Listen: The History of Big Black From Bulldozer To Atomizer

Jughead’s Basement released his latest podcast highlighting records that are important to him, the focus of this month’s being on Evanston, Illinois’ legendary, Big Black.

Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun. In 1985 Pezzati was replaced by Dave Riley, who played on Big Black's two full-length studio albums, Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987).The band’s aggressive and abrasive music was characterized by distinctively clanky guitars achieved by using metal guitar picks notched with sheet metal clips; the notch causing the pick to hit each string twice, creating the effect of two simultaneous guitar picks. Equally distinctive was the use of a drum machine (who they lovingly called Roland) that pre­-cursored industrial rock. Big Black's music challenged convention, pursuing an abrasive sound that was more aggressive than contemporary punk rock. The band acknowledged no taboos and Albini’s lyrics openly dealt with loaded topics including murder, rape, child sexual abuse, and racism.  They also held staunch principles, shunning the mainstream music industry and insisting on complete control over all aspects of their career.  Jughead’s podcast successfully attempts to tell a portion of the history of the band from the perspective of their Bulldozer EP through their first full length record Atomizer.  (Marking a transition from a project purely conceived by Steve Albini into a cohesive band with the added influences from collaborators Santiago Durango and Dave Riley.)

This episode is co-hosted by Russ Forster and includes interviews with band members Santiago Durango, Steve Albini, and Jeff Pezzati, including extra interview material with friend and fellow songwriter/musician Camilo Gonzalez. Lastly an audio piece written by journalist/novelist/radio personality Jim DeRogatis.

It’s amazing how well the band’s music holds up thirty plus years later. Steve Albini’s menacing vocals really still are the gold standard on how to sound sinister without coming off as cheesy. The band recently received some well-deserved props via a mainstream outlet with Dave Grohl’s incredible HBO series, Sonic Highways. While the band have always got their just due in the underground it’s immeasurable how important the recent conventional exposer has been, equally important is how Albini’s peer’s speak of the artist/engineer during the series’ flagship episode as his reputation has not always been one that is warm and fuzzy. For myself the influence has been great and hearing other’s speak so highly of his importance, Chicago’s influence and independent music’s influence on the history of music as a whole literally brought tears to my eyes as both the tv series and Jughead’s podcast cut through all the bullshit and rumors and honor one of the greats.