Big Boys (band)
| Big Boys | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Austin, Texas |
| Genres | Queercore |
| Years active | 1979–1984 |
| Labels | Moment Productions Wasted Talent Enigma Records |
| Associated acts |
MDC The Dicks |
| Past members |
Randy "Biscuit" Turner Tim Kerr Chris Gates Steve Collier Greg Murray Fred Schultz Rey Washam |
The Big Boys were a pioneering punk rock band who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk that became popular in the 1980s.
Based in Austin, Texas the band members were Randy "Biscuit" Turner on vocals, Tim Kerr on guitar and Chris Gates on bass. The key members of the band were childhood friends for a decade before the band was started. Over the years the group played with five drummers in all; Steve Collier, Greg Murray, Fred Schultz, Rey Washam and Kevin Tubb who played only one show (the band's first) because Collier was sick.
The hardcore punk style, a development from the earlier punk sound, arose spontaneously in various cities, but in Austin it was represented by MDC, Big Boys, The Huns, The Skunks and The Dicks. The bands often played together; Big Boys and The Dicks jointly released a split single and an LP, Live At Raul's.
Big Boys shows were legendary, frequently involving food fights, with "Biscuit" frequently sporting a pink ballerina's tutu and pink cowboy boots. Invitations would be made to the audience to come up and sing along, which often occurred. At the end of early shows, the band was famous for yelling, "OK y'all, go start your own band."
Queried about his sexuality by Flipside magazine in 1982, "Biscuit" Turner replied:
"I don't know if I want to answer that or not because it doesn't make any difference if I'm gay or not, I'm a human being and my sexual preference doesn't play into my lifestyle. It comes from my heart and I want people to look at me and say I'm a human being — don't ask me about what 5% of my life is."
The Big Boys are credited as well with the introduction of funk rhythms to hardcore, producing funk metal, an innovation influential on later bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, who actually opened up for the Big Boys in Hollywood. This is due in no small part to the addition of a Horn Section, The Impromptu Horns, spearheaded by Chris Gates' brother, Nathan. The Impromptu Horns played mainly local shows, and played on some of the funkiest tracks recorded by The Big Boys. Most of the horn players, who rotated in and out of the section, went to High School with Chris and Nathan (according to Austin local punk rock authority and gay-rights activist "Fat" Scott T.) Horn players included Nathan Gates, David Kitto and Tim Kopra, trombones; Brent Fawns and David Griffy, trumpets.
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