Big Black



Big Black was one of the most important Chicago punk bands of the 1980s. They are one of the Big Four and released a bevy of albums and EPs before breaking up in 1987. Fronted by Steve Albini and led on guitar by Naked Raygun founder Santiago Durango.

Members

 * Steve Albini - Vocals, Guitar
 * Santiago Durango - Guitar
 * Jeff Pezzati - Bass
 * Dave Riley - Bass

Short Term Members

 * Pat Byrne - Drums on Bulldozer
 * John Bohnen - Saxophone on Lungs EP

Releases

 * Lungs EP - (Ruthless, December 1982)
 * 1) Steelworker
 * 2) Live in a Hole
 * 3) Dead Billy
 * 4) I Can Be Killed
 * 5) Crack
 * 6) R.I.P


 * Bulldozer EP - (Ruthless, December 1983)
 * Engineered by Iain Burgess
 * Production money mostly came from Fever Records
 * 1) Cables
 * 2) Pigeon Kill
 * 3) I'm A Mess
 * 4) Texas
 * 5) Seth
 * 6) Jump The Climb


 * Racer-X EP - (Homestead, 1984)
 * 1) Racer-X
 * 2) Shotgun
 * 3) Ugly American
 * 4) Deep Six
 * 5) Sleep
 * 6) Big Payback


 * Rema Rema 7" - (Forced Exposure magazine giveaway, 1985)
 * 1) Rema Rema


 * Il Duce 7" - (Homestead, 1986)
 * 1) Il Duce
 * 2) Big Money


 * Atomizer LP - (Homestead, 1986)
 * 1) Jordan, Minnesota
 * 2) Passing Complexion
 * 3) Big Money
 * 4) Kerosene
 * 5) Bad Houses
 * 6) Fists of Love
 * 7) Stinking Drunk
 * 8) Bazooka Joe
 * 9) Strange Things
 * 10) Cables (Live)


 * Headache 12" - (Touch and Go, 1987)
 * 1) My Disco
 * 2) Grinder
 * 3) Ready Men
 * 4) Pete, King of all Detectives


 * Heartbeat 7" - (Touch and Go, 1987)
 * 1) Heartbeat
 * 2) Things to Do Today
 * 3) I Can't Believe


 * He's a Whore/The Model 7" - (Touch and Go, 1987)
 * 1) He's a Whore
 * 2) The Model


 * Songs About Fucking LP - (Touch and Go, 1987)
 * 1) The Power of Independent Tracking
 * 2) The Model
 * 3) Bad Penny
 * 4) L Dopa
 * 5) Precious Thing
 * 6) Colombian Necktie
 * 7) Kitty Empire
 * 8) Ergot
 * 9) Kasimir S. Pulaski Day
 * 10) Fish Fry
 * 11) Pavement Saw
 * 12) Tiny, King of Jews
 * 13) Bombastic Intro
 * 14) He's a Whore


 * Pigpile (live) - (Touch and Go, 1992)
 * 1) Fists of Love
 * 2) L Dopa
 * 3) Passing Complexion
 * 4) Dead Billy
 * 5) Cables
 * 6) Bad Penny
 * 7) Pavement Saw
 * 8) Kerosene
 * 9) Steelworker
 * 10) Pigeon Kill
 * 11) Fish Fry
 * 12) Jordan, Minnesota

2006 "Reunion"
On September 9, 2006 Big Black played at short set at the Touch and Go Records 25th Anniversary festival, their first show in nearly 20 years. With the original lineup of Albini, Durango and Pezzati, Big Black played Cables, Pigeon Kill, Dead Billy and Racer X. Albini stated at the show that he was doing it strictly as a "thank you" to Touch and Go and Corey Rusk, so don't expect another Big Black show in the near future.

YouTube Clips

 * Live, early 1980's in Chicago
 * Dead Billy (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)
 * Texas (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)