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Evanston, Illinois, United States (1982 – 1987, 2006 – 2006)
Big Black was an Independent punk-rock band founded in Evanston, Illinois, United States, that was active between 1982 and 1987. They were headed by singer, lyricist, guitarist, and co-songwriter Steve Albini. They have been classified as post-hardcore/noise rock, and were a formative influence on industrial rock, but the band members have always described the band as solidly punk rock; in the notes for Pigpile, a live recording of their final London performance, Albini explicitly describes Big Black as punk.
They sought and found little mainstream success, but the group’s piledriver drum machines and brutal, slashing electric guitars were widely influential, especially for industrial rock. Albini’s snide, malevolent singing and provocative lyrics garnered much attention.
Albini made a name for himself for his controversial “Tired of Ugly Fat?” column in the Chicago zine Matter, as well as irregular contributions to Forced Exposure. At the time, the band consisted of Albini and his drum machine, a Roland TR-606. (All of Big Black’s recordings credit “Roland” as if “he” were a member of the band.)
The Lungs EP, the first effort to appear under the Big Black name, was recorded by Albini in his dorm room at Northwestern University. Intended primarily to recruit members to fill out the band, Lungs was released by Ruthless Records. The record is infamous for the variety of inserts, which included a lyric sheet in most copies, plus extras like condoms, dollar bills, stickers, concert tickets, photographs, silverware, razor blades, bloody bandages, and squirt guns.
They sought and found little mainstream success, but the group’s piledriver drum machines and brutal, slashing electric guitars were widely influential, especially for industrial rock. Albini’s snide, malevolent singing and provocative lyrics garnered much attention.
Albini made a name for himself for his controversial “Tired of Ugly Fat?” column in the Chicago zine Matter, as well as irregular contributions to Forced Exposure. At the time, the band consisted of Albini and his drum machine, a Roland TR-606. (All of Big Black’s recordings credit “Roland” as if “he” were a member of the band.)
The Lungs EP, the first effort to appear under the Big Black name, was recorded by Albini in his dorm room at Northwestern University. Intended primarily to recruit members to fill out the band, Lungs was released by Ruthless Records. The record is infamous for the variety of inserts, which included a lyric sheet in most copies, plus extras like condoms, dollar bills, stickers, concert tickets, photographs, silverware, razor blades, bloody bandages, and squirt guns.
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Songs About Fucking
Big Black
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Atomizer
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The Hammer Party
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The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape
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Shoutbox
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daa-lmb wrote:
SET ME ON FIRE, KEROSENE
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PedroLemgruber wrote:
that's why I listen to Big Black in the first place
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PedroLemgruber wrote:
I slept whilst listening to Big Black a couple of times, I had utterly fucked up dreams and woke up with a headache, but I always have fucked up dreams and headaches
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egyptiangoose wrote:
never anything to do in this town LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE
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clobbercronk wrote:
@Bugsy_ I think that's how you can turn yourself into a serial killer.
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leks22 wrote:
Check out this amazing interview with Greg Norman at Albini's Electrical Audio studio: http://asidebeside.blogspot.com/2012/01/in-conversation-greg-norman-electrical.html
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Bugsy_ wrote:
For the last week I've been listening a lot to Big Black when I'm sleeping. I just turn it on while I'm laying bed thinking the days last thoughts, then bam, 7-8 hours of sleep with Big Black's catalog playing the whole time. I've been a HUGE Big Black-fan for some years now, but I really didn't think I'd sleep well listening to it in the same way as used to do with ambience a few years back, but strangely I do. What monster have I become, that enjoys Big Black in the same way as ambience? Anyway, all hail Big Black! The best thing to happen to music before my lifetime, to paraphrase a certain Albini.
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DeafAmbitions wrote:
Get some edgy post-punk into you. At The Drive-In meets Battles?? AW YEAHHH. http://deafambitions.blogspot.com/2011/12/coins.html
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PandorasArmy wrote:
Fact: There was no good music until Big Black
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LoftCriesParty wrote:
Big Black rocks my socks.
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Lei-Kitty wrote:
The best 'long day, bubble bath now' music possibly ever.
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derpdedoo wrote:
kicks so much ass it physically hurts
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thunder2221 wrote:
Probably learn to die in this town.
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PedroLemgruber wrote:
after I heard Songs About Fucking for the first time I had to listen to an hour of classical music to calm down
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Edward_Vedder wrote:
The only good cop is a dead one.
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slaterbaiter wrote:
one two fuck u
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Sakum wrote:
This band is just what I needed.
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RichieTozier wrote:
SET ME ON FIIIIIRE, KEROSENE!
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jonFREAKINryan wrote:
this is penn state, we do what we like
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shootmeadeer wrote:
I just noticed that "Bad Houses" is more or less a tribute to the Cure song "In Your House." Weird.
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Recent Activity
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JSaintJustin, Papperlappap and sntzl-mgk added Big Black to their libraries. 13 hours ago
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MathianSim and FrozenIron tagged Big Black with noise rock. yesterday afternoon
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FrozenIron tagged Big Black with ‘noise-rock’. yesterday morning
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JakIsDead wrote about Metallica – ...And Justice for All in My CD Collection. Wednesday evening
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matber wrote about Metallica – ...And Justice for All in --My 101 favourite albums--. Wednesday afternoon
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missmirandajane, Spacefloat, Emilk666 and 5 other people added Big Black to their libraries. Wednesday afternoon
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docbay0, Ron360, joehoward2002 and 5 other people added Big Black to their libraries. Tuesday morning
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docbay0 tagged Big Black with noise rock, good and post-punk. Tuesday morning
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geniusmover tagged Big Black with ‘16pass’. Sunday afternoon
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Fascination_St added Big Black to Fascination_St’s library. Saturday morning
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Groups (151)
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Homestead
39 members
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The David Yow Vocal Appreciation Society For The Betterment Of Mankind
153 members
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Steve Albini is the Dad i never had
162 members
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Steve Albini is obviously god.
370 members
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Lo-Fi music
6,240 members
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