Big Black was Steve Albini's noise rock band, formed in Evanston, Illinois in 1981 with a Roland TR-606 drum machine credited as a member. Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987) remain the treble-scorched high-water marks of '80s American underground rock, and original pressings are seriously chased. Explore Big Black vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Big Black formed in Evanston, Illinois in 1981 around Steve Albini, then a journalism student at Northwestern University. The classic lineup featured Albini on vocals and guitar, Santiago Durango on guitar, and Dave Riley on bass, with a Roland TR-606 drum machine credited as Roland providing percussion (early releases used different drum machines). The band intentionally dissolved in 1987 after the release of Songs About Fucking. Albini went on to play in Rapeman and Shellac, and built a parallel career as one of the most important rock recording engineers of the late 20th century. Albini died in May 2024.
Big Black's sound combined noise rock, post-hardcore, and industrial influences with the band's signature drum machine, heavily processed guitar tones, and Albini's caustic vocal delivery and provocatively confrontational lyrical content. Their recordings were notable for their distinctive metallic, treble-emphasizing sonic palette, an aesthetic Albini would continue developing through his engineering career.
Original Homestead and Touch and Go pressings of the Big Black catalog are among the most sought-after items in 1980s American underground rock collecting. Multiple reissue campaigns have been released by Touch and Go, including remastered editions of both studio albums.
Listeners new to Big Black typically start with Atomizer (1986) or Songs About Fucking (1987).
