The BiG started out in Exeter University in 1999 as outcasts. The last year of Student Grants, say no more... Away from that place we played gigs in Essex. BiG Ed sorted this by taking us back to his home town - Southend, to see and eventually gig with bands which made up the Southend Punk scene in the late nineties. Bands like The Milksnatchers, TITS, Operation Nailbomb, The Filaments and The dearly beloved, Rejects. The whole thing may have gone differently if it was not for these guys and the scene going on at the time...
Our Influences draw from the Two Tone Movement of 1979, 60's Jamaican Ska, early U.S. Garage Punk, UK Punk, Rocksteady, Early Reggae and Blues and Folk. It's what we like and it's what we try to do. After 6 years of trying to put this mix together, and finally quitting work, The BiG embarked on a three year mammoth tour of the UK and Europe in 2005, 2006 and 2007. We finished up with a few more UK shows and one more European tour in early 2008. A few remaining members of The BiG are now concentrating on ED ROME'S (aka BiG Ed's) solo projects (see below for more details).
RELEASED ALBUMS:
WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY is now on full release in Europe (Moonska World - Double CD album).A single disc (CD1) has been released released in The U.S. (Megalith Records - U.S. Single CD album).
*** NEW!!! *** Our album is now also available to buy on iTunes, click the link below for more details!
We have also have a limited number of pre-release (double CD) albums available now on sale from our website, as well as unreleased albums and other merch. Click opposite or below for more details at our official website.
www.thebig.org
The BiG - WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY iTunes link
Whatever Makes You Happy - European Release on Moonska World
Visit Moonska World (European release)
Whatever Makes You Happy - U.S. Release on Megalith Records
Visit Megalith Records (U.S. release)
2005 - 2007 Tour - see below.
Additional information you should not miss!!!
SOLO PROJECTS
ED ROME has also been busy on his own solo work over the past 3 years, finally culminating in a solo project consisting of three full length albums, forming a trilogy as part of 'The Innocent Civilian Project'. The album titles are: "Play", "Diary of a Somebody" and "A life in Minutes".
ED ROME will be touring this year - 2008 with his reggae band to back up the release of the solo Album "A Life in Minutes" which is going to be released shortly on the Rockers Revolt Label. Click on the ED ROME Flyer below for the Solo Reggae myspace page. Click on any of the links below for more details.
For more information on The Innocent Civilian Project, and ED ROME's solo work, including purchasing any CD's from The Innocent Civilian Project click the links below:
www.myspace.com/edromereggae
www.rockersrevolt.com
www.myspace.com/innocentcivilianmusic
www.innocentcivilian.com
New Friends and viewers, just one more thing!
Please take a few minutes to check out our good friends below. These people below have played gigs with us before and vice versa, and helped us out in various ways just because they could. Hope you like them! Thanks all... The BiG.