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Big Heavy Stuff

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Big Heavy Stuff
Big Heavy Stuff's Greg Atkinson
Big Heavy Stuff's Greg Atkinson
Background information
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresIndie rock
Years active1990–2006, 2009–2010
LabelsVolition/Sony, Hypnotized/Shock, Redline Records, DeSoto
Past membersGreg Atkinson
Carolyn Polley
Eliot Fish
Nick Kennedy
Darren Atkinson
Darren Jones

Big Heavy Stuff was an Australian indie rock band, established in 1990 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band released four studio albums before folding in the mid-2000s, later reuniting for some select shows between 2009 and 2010. The band toured regularly with fellow Australian bands such as Powderfinger, You Am I, and Something for Kate, and were the main support on Radiohead's OK Computer tour of Australia. Big Heavy Stuff was also a support act for Dinosaur Jr., The Stone Roses, Neil Finn, and Babes in Toyland.[citation needed]

History

Big Heavy Stuff was initially formed by brothers Greg Atkinson (lead vocals/rhythm guitars) and Darren Atkinson (drums/backup vocals), along with Carolyn Polley (lead guitars/backup vocals) and Darren Jones (bass). Greg Atkinson had previously fronted the band Ups and Downs, which Darren Atkinson was also a member of. Ups and Downs was more pop in nature, and the two brothers formed Big Heavy Stuff to venture into the rock genre. Around the same time, Polley was the guitarist in Toys Went Berserk, and also played in Dutiful Daughters.

Big Heavy Stuff was initially signed to Volition Records, an Australian division of Sony Records. They released a string of EPs and singles from 1991 to 1993 before releasing the full-length album Truck in 1993. Afterwards, Darren Atkinson left the band and was replaced by Nick Kennedy. They then released the EP Trouble & Desire in 1994, and Jones departed from the band shortly after. He was replaced on bass by Eliot Fish. The lineup of Greg Atkinson, Polley, Kennedy, and Fish then remained constant throughout the band's existence.

The stabilized lineup released the EP Covered in Bruises in 1995, and it was the band's final release on Volition. In the U.S., "Birthday" was released as a single to promote the EP, and the single was issued by DeSoto Records (which was owned by two members of the post-hardcore band Jawbox). Big Heavy Stuff then signed with The Hypnotized Label, which was a division of Shock Records. They released their second album Maximum Sincere on Hypnotized, and four different singles were released to promote the album; however, the band's tenure on the label was short-lived.

The band gained the attention of popular Australian alternative rock band Jebediah, who added Big Heavy Stuff to the roster of Redline Records in 2000, an independent label that Jebediah co-founded with its then-management company Naked Ape Management. The arrangement with Redline facilitated the release of the 2001 album Size of the Ocean.[1] It contained the single "Hibernate" which reached #77 on the Hottest 100 of 2001 chart by Australian national radio station Triple J, a list that was voted on by the station's listeners. Also in 2001, Size of the Ocean was nominated in the ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album category.[2] In 2004, the band released their fourth and final album Dear Friends and Enemies, also on Redline. The album managed to peak at #94 on ARIA's Top 100 Albums chart.[3] In 2006, after performing at the Come Together Music Festival in Luna Park Sydney, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. It was later announced that the band had dissolved on FBi Radio.

The group reunited for a show at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville, Sydney on 18 April 2009. The gig was for the That Then This Now documentary. The band reformed again to support Powderfinger on 18 September 2010 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre as part of Powderfinger's farewell tour.[4]

Side projects

Fish has recorded as a solo artist and released a six-song EP Trick of Light on the Nonlinear label in mid-2012.[5] Fish also reunited with Kennedy to form The Electorate with Josh Morris (Atticus), releasing an album in October 2020 called You Don't Have Time to Stay Lost on the Templebear label.[6]

Greg Atkinson eventually formed Worker Bees with his brother Darren Atkinson. They released their self-titled debut album in 2011.[7] From 2011 to 2017, the Atkinson brothers also reformed their earlier band Ups and Downs, and they released the full-length album The Sky's in Love With You in 2017.

Members

  • Greg Atkinson - lead vocals/rhythm guitars (1990–2006, 2009–2010)
  • Carolyn Polley - lead guitars/backup vocals (1990–2006, 2009–2010)
  • Nick Kennedy - drums (1993–2006, 2009–2010)
  • Eliot Fish - bass/backup vocals (1994–2006, 2009–2010)
  • Darren Jones - bass (1990–1994)
  • Darren Atkinson - drums (1990–1993)

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
[8]
Truck
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD78)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Maximum Sincere
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: The Hypnotized Label (HIP025)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Size of the Ocean
  • Released: March 2001
  • Label: Redline Records (RED003)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Dear Friends and Enemies
  • Released: February 2004
  • Label: Redline Records (RED023)
  • Formats: CD
 94

Extended Plays

List of EPs
Title EP details
Pops Like Crazy
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD44)
  • Formats: CD, Cassette
Chaos
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD58)
  • Formats: CD
Skin a Cat
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD68)
  • Formats: CD
Trouble and Desire
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD98)
  • Formats: CD
Covered in Bruises
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD108)
  • Formats: CD

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2001 Size of the Ocean ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album Nominated [9]

References

  1. ^ "Big Heavy Stuff – Size Of The Ocean". Size of the Ocean at Discogs. Discogs. 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  2. ^ "triple j's Hottest 100". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  3. ^ "Big Heavy Stuff – Dear Friends And Enemies". Dear Friends and Enemies at Discogs. Discogs. 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  4. ^ Andrew Tijs (12 July 2010). "Powderfinger Release More Tickets And Add Supports". Undercover. GoConnect. Archived from the original on 2010-07-13. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  5. ^ Eliot Fish (25 April 2012). "Trick of Light" (Audio upload). Eliot Fish on Soundcloud. Soundcloud. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  6. ^ "The Electorate album review". Rolling Stone. 2 October 2020.
  7. ^ Greg Atkinson; Darren Atkinson (5 October 2011). "Worker Bees". Bandcamp. Bandcamp. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  8. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 30.
  9. ^ "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2001: 15th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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