Big Drill Car

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Big Drill Car
Origin Costa Mesa, California, USA
Genre(s) Pop punk
Melodic hardcore
Years active 1987 - 1995, 2008
Label(s) Varient Records!
Cruz Records
Cargo/Headhunter Records
Website Official website

Big Drill Car is a pop punk/melodic hardcore group from Huntington Beach, California, who were active from the late 1980s to mid-1990s. The group never gained any mainstream audience, but were an influence on their contemporaries – most notably ALL, Chemical People and Dag Nasty – alongside whom they are considered the early pioneers of the sound that would later be called melodic hardcore.

Big Drill Car released an EP, Small Block, in 1988 before being signed to Cruz Records (owned by former Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn) and releasing two studio albums. The band eventually parted ways with that label and signed to Headhunter Records, who released No Worse for the Wear, the band's last album to date.

Big Drill Car broke up in 1995, but reunited for a one-off show in 2008, with the now-classic original lineup.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] "Classic" original lineup-era (1987-1991)

Big Drill Car was formed in 1987 while Frank Daly and Mark Arnold were still in the seminal OC punk band M.I.A.. Frank and Mark had written some songs that were not M.I.A.-style songs so they got together with some friends (Bob and Danny) and started playing around. Their first shows were a fun mix of covers (like the Descendents' "I'm Not A Loser and Dead Kennedys' "Too Drunk to Fuck') and these new originals songs. After M.I.A. broke up, Big Drill Car entered the studio in 1988 to record the EP Small Block. They were a hard working hard touring band who were rough on their tour vans.

While touring with M.I.A., Frank and Mark met and played with The Descendents. After M.I.A. broke up and the Descendents became ALL the bands started playing locally and touring together. After "signing" with Greg Ginn's newly formed Cruz Records, Stephen Egerton (guitar ALL/Descendents) and Bill Stephenson drums ALL/Descendents/Black Flag) started up working with Big Drill Car in the studio to record their debut album, Album/Tape/CD Type Thing, which was released in 1989.

[edit] Final years (1992-1995)

After the release of their third album, Batch, Big Drill Car parted ways with the now-"classic" original line-up. Bob had announced that he was leaving the band to play in another band who was on the verge of a major label deal. The show was at the PALACE in Los Angeles. It was the biggest of the "VIVA CRUZ" shows (annual shows, show casing the Cruz bands ALL, Big Drill Car and Chemical People). Bob was more active and animated on stage that night than ever before. Bob was replaced by Darrin Morris. Darin fit in perfectly - he was a big fan, a super nice guy and he knew all the songs already. Not long after Darrin joined the band, Danny left. Danny was replaced by a few drummers including Jamie Reidling (Cadillac Tramps/US Bombs) and Keith Fallis (Carnival Art). They went on to release 2 records with Keith on Cargo Records, Toured (A Live Album) and No Worse for the Wear, then broke up in 1995.

[edit] Post-breakup (1996-2007)

After breaking up, Frank Daly (vocalist) and Mark Arnold (guitarist) joined forces with John Kastner (Doughboys/Asexuals)to form the band All Systems Go!.

Mark is currently working as a soundman, recently working for Lemonheads/Jesus and Mary Chain/Breeders/Rocket From The Crypt.

Frank was guitar teching for Rocket From The Crypt for a while them went on to tour manage Reel Big Fish before settling down, getting married and having a family.

[edit] Reunion (2008-present)

On May 23, 2008, it was reported on Punknews.org that Big Drill Car (with the classic Small Block lineup) was reuniting for a one-off reunion show to take place at Fitzgerald's Pub in Huntington Beach, CA on August 13.[1]

[edit] Line-ups

Frank Daly at the AntiClub 1990
Frank Daly at the AntiClub 1990
Bob Thomson at the AntiClub 1990
Bob Thomson at the AntiClub 1990
Danny Marcroft circa 1990
Danny Marcroft circa 1990
(1987-1992)
Classic lineup
  • Frank Daly — vocals
  • Mark Arnold — guitar
  • Bob Thomson — bass
  • Danny Marcroft — drums
(1992-1995)
  • Frank Daly — vocals
  • Mark Arnold — guitar
  • Darrin Morris — bass
  • Keith Fallis — drums
(1995-2008)

(Band inactive)
(2008)
Reunion of "classic"
original lineup
  • Frank Daly — vocals
  • Mark Arnold — guitar
  • Bob Thomson — bass
  • Danny Marcroft — drums

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio Albums and EPs

[edit] 7" Singles

[edit] Compilation Appearances

  • Cruz Sampler 7" (1991) - "Restless Habs"
  • The Big One: City of L.A. Power (1991) - "A Take Away"
  • Something's Gone Wrong Again: The Buzzcocks Covers Compilation (1992) - "I Don't Mind"
  • 13 Back-Ordered Hits (1993) - "16 Lines"
  • Blackbox Sampler (1993) - "Big Shot (live)"
  • Case Closed? An International Compilation of Husker Du Cover Songs (1993) - "Celebrated Summer"
  • By The Banks of the Mighty Santa Ana, Vol. II (1994) - "Song No. 40"
  • Super Mixer (1996) - "Nothin' At All"
  • Keep the Beat (1996) - "Celebrated Summer"
  • O.C.'s 5400 Day Revolution (1999) - "Big Shot (studio version)"

[edit] Known Associates

  • Darin Oosthuizen - road manager/roadie
  • Greg Jacobs - Manager
  • Stormy Shepherd - Booking Agent

[edit] References

  1. ^ Big Drill Car announce reunion show. Punknews.org (May 23, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-23.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Big Drill Car
Frank Daly • Mark Arnold • Darrin Morris • Keith Fallis
Bob Thomson • Danny Marcroft
Studio albums
EPs/Singles
Small Block (1988) • "Surrender/Getaway" (split w/ Chemical People) (1991) • "The Snapperhead E.P." (split w/ Thud!) (1992) • "No Worse for the Wear/Black Country Rock" (1994) • "Nothin' At All/Trash the House" (1994)
Live albums
Side projects
All Systems Go! • Cadillac Tramps • Carnival Art • M.I.A. • U.S. Bombs
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