United Nations (United Nations album) explained

United Nations
Type:	studio
Artist:	United Nations
Cover:	UnitedNationsSelftitledCover.jpg
Caption:	Original controversial cover art, limited to 1,000 copies.
Released:	September 9, 2008
Recorded:	Summer 2008 at Big Blue Meenie Studios in Jersey City, NJ
Length:	38:22
Producer:	Tim Gilles
Next Title:	Never Mind the Bombings, Here's Your Six Figures
Next Year:	2010

United Nations is the debut from supergroup United Nations. The band features members from numerous prolific bands, such as Geoff Rickly of Thursday. Due to contractual obligations of other members, the official lineup of the band is not known.^[1]

Release

The album cover was designed by Jimmy Cauty of The KLF.^[2] The album received a limited edition CD release that was only available through the Eyeball Records webstore. Only 1,000 copies were sold.^[3] The album was not released in stores because of copyright issues with the cover image, which is essentially the same image used for The Beatles' Abbey Road, but with The Beatles engulfed in flames.^[4] One retail store, Hot Topic^[5] destroyed about 7000 copies of the CDs because the store had ordered the album without knowing about the album's copyright violations, due to a no return policy the store could not return them. Staff from the store sent pictures to the band of themselves destroying the CDs.^[6] The album was also released on vinyl, pressing was limited to 1,000 copies on red vinyl.^[7]

2015 Reissue

In 2015, Temporary Residence Limited and Rickly's label Collect Records reissued the album on vinyl with updated packaging that parodied The Beatles' 1968 self-titled album.^[8] The reissue contained a sticker which read:

"Cease& Desist& Destroy& Reissue. The controversial debut album reissued with original banned artwork. Now expanded for maximum litigation. Includes infinite bonus track with high-quality download. Limited edition until we get sued. Again."

Track listing

Notes

• The song "Subliminal Testing" can be played backwards to reveal other lyrics that simply tell the listener to turn the song back around.
• The hidden track is 12:59 of silence, followed by the sound of a cash register.

Personnel

United Nations
Due to contractual obligations the official lineup of the band is not known.

Additional musicians

• Billy Horn – tenor saxophone on track 11
• Geoff Rickly - vocals

Production

• Executive Producer Tim Gilles
• Mixed by Matt Messenger
• Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music
• Tracked by Kevin Neaton
• Additional Tracking by Al Eddings and Matt Messenger
• Assisted by Juan Martinez, Giavonni Escamilla, and Matt Menafro

Artwork

• Artwork by Sons of Nero
• Design (on reissue) by Jeremy DeVine

Charts

Chart	Peakposition
US Independent Albums^[9]	44
US Heatseekers Albums	14

Notes and References

1. Web site: United Nations - The Next Four Years - Reviews - Alternative Press. Alternative Press. en. 2017-01-20.
2. Web site: Chelosky . Danielle . We've Got A File On You: Geoff Rickly . Stereogum . 14 August 2023 . en . 14 August 2023.
3. http://www.eyeballstore.com/servlet/the-186/united-nations-thursday/Detail Eyeball Records product page for United Nations' self-titled debut.
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20080907204746/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1594102/20080904/thursday.jhtml "Thursday Frontman's United Nations Side Project Might Not Make It To Stores."
5. Web site: United Nations (Deluxe Reissue). Temporary Residence Ltd. 2017-01-20.
6. Web site: United Nations Vs. United Nations: How a Little Punk Band Fought the Biggest Intergovernmental Agency in the World and Won - Noisey. Noisey. 15 July 2014 . en-us. 2017-01-20.
7. http://www.eyeballstore.com/servlet/the-196/united-nations-thursday/Detail United Nations vinyl pre-order page. Eyeball Records store. Retrieved October 14, 2008.
8. Web site: United Nations Take the Piss Out of the Beatles with New Reissue. Adams. Gregory. May 19, 2015. Exclaim!. May 23, 2015.
9. Web site: United Nations - Chart history Billboard. www.billboard.com. en. 2017-01-20.