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Occasionally psychedelic funk, pop, rock with a DJ
If their past experience with backwardsivity shows anything about Big Ass Truck their re release "Who Let You In Here" ought to be a big success.
From the beginning, Big Ass Truck has always done things a little backwards. They once even played live before with drummer Robert Barnett's back facing the crowd. Perfect for a band that can be called none other than original, with experimental grooves that mix Colin Butler's turntable sounds into their traditional funky Memphis style rock.
The first gig Big Ass Truck ever played was booked before the band was even a band. Guitar player/ singer/ keyboardist Steve Selvidge recounts "The owner of The Antenna Club (in their hometown Memphis) called up and asked for a last minute replacement band. I told him I had been working with some people and could put a band together pretty quick. When he asked me the name, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was 'Big Ass Truck'". It's now seven years later and here they are, using the same name and almost the same original line up. The only change in band members since the beginning of Big Ass Truck time is the addition of bassist Grayson Grant. Grayson happens to be Robby Grant's (vocals, guitar) younger brother.
Not long after they formed, Big Ass Truck signed to a division of Rounder Records called Upstart. When Upstart began to take a back burner on the priority list for Rounder, Big Ass Truck decided to go the indie route. Wait - don't bands usually sign to indie labels first, and then move on to majors? Not Big Ass Truck.
After leaving Upstart, Big Ass Truck revived Memphis label Peabody Records, which happened to be Steve Selvidge's father's label. Sid Selvidge is a Memphis legend, best known for his work with Alex Chilton, and Mud Boy and the Neutrons. Since Big Ass Truck has also become a legend in Memphis, it was only appropriate for them to carry on tradition. After being defunct for 20 years, Peabody Records released "Who Let You In Here?" in 1998.
This year, Big Ass Truck signed with Atlanta based indie label Terminus Records. Even though Big Ass Truck had sold 6,000 units of "Who Let You In Here?" on their own, Terminus knew they could do more with the record if it was marketed on a national level. So they decided to repackage and re-release the record. It will hit the streets in the Fall of 2000.
Despite their tendency to go about things completely opposite of the way things are usually done, Big Ass Truck has been quite a success over the years. They have toured with Ben Harper and played a few of their 200+ gigs a year with 311, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Fishbone.
The new record was done sort of backwards, too. Big Ass Truck went into the studio with two songs written. The rest of the tunes were done on the fly, sort of a test. Selvidge says the band has a sort of modus operandi of "Wouldn't it be cool if " and then they just make the if into a reality. That's how they wrote the songs for the new record, which they are now in the process of mastering (due out in January 2001).
Big Ass Truck is:
Robert Barnett - Drums
Colin Butler - DJ, beats, loops
Grayson Grant - bass
Robby Grant - Vocals, Guitar
Steve Selvidge - Vocals, Guitars
Ariel Publicity • ariel@arielpublicity.com • www.arielpublicity.com
© 2000 Ariel Publicity & Big Ass Truck
