DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT STEVE ALBINI, NOR DO I HAVE ANY AFFILIATION W/ BIG BLACK, I'M JUST A GUY IN CHICAGO THAT LIKES BIG BLACK ENOUGH TO KEEP IT ALIVE. STEVE IS MERELY A FRIEND OF A FRIEND.
Big Black formed in 1982, orginally as a one-man-band with Steve Albini and his trusty sidekick "Roland" a TR-606 drum machine. Big Black's first EP was Lungs in December of 1982. In 1983, Naked Raygun members Jeff Pezzati and Santiago Durango began playing sessions with Albini. Their Bulldozer EP would also be released in December of 1983, made possible by a better recording studio and backed by a record company. Their road to "fame and fortune" would continue with the recording of the Racer-X EP in 1984(Jeff really likes the art work on this for some reason, and I mean REALLY likes the artwork). Sadly, Due to a tough schedule with Naked Raygun, Big Black's first casualty would be Jeff Pezzati and so, former Savage Beliefs bassist, Dave Riley, would now fit the bill as the new bassist. Big Black's first album with Riley would be Atomizer, in 1985. Soon after the release of the Il Duce single, Big Black would trade posts from Homestead records to the Austin, Texas based Touch and Go records. Their first T&G EP would be Headache in 1987 (What you've never seen a mangled stump before?). Sadly, the demise of Big Black came when tensions within the band stirred up, with Durango leaving for law school, and Riley being too much to handle. After announcing their break-up in advance, they would tour Europe and the US, and on August 11, 1987, Big Black played their final show in Seattle, Washington. Before it was all said an done, Touch and Go released their final album Songs about Fucking in 1988. In 1992, Pigpile would be released, a live album from their farewell tour in Europe. Albini's future music experience would come in 1988, when Ray Washam and David WM Sims would collaborate to form Rapeman. Rapeman put out only one album, "Two nuns and a pack Mule" as well as a Budd EP. (There are a few studio demo rapeman songs I have but the noise gate defeats the quality). In 1994 Steve met up with Todd Trainer(Rifle Sport, Brick Layer cake, Breaking circus) and Bob Stanford Spurr Weston IV to form the current band, Shellac. Presently Jeff Pezzati is in a band called "The bomb." Santiago Duarango is a Defense Attorney working in midstate, IL(for Touch and Go too), and David Riley has moved to Western IL where he has written a book. Now here I am acting like I know it all...
