Big Pig
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Big Pig was an Australian band known for blending funk, rock, and pop genres, active between 1985 and 1991. The early roster included Sherine Abeyratne (lead vocals, percussion; formerly of Editions and Bang), Tony Antoniades (vocals, harmonica), Neil Baker (drums), Nick Disbray (vocals, percussion), Tim Rosewarne (vocals, keyboards; ex-Bang), Adrian Scaglione (drums), and Oleh Witer (vocals, percussion; previously with Bang). They produced two albums under Mushroom Records' White Label: Bonk (released May 1988) and You Lucky People (released 15 November 1990).
The album Bonk achieved a peak position of No. 5 on the Kent Music Report and climbed to No. 2 in the New Zealand charts. Their singles that reached the top 50 on the Kent Music Report included "Hungry Town" (October 1986) at No. 18, "Breakaway" (February 1988) at No. 8, and "Big Hotel" (July) at No. 40. In New Zealand, "Breakaway" topped the charts at No. 1, while both "Hungry Town" and "Big Hotel" secured spots within the top 30. At the 1987 ARIA Music Awards, Big Pig earned nominations for Best New Talent and Best Video for "Hungry Town," alongside winning Best Cover Art for their debut EP, an accolade awarded to Witer.
1984–1985: Formation
In 1984, drummer Oleh Witer established Big Pig in London following unsuccessful efforts with previous groups. Drawing inspiration from the structured performance style of Japanese taiko drummers—where each musician plays a fixed part without improvisation—Witer sought to develop an uncompromising and distinctive musical identity. Initially, the band featured eight or nine drummers performing intricate rhythms with Witer providing vocals.
Sherine Abeyratne joined after attending one of their early shows; she brought a wealth of experience from several dynamic Australian bands and had toured as a backing vocalist with INXS. Another early addition was Nick Disbray on vocals and percussion.
Witer and Abeyratne had collaborated previously in Melbourne’s funk outfit Bang. Aspiring to craft a sound that was simultaneously experimental and funky, Witer returned to Melbourne when his visa expired. By late 1985, Big Pig's lineup had solidified with Abeyratne, Antoniades, Baker, Disbray, Rosewarne, Scaglione, and Witer. Their music fused avant-garde funk and disco elements with accessible pop influences.
1986: Big Pig
Big Pig made their debut in February 1986 and independently released a self-funded three-track EP in May, co-produced by Etienne Conod along with the band members. Two standout tracks from this EP, "Hungry Town" and "Money God," attracted Mushroom Records’ White Label Records, which reissued the EP in October featuring additional dance remix versions. The band delayed their planned return to London due to growing interest from the United States market, aiming to capitalize on opportunities within American club circuits. Notably, their unique sound was characterized by substituting lead guitar parts with harmonica.
"Hungry Town" reached No. 18 on Australia’s Kent Music Report Singles Chart and No. 22 in New Zealand. At the inaugural ARIA Music Awards in 1987, Witer received the award for Best Cover Artist for his work on the EP’s artwork. Additionally, Big Pig garnered nominations for Best New Talent and Best Video for "Hungry Town," which was directed by Richard Lowenstein and filmed inside a Melbourne dance venue.
1987–1989: Bonk
Big Pig's first full-length album, Bonk, was produced in 1987 across studios in Melbourne, Sydney, and London with Nick Launay at the helm. The mixing process took place in London prior to its release in May 1988. The record showcased intricate percussion by combining programmed drum machines with live drumming to preserve a dynamic rhythm that avoided a mechanical feel.
Bonk climbed to No. 5 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and earned platinum certification. The band's distinctive sound—characterized by an emphasis on drums, harmonica, and vocal elements without guitar accompaniment—and their industrial-themed live performances, where they wore black waterproof aprons, set them apart within the Australian music scene. In May 1988, they embarked on a tour across the United States.
From this album, three singles emerged: a cover of Chuck Jackson's "Breakaway" (peaking at No. 8), "Big Hotel" (reaching No. 40), and "Iron Lung." A&M Records issued Bonk in the U.S. in March 1988; it attained No. 93 on the Billboard 200 chart. "Breakaway" reached No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to No. 7 on the Dance Music/Club Play chart. Tracks from Bonk gained additional exposure through placements on BBC-TV's DEF II Rough Guides, the television series Miami Vice, and films like Young Einstein and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, broadening their audience reach.
1990–1991: You Lucky People
Released on 15 November 1990, Big Pig's sophomore album You Lucky People was produced by Hawk Wolinski alongside Daddy-O. According to Oleh Witer’s interview with Shane Walker of The Canberra Times, following the Bonk era, the group dedicated time to rest and songwriting, making this album a more collaborative project with evolving instrumental arrangements. Walker described it as "more subtle and rounded," emphasizing their "combination of deep bass lines, powerful vocals, blues-inflected harmonica, and multiple drummers."
Penelope Layland remarked on the album’s "straightforward, funky groove" enriched by harmonica and keyboard layers. The band supported the release with a tour before performing their final concert at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl in February 1991. Their last single, "King of Nothing," was released on 18 March 1991 shortly before the group disbanded.
1991–present: Afterwards
In 1991, Nick Disbray collaborated with Caitlin Reilly and went on to release his solo album Yep! by 1994.
Tim Rosewarne joined Chocolate Starfish toward the end of 1994 and currently performs keyboards in the Absolutely 80's tour alongside prominent Australian musicians such as Scott Carne and Sean Kelly. Oleh Witer has pursued a career as a visual artist exhibiting throughout Australia and composed music for the 1996 motion picture Love and Other Catastrophes.
To mark its 25th anniversary, Mushroom Records reissued "Hungry Town" in June 1998. In 2007, US House singer Inaya Day recorded a cover version of "Breakaway." Additionally, "Hungry Town" was featured in Channel 9’s series premiere of Underbelly: The Golden Mile in April 2010.
Former members
- Sherine Abeyratne — lead vocals, percussion
- Tony Antoniades — vocals, harmonica
- Neil Baker — drums
- Nick Disbray — vocals, percussion
- Tim Rosewarne — vocals, keyboards
- Adrian Scaglione — drums
- Oleh Witer — vocals, drums, percussion
Touring and session musicians
- Jim Benning – guitar
- Al Colman – bass guitar
- Mike Tyler – guitar, bass, backing vocals
Additional affiliations
- Rosewarne: Scratch Record Scratch, Red=Blue=Yellow, Bang, Big Choir, Flares, Crawling Kingsnakes, Chocolate Starfish, 21/20, Absolutely '80s
- Abeyratne: Grand Wazoo Band of 1000 Dances, The Editions, Bang, Big Choir, Bob Starkie Shape Up, Gospel Truth, Jo Jo Zep Band, Black Coffee, Dianna Boss and The Extremes, The Rock Party, Mercy Mercy, Sherine, Sherine's X Machine
- Witer: Scratch Record Scratch, Bang
- Baker: Crawling Kingsnakes, Convenience Store
Studio albums
| Album | Release details | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | NZ | US | |||
| Bonk |
|
5 | 2 | 93 |
|
| You Lucky People |
|
104 | — | — | |
EPs
| Title | Release information |
|---|---|
| Big Pig |
|
Singles
| Song title | Year issued | Peak chart positions | Associated album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | NZ | UK | US | |||
| "Hungry Town" | 1986 | 18 | 22 | 91 | — | Big Pig |
| "Boy Wonder" | 1987 | 59 | — | — | — | Bonk |
| "Breakaway" | 1988 | 8 | 1 | 89 | 60 | |
| "Big Hotel" | 1988 | 40 | 27 | — | — | |
| "Iron Lung" | 1988 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Justifier + Taste" | 1990 | 73 | — | — | — | You Lucky People |
| "Hanging Tree" | 1991 | 174 | — | — | — | |
| "King of Nothing" | 1991 | — | — | — | — | |
Appearances on soundtracks
| Song title | Year released | Soundtrack album |
|---|---|---|
| "Hungry Town" | 1988 | Young Einstein |
| "Boy Wonder" | ||
| "Breakaway" | 1989 | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and creativity within the Australian music industry. Since the awards began in 1987, Big Pig has secured one victory from a total of five nominations.
|- | rowspan="3" | 1987 | rowspan="2" | "Hungry Town" | Best New Talent | |- | Best Video | |- | Big Pig | Best Cover Art | |- | rowspan="2" | 1989 | Bonk | Album of the Year | |- | "Big Hotel" | Best Video | |-
Countdown Australian Music Awards
The Australian pop music television program Countdown was known for presenting awards from 1979 through 1987. In 1986, Big Pig received several nominations and won the award for Most Promising New Talent.
|- | rowspan="3" | 1986 | "Hungry Town" | Best Debut Single | |- | rowspan="3" | themselves | Best Debut Act | |- | Most Promising New Talent | |-
External links
- Small photo of Big Pig available at Artist Direct
