Racer-X

Racer-X is the third EP by American post-hardcore band Big Black. It was released by Homestead Records in 1984 and reissued by Touch and Go Records in 1992.

This article is about the EP by Big Black. For other uses of the term, see Racer X (disambiguation).
Racer-X
EP by
Big Black
Released1984
GenreNoise rock, post-hardcore
Length15:36
LabelHomestead, Touch and Go
Big Black chronology
Bulldozer
(1983)		 Racer-X
(1984)		 Atomizer
(1986)
1992 reissue
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideA–[2]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]
Tom HullB+[4]

Racer-X was the first of Big Black's records to cement their instrumental lineup of two guitars, one bass guitar and a Roland TR-606 drum machine. It was the final album to feature the bass playing of Jeff Pezzati who left to dedicate more time on his primary band Naked Raygun.

Like Big Black's first 2 EPs, the original record contained just six songs (five by Big Black, one by James Brown) clocking in at under 20 minutes total.

Title

Racer X was a character on the seminal anime series Speed Racer. The EP's title track makes numerous references to the original TV show.

Single

The song "Il Duce" (about Benito Mussolini) was recorded in the same session as the songs from the Racer-X EP. The song was released the following year as a 7" single backed with "Big Money" from the Atomizer LP. Homestead records also issued a promotional 12" version of the single with "Il Duce" and "Big Money" on the A-side, plus three live tracks on the B-side.[5]

Cover art

The original EP featured cover art by Nate Kaatrud (better known as National Kato/Nash Kato) from the band Urge Overkill. When Touch and Go reissued the EP in 1992, the original artwork could not be found and a new cover was produced.[5]

Influence

The Japandroids covered "Racer-X" during their Dec 15, 2009 Daytrotter session. Of “Racer X” they say this:

We’re recording a 7-inch in January and this going to be the B-side. This song was originally done by Big Black and came out on the Racer-X EP in 1984. Our version is pretty good, but the original is a masterpiece.

Track listing
  1. "Racer-X" - 4:01
  2. "Shotgun" - 3:28
  3. "The Ugly American" - 2:41
  4. "Deep Six" - 3:14
  5. "Sleep!" - 2:42
  6. "The Big Payback" (James Brown) - 2:29

Personnel

Recorded by Iain Burgess in Chicago.

References
  1. Kellman, Andy. "allmusic ((( Racer-X > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Brackett, Nathan. "Big Black". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. November 2004. pg. 69, cited March 17, 2010
  4. Tom Hull. "Grade List: big black". Tom Hull - on the web. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  5. Anti, Obik. "Big Black: Racer X". Big Black, from pre-history to present. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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