Big Boys (band)
Encyclopedia
The Big Boys were a pioneering band
who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk
that became popular in the 1980s.
the band members were Randy "Biscuit" Turner
on vocals, Tim Kerr on guitar
and Chris Gates on bass
. Over the years the group played with four drummer
s in all; Steve Collier, Greg Murray, Fred Shultz and Rey Washam
.
The hardcore punk style, a development from the earlier punk
sound, arose spontaneously in various cities, but in Austin it was represented by MDC
, Big Boys and The Dicks
. The bands often played together; Big Boys and The Dicks jointly released a split single and an LP, Live At Raul's.
Big Boys shows were legendary, frequently involving food fights, 'Biscuit' in a tutu
, or dress, and invitations to the audience to come up and sing along, which often occurred. At the end of early shows, the band was famous for yelling, "OK y'all, go start your own band." The Big Boys are credited as well with the introduction of funk
rhythms to hardcore, producing funkcore, an innovation influential on later bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers
, who actually opened up for the Big Boys in Hollywood. This is due in no small part to the addition of a Horn Section, The Impromptu Horns, spearheaded by Chris Gates' brother, Nathan. The Impromptu Horns played mainly local shows, and played on some of the funkiest tracks recorded by The Big Boys. Most of the horn players, who rotated in and out of the section, went to High School with Chris and Nathan (according to Austin local punk rock authority and gay-rights activist "Fat" Scott T.)
They were also one of the first bands involved in the skatepunk
scene, appearing in Thrasher
skateboarding magazine and in Thrashers videos, and had their own Big Boys skateboard
. After a Bad Brains
show in Austin that ended in controversy involving Biscuit (and later inspired the song "Pay to Come Along" by MDC
), conflicts began to arise within the band, specifically between Biscuit and Chris. The Big Boys played their last show very unexpectedly. Biscuit and Chris never spoke to each other again.
Chris Gates was also with Poison 13, Junkyard
and Charter Bulldogs. Gates can currently be heard fronting Big Chris Gates and Gatesville, a southern-fried country group based in Austin.
Of their drummers, Rey Washam has played consistently with such groups as Jerry's Kids
, Scratch Acid
, and Ministry
. Original drummer Steve Collier switched from drums to guitar and formed Doctors' Mob, whose first album was produced by Chris Gates, and later played in the Sidehackers and the Rite Flyers.
Randy Turner had performed with The Slurpees, Cargo Cult, and Swine King, the latter band contributing the song "All Broke Down" to Outpunk Records' compilation, Outpunk Dance Party. Randy Turner was found dead from Hepatitis C
complications in his home on August 18, 2005.
The Big Boys also appeared in the well-reviewed 2006 Sundance
film, American Hardcore
. Their song "Brickwall" appeared on the soundtrack.
Big Boys were innovative in many ways and were influential in the direction music and music scenes would take in their wake.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
that became popular in the 1980s.
History
Based in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
the band members were Randy "Biscuit" Turner
Randy Turner
Randy J. "Biscuit" Turner was an American punk singer and artist. He was born in Gladewater, Texas. He was the lead singer for the seminal hardcore punk band Big Boys, formed in Austin in the 1970s....
on vocals, Tim Kerr on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and Chris Gates on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Over the years the group played with four drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
s in all; Steve Collier, Greg Murray, Fred Shultz and Rey Washam
Rey Washam
Rey Washam is a drummer who has been performing for more than 20 years. He has collaborated with many bands, the most notable of which include: Scratch Acid, Rapeman, Ministry, the Big Boys, Helios Creed, the Didjits, Lard, and Tad and Butthole Surfers offshoot Daddy Longhead...
.
The hardcore punk style, a development from the earlier punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
sound, arose spontaneously in various cities, but in Austin it was represented by MDC
MDC (band)
MDC is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band were subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. MDC originally formed as The Stains before changing their name...
, Big Boys and The Dicks
The Dicks
The Dicks are an American punk rock band from Austin, Texas, originally formed in 1980. They initially disbanded in 1986 before reforming in 2004...
. The bands often played together; Big Boys and The Dicks jointly released a split single and an LP, Live At Raul's.
Big Boys shows were legendary, frequently involving food fights, 'Biscuit' in a tutu
Ballet tutu
A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and jutting out.There are several types of ballet tutu:...
, or dress, and invitations to the audience to come up and sing along, which often occurred. At the end of early shows, the band was famous for yelling, "OK y'all, go start your own band." The Big Boys are credited as well with the introduction of funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
rhythms to hardcore, producing funkcore, an innovation influential on later bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, who actually opened up for the Big Boys in Hollywood. This is due in no small part to the addition of a Horn Section, The Impromptu Horns, spearheaded by Chris Gates' brother, Nathan. The Impromptu Horns played mainly local shows, and played on some of the funkiest tracks recorded by The Big Boys. Most of the horn players, who rotated in and out of the section, went to High School with Chris and Nathan (according to Austin local punk rock authority and gay-rights activist "Fat" Scott T.)
They were also one of the first bands involved in the skatepunk
Skate punk
Skate punk is a sub genre of punk rock, originally a derivative of the West Coast hardcore punk scene, that is named after its popularity among skateboarders and association with skateboarding culture. Skate punk most commonly describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an...
scene, appearing in Thrasher
Thrasher magazine
Thrasher is a monthly skateboarding magazine founded in 1981 by Kevin Thatcher, Eric Swenson, and Fausto Vitello. It regularly publishes articles , skateboard photography, interviews with professional skateboarders, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, skatepark reviews, and miscellaneous...
skateboarding magazine and in Thrashers videos, and had their own Big Boys skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
. After a Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
show in Austin that ended in controversy involving Biscuit (and later inspired the song "Pay to Come Along" by MDC
MDC (band)
MDC is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band were subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. MDC originally formed as The Stains before changing their name...
), conflicts began to arise within the band, specifically between Biscuit and Chris. The Big Boys played their last show very unexpectedly. Biscuit and Chris never spoke to each other again.
Aftermath
Tim Kerr went on to play with many bands, including Poison 13, Bad Mutha Goose, Monkeywrench, Jack O Fire, Lord High Fixers and, in 2004, The Total Sound Group.Chris Gates was also with Poison 13, Junkyard
Junkyard (band)
Junkyard is a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, with members formerly in Minor Threat, The Necros, and Dag Nasty. The band has often drawn comparisons with Guns N' Roses .-History:...
and Charter Bulldogs. Gates can currently be heard fronting Big Chris Gates and Gatesville, a southern-fried country group based in Austin.
Of their drummers, Rey Washam has played consistently with such groups as Jerry's Kids
Jerry's Kids
Jerry's Kids is one of the earliest Boston hardcore bands, formed in 1981, from Braintree, Mass.. Their first recorded output was on the Modern Method This Is Boston, Not L.A. compilation LP in 1982. They contributed six tracks along with other early Boston Hardcore band Gang Green.Frontman Bryan...
, Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam and Win Vitosky...
, and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
. Original drummer Steve Collier switched from drums to guitar and formed Doctors' Mob, whose first album was produced by Chris Gates, and later played in the Sidehackers and the Rite Flyers.
Randy Turner had performed with The Slurpees, Cargo Cult, and Swine King, the latter band contributing the song "All Broke Down" to Outpunk Records' compilation, Outpunk Dance Party. Randy Turner was found dead from Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
complications in his home on August 18, 2005.
The Big Boys also appeared in the well-reviewed 2006 Sundance
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
film, American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
. Their song "Brickwall" appeared on the soundtrack.
Big Boys were innovative in many ways and were influential in the direction music and music scenes would take in their wake.
Singles
- Frat Cars 7" single (1980) on Big Boys Records
- Wipe Out/ I'm Sorry Fear and Loathing fanzineFanzineA fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
promo 7" - Fun Fun Fun 12" EP (1982) on Moment Productions
- Recorded Live At Raul's Club a double 7" split with The DicksThe DicksThe Dicks are an American punk rock band from Austin, Texas, originally formed in 1980. They initially disbanded in 1986 before reforming in 2004...
(1980) on Selfless RecordsSelfless RecordsSelfless Records is a record label that releases punk rock music. The label was notable for putting out a number of albums that were covers of entire Ramones albums, including Leave Home, Ramones and Rocket to Russia.-Artists:*Antischism*Big Boys*Dag Nasty...
(1992)
Albums
- Live at Raul's ClubLive at Raul's ClubLive At Raul's is an album by The Big Boys and The Dicks. In 1992, Selfless Records issued a double 7" called Live at Raul's Club featuring 6 songs from this record along with 2 previously unreleased live songs.-The Big Boys:...
split LP with The Dicks (1980) on Rat Race (1981) - Where's My Towel/Industry Standard on Wasted TalentThe Judy'sThe Judy's were a Pearland, Texas-based punk and new wave band from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The song for which they are most likely best-remembered, "Guyana Punch", recounted the infamous Jonestown massacre. On December 1, 2007, The Judy's announced the opening of their own label and...
(1981) - Lullabies Help The Brain Grow on Moment Productions (1983)
- No Matter How Long The Line At The Cafeteria, There's Always A Seat on Enigma (1984)
Collections
- Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 2 (CD Presents, 1984)
- Wreck Collection LP on The Unseen Hand (1988) (reissued on CD by Gern Blandsten in 2002).
- The Skinny Elvis CD on Touch and Go RecordsTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
(1993) - The Fat Elvis CD on Touch and Go RecordsTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
(1993) - Lullabies Help The Brain Grow/No Matter How Long The Line At The Cafeteria, There's Always A Seat double LP on X-Mist Records (2004)
External links
- Big Boys fansite
- Band Profile
- Suburban Voice Interview - Big Boys interview from 1983