Thursday 13 May 2010

Big Blue Fish - Wirehead



We're talking stock of the "Big" bands we've already featured here. Big Bang Theory, Big Daddy Ritter, Big Dog, Big Gulp... well, here's one more. To be honest, we're really just listing other bands because don't know who these guys were.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think there were a couple girl singers in this band. Lindsay and ? maybe. Snyway if I remember right they used to take their shirts off while alot at shows. Yay hippy boobs.

Anonymous said...

I can't confirm/deny hippie boobs, alas, but remember the band. Was the guitarist/singer James Graham? Did BBF morph into Happyman (Vancouver), or was that a totally different band with the same drummer (Michael Nathanson, who played with the last iteration of Tau Ceti, the one that moved to Toronto)?

Unknown said...

Greetings,

Michael Nathanson here. No, Big Blue Fish did not morph into Happyman. I joined Happyman - whose roots-rock could not be more different stylistically than BBF's prog-indie arrangements - when I moved to Vancouver in 1993. I left Happyman in 1997 and continue to play in 3 local groups, including Waltz Darling (CD release June 12th at the Railway Club, should you be out here!).

Lindsay, Leah and Shauna sang with Whiskey Carnival, who were essentially an alt-country BBF fronted by 3 female singers. And yes, their hippie boobs made their fair share of appearances. The looks on the faces of the cowboys at the South Country Fair in Claresholm are with me still.

Coincidentally, I spoke just last week with Kevin Hansen, bassist with Big Blue Fish. He lives in Courtenay, BC. James Graham, who runs a successful IT firm in Calgary, was the lead singer and guitarist.

CJSW is still the best campus radio station on earth.

Cheers!
m

Anonymous said...

interesting that the big blue fish tape went up on j grahams bday. i know because i too am a taurus, as was kevin hansen, dont know where he is. what i do know is that members of this band were tall, and shaggy.

Anonymous said...

Big Blue Fish had three lineups in my memory - including a few musicians already on this site also in various other local bands - in true Calgary fashion

the first lineup was:

James Graham
Michael Nathanson
Kevin Hansen

Graham played in newguineapig with Kim Sturdy (the Nex'd), Pete Balkwill (the will, the agnostic mountain gospel choir) Nicole Brennan (The Dino Martinis) and Hansen.

Nathanson played in Sacred Heart of Elvis, Tau Ceti, and as posted above - Happyman)

Hansen - not so sure - tho I know he was in Whiskey Carnival and the freemasons with Graham, Lou Lowry (Skin Barn, Blackpool, Wagbeard, Roaming Storms, and a few others), and Kirk Brillon (Ramada Gods)

the second lineup had Graham playing with Ted Latimer, Bob Keelaghan, and Case Caufield... i saw that lineup in Edmonton in 92? at the doomed Highwood festival...

those guys were in too many bands to list.

the third lineup morphed into Whiskey Carnival - who flashed more than boobs at their shows... I once saw them playing completely naked - save Hanses - who was fully clothed... there were three girls in that band - but I have no idea who they were - tho Derek Formen (No Limbo Lasso?) was on lead guitar - and was no fun to look at when these guys doffed their garb

i thought Big Blue Fish laid the foundation for a few cowtown prog-rock bands to follow



they morphed into Whiskey Carnival, adding: