Big Heavy Stuff

Big Heavy Stuff was an Australian indie rock band.

Big Heavy Stuff
Big Heavy Stuff's Greg Atkinson
Background information
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresIndie rock
Years active1990–2005, 2009-
LabelsVolition/Sony, Hypnotized, Redline
Associated actsUps and Downs, Dutiful Daughters, The Templebears, The Daisygrinders
MembersGreg Atkinson
Carolyn Polley
Eliot Fish
Nick Kennedy
Past membersDarren Atkinson
Darren Jones
Adam Young
Dave Trump

History

Big Heavy Stuff was established in 1990 in Sydney. It featured Greg Atkinson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Carolyn Polley (lead guitar, backing vocals), Eliot Fish (bass, backing vocals) and Nick Kennedy (drums). Atkinson had previously fronted the band Ups and Downs. While Fish and Kennedy were in The Templebears. Polley was guitarist in a lineup of Toys Went Berserk and also played in Dutiful Daughters.

The band gained the attention of popular Australian "alternative rock" band Jebediah, who added Big Heavy Stuff to the roster of Redline Records, a now-defunct independent label that Jebediah co-founded with its now-defunct management company Naked Ape Management. The arrangement with Redline facilitated the release of two albums: Size of the Ocean[1] and Dear Friends and Enemies.[2]

In 2006, after performing at the Come Together Music Festival in Luna Park Sydney, the band went on an indefinite hiatus, similar to the decision made by Scottish band and label-mate Idlewild in 2010. It was incorrectly announced that the band had dissolved on FBi Radio in January 2006.

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.[3]

Touring

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, Babes in Toyland, and other international artists.

Awards and accolades

The band's song, "Hibernate", reached number 77 in the Triple J (Australian national radio station) 'Hottest 100' of 2001,[4] a list that is voted on by the station's listeners.

Big Heavy Stuff received a "Best Adult Alternative Album" nomination at the 2001 ARIA Awards for its album Size of the Ocean. The award was eventually won by Art of Fighting.[5]

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.[6] Since then, Fish has reunited with Nick 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 through MGM. [7]

Atkinson has gone on to form "Worker Bees" with his brother Darren (also an ex-Big Heavy Stuff and ex-Ups And Downs band-mate).[8]

Discography

Albums

  • Truck (1993)
  • Maximum Sincere (1997)
  • Size of the Ocean (2001)
  • Dear Friends and Enemies (2004), #94 - AUS/ARIA

EP's and SP's

  • Pops Like Crazy (1991)
  • Chaos (1992)
  • Skin a Cat (1993)
  • Trouble and Desire (1994)
  • Covered in Bruises (1995)
  • Birthday (1995)
  • Maximum Sincere (1997)
  • Bigmouth (1997)
  • May (1997)
  • Cheating On a Dead Wife (1997)
  • Devil's Tongue (1999)
  • Two Sisters (2001)
  • Mutiny (2002)

References
  1. "Big Heavy Stuff – Size Of The Ocean". Size of the Ocean at Discogs. Discogs. 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  2. "Big Heavy Stuff – Dear Friends And Enemies". Dear Friends and Enemies at Discogs. Discogs. 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  3. 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.
  4. "triple j's Hottest 100". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  5. Australian Recording Industry Association (2012). "Winners by Year". ARIA Awards. Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  6. Eliot Fish (25 April 2012). "Trick of Light" (Audio upload). Eliot Fish on Soundcloud. Soundcloud. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  7. "The Electorate album review". Rolling Stone.
  8. Greg Atkinson; Darren Atkinson (5 October 2011). "Worker Bees". Bandcamp. Bandcamp. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
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