bold and dynamic vocal performance as well.
Hey, thanks for sending in the track, great sound.
Well done! The Sound Lab listened to your track and loves it. A good sound, well made and enjoyable. They would love to offer support.
The instrumental tracks have a good drive and beat, it highlights your vocals nicely.
We just played your track "Attitude Change" and we've got to say it really stuck out. The way you put it all together is so smooth. It's become a real favorite of our, and it's not often something grabs us like that. We'll be sharing it on all our socials soon so others can hear what you've created. We'd love for you to keep sending us more of your work. Your sound is different in the best way and we think more people need to hear it.
Yes! It's, lively, vibrant and really exciting. The music rocks. Well produced, composed and arranged. I love the energy in your performance.
Congratulations, I have decided to approve your track for broadcast on my show.
I think the style you've created is really nice; each instrument sounds clear and engaging, and I can tell the arrangement has had lots of care taken with it.
Absolutely loved this track [Attitude Change]! The beat is infectious-tight, rhythmic, and effortlessly sets the tone from the very first second. The lyrical arrangement is just as impressive-thoughtful, well-paced, and delivered with genuine emotion that really draws you in. It's the kind of song that sticks with you long after it ends. I'll definitely be sharing this across my socials-people need to hear this! Keep the music coming.
No doubt the talent that went into this song [Attitude Change].
Genre was professional and matched my tastes. I liked the bit of old school vibe.
Your voice really carries through the music, i do like the instrumental aspect of the track.
Enjoying the smooth and breezy textures here.
I think the style you've created is really nice; each instrument sounds clear and engaging, and I can tell the arrangement has had lots of care taken with it.
Hi Rusty, From the intro I was not expecting this cool slice of retro new wave pop rock that wouldn't sound out of place on a Stiff Records compilation album. Good stuff. I host a show called " Into the Groover" and will play this on Monday 15th September at 6pm UK time. The show will also be available on mixcloud a day or so later. I will also add it to the playlist for "Grooves from the Groover" which is broadcast every Tuesday at 4pm. Thanks for sharing.
Rusty Reid's new single, "Piece of the Action," doesn't just echo the golden age of rock and roll - it drags it back into the spotlight, growling and grinning. Taken from his long-lost, now-resurrected double album The Unreasonables, the track is a swaggering, no-nonsense slice of raw, guitar-driven lust. No politics, no philosophy - just primal urges, pounding rhythms, and that all-important smirk behind the mic.
From the first riff, you know what kind of ride you're in for. The guitars are hot and dirty, Rick Poss's lead work practically dripping with that barroom, backroom, smoky club energy. The groove is tight but loose in all the right ways - like something you'd stumble across on vinyl in a box marked 1978, handle with care. There's a definite throwback feel, but it never slips into parody or pastiche. This is music made by someone who lived it, not someone trying it on.
What really makes "Piece of the Action" work is its unselfconscious honesty. Reid isn't reinventing the wheel here - he's just making sure the damn thing still spins. There's a little Stones swagger, a dash of early Tom Petty, maybe even a wink toward ZZ Top in the tone and attitude. It's pure rock and roll - not stadium-sized or polished to death, but sweaty, sexy, and human. And in a musical era where that kind of grit feels increasingly rare, it's refreshing as hell.
Rusty Reid's "Piece of the Action" is the kind of track that reminds you why rock & roll ever mattered in the first place. It's raw, it's sweaty, and it doesn't care about polish or precision, only pulse. Taken from his forthcoming "new/old" double album The Unreasonables, this second single strips away all the overthinking and dives headfirst into pure, primal energy.
Reid describes it himself as "a nasty (well, not that nasty) piece of rock and roll," and that's exactly what it is, the kind of record you'd expect to spill out of a dive bar jukebox at 1 AM. From the opening riff, the groove drips with attitude. The guitars are gritty and unapologetic, the drums are tight and sweaty, and Reid's voice carries the same cool defiance that once made the Stones and Tom Petty household names.
There's a fascinating backstory here, too. The Unreasonables was originally recorded decades ago and then left unreleased a time capsule from a different era. Now, forty-something years later, the music is finally surfacing, and "Piece of the Action" feels like the spark that reanimates it. You can almost hear the years baked into the sound: analog warmth, live chemistry, and zero digital fuss.
Rick Poss's lead guitar work is a highlight, fiery, soulful, and dangerously close to stealing the whole show. Each lick adds muscle and movement, feeding off Reid's slyly suggestive vocals. Lines like "You can't get closer when you're touching" give the song its edge, a playful, lusty wink that keeps things fun rather than filthy.
Unlike Reid's usual folk-country-philosophical material, "Piece of the Action" lives entirely in the moment. No politics, no pondering, just groove and desire. It's simple, but it hits where it should.
Rusty Reid isn't trying to reinvent rock; he's reminding us of its original thrill. "Piece of the Action" feels like a lost classic dug up and recharged, proof that real rock & roll never dies, it just waits for the right hands to bring it back to life.
Some songs walk into the room-this one kicks the door down. "Piece of the Action" by Rusty Reid is a full-throttle tribute to pure rock energy.
It opens with a fiery guitar riff followed by a scorching lead line that raises fists and heart rates. There's no hesitation. No polite introduction. Just unapologetic, old-school rock attitude from the first bar.
The verse drops in with swagger as Rusty's vocals slide into a low, confident register. There's grit in his tone, a sly smirk in the phrasing, and a sense of danger that gives the track character. At moments, his style hints at the cool menace of Billy Idol. He channels that energy into something raw and personal. His delivery is full of character, the kind that tells you he believes every word he sings.
A highlight of the song is the call-and-response chemistry between vocals and guitar. It creates a feeling of conversation within the music-as if the guitar is answering back with attitude. This dynamic keeps the verses alive and gritty, giving the track a smoky barroom feel, like a late-night set in a New Orleans dive bar, neon lights reflecting on whiskey glasses while the crowd nods in approval.
The chorus hits with punch and hook, and the lyrics carry that timeless rock-and-roll confidence. This is a track about fire, desire, and getting in on life-not watching from the sidelines. Then comes the guitar solo, and it's exactly what rock fans hope for-pure expression. It blends technical runs with soaring sustained notes, switching between speed and feel so naturally it becomes a highlight moment. No overthinking. No pretension. Just emotional release through six strings.
There's also a cinematic streak in the arrangement that adds dimension. You could easily hear this track over the opening credits of a gritty action film or blasting through an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger-dust, boots, guitars, and justice.
"Piece of the Action" is classic rock done right-real instruments, real energy, real soul. If you miss music that bites, swings, and hits like thunder, Rusty Reid delivers.
Pure Rock!
There's something instantly electric about "Piece of the Action," the kind of song that throws you back into the raw heart of rock and roll - unfiltered, sweaty, and irresistibly alive. Rusty Reid's track feels like it could've spilt out of the golden age of the genre, where guitars snarled, vocals smouldered, and every lyric rode the line between lust and liberation. It's got that unmistakable "new/old" energy - modern enough to feel fresh, but classic enough to sound like it's been waiting decades to hit the turntable. From the opening riff, "Piece of the Action" doesn't pretend to be profound or polished, and it's a rock in its primal state: gritty, direct, and driven by a pulse that beats in time with the thrill of pursuit.
Musically, Reid keeps it tight and tactile. The guitar tone is raw but melodic, straddling the space between late '70s swagger and early '80s melodic hooks. The rhythm section is lean but alive, the bass rumbling like the undercurrent of temptation, while the drums keep a steady, almost taunting pace. Reid's vocal delivery carries just the right mix of confidence and sly charm - it's not a shout but a smirk, the kind of voice that sounds like it's leaning against the bar with one eyebrow raised. The production doesn't overreach; instead, it lets the grit show through. It's a track made for the night - the final hour of a party, when the lights are dim and the air's thick with unsaid things.
Lyrically, "Piece of the Action" sits squarely in the lineage of rock songs that celebrate the messy, magnetic dance between desire and connection. It's not trying to moralise or overcomplicate; it's about that moment when attraction becomes a transaction - an unspoken agreement between two people who want the same thing. Lines like "Turn my dissatisfaction into a transaction of love" nail that tension perfectly. The phrasing is clever, but not self-conscious - Reid manages to be cheeky without slipping into parody. The repetition of "Piece of the action" becomes a refrain and revelation, turning physical desire into a kind of mantra. It's carnal, yes, but also human. Beneath the bravado, there's an acknowledgement of longing, even loneliness. The narrator's pursuit of trying to fill an emotional void with a fleeting connection.
The song's imagery captures the classic rock tableau: a late-night party, fading lights, two strangers hovering on the edge of decision. "Your dress revealed you soft and lonely / Of all the cast, the one and only" evokes seduction and isolation. There's an honesty in that - a recognition that lust often masks deeper hunger. Reid's narrator isn't pretending to be a hero, but he's just human, caught between need and nostalgia. And that's what gives "Piece of the Action" its emotional weight beneath the surface swagger. It's a song about trying to find meaning - or at least a moment of connection - in a world that often feels transactional. The repeated refrain of "Didn't I say it would be alright?" hints at reassurance, perhaps to the listener, perhaps to himself.
In the end, "Piece of the Action" works because it doesn't shy away from what rock and roll has always done best - exploring desire in all its grit and glory. Rusty Reid taps into that timeless energy with conviction and style, crafting a track that feels classic and contemporary. Beneath the swagger, there's sincerity and beneath the lust, a longing for closeness. It's that duality - raw impulse meeting emotional truth - that makes the song resonate. Whether you hear it as a throwback anthem or a fresh expression of timeless impulses, "Piece of the Action" reminds us why rock and roll still matters: it speaks to the body, but it never forgets the soul.
With his new single "Piece of the Action," American singer-songwriter Rusty Reid proves that pure, unfiltered rock and roll still has the power to make you move. The track - the second single from his long-awaited "new/old" double album The Unreasonables - is exactly what Reid promises it to be: raw, primal, lustful, and unapologetically alive. It's a throwback to the golden age of guitar-driven rock, yet it carries a timeless pulse that feels right at home in today's indie scene.
Originally from Texas and now based in the Pacific Northwest, Rusty Reid has long been known for his thoughtful, genre-blending approach - weaving elements of folk, pop, country, and rock into songs that often explore philosophical or political themes. But The Unreasonables takes a detour from that reflective side. Instead, Reid strips things back to the essential thrill of rock itself: passion, rhythm, and instinct. There's no overthinking here - just raw emotion and a desire to reconnect with the primal spark that first made rock music so irresistible.
"Piece of the Action" bursts out of the gate with driving guitars, a tight rhythm section, and Reid's confident, slightly gritty vocals leading the charge. The song's energy feels urgent but controlled - like a car revving just before it hits the highway. You can sense the joy of rediscovery in every riff and chord. It's not just nostalgia for rock's glory days; it's a celebration of its staying power.
A big part of what makes this track shine is the musicianship. The Houston-based band behind Reid - described as a "crack group of musicians" - injects real fire into the recording. The standout here is guitarist Rick Poss, whose lead work elevates the track from solid rock to something truly electric. His solos slice through the mix with the kind of flair and emotion that recalls classic rock legends, yet it never feels dated. Instead, it feels earned - the sound of musicians who have lived and breathed this music for decades.
The story behind The Unreasonables adds another layer of intrigue. As Reid tells it, this collection of songs was recorded over 40 years ago, then left unreleased - a musical time capsule waiting to be opened. Now, decades later, he's bringing it into the light, giving both old and new fans the chance to hear a band at its creative peak. That history gives "Piece of the Action" a sense of authenticity that you can't fake. It's not just a recreation of vintage rock - it is vintage rock, reborn.
Lyrically, the song embraces the classic rock ethos: romance, desire, and a little bit of danger. There's swagger in the delivery but also sincerity - the kind of charm that comes from a songwriter who knows that the best rock and roll is about feeling first and foremost. Reid doesn't try to reinvent the wheel here; instead, he polishes it, tunes it, and lets it spin freely.
In an era when much of rock has gone polished or pop-infused, "Piece of the Action" reminds us that sometimes the simplest formula - great guitars, driving drums, and unfiltered emotion - is still the most powerful. Rusty Reid has captured lightning in a bottle here: a timeless slice of rock energy that proves that passion never ages.
Rusty Reid is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from the United States whose cosmopolitan rock music has stirred the hearts of many. Combining charming rock n roll and heartwarming folk and country, Rusty Reid knows how to bring about a change in the rock n roll scene through his lively music. Staggeringly authentic and stunningly charming, his songs are woven throughout the years of honing his craft and living life.
Recently, Rusty Reid released a song called 'Piece of the Action'. A thoroughly enjoyable song that weaves together some stunning rock motifs with a sultry rock n roll charm, an enlivening guitar, and vocals that will instantly uplift your senses. Embedded with some great production ingenuity, there is so much artistic richness woven into every element of the track, be it the upbeat instrumentality, authentic tunes, and a charm like no other. Lively drums, enchanting guitars, and other instruments create a beautiful canopy of mirthful sounds.
It will take you back to the good old rock days of the 80s and 90s when rock carried a lot of vibrance. This song will remind you of that rock tradition and will stir some nostalgia, but there is also an unmissable element of contemporary music, which makes this track all the more appealing.
What's also just as admirable is the iconic verses. Deeply meaningful, the lyrics add so much impact to the already amazing track. This one's a musical gem from a rock n roll master that you shouldn't miss!
From the first chord, Rusty Reid's "Piece of the Action" grabs you and doesn't let go. The guitar riffs hit hard, raw and lively, perfectly matched by Reid's voice, which feels honest, urgent, and full of emotion. There's a thrill in the rhythm that makes your head nod and your heart race-like the song knows exactly how to pull you in. The drums, the hooks, the subtle details in the mix-it all comes together naturally, giving the track an energy that feels both immediate and timeless.
What makes this song stick isn't just the music-it's how Rusty Reid makes you feel it. "Piece of the Action" has that rare ability to be bold and polished at the same time, blending classic rock passion with a modern edge. You catch something new with each listen, whether it's a guitar flourish, a lyric, or a drum beat that hits just right. It's the kind of track that reminds you of why you fell in love with rock music in the first place. Reid isn't just making songs; he's creating moments you want to come back to.
From the Houston music scene, Rusty Reid is no stranger to the classic rock and roll action - and on his latest track, "Piece of the Action", he takes this sound to a fresh new height, while incorporating a fun, upbeat sound throughout the song that leaves one head-banging in no time. As you journey through the song, you're treated to one after the other element that leaves you in awe. Be it the superb phrasing in the guitars, or the skillfully rendered solos, everything about this track screams at you - and I mean that as a compliment.
Fueled by gritty guitar work from Rick Poss and a heartbeat of pure rock energy, Piece of the Action captures everything primal and passionate about the genre. Known for his thoughtful indie-folk-country stylings, Rusty ditches the philosophical edge here, trading it for raw desire and reckless rhythm. It's vintage rock reborn - unfiltered, unapologetic, and irresistibly alive.
Rusty Reid's latest single, "Piece of the Action," is a gritty burst of pure rock and roll energy - the kind that hits with unfiltered passion and a touch of nostalgia. Taken from his revived double album The Unreasonables, this track stands out as a throwback to the raw, primal roots of classic rock, performed with an edge that feels both timeless and alive.
The song kicks in with swagger - punchy guitars, a driving rhythm, and Rusty's rugged vocal delivery setting the tone for a track that's all about lust, rhythm, and release. There's no overthinking here, no lofty politics or philosophy this time around - just a straight shot of adrenaline that celebrates the physical and emotional electricity of rock itself. Rick Poss's lead guitar work deserves special mention; it's fiery, expressive, and perfectly complements Rusty's bold storytelling. The Unreasonables as a whole unfolds like a rediscovered time capsule - melodic and hook-laden songs that echo the golden age of rock while keeping a fresh indie pulse. Following the more introspective "Attitude Change," this second single lets loose, revealing a different side of Rusty: playful, confident, and fully immersed in the groove.
There's something deeply satisfying about the backstory, too - an album recorded decades ago, hidden away, and finally seeing the light of day. In that sense, "Piece of the Action" isn't just a song; it's a resurrection. It captures the spirit of musicians who played for the love of sound, not fame, and it reminds listeners why rock music - in all its raw, sweaty glory - still matters.
A great track, strong powerful husky voice with classic bluesy rock guitars and confident lyrics.
Rusty Reid's "Piece of the Action" brings back the raw spirit of rock and roll - no filters, no fancy tricks, just grit, groove, and attitude. It's the kind of track that makes you remember what rock is supposed to feel like: loud, alive, and a little dangerous.
From the first few seconds, the energy is unmistakable. The guitars are sharp and gritty, carrying that classic rock edge that makes your foot start tapping before you even realize it. Rick Poss's lead guitar work stands out, slicing through the mix with skill and swagger. It's fiery but tasteful, never overdone. The rhythm section keeps things tight and driving, giving the song a pulse that feels both urgent and playful. "Piece of the Action" dives into the heat of desire and temptation. There's a cheeky confidence in the delivery - it's not trying to be poetic, just honest and alive. Rusty's vocals fit perfectly with the vibe, carrying a mix of charm and roughness that sells every line.
What makes this track shine is its authenticity. It doesn't chase trends or try to sound modern for the sake of it. Instead, it celebrates rock and roll for what it is - a little wild, a little reckless, and completely human. You can tell this song was made by musicians who love what they do and know exactly what they're about. "Piece of the Action" is proof that Rusty Reid still knows how to capture that primal spark. It's pure, old-school rock done right - raw, catchy, and full of life.
A sonically rich and emotionally charged performance. The vocals convey sincerity and strength, while the instrumental layers create a lush and atmospheric backdrop. We will share on our Instagram and printed magazine in a full written feature! Looking forward to your future releases!
There are some songs that sneak in , some that knock for permission , and some that kick the door down! Rusty Reid's "Piece of the Action" is one of those songs that kicks the door down!
The song is the second single from the album "The Unreasonables ," which was recorded decades ago and has only now seen the light of day. In that sense, " Piece of the Action" is not just a song, but a true resurrection, capturing the spirit of artists who played for the love of music, not for fame, and reminding us why rock is more alive than ever.
"Piece of the Action" is a crackling tribute to the raw energy of rock , opening with a fiery guitar riff that warms the heart, soul, and body.
This is old-school rock: no excuses, no frills, uncompromising, unfiltered rock, with a hint of nostalgia.
In this sense, the song can be considered a return to Rusty's raw, primal roots of classic rock, even though he has enjoyed experimenting with other genres over the years.
The American singer-songwriter, originally from Texas, has explored various genres-from indie to folk, pop to country-but one of his first loves has always been rock. "Piece of the Action" is a tribute to old-school rock, featuring electric guitars, cigarette smoke, and raw sounds.
Rusty's rough voice sets the pace and tone for a song about lust, desire, and liberation.
There's no politics, no philosophy, just an adrenaline rush that celebrates the electricity of rock itself.
Rick Poss's lead guitar is fiery, expressive, and complements Rusty's gritty vocals and bold storytelling, channeling the energy into something raw and personal.
A musical dialogue develops between Rusty's voice and Rick's guitar , a dynamic back-and-forth that keeps the verses alive and punchy. The rhythm seems to recreate the setting of a smoky New Orleans bar late at night , when customers, whiskey glasses in hand, still wander the city in search of adventures to remember and recount.
Then comes a guitar solo that is a hymn to freedom and emotional liberation.
This song invites listeners to not just be referees of a game, but to get on the field and play it.
Because, after all, we are the protagonists of our own lives!
If you're nostalgic for good old rock , "Piece of the Action" is exactly what you're looking for: pure energy!
You have a rich voice and perfect tone and the production quality is interesting. I love your style.
Let's talk about The Unreasonables! This record boasted quite a southern and classic rock approach a lot of the time and with such character embedded! Where did this one come from? Hey, thanks for the interview. Yeah, this is quite a bit different from my previous releases. It's a throwback to my old style, with my band The Unreasonables. No philosophical or political or spiritual themes here, just raw, primal, lustful rock and roll. It's good to just cut loose sometimes. I'm hearing a few different styles to this release! Who are some of your biggest musical influences? For this album, I'd say I'm probably subconsciously channeling groups like the Cars, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, AC-DC. Yet, happily we seemed to come up with a style fairly unique, I think, even if squarely in the rock genre. How do songs come to you? Do you record at a home set up? I wrote all of these songs at home, usually just by noodling around on acoustic guitar at first. Then we went into a studio. Most of these are live, first or second takes, with some overdubbed vocals and guitar bits. How did this all start for you as an artist or songwriter? When did you fall in love with music really? Oh, gosh. I was tuning into songs on the radio and in the family record collection by the age of five or six, and soon I was humming original melodies in the backseat on family road trips. If I drove my parents crazy, they never much complained. My mom's side of the family was very musical, and she encouraged me to learn properly. I took piano lessons for five years or so, then switched over to guitar. Despite my melodic musings, I was an awful songwriter at first. But I kept at it, and within a few years had penned a few that I actually liked. Soon thereafter, my "batting average" improved. Are you performing live right now? Any touring in support of the release? No live performances at the moment, and no tour planned. I'd love to do one, though. Now that this is out, what's next for you? I have an album in the can that is pretty much complete. It's a total switch for me: all cover tunes. There's a unique common theme to them all which I can't divulge just yet, but I'm hoping to get it out in early 2026. Who's in your headphones right now? Being from Texas originally, I'm intrigued by the career path of Lukas Nelson. We share some melodic and lyrical orientations, and even themes. He's got a new song out now about Montana, and the last song I wrote is about Yellowstone (which is partially in Montana). A buddy also lent me the new book on the Everly Brothers. I'm listening to their songs as I read through the book. What a great vocal group they were. Of course, up here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, I'm always interested to see what Brandi Carlile is up to now. What would you tell people they can expect on this release? Melodic, catchy tunes, lots of hooks, fun lyrics, my quirky singing, and some, literally, world-class playing. Rick Poss on lead guitar is worth the ticket by himself. In my opinion, the tunes not to miss are "Attitude Change," "Shock Me," "Piece of the Action" and "Let's Just Talk." Those are probably the most "commercial." Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music? Thanks much for your interest in my music. For us Indie artists, every fan is precious.
Artist Spotlight: Meet Rusty Reid Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your "Attitude Change" and the story it tells? Yes, this song is a reflection on that stage of some relationships when one partner apparently just gets bored with it all, or perhaps maybe even depressed. It sounds like this person may be the latter, but what do I know? Even still, the song is kinda fun. Is there a particular message or theme you hope listeners take away from "Attitude Change?" Well, no big message, except maybe try to be a better friend and lover... for both sides of this particular situation. What did you enjoy most about making this track? This was a little bit different sound for our band, the Unreasonables. More poppy-sounding than our usual rock and roll fare, so it was a hoot to play it live and then record it. We liked it, and I think it holds up pretty well as entertainment. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music? Sure. I'm one of those who was lucky to fall into music quite early. By the age of four, I was keenly listening to the radio and records, and soon I was writing melodies in the back of the car, real cinematic themes and such. I think I missed the boat to some degree not pursuing that angle, instead of veering into rock and roll. How do you cope with the vulnerability of sharing your personal emotions and stories through your songs? I don't think about that too much. Yes, you are putting yourself out there to play the fool, but most of us performers are too self-absorbed to imagine that we could be anything but great, or at least mediocre, certainly not awful, you know, like those other guys over there who obviously have no clue what they are doing. Looking back, I may have actually broached that latter category. But hey, it's too late now to worry about it.
Rusty Reid Unleashes "Attitude Change" and Connects to Reflect on His Journey in New Interview. "Attitude Change" is a fearless, electrifying anthem, recorded decades ago but still pulsing with raw musical brilliance. Rusty Reid's "Attitude Change" is more than just a song, it's a pulse, a raw explosion of energy that transports listeners back to a time of untamed creativity and rebellious rock 'n' roll spirit. The track, an electrifying blend of sharp guitars and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, hits you with an intensity that feels as fresh today as it did decades ago. But what lies beneath the surface of this bold anthem? We spoke with Reid to uncover the deeper layers of both the song and the artist behind it. As one of the creative forces behind The Unreasonables, Reid's journey is a winding tale of trial, experimentation, and musical evolution. His new album, a rediscovery of music recorded over forty years ago, showcases a sound that never quite fit into the neatly packaged molds of the time. From the challenges of Houston's fragmented music scene to the unorthodox recording process that defined his band, Reid opens up about how he navigated a world filled with derivative trends while staying true to his own artistic vision. In this conversation, Reid reflects on what it was like to hold onto these songs for so long, the role of his ever-changing bandmates, and the unanticipated magic that emerged from raw, DIY recording sessions. He shares how his relationship with music has shifted over the years and what it means to finally let these long-lost tracks see the light of day. "Attitude Change" is more than just a comeback; it's a statement. Reid's fearless approach to music, unfiltered by trends or expectations, has led to a sound that's uniquely his, unpolished, unrestrained, and unapologetically real. Dive into the interview to explore the heart of a true artist who's embracing both the past and the present. Here's how it went: Q. We absolutely loved the energy of "Attitude Change." The vibe to it is so reminiscent of the '80s, probably because it literally is! You recorded this double album decades ago, but it feels so fresh today. What was it like holding onto these songs for so long? Did they evolve in meaning over the years, or did they stay locked in that original energy? A. Hi there, and thanks for the discussion. Shortly after we recorded the last batch of these songs, I moved from Houston to Los Angeles. I continued to work on them a bit, adding some harmony parts and brought in a keyboard player to add some touches. But I was never really happy with the mixes. I took them around to a few record labels, but got no nibbles. Meanwhile, I was starving and had to find work doing something. I ended up in magazine journalism, and that was fun, so I kinda forgot about The Unreasonables. It was decades later when I heard from a few old bandmates who were asking for copies of the songs. By then I was working with computer-based recording, so I had the old tapes transferred to WAV files and could work with them once again. I remembered the songs being not very well recorded. We did use a cheapo studio. Nor very well played or sung. But lo and behold, when I brought the tracks up, they were not so bad at all. So the project moved forward. No I don't think the meaning has changed much, since there is not much meaning to these songs in the first place... it's really just longing, lust and loss, repeat. Though at the end the stupid guy does get the right girl. Q. "Attitude Change" has such a bold, electric vibe. What's the story behind the song, and what does it mean to you on a personal level? Also, the title itself, there's something almost cheeky about it. Was it meant to grab attention, or is there a deeper twist to it that only you can really explain? A. No, again, no deep or hidden meanings whatsoever. It's a phrase my mom would use on me from time to time. "You're just about due for an attitude change." I wouid usually take this as meaning there was still a wee bit of wiggling room to continue on with the current attitude. You know how teenargers can be. But later I thought this would make for a snappy song. The bridge is pretty cool, showcasing my skill with numbers. Q. No politics, no spirituality, just straight-up rock and roll! How liberating was it to let go of any "messages" and just let the music speak for itself on this album? A. Well, it was the late 1970s and early 80s, meaningful lyrics were on the definite wane, except for the punks who were stuck on F-this and F-that and F-you. The Unreasonables just aspired to be a hard-charging rock and roll unit, angsty about love and sex and that's about all. I was already mulling more serious issues at the time, but hadn't gotten my thoughts together well enough for song lyrics. Q. You moved from Texas to the Pacific Northwest, how did that geographical shift influence the sound of The Unreasonables? Was there something about the landscape or the people that helped shape the vibe of this album? A. Well, The Unreasonables got left behind in Houston, and many of them went on to bigger and better things. Actually pretty much anything would have been bigger and better than The Unreasonables. We were pretty stealth, and we made like zero money. So it was a revolving team of Unreasonables. Drummer Billy Block found success in L.A. and Nashville with his "Western Beat" live shows and broadcasts. Drummer Fred Drake became immortal at Rancho de la Luna in California (look him up). Guitarist Rick Poss moved to Austin and played with a bunch of cool acts, and has released three albums of his own so far. Bassist Jack Saunders is still playing and producing in Houston, a singer-songwriter icon in his own right, as well as a studio whiz. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Steve Beasley moved to L.A. and has two albums of his own. Steve was dating Sandy Stewart (of Stevie Nicks fame) at the time, and she sang harmony at one of our shows. Q. The album's been in the shadows for so long, now that it's finally out, how does it feel to take a trip back in time? Is it like stepping into a different version of yourself, or is it something else entirely? A. I'm really happy the guys pushed me to get these songs out. I probably would never have done it without that encouragement. It was a labor of love working with these songs again. Some of them hold a lot of importance to me as milestones in my development as a songwriter. "Hot as a Pistol" is the first song on the album, and the worst recording (the album is in chronological order of recording). Yet it was the first really cool "rock" song I wrote, with a nifty "Day Tripper" like lead guitar riff. So just massaging that riff in the mix was bittersweet, realizing this is the last time I'll probably ever mess with this all-important song to me personally. The lyrics are a bit janky here and there. I'm hoping the playing is so good listerners won't concentrate on what is being sung through some of those. My defense of the charge of sexism would be to listen to the whole album. I think it's clear that the singer character is embracing all of these various partners as equals. Which, thankfully, is how I approach my real romances. I think. Q. You were aiming for a steady keyboard player and harmony singers, but the Universe said "Nope!" What did that mean for the band's dynamic, and how did the extra guitars ultimately come to define the sound? A. Yeah, remember the 80s were smothered in synthesizers, and pretty much every act had to have one... or two. My previous band, Southern Cross, had a very good keyboard player, so I was used to that sound, and wanted it for The Unreasonables, but we never could seem to snag one. In retrospect, I think not having that ubiquitous symthesizer layering is what really differentiated us locally, and now 40-something years later. It forced us to get the guitars doing unusual things. Thankfully I had some damn good guitarists to work with. Q. It's incredible that you were working with musicians who weren't getting paid but still managed to create a sound all their own. How did this "no financial backing, no press, no real plan" freedom actually affect the energy and creativity in the studio? A. Well, since we had no money, we had no choice but go into the cheapest studio. The guys running that studio meant well, and were learning on their own, but didn't record us very well, especially at the start. The snare drum on "Hot as a Pistol" sound like a block of wood. None of us knew any better, so we just carried on. From what I felt at the time, and was confirmed later, most of the players really liked these songs. Some of the songs they liked better than I liked them. So the energy and enthusiasm was always present. Q. When you reunited the band for those final sessions, you made the jump to 24 tracks. How did this shift change the way you approached the songs, and how did you balance capturing raw energy with the desire for better production quality? A. Yes, it was at the same studio, Magic Rat Studio. They had finally upgraded to 24-track, and the engineers had honed their craft. It was still cheaper than pretty much any other studion in Houston, so back we went. There we did ten songs in two days. Four of them were released on my first album, NWXSW (northwest by southwest, my personal journey). So if you want to hear more Unreasonables, check out that album. The other six are here on "The Unreaonsables." In starting work with the project last year, I thought the 8-track songs would be a breeze, and the 24-tracks would be trickier. It turned out to be just the opposite. The 24-track material was well-recorded, so easier to mix, while I fought like the dickens with some of those earlier recordings. Q. Do you have any plans to take your music back out to local stages or fully get on the road? A. Except for solo acoustic local gigs up here in the Northwest, nothing planned as of now. Subject to change. Q. You've now brought The Unreasonables back to life through modern technology. Do you think their story is a testament to the power of persistence, or is it more about something else? A. If anything it's a story of procrastination and giving up too soon. I play the "what if?" game sometimes. What if I had worked harder to push these tapes in L.A.? What if I had joined or started a band in L.A. with these songs and others that were to come along? Crikey, if I could get this sound in Houston, what kind of sound could have come out of L.A.? Instead I threw myself into the journalism thing, and family thing. To tell you the truth, I don't regret anything. Knowing me, I probably dodged some bullets by not finding success in the music business. It seems like pretty much every artist gets screwed over. Even the biggest stars: Elvis, the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, Taylor Swift, the list goes on and on and on. Even brothers and cousins end up hating each other: The Everlys, the Kinks, the Beach Boys, Oasis. I had a couple of partners who tried to rip me off, but those were just business ventures. If someone had ripped my songs off, I would have likely gone ballistic. These days, the pressure is off. I'm just doing my thing, on my own time, following my own instincts, throwing stuff out just for fun. But, you know, any artist of any kind has to do it for themselves, first and foremost, and if anyone else likes it that's a bonus. If you get paid for it, that's certainly nice, but it's entirely tangential to the art itself, and the more you are paid probably the worse artist you become. Q. If there's one thing you want listeners to take away from "Attitude Change," what would it be? A. I hope they tap their toes and snap their fingers and get a smile on their face, and maybe want to shimmy to it. Maybe they've felt this way about a lover, themselves, and can recognize that wave-length when the relationship seems to be breaking down. Behind the potential seriouness of the theme, the song is kinda fun. So indulge. Q. Looking back at this unreleased album from decades ago, do you think it was ahead of its time in some way? Was there a moment you thought, "If only people could hear this now"? A. No, I don't think it was before its time. I think it was right for its time, and deserved a chance to be heard back then. It's entirely my fault it wasn't. I really do believe that if we had caught that "lucky break" and had the backing and time to hone and create, and just be full-time "artists" we could have competed with the big boys. Yeah, "I coulda been a contender!" How many millions of great artists are there in the world who could say that? But you have to work for that "lucky break." Once you give up on something, that's it, game over. Getting back to what you suggested earlier, it was an opportunity missed. I've had a lot of those in my life. It could be that's what I'm best at: missed opportunities. But you know, I still wouldn't trade my life for anyone's. Q. What do you want people to remember most about you after hearing your music and reading this interview? A. Well, this latest new/old album, "The Unreasonables," is but one, short phase of my creative journey. I'm a Texas songwriter, therefore a story-teller. But my wanderings, including around the world, have intiated me as a citizen of the planet. My later songs are often politically, philsophically or spiritually (not religiously) charged. I'm leaning in to being a defender of Mother Earth, and demander of virtue. That's really the spiritual path. Spirituality simply being the manner and effort you put into finding your way to love for the world. Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the biggest influence on your personal growth or artistic perspective? A. Oh, by far nature. One of the reasons I now live in the Pacific Northwest is the stunning natural beauty which is everywhere. But everywhere is indeed beautiful if perceived properly. I truly believe that all art arises, if only subliminally, from our relationship not with other humans but with nature. The artist is channeling the wonders of nature, even when creating something entirely about humans. That's why the best ideas come from being out in nature. Think about it. Almost all of the great religious leaders and mystics had their epiphanies, enlightenment, encounters with the divine all alone, out in nature. Nature is also under dire threat in our era. We all must rise to defend her. Those who do not are emotionally, intellectually and spiritually lost, and probably unhappy. Q. With "The Unreasonables" now out in the world, how do you see it fitting into the bigger picture of your career? Is this the end of one chapter, or do you see this as just the beginning of something new? A. This is just a pause and look-back in the scheme of my "career," such as it is. This one is my fourth album. More philosophy, politics and spirituality are upcoming. But first, another something different. My next album will be entirely cover tunes. All of the songs in this project have a unique commonality. Can't reveal just what that is yet. But it's the next thing up for me. It would be great if you would join me as the adventure continues.
Pigeon Spins Featuring an Interview with Rusty Reid. The second single from his new album "The Unreasonables" is titled "Piece of the Action:" - pure rock and roll as it is meant to be: raw, primal, lustful! Just the way rock should be, don't you think? The story behind this album is interesting. Check it out. "The Unreasonables" is his fourth album, and quite different from his usual fare of singer songwriter indie-folk-country-rock with lyrics often veering into philosophical, political and/or spiritual themes. None of that "heady" stuff on this album, just the ups and downs, starts and stops, bumps and bruises of romantic love, performed by a crack group of Houston musicians. What was the inspiration behind "Piece of the Action" and its raw, primal rock-and-roll vibe? Hi there, Pedro. Yeah, "Piece of the Action" was meant to be a rollicking rocker. Very sexy lyrics without being explicit. Well, the title is a bit sassy and suggestive, and it just flows from there. I had the rhythm guitar bit which I knew would go great with drums, and the rest of the band picked it up and put it together. How does this single fit into the overall story and theme of your album The Unreasonables? I've been known, then and now, for sensitive singer-songwriter tunes, some of them pretty sappy, but with this band, I wanted to cut through all the sentimentality and over-thinking things, and just sing words that went with the beat and would push the feel. Which artists or eras influenced the sound and attitude of this track? At the time I was really into Tom Petty, the Eagles, the Cars, Elvis Costello. You might be able to hear a few flashes here and there. For "Piece of the Action," i don't really know... maybe AC/DC? Maybe not. It's a mystery, but it worked. I'm always interested in who/what listeners say my material reminds them of, and the answers are very surprising to me sometimes. Ocassionally people I've never heard of. I take all the different answers as evidence that we had something pretty original overall. What was the recording process like for this single , did you aim for a live, unpolished energy? We didn't have to aim for unpolished, that was our natural state. It kind of bugged me at the time. I wanted us to sound more "professional." But in retrospect, I think this rawness works better. I always lamented not having a keyboard player in the band, but I think the forced reliance on guitars spared us from sounding as dated as many 1980s acts sound these days. How do you balance the rock-and-roll grit with your indie-folk-pop-country roots? I don't think I thought about that very much. At the very same time I was playing and recording with the Unreasonables, I was also still writing and recording other material. I just wrote what came to mind. If it rocked, it might be Unreasonables material, otherwise, I would just save it for later. What reactions or feedback from listeners have stood out to you so far for this song? It's been overwhelmingly positive. The very first comment I got on the first single, "Attitude Change," was "Tosh." I didn't know what that meant. I assumed something like "touche" or "great" or "nice job." Turns out it's British slang for "rubbish." When I figured that out, I thought, well, this is not going to go well. Damn Brits, right? No, I'm kidding; they are my peeps... I have Irish and German roots, as well. But since then, it's all been very positive. Many of the reviews mention this song being "refreshing" in contrast with all the ultra-polished, plastic songs out there these days. I'm delighted that people, all these years later, are digging the songs. If you had to describe "Piece of the Action" in three words, what would they be? Well, it's raw, gritty, lustful. It's got an awesomly danceable beat, fantastic guitars (that's the incredible Rick Poss on first lead guitar there... worth the ticket by himself), a hook-laden melody and my ultra-sexy singing (ha ha). What more could you want? How do you see this single complementing your previous release, "Attitude Change"? In fact, I think the entire double-album, "The Unreasonables," works together as a batch. Every song is different. And, of course, the Unreasonables were an interchangeable unit. Players came and went because there was NO money in being an Unreasonable. The album is in chronological order of being recorded. So there is an evolution clearly happening. Still, the instrumentation, my voice and the thematic thrust glues everything together. What's your favorite part of the track , a riff, lyric, or moment that captures its essence? The second verse has a killer double guitar riff going that I think is just great. We didn't even practice that, just came up with it as we were recording, and it works like magic. I also like the sultry vocal on the third verse. It's a timbre I've rarely used elsewhere in my catalogue. Otherwise Rick's playing is world-class throughout. For first-time listeners, what should they pay attention to in the story and energy of the song? Oh, I'd say just groove along with it. The lyrics aren't deep but they are provocative. Let the pulse of the drums carry you away on this one, and the guitars just massage you as you flow along.
1. Do you have an interesting moment or story from your early life that has had a significant impact on your journey into music? ARTIST: Hi there, Odyssey. Thanks for the interview. Sure. I was born into a musical family, at least on my mother's side. She was a good singer, and most of her relatives either were singers or players. We had a good record collection that included Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Johnny Mathis and many others. So I was tuning into popular music by the time I was three or four years old. What was kind of surprising to the family was that by eight or ten I was composing melodies. We didn't have many other songwriters in the family. To this day I think I'm stronger with melody than with lyrics. And that all dates back to childhood. 2. Are there any artists that were influential to your musical journey? How have they inspired your sound as an artist? ARTIST: Oh yeah, so many through the years. Starting off with the Beatles probably first and foremost, but Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers, Paul Simon, the Doors, John Fogerty. By the time this latest rock and roll album was being recorded I was influenced by Tom Petty, the Cars, Elvis Costello, the Clash, the Police and the punk vibe (my side job was running sound at a punk club in Houston). Since then I've learned a lot from Maria McKee and Nirvana and U2 and such. A UK band I've loved for quite some time is Del Amitri. Saw them on one of their recent U.S. tours. Love Justin's singing and songwriting. 3. How would you describe your sound to new listeners? What do you think sets you apart? ARTIST: Well, my sound shape-shifts to some degree. I think there's a constant of interesting lyrics and compelling melodies, generally guitar-driven, plus my voice. But the themes wildly diverge. This latest album is my fourth. It's titled, "The Unreasonables" and is just chock full of straight-ahead rock and roll, sassy, sexy, sultry, you know all the things rock should be. But some of my other albums are more pointedly political or philosophical or even spiritual (not religious). I'd invite listeners to just bounce around in my catalogue and see how it goes. 4. What's your creative process? Where do you normally start when it comes to writing and recording? Do the lyrics come first? ARTIST: I often start with a title or key thematic idea, then noodle around on guitar, or more rarely piano, and see what flows out. In my earlier days I would write songs in one sitting, but nowadays I prefer to let them come piece by piece and simmer with them for a while. Lyrics generally begin to emerge early, but I don't put as much stock in those "instant lyrics" like I used to. They are good as place-holders, but are subject to change for the better. Ditto for the melody and chordal structure. I will tweak those as the song develops. I think it's important for songwriters to carefully examine the components of their songs as they emerge. Ask whether this is the best lyric, or the best chord I can come up with here in this spot. I would say that many times you can probably do better if you put your mind to it. 5. Have you had any challenges or adversities in your life that you feel have shaped you as an artist? ARTIST: Certainly as I got older and cared less and less about "success" or sales, etc., that freed me up to write about what is important to me. That's where the philosophical, political and spiritual themes are coming from. Really, any artist of any kind must do their art for themselves. Sure, it's great when you get praise, and even better if you can make a living out of it. But those are a tiny fraction of the artists in the world. Artists tend to be their own worst critics, so in my opinion if you create something that you think is good, whether anybody else thinks so or not, that's a creative success. 6. Are there any moments or achievement from your career so far that you're most proud of? ARTIST: So far, I would say that my 2019 album "Head to Heart," which was remixed for its fifth anniversary in 2024, is my "opus." It's my worldview in music and lyrics. So in my opinion, that's my most successful work. But the other albums and a few singles are the favorites of various fans. So go figure. 7. Which do you prefer, the creative process or live performance? Or do you enjoy both equally? ARTIST: I best enjoy the creative process, which includes the writing and then the recording and then the mixing of a song. Performing is fun, but it's always been a bit stressful for me. And I sometimes feel less an "artist" and more an "entertainer" in that mode. Nothing wrong with that specifically; that's where the money is for most acts. In writing mode and recording I feel confident and in charge. On stage there are so many variables that you can't control, which can make every gig a bit dicey, sometimes something to just survive. I've never been on a big, long tour, but I would imagine that the performers (see, that's another word separate from "artist") are frequently just going through the motions. Guess the paycheck is worth it, but it doesn't sound like my idea of fun. 8. Do you as an artist require fans to fully understand your message in each song or do you encourage subjective interpretation from every listener? ARTIST: Almost all of my songs are pretty understandable. I typically don't write in the abstract. I say what I want to say, hopefully in a poetic way. They are still open to some interpretation, and certainly application to the sense and sensibilities of the listener. I get a chuckle out of songwriters admitting that they don't know what their own song is about; they just leave it to the listener to interpret. To me that's kind of solid evidence that it's not really about anything.. it's just a jumble of words that maybe sound cool together. 9. Does the political landscape have an impact on your music, or do you keep your personal opinions separate from your work as an artist? ARTIST: Yes, my songs and lyrics are very much influenced by what is going on externally and on a wider scale of community. My "spirituality" is not religion-based. Indeed, I truly believe that religion is anti-spiritual; it aborts the true spiritual seekers' journey. Ironically, it is the true spiritual seeker who is following the actual tradition of most of the founders of the various religions, who, having rejected (at least to a significant degree) the religion of their time, had their epiphany or enlightenment or "vision" alone, out in nature. not crowded together in a human-made building clonishly accepting what is handed down to them. I'm a defender of the truly sacred, and that is not any "god" or "dogma" or "rites" or "ritual" which are almost certainly and fully manmade figments. I'm focused on the verifiable aspects of reality that are authentically precious, including nature and the higher values of human consciousness such as virtue, honor, justice, wisdom, truth and love. "Head to Heart" explains it all if you wish to explore more. 10. What are your future plans? Any new songs/projects on the horizon? ARTIST: Yes, my next project is yet another detour. It will be an album of all cover tunes. I've only released two such songs, but now here comes a whole album - actually, as is my wont, really a double album. I can't yet reveal what the common theme of all these cover songs is, but I'll let you know very soon. Hope to have that album out in early to mid 2026. Hope to talk to you again then.
Rusty, welcome back to York Calling! It's been almost a year since we last shared any of your music. How has 2025 been for you? Hi Graeme. This year has been busy. I was hoping to get this album out in February. It came out right on schedule in September. I thought mixing these songs would be a breeze. I mean only eight tracks? What could be so hard? Well, it turns out that sometimes the fewer the tracks the more difficult the mixing challenge. So instead of just bringing up the kick drum track or taming the snare track, you have the entire drum set already "mixed" on two stereo tracks. Good gosh, the drums on "Hot as a Pistol," for instance, sounded like a couple of trash cans being banged. Took me forever to get them back into the plausible realm of an actual drum set. The songs were recorded more or less live, so I also had to use AI to try to elminate some of the bleed-through of other instruments on say the guitar or bass tracks, as well as clean up the vocal on a few of them. So trying to get these songs to sound right was a bugger. We're chatting today about your new single, Piece of the Action. There's a kind of classic lust about the track. What inspired you to write the song? All of these songs on this new album are thematically similar: just the ups and downs and all arounds of relationships. Pretty much every potential angle is explored, all from a fairly carnal orientation. The challenge in dealing with such well-trod territory is to throw in something unique lyrically. I like "Piece of the Action" because it focuses on the very beginning, those initial moments when attention is riveted, eyes first meet, the heart beats a little faster... all possibilities are present, but only if the "transaction" is consumated. I think it's one of my best rockers. The other guys in the band are superb. That's Rick Poss on first lead guitar. His work on the album is just sublime if you are a fan of rock. Ed Martinson on drums and Brent Waters on bass really lock it down and give the song a unique signature. The track is taken from your new album The Unreasonables. However, I understand the album isn't all that new, and sat unreleased for over four decades. What's the story behind that, and why release it now? Yeah, this is essentially a double-album of songs we recorded in Houston. We thought of these as "demos," expecting to be quickly signed to a major label and we would re-record them, you know, properly in a good studio. That didn't happen. So we all went our separate ways. I moved to L.A. and shopped the tapes around a bit, but had no nibbles. Perseverence, people! That's the key. I didn't have it. Plus I was not very confident in the tapes. I kind of forgot about them and went on doing other things. It wasn't until decades later that some former bandmates bugged me to do something - anything - with those recordings, which they remembered as fun to play... and good. I was dubious, but got the analog tapes transferred to digital tracks so I could work with them in my home studio. Lo and behold, I was surpised that they were much better than I had recalled. Thus dawned the concept of at last releasing these "lost tapes" into the wild. How do you think the album fits into America in 2025? I had no real expectations. I just wanted to get it out and into my online "catalogue." I do feel that the songwriting here, though far different from my other stuff, is worthy of note. I have been blown away by how it has been received as some kind "pure" and "refreshing" batch of "authentic" rock and roll in comparison to the often polished and perfected pop music fare of our current era. That some younger folk seem to dig it is fun for me. Can you tell us a little about the ethos behind the album? I'm not sure I would have known what the word "ethos" even means back then. We just wanted to write and play fun and kind of sassy songs that would get people dancing and set us somewhat apart from other bands. At the time I thought we had failed at that mission. But now, from a distance, I think we had something pretty special. It was far from perfect, but that's kind of the appeal now. What was the album like to put together and finally get out? It was definitaly a labor of love. I had to keep reminding myself of that as the mix dragged on and on and on. It was also somewhat therapeutic. For so long I had remembered the Unreasonables as this "failure." Certainly not a waste of time because it was fun, but definitely not achieveing our own local, or wider, goals. In revisiting that project with fresh ears and perhaps more refined taste, I've been able to reframe that project and period as an artistic success, if nothing else. That these songs are still listenable, and people still like them, forty years on, that's pretty cool. What's next for you? Another detour it seems. And quite a contrast to "The Unreasonables." My next album will be comprised entirely of covers. I've only released two covers before, now a whole album of them is on the way. Actually, as is my tradition, it's essentially a double-album. People keep telling me "the album is dead," the "double-album has disintegrated." I don't care. I like them. If they hold togelther as a unit, I'd rather put out a whole bunch of songs rather than limit it to ten or twelve or less. Anyway, I can't quite reveal yet what the connecting theme of all of these cover songs is, but you'll be one of the first to know. It's another labor of love... but this time no trash can drums to work with. Anything else you'd like to add? Oh, just I hope everyone is coping through this strange and downright disgusting phase of human selfishness we are going through right about now. Hang in there and do what you can to push back while taking care of yourself, as well. For myself, no I haven't given up on my regular fare of political, philosophical, spiritual folk-country-rock fare. I'll be back to that soon enough. We can do this... together. Keep smiling. Keep loving music. No hate. Love is the way.
HOT AS A PISTOL
Baby I know what you're here for
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar
HURRICANE
I fell in love with a HURRICANE
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar CROSSFIRE
I want your company
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar COLDHEARTED
You're COLDHEARTED and you know what you've done
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar IMPATIENT
Been waitin' all day for that sun to get back in its bed
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar YOU'RE NOT THE ONE
I've tried anything and everything
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar SHOCK ME
You're so good, it's shocking
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar EXCUSES
I deserve a lot of love
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
It doesn't matter now,
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar PIECE OF THE ACTION
I saw you standing in the corner
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar CALCASIEU SUE
CALCASIEU SUE, what you gonna do
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar ONLY RIGHT GIRL
Well I was wrong when I thought
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar ME & YOU
I think you like me tailing you
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar TRY TO DO THAT TO ME
My best friend went out with you
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar ATTITUDE CHANGE
I don't like the way you've been treating me, baby
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar LET'S JUST TALK
Wait a minute, I don't know
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar HOW MUCH MORE
Used to be a good love, right down the middle
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar EDGE OF THE END
Lightning's getting closer
Music & Lyrics by Rusty Reid
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar THE WAY SHE DOES ME
Suddenly I feel
Rusty - vocals, electric guitar
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