Bigelf
Encyclopedia
Bigelf is a progressive rock
/progressive metal
band formed in Los Angeles
, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.
outfit in 1991 in Los Angeles, California by Damon Fox and Richard Anton. They initially gained a large underground following. Bigelf's original line-up included Damon Fox (vocals/keyboards/guitar), A.H.M. Butler-Jones (vocals/guitar), Richard Anton (vocals/bass) and Thom Sullivan (drums).
The quartet recorded 6-track EP Closer To Doom in spring 1995 co-produced by Sylvia Massy. Closer To Doom was released in 1996 and established them as 'fathers' of the psychedelic doom movement that spawned the L.A. stoner-rock scene.
The first line-up change came when Steve Frothingham replaced Sullivan in late '95; soon afterward founding member Richard Anton would exit the band.
Continuing on as a three-piece, they recorded Money Machine in summer 1997. Swedish prog
& heavy metal
label, Record Heaven would eventually release it in 2000. This led the band to tour Scandinavia
where they would become a quartet again with addition of Finnish bass player Duffy Snowhill. In 2001, Ace Mark (also from Finland
) would join the ranks replacing Butler-Jones (he left after 6-track EP Goatbridge Palace including four live tracks recorded in Sweden in December 2000). Regaining focus with a new, solid foundation, Bigelf signed with Warner Music Sweden in 2002 and released Hex the following year. The band attained cult status overseas, most notably in Northern Europe.
August 2008 saw Bigelf release Cheat The Gallows, the band's debut release for Linda Perry's Custard Records
. It includes the lead single "Money, It's Pure Evil".
In 2009, Bigelf toured with Dream Theater
on their Progressive Nation 2009 tour. They were originally billed alongside Opeth
and Unexpect
on the European leg of the tour from September to November, but after Pain of Salvation
and Beardfish
were forced to drop out because of the bankruptcy of SPV
, their record label's (InsideOut
) distributor, Bigelf were also added to the North America
n tour as opening acts alongside bands Scale the Summit
and Zappa Plays Zappa
between July and August. The band once again supported Dream Theater as their opening act for the Mexican and South American tour, in March 2010. In April 2010, Bigelf supported Porcupine Tree
on their North American Tour.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
/progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band formed in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.
Biography
Bigelf were formed as a psychedelic/glam-tinged hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
outfit in 1991 in Los Angeles, California by Damon Fox and Richard Anton. They initially gained a large underground following. Bigelf's original line-up included Damon Fox (vocals/keyboards/guitar), A.H.M. Butler-Jones (vocals/guitar), Richard Anton (vocals/bass) and Thom Sullivan (drums).
The quartet recorded 6-track EP Closer To Doom in spring 1995 co-produced by Sylvia Massy. Closer To Doom was released in 1996 and established them as 'fathers' of the psychedelic doom movement that spawned the L.A. stoner-rock scene.
The first line-up change came when Steve Frothingham replaced Sullivan in late '95; soon afterward founding member Richard Anton would exit the band.
Continuing on as a three-piece, they recorded Money Machine in summer 1997. Swedish prog
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
& heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
label, Record Heaven would eventually release it in 2000. This led the band to tour Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
where they would become a quartet again with addition of Finnish bass player Duffy Snowhill. In 2001, Ace Mark (also from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
) would join the ranks replacing Butler-Jones (he left after 6-track EP Goatbridge Palace including four live tracks recorded in Sweden in December 2000). Regaining focus with a new, solid foundation, Bigelf signed with Warner Music Sweden in 2002 and released Hex the following year. The band attained cult status overseas, most notably in Northern Europe.
August 2008 saw Bigelf release Cheat The Gallows, the band's debut release for Linda Perry's Custard Records
Custard Records
Custard Records is an American record label, best known for its success with English singer-songwriter and Number 1 recording artist James Blunt...
. It includes the lead single "Money, It's Pure Evil".
In 2009, Bigelf toured with Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
on their Progressive Nation 2009 tour. They were originally billed alongside Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
and Unexpect
Unexpect
Unexpect is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montreal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different styles of music, including black metal, death metal, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic heavy metal, classical music, dark cabaret, opera, medieval music, jazz, funk, electro,...
on the European leg of the tour from September to November, but after Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
and Beardfish
Beardfish (band)
Beardfish is a Swedish progressive rock band formed in 2001. Their style resembles progressive rock bands from the 1970s, such as Yes and Genesis. The band was signed by InsideOut Music after releasing two albums independently; they have since released three more albums.In 2008, the band toured...
were forced to drop out because of the bankruptcy of SPV
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
, their record label's (InsideOut
Insideout
Insideout was an Israeli Euro Dance act formed in 1994 which is considered to be the first Israeli Euro Dance group.- History :The group was founded in 1994 by Tomer Glatt and Alon Levin, two 16-year-old high school students from Givatayim who attended to the same class.Under the record company...
) distributor, Bigelf were also added to the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n tour as opening acts alongside bands Scale the Summit
Scale the Summit
Scale the Summit is an American instrumental metal band based out of Houston, Texas. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records.The band draws influences from other progressive acts such as Cynic and Dream Theater. However, unlike most other progressive metal bands, they have no vocalist...
and Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
between July and August. The band once again supported Dream Theater as their opening act for the Mexican and South American tour, in March 2010. In April 2010, Bigelf supported Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
on their North American Tour.
Albums
- Money Machine (May 2000 - Record Heaven, Sweden)
- Hex (Oct. 2003 - Warner Music Sweden; Oct. 2007 - Custard RecordsCustard RecordsCustard Records is an American record label, best known for its success with English singer-songwriter and Number 1 recording artist James Blunt...
) - Cheat The GallowsCheat The Gallows- Personnel :* Damon Fox - vocals, keyboards* Ace Mark - guitar* Duffy Snowhill - bass* Steve Frothingham a.k.a. Froth - drums...
(Aug. 2008 - Custard RecordsCustard RecordsCustard Records is an American record label, best known for its success with English singer-songwriter and Number 1 recording artist James Blunt...
; Sep. 2009 - Powerage Records UK )
EPs
- Closer To Doom (Jan. 1996 - Third Hole Records, USA; Aug. 2001 - Record Heaven, with 4 bonus tracks)
- Goatbridge Palace (May 2001 - Record Heaven)
- The Madhatter (Jun. 2003 - Warner Music Sweden)
Current line-up
- Damon Fox - vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Ace Mark - guitarGuitarThe 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...
- Duffy Snowhill - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Steve Frothingham a.k.a. Froth - drums