Big Black facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Big Black
Jeff Pezzati and Santiago Durango
Background information
Origin	Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Punk rock, alternative rock, indie rock, noise rock, post-hardcore, post-punk
Years active	1981 (1981)–1987 (1987)
Labels	Ruthless, Fever, Homestead, Blast First, Touch and Go
Associated acts	Shellac
Past members	Steve Albini Jeff Pezzati Santiago Durango Dave Riley

Big Black was an American punk rock band that made loud and powerful music. They started in 1981 in Evanston, Illinois, U.S. The band was known for its unique sound, which included a drum machine instead of a real drummer. Their songs often had a very raw and intense feeling.

Who Were Big Black?

The band was first formed by Steve Albini. He played all the instruments himself. Later, other members joined Big Black. These included Jeff Pezzati, Santiago Durango, and Dave Riley. The band was active for about six years, from 1981 to 1987.

Their Unique Sound

Big Black's music was very loud and often used a lot of distortion. This made their guitars sound very rough and powerful. Instead of a human drummer, they used a drum machine. This gave their music a very mechanical and driving rhythm. The specific model Albini used was a Roland TR-606.

Their songs often told intense stories. These stories were sometimes about difficult or dark situations. This made their music very thought-provoking and unique for its time. They mixed different styles like punk rock, alternative rock, and noise rock.

Why They Stopped Playing

Big Black decided to break up in 1987. They had a final tour to say goodbye to their fans. Even after they stopped playing together, their music continued to influence many other bands. Steve Albini went on to work on many other music projects. He became a well-known record producer.

Images for kids

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  A Roland TR-606 drum machine, the model Albini used to create Big Black's drum sound

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  Steve Albini performing with Shellac in 2007

See also

In Spanish: Big Black para niños