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Big Heavy Stuff
Australian rock band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Big Heavy Stuff was an Australian indie rock band, established in 1990 in Sydney. 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.[citation needed]
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History
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Big Heavy Stuff was initially formed by brothers Greg Atkinson (lead vocals/rhythm guitars) and Darren Atkinson (drums/backing vocals), along with Carolyn Polley (lead guitars/backing vocals) and Darren Jones (bass). All four members were involved in a number of bands throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Greg Atkinson had previously fronted the band Ups and Downs, which Darren Atkinson was also a member of. Ups and Downs was more pop in nature, and the two brothers formed Big Heavy Stuff to venture into the rock genre. Jones played bass in the bands The Pranksters and Glovebox. Polley was the guitarist in Toys Went Berserk, and also played in Dutiful Daughters (both Jones and Darren Atkinson were members of Dutiful Daughters at one point as well).
Since Ups and Downs released their final EP on Volition Records (an Australian division of Sony Records), Big Heavy Stuff was immediately signed to Volition. Their debut EP, Pops Like Crazy, was released in 1991. It contained a cover of The Carpenters' rendition of "Superstar", which ultimately became the band's first music video. Big Heavy Stuff then released their full-length album Truck in 1993. Afterwards, Darren Atkinson left the band and was replaced by Nick Kennedy. They then released the EP Trouble & Desire in 1994, and Jones departed from the band shortly after. He was replaced on bass by Eliot Fish.[1]
The stabilized lineup released the EP Covered in Bruises in 1995, and it was the band's final release on Volition. In the U.S., "Birthday" was released as a single to promote the EP, and the single was issued by DeSoto Records (which was owned by two members of the post-hardcore band Jawbox). Big Heavy Stuff then signed with The Hypnotized Label, which was a division of Shock Records. They released their second album Maximum Sincere on Hypnotized, and four different singles were released to promote the album. During the tour for Maximum Sincere, Polley departed from the band. At her urging, she was replaced on guitar by former Daisygrinders member Adam Young. This lineup recorded a live album in 1997, Live at the Thebarton Theatre, also released by Hypnotized. By 1999 however, Polley replaced Young, and the band also left Hypnotized around the same time.[1]
The band gained the attention of popular Australian alternative rock band Jebediah, who added Big Heavy Stuff to the roster of Redline Records in 2000, an independent label that Jebediah co-founded with its then-management company Naked Ape Management. The arrangement with Redline facilitated the release of the 2001 album Size of the Ocean.[2] It contained the single "Hibernate" which reached No. 77 on the Hottest 100 of 2001 chart by Australian national radio station Triple J, a list that was voted on by the station's listeners. Also in 2001, Size of the Ocean was nominated in the ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album category.[3] In 2004, the band released their fourth and final album Dear Friends and Enemies, also on Redline. The album managed to peak at No. 94 on ARIA's Top 100 Albums chart.[4] 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.[5]
Various reissues occurred in 2023 and 2024. Both Size of the Ocean and Dear Friends and Enemies were reissued on vinyl and cassette. In addition, an acoustic-oriented live album titled Live at Triple J 2004 was released as well. In 2025, the band released Bruises, which consisted of Covered in Bruises in its entirety, along with twelve additional songs that were recorded between 1995 and 1997. Bruises notably peaked at No. 18 on ARIA's Australian Albums chart.[6]
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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.[7] Prior to joining Big Heavy Stuff, Fish and Kennedy were in a band named The Templebears alongside Josh Morris. Fish, Kennedy, and Morris eventually reunited as The Electorate, releasing an album in October 2020 called You Don't Have Time to Stay Lost. Their second album was released in 2025, titled By Design.[8]
In addition to producing and recording various acts (which also included Big Heavy Stuff after his departure), Darren Atkinson played in the band Atticus during the 1990s (which also included the aforementioned Morris). Greg Atkinson eventually formed Worker Bees with Darren Atkinson. They released their self-titled debut album in 2011.[9] The Atkinson brothers also reformed their earlier band Ups and Downs, and they released the full-length album The Sky's in Love With You in 2017. Their subsequent album, Stained Glass Memories, was released in 2025.
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Members
- Greg Atkinson – lead vocals, rhythm guitars (1990–2006, 2009–2010)
- Carolyn Polley – lead guitars, backing vocals (1990–1997, 1999–2006, 2009–2010)
- Nick Kennedy – drums (1993–2006, 2009–2010)
- Eliot Fish – bass, backing vocals (1994–2006, 2009–2010)
- Adam Young – lead guitars (1997–1999)
- Darren Jones – bass (1990–1994)
- Darren Atkinson – drums, backing vocals (1990–1993)
Timeline
Color denotes main live duty.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Extended Plays
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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.
References
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