Big Wreck
Big Wreck | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Still Waters |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1994–2002, 2010-present |
| Labels | Anthem, Atlantic |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | bigwreckmusic |
Big Wreck is a Canadian-American rock band formed by Ian Thornley and Donald Forrest Williams in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994.[1] They disbanded in 2002 and Ian Thornley pursued a solo career with his own band Thornley. In 2010, Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty reunited for a cross-Canada tour, playing both Big Wreck and Thornley songs.[2] In 2012, under the name Big Wreck, the band released their third studio album, Albatross. The band has since released the albums Ghosts in 2014, Grace Street in 2017, and ...But For the Sun in 2019.
History
Formation, band name, In Loving Memory Of...
Big Wreck was originally formed in Boston, Massachusetts by guitarist Ian Thornley, guitarist Brian Doherty, bassist Dave Henning and drummer Forrest Williams while they were students at the Berklee College of Music.[3] Henning and Doherty were previously part of the band Divine Right with lead singer Jim McDermott and drummer Dave Tuohy. The future Big Wreck lineup began jamming and playing gigs together under the name Still Waters in 1992 and officially formed the band in 1994. Unsatisfied with their name, they set out to choose a new official band name, and according to Thornley they settled upon the name Big Wreck after something went wrong during a rehearsal session and Doherty exclaimed the session was a “big wreck”. [4] Upon their formation Thornley was not the original singer of the band, but he became the singer after the band couldn't find one. After a few years of gigging in the Boston area and Toronto, the band got signed to Atlantic Records and released their debut album In Loving Memory Of... in 1997. In the US, their single "The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)" reached the top ten on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart in early 1998.[5] Four months later, their follow-up single "That Song" reached the top 40 on that same chart.[5] The band found even bigger commercial success in Canada, scoring 4 top 40 hits on the Canadian Singles Chart. The band went on a 17-stop tour to publicize their releases.[6]
The Pleasure and the Greed, breakup, other projects
Big Wreck released their second album, The Pleasure and the Greed, in June 2001. Three singles were released, all of which failed to chart in the U.S.
In October of that year, the band played a special show at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Uzume Taiko Ensemble of drummers, guitarist Eric Johnson and The Tragically Hip's Paul Langlois and Robby Baker.[7]
The band broke up in 2002. Ian Thornley moved back to Toronto and formed the band Thornley. Brian Doherty moved to Camlachie, a small community near Sarnia, Ontario, where he taught guitar and prepared students for University or Conservatory entrance requirements.[citation needed] Doherty also went on to form the indie band Death of 8.[8]
Reunion, Albatross
In 2010, Doherty filled in as guitarist at a Thornley show, and that led to Doherty joining the band as a permanent member. A tour promoted as "An Evening with Thornley and Big Wreck" followed, and as a result of the tour's success, the band assumed the Big Wreck moniker, including the existing members of Thornley in the new Big Wreck.[3]
In November 2011, Big Wreck released their first song in ten years, "Albatross". The song was released as the lead single of their 2012 album of the same name. The song achieved chart success in both the US and Canada.
On February 5, 2012, Big Wreck performed at the Sound Academy in Toronto for Canada's Official Super Bowl XLVI party. They also completed two tours that year, touring Canada from British Columbia to Ontario from April to July, then accompanying Theory of a Deadman for their Jingle Bell Rock tour from November to December.
Ghosts and Grace Street
In 2014, the band released their fourth studio album, Ghosts. The album was released in Canada on June 10, 2014 and in the US in July. The album reached #5 on the Canadian Albums Chart and #4 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart. The album was nominated for "Rock Album of the Year" at the Juno Awards of 2015.
In November 2016, Big Wreck released a new single "One Good Piece Of Me" from their upcoming album, Grace Street.
On January 5, 2017, after the recording of the Grace Street album, but prior to its release, guitarist Paulo Neta departed from Big Wreck. Grace Street was released on February 3, 2017.
Ian Thornley wrote the following on Big Wreck's Facebook page:
Beloved Big Wreck fans, it’s with a heavy heart that we announce Paulo’s departure from the band. He has chosen to take a different path in his life and we stand behind his decision, and beside him for life. He is our brother and he will be missed greatly. There will always be room for him on any stage I play on. Ian & BW[9]
ILMO anniversary tour, Brian Doherty's death, But For the Sun
In 2018, Big Wreck embarked on a 35-date North American tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of In Loving Memory Of..., in which they performed every song from the album at each show.[10] The album was also reissued the same year featuring new artwork and two previously unreleased outtakes from the recording sessions, plus the album's first ever vinyl press.
On February 22, 2019, Big Wreck released a new single, "Locomotive", from their upcoming album, But For the Sun. Ian Thornley revealed the titles of several other upcoming songs from the album, including "Follow Me," "Give Us a Smile," and "Found My Place."[11] On May 10, 2019, the band released a follow-up single, entitled "Too Far Gone."
Brian Doherty (born on April 2, 1968) died of lung cancer on June 5, 2019, at age 51.[12][13] The band performed their previously scheduled shows as a trio, with Chris Caddell joining the band later that year. On July 22, 2019, the band released a third single entitled "One More Chance," along with a release date and a tracklist of But For the Sun. The album was released on August 30, 2019.
Members
Current
- Ian Thornley – lead vocals, lead guitar (1994–2002, 2010–present)
- Dave McMillan – bass (2010–present)
- Chuck Keeping – drums (2012–present)
- Chris Caddell - guitar (2019–present)
Former
- Brian Doherty – guitars, banjo, mandolin (1994–2002, 2010–2019; his death)
- Dave Henning – bass (1994–2002)
- Forrest Williams – drums (1994–2002)
- Paulo Neta – lead & rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2010–2017)
- Brad Park – drums (2010–2012)
Tours
- In Loving Memory Of Tour (1997-1999)
- The Pleasure And the Greed Tour (2001-2002)
- An Evening With Ian Thornley and Big Wreck (2010)
- Albatross Tour (2012-2013)
- Ghosts Tour (2014)
- Summer Tour 2016
- Grace Street Tour (2017)
- In Loving Memory Of...20th Anniversary Tour (2018)
- Summer Tour 2018
- But for the Sun Tour (2019)
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [14][15] |
US Heatseekers [16] |
CAN [17] | ||
| 1997 | In Loving Memory Of... | 48 | 31 | 2× Platinum |
| 2001 | The Pleasure and the Greed | 10 | - | |
| 2012 | Albatross | 5 | 25 | |
| 2014 | Ghosts | 5 | 4 | |
| 2017 | Grace Street | 5 | 8 | |
| 2019 | ...But For the Sun | 5 | 5 | |
Extended plays
- Bag of Tricks (2013)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [18][19] |
CAN Alt. [20] |
CAN Rock [21] |
US Mod [22] |
US Main [23] | |||
| 1997 | "The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)" | 21 | 3 | 24 | 9 | In Loving Memory Of... | |
| 1998 | "That Song" | 31 | 7 | — | 32 | ||
| "Blown Wide Open" | 31 | 8 | — | — | |||
| "Under the Lighthouse" (Canadian single only) | 12 | — | — | — | |||
| 2001 | "Inhale" | — | × | × | — | — | The Pleasure and the Greed |
| "Ladylike" (Canadian single only) | — | × | × | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "Knee Deep" (Canadian single only) | — | × | × | — | — | |
| 2011 | "Albatross" | 71 | 2 | 1 | — | 31 | Albatross |
| 2012 | "Wolves" | 98 | 11 | 4 | — | — | |
| "A Million Days" | — | 35 | 8 | — | — | ||
| 2014 | "Ghosts" | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | Ghosts |
| "Come What May"[24][25] | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Hey Mama" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016 | "One Good Piece of Me" | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | Grace Street |
| "Digging In" | — | — | 35 | — | — | ||
| 2017 | "You Don't Even Know" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2019 | "Locomotive" | — | — | 6 | — | — | But For the Sun |
| "Too Far Gone" | — | — | 42 | — | — | ||
| "One More Chance" | — | — | 19 | — | — | ||
| "Alibi" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. "×" denotes periods where charts did not exist or were not archived. | |||||||
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)" | 1997 | Unknown |
| "That Song" | 1998 | |
| "Blown Wide Open" | ||
| "Inhale" | 2001 | |
| "Ladylike" | ||
| "Knee Deep" | 2002 | |
| "Albatross" | 2011 | Micha Dahan |
| "Control" | ||
| "Wolves" | 2012 | |
| "A Million Days" | ||
| "Ghosts" | 2014 | Brad Conrad & George Vale |
| "Come What May" | ||
| "Hey Mama" | Tyler Tasson | |
| "One Good Piece of Me" | 2016 | Nikki Ormerod |
| "You Don't Even Know" | 2017 | Unknown |
| "Too Far Gone" | 2019 | Mike Regis |
| "One More Chance" | ||
| "Locomotive" | Ian Keteku | |
| "Alibi" | 2020 | Adam Jones |
See also
References
- ^ "Big Wreck celebrates 20 years with North American tour", Daily Courier, retrieved May 6, 2020
- ^ [1] Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Big Wreck Frontman Ian Thornley on Their Successful Comeback, How Close He Came to Rejoining Velvet Revolver".
- ^ Heather, Debra. "Interview: Big Wreck Rocking Through Montreal With Ghosts". Montreal Rampage. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ a b "Big Wreck - Chart history - Billboard".
- ^ Bettsy Powell (January 16, 1999). There's no place like home. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. and 58. ISSN 0006-2510.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ "Big Wreck's Strung Out - NOW Toronto's Magazine - Think Free".
- ^ "Canadian Indie Band: Death of 8".
- ^ Big Wreck announces departure of guitarist Paulo Neta. musiclifemagazine. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
- ^ Big Wreck Take 'In Loving Memory Of' on 20th Anniversary Tour. Exclaim!. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ Rebel 1017 - Darryl Spring Interviews Ian Thornley - 03.15.18, retrieved March 19, 2019
- ^ RIP Big Wreck guitarist Brian Doherty. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ "Brian Matthew Doherty April 2, 1968 ~ June 5, 2019 (age 51)". djrobb.on.ca. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ Peak positions for Big Wreck's albums in Canada:
- For "In Loving Memory Of..." "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 67, No. 7, May 11, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
- ^ Peak positions for Big Wreck's singles on Canadian Singles Chart:
- For "The Oaf" "Top Singles - Volume 66, No. 16, January 12, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "That Song" "Top Singles - Volume 67, No. 9, May 25, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Blown Wide Open" "Top Singles - Volume 67, No. 33, November 23, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Under the Lighthouse" "Top Singles - Volume 68, No. 12, December 14, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ Peak positions for Big Wreck's singles on Canadian Alternative rock Chart:
- For "The Oaf" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 66, No. 16, January 12, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "That Song" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 67, No. 15, July 06 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Blown Wide Open" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 67, No. 21, August 17, 1998". RPM. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Albatross" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - February 14, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Wolves" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - July 3, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- For "A Million Days" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - December 11, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on October 4, 2009.
- ^ "Rock Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on October 10, 2009.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- Berklee College of Music alumni
- Rock music groups from Massachusetts
- Musical groups from Boston
- Musical groups established in 1994
- Musical groups disestablished in 2002
- Musical groups reestablished in 2010
- 1994 establishments in Massachusetts
- Canadian alternative rock groups
- American alternative rock groups
- Musical groups from Toronto