Big Heavy Stuff

Big Heavy Stuff was an Australian indie rock band, established in 1990 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band released four studio albums before folding in the mid-2000s, later reuniting for some select shows between 2009 and 2010. 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 and Babes in Toyland.

Big Heavy Stuff
Big Heavy Stuff's Greg Atkinson
Background information
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresIndie rock
Years active1990–2006, 2009–2010
LabelsVolition/Sony, Hypnotized, Redline
Associated actsUps and Downs, Dutiful Daughters, The Templebears, The Daisygrinders
Past membersGreg Atkinson
Carolyn Polley
Eliot Fish
Nick Kennedy
Darren Atkinson
Darren Jones
Adam Young
Dave Trump

History

For most of the band's history, Big Heavy Stuff 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 the guitarist in Toys Went Berserk for a time, 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]

The band's song, "Hibernate", reached number 77 in the Triple J (Australian national radio station) 'Hottest 100' of 2001,[3] a list that is voted on by the station's listeners.

In 2006, after performing at the Come Together Music Festival in Luna Park Sydney, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. It was later announced that the band had dissolved on FBi Radio.

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.[4]

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.[5] 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. [6]

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).[7]

Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
[8]
Truck
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD78)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Maximum Sincere
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: The Hypnotized Label (HIP025)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Size of the Ocean
  • Released: March 2001
  • Label: Redline Records (RED003)
  • Formats: CD
 -
Dear Friends and Enemies
  • Released: February 2004
  • Label: Redline Records (RED023)
  • Formats: CD
 94

Extended Plays
List of EPs
Title EP details
Pops Like Crazy
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD44)
  • Formats: CD, Cassette
Chaos
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD58)
  • Formats: CD
Skin a Cat
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD68)
  • Formats: CD
Trouble and Desire
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD98)
  • Formats: CD
Covered in Bruises
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Volition (VOLTCD108)
  • Formats: CD

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2001 Size of the Ocean ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album Nominated [9]

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. "triple j's Hottest 100". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  4. 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.
  5. Eliot Fish (25 April 2012). "Trick of Light" (Audio upload). Eliot Fish on Soundcloud. Soundcloud. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  6. "The Electorate album review". Rolling Stone. 2 October 2020.
  7. Greg Atkinson; Darren Atkinson (5 October 2011). "Worker Bees". Bandcamp. Bandcamp. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  8. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 30.
  9. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2001: 15th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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