The Big F

Last updated
The Big F
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active1988–1995
Labels
Spinoff of Berlin
Past membersJohn Crawford
Rob Brill
Mark Christian
Sheldon "Algazzam" Gomberg
Website Official Facebook page

The Big F was an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, [1] by guitarist Mark Christian and former members of Berlin, bassist and vocalist John Crawford and drummer Rob Brill.

Contents

History

The Big F was formed in 1988 by John Crawford and Rob Brill after their previous band Berlin broke up. [1] They were joined by guitarist Mark Christian, and later found themselves signed to Elektra Records, which released their self-titled debut album in 1989. [1] Although the album failed to chart and received mixed reviews by music critics, [2] [3] it was supported by the singles "Kill the Cowboy" and "Doctor Vine", both of which received considerable airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball and 120 Minutes as well as the Long Beach radio station KNAC. [4]

Although The Big F never broke into the mainstream, they did establish a following within the underground music community, opening for such bands as Bad Religion, [5] Soundgarden, [6] [7] Voivod, [6] [8] T.S.O.L. and many others. In 1992, Chrysalis Records signed The Big F and released their second album Is the following year. Despite receiving rave reviews, [9] Is did not sell as well as expected, and The Big F soon broke up, due to internal tensions between band members. [4]

After the breakup, guitarist Mark Christian would team up with bassist Kinley "Barney" Wolfe (Lord Tracy, The Cult) in the short-lived band Milk The Cow who released their sole self-titled effort in 1996.

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kreator</span> German thrash metal band

Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The band's lineup has changed multiple times over its 42-year career, most noticeably with their bassists and lead guitarists. Petrozza and Reil are the only two original members left in Kreator, although the latter took a break from the band from 1994 to 1996. Yli-Sirniö has been the lead guitarist of Kreator since 2001, while Leclercq joined in 2019 as the replacement of Christian "Speesy" Giesler, who had been a member of the band since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berlin (band)</span> American synthpop band

Berlin is an American new wave band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained commercial success in the 1980s with singles including "The Metro", "Sex ", "No More Words" and the chart-topping "Take My Breath Away" from the 1986 film Top Gun, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. The group disbanded right after reaching global success. The best-known lineup consisted of singer Terri Nunn, bass guitarist and vocalist John Crawford, keyboardist David Diamond, guitarist Ric Olsen, keyboardist Matt Reid, and drummer Rob Brill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fabulous Thunderbirds</span> American blues rock band

The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American blues band formed in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Newsted</span> American bassist (born 1963)

Jason Curtis Newsted is an American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band Metallica from 1986 to 2001. He first performed with thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam from 1981 to 1986 before joining Metallica to succeed the deceased Cliff Burton. Newsted performed on the albums ...And Justice for All (1988), Metallica (1991), Load (1996), and Reload (1997).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voivod (band)</span> Canadian heavy metal band

Voivod is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger, guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and bassist Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault. The band has had numerous members changes throughout its 42-year career, with Langevin as the only consistent member. Their current line-up includes Langevin, Bélanger, Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitar) and Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (bass).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Phillips (drummer)</span> English drummer (born 1957)

Simon Phillips is a US-based English jazz, fusion and rock drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He worked with rock bands during the 1970s and 1980s and was the drummer for the band Toto from 1992 to 2014.

Vio-lence is an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout its existence, they released demo tapes, one EP and three studio albums. Vio-lence is best-known for their association with the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, and often credited as one of the leading lights of the second wave of the genre, along with Pantera, Sepultura, Sacred Reich, Dark Angel, Annihilator and Flotsam and Jetsam as well as their Bay Area counterparts Testament, Death Angel and Forbidden. The band has also been referred to as one of the so-called "Big Six of Bay Area thrash metal", alongside Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Lȧȧz Rockit and Forbidden.

Massacre is an American death metal band. They were formed in 1984 by Allen West, Bill Andrews, and Mike Borders, soon after vocalist Kam Lee joined. The band has reunited several times with varying line-ups, most recently in late 2016.

The Georgia Satellites are an American Southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They achieved mainstream success with their 1986 self-titled debut album, featuring their best-known single "Keep Your Hands to Yourself", which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two more albums followed – Open All Night (1988) and the band's last to feature original material In the Land of Salvation and Sin (1989) – before they went on hiatus in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impellitteri</span> American heavy metal band

Impellitteri is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri, singer Rob Rock, and bassist James Amelio Pulli. The band has sold millions of albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galactic Cowboys</span> American heavy metal band

Galactic Cowboys are an American heavy metal band based in Houston, Texas. They combine progressive metal with a vocal style influenced by The Beatles and the heavy playing style of thrash bands such as Anthrax. They have been described as "possibly the most melodic metal band ever to exist in Christian or general markets." Although the band members are Christians, they did not consider Galactic Cowboys to be a Christian band. The band has toured with prominent hard rock and metal acts such as Anthrax, Dream Theater, King's X and Overkill. Despite their general lack of commercial success, the band has garnered a cult following throughout its existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bang Tango</span> American hard rock band

Bang Tango is an American hard rock band. The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1988 and was signed to MCA Records the same year.

John Buckner Crawford is an American singer-songwriter known for co-founding the pop group Berlin, which had several hit songs in the 1980s. Crawford's career as a musician began in junior high after breaking his leg during a basketball game. In an attempt to fight off the boredom of being injured, he picked up a guitar and began taking lessons at a musical instrument retailer in nearby Fullerton, California, where his teacher put him in touch with future Berlin band members Dan Van Patten, Chris Velasco, and Tyson Cobb. John attended El Dorado High School in Placentia, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razor (band)</span> Canadian speed metal band

Razor is a Canadian speed metal band formed in 1983 at Guelph, Ontario. They are also recognized as the pioneers of Canadian thrash metal and have been referred to as one of the country's "Big Four", alongside Sacrifice, Voivod and Annihilator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Lords (band)</span> American rock band

House of Lords is an American rock band based in Connecticut, with members in New Jersey and Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Williams (musician)</span> English-Jamaican bassist

Leo Williams, also known as E-Zee Kill, is an English-Jamaican bassist residing in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Then Jerico</span> English rock band

Then Jerico are an English rock band. They scored four top 40 hits in the UK during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacrifice (band)</span> Canadian thrash metal band

Sacrifice is a Canadian thrash metal band from Toronto, Ontario. The band was formed by guitarists Rob Urbinati and Joe Rico in 1983. Sacrifice played a prominent role in the 1980s underground metal scene in Toronto, and along with Voivod, Razor and Annihilator, they are considered one of the "Big Four" of Canadian thrash metal. The band released four studio albums before parting ways in 1993. After coming back together to play a reunion concert in 2006, they released their fifth studio album The Ones I Condemn on Brazilian label Marquee Records in 2009. Although the band faced numerous line-up changes, especially in their early days, founding guitarists Urbinati, Rico and bassist Scott Watts recorded every studio album and demo with drummer Gus Pynn on everything but the Apocalypse Inside demo and CD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twenty Flight Rockers</span> Band

Twenty Flight Rockers were a late 1980s English rock music band, founded by the singer Gary Twinn, drummer Mark Laff, and the bassist Steve Counsel.

Prime Time was a band formed by Ornette Coleman in 1975 featuring two electric guitarists, two drummers, and occasionally two electric bassists alongside Coleman's saxophone. The band utilized Harmolodics to create their music. Founding members included guitarist Bern Nix, guitarist Charles Ellerbee, bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, drummer Denardo Coleman and drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson. Later members including bassist Albert MacDowell and drummer Sabir Kamal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 58. ISBN   0-7535-0257-7.
  2. "The Big F - The Big F". AllMusic . Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  3. "THE BIG F by THE BIG F". rockandrolljunkie.com. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "SongoftheDay: ALPERT TANGO by THE BIG F". rockandrolljunkie.com. April 29, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  5. "06/09/1988 - Los Angeles, CA". thebrpage.net. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Voivod". metallipromo.com. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  7. Boehm, Mike (December 8, 1989). "Big F Turns Back on Heavy Metal Fashion Mode". L.A. Times . Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  8. "1993-96 Tour Dates". voivod.net. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  9. "Big F". trouserpress.com. Retrieved March 4, 2016.