Big Wreck

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Boston, United States (1995 – 2002, 2011 – present)

Big Wreck was a neo-progressive hard rock band of the late 1990s.

The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1995 by vocalist Ian Thornley, guitarist Brian Doherty, bassist Dave Henning and drummer Forrest Williams, who met as students at the Berklee College of Music. After several years of gigging in Boston and Cambridge, the band signed to a major label and released its debut album In Loving Memory Of… in 1997. The single The Oaf was a major Top Ten hit for the band that year.

Due to Thornley’s Canadian nationality, the band’s biggest commercial success was actually in Canada rather than the United States. The album’s subsequent singles, Blown Wide Open and That Song, were not as successful on the American charts as The Oaf had been, but in Canada they were both Top Ten hits.

In October of 2001, Big Wreck played a special show at Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Uzume Taiko Ensemble of drummers, with The Tragically Hip’s Paul Langlois and Robby Baker also making appearances.

The band’s second album The Pleasure and the Greed (released in 2001) was marred by poor marketing and was not as big a hit as their debut album, especially in the United States. The band subsequently broke up a year later in 2002.

Thornley moved back to Toronto, launching the band Thornley. Doherty has gone on to be in the indie band Death of 8, but the other band members never emerged with new projects.

Ian and Brian rekindled their friendship, which lead to a reunion in 2011
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Top Albums

  • In Loving Memory Of...
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  • The Pleasure and the Greed
    Big Wreck Play
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  • In Loving Memory
    Big Wreck Play
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  • In Loving Memory Of
    Big Wreck
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Top Tracks

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  • BUKWORX

    New vid for Wolves!!! http://blog.rock.inmusic.ca/2012/03/exclusive-new-big-wreck-video-for-wolves-watch.html

    March 2012

  • sybarite_

    Albatross as an album feels more upbeat than previous stuff. I've had it on repeat because it's the only thing that's rocked me this hard in a long time. Thanks Ian and crew! (not that they'll ever see this.)

    March 2012

  • alternativeRB

    Come find music worth listening to AlternativeRockBands.net

    March 2012

  • JJCDAD

    So happy for the new album!!!! Never thought it would happen.

    March 2012

  • mattfca

    Amazing album!!!

    March 2012

  • BryanWeber

    LOVE the new album! Picks up right where they left off! I love Thornley but was curious as to what the new album would sound like and it sounds like Big Wreck not Thornley. The new album is so damn good. It's almost like they never left.

    March 2012

  • Creamore

    I thought I'd never see this day, but thank goodness the power of friendship is stronger than that of hatred. Welcome back boys the new album fits in well with the first two albums. Can't wait to see you guys live again!

    March 2012

  • the-cause

    Welcome back boys! The new album is amazing! Album of the year, hands down.

    March 2012
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