Randy "Biscuit" Turner of the Big Boys

Word is just now coming out that Randy "Biscuit" Turner, vocalist and performer supreme of Texan legends The Big Boys has passed away. You can read his obituary here, and visit what will surely become a tribute site in the future right here.

Not being from Texas and also being too young to have experienced the miracle of the Big Boys firsthand, they were a band I discovered -- like many great things -- through the pages of badly photocopied fanzines in high school. Luminaries like Byron Coley, King Coffey (Butthole Surfers), Charles Maggio (Rorschach), Jeff Nelson (Minor Threat), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) have all sung their praises over the years for being a band that effectively made unlikely connections between genres (going so far as to perform alongside DC go-go legends Trouble Funk, in addition to all the respected Texan punk bands of the day, who somehow appeared bigger and meaner than the bands from any of the other disconnected scenes I worshipped from afar.)

UPDATE: You can stream a whole mess of Big Boys tracks right here in Real Audio. Be captivated all over again.

Comments

[brad olson]

very sad ---- I saw Swine King at Antone's (location #2 i think, on The Drag) in Austin about 10 yrs ago, they were outstanding/hilarious --- he is (was) the cover story in this week's Austin Chronicle as well (http://www.austinchronicle.com/)

[Chris T.]

When I was in The Nihilistics I had the pleasure of doing a few shows with The Big Boys back in the day (as the kids say) and was always impressed with how funny and friendly they were. In addition to being able to thoroughly rock your world, that is.

One detail that stuck with me was guitarist Tim Kerr's use of a Wollensak reel-to-reel tape recorder's tube preamp in his rig...

[Dave M.]

The Big Boys are one of my fave punk bands of all time. They started out good and when they got Rey Washam on drums they just slayed.

Years ago a DJ on WXDR (Univ. of De) by the name of Matt (I wish I could remember his last name) used to end his show with, "No!" and it just blew me away. I knew I had to have everything the band ever put out.

It was great that "Wreck Collection" came out on CD a few years back, and of course it is awesome that T&G put out the other stuff.

Looking back it's a shame to see labels such as T&G moving away from the punk thing. It was/is such a vital part of DIY rock and how the whole underground thing really got started.

[bazooka]

And just this week he was on the cover of the Austin Chronicle that came out this Thursday.

In the worst form of happenstance imaginable, Randy "Biscuit" Turner was found dead in his home late Thursday afternoon. Close friends had not heard from the local musician/artist for several days when Chronicle staff writer Marc Savlov, author of this week's cover story on the ebullient Austin icon, stopped by Turner's house to ascertain his whereabouts. Sensing something wrong, Savlov called the police, who arrived and found Turner's body inside. As of 11:30am Friday morning, the medical examiner's initial autopsy report attributes cause of death to "gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to cirrhosis associated with chronic [alcohol] abuse." Although time/date of death has yet to be determined pending a final report from the medical examiner, it's believed that Turner, 56, had been dead for at least several days. Needless to say, the entire Chronicle family is shocked and terribly saddened by this news. Pedazo Chunk, 2009 S. First, where Turner's art installation "Mental Volcano" was to be displayed this weekend, will instead host an informal wake tonight, Friday, Aug. 19, beginning at 7pm. 441-3505. - Raoul Hernandez

Here's the link to the cover story:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-08-19/music_feature.html

[Mark Barbeau]

I was saddened to hear about the death of this wonderful human being with a heart the size of Texas. Back in the day, when my brother and I put on punk shows in San Francisco, we became friends with a lot of bands passing through town. But you could not have found a nicer group of people in the punk world as the Big Boys, and in the center of all that mirth, love, and good feelings was the Biscuit. I had not seen him or the rest of the group for quite some time, but they remain in my heart along with a lot of good memories.

[mondo]

Hollywood Player! I loved these guys. Same them in 1982 with the Bad Brains at the Whisky in Hollywood. Great show.

[dotty farrell]

NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friends of Randy “Biscuit” Turner
Dotty Farrell Robert Goyer
(512) 441-3879 (512) 912-9454
[email protected] [email protected]
Two Big Events Celebrating the Life and Art of Randy “Biscuit” Turner
The Friends of Biscuit wishes to announce two big events celebrating the life and art of Randy J. “Biscuit” Turner, Austin’s own punk rock pioneer, poet and artist. Turner, a founding member of legendary Austin rockers The Big Boys, passed away three weeks ago from natural causes, leaving behind a legacy of music, poetry and multimedia art.

Saturday: BiscuitFest
The first event, a celebration of Randy’s life and legacy, will take place Saturday, October 8th from 2-7 p.m. at Emo’s Alternative Lounge, located at 603 Red River Street in Austin. In the spirit of Randy’s art and way of life, the event will be an explosion of art, color, poetry and kitsch. As Randy would have wanted it, the day promises an outpouring of love, life and fun, fun, fun!

We urge all of his friends, fans, and admirers to wear costumes and bring photos, stories, tributes, artwork, decorations, etc. to help make this memorial as unforgettable an event as our wonderful friend’s life was. For more information on this event, check out the Randy “Biscuit” Turner Memorial homepage at www.randybiscuitturner.com, or call
dotty at (512) 441-3879.

Sunday: Dicks, Exene Headline Benefit for Biscuit’s Mom
On Sunday October 9, Emo’s will host the Biscuit Benefit Show, from 3 p.m. until whenever it ends. Headlining the show will be the legendary Dicks, Exene Cervenka (of X) and Jason Edge, Punkaroos, Pocket Fishrmen, Sexy Finger Champs, Yuppie Pricks, Areola 51/Insect Sex Act/Naugahyde Dream Sequence, The Delinquents, The Slurpees, and more. There will be a silent auction and tons of “Biscuit-o-bilia” available.

Advance tickets will be available for this show (for more info, visit www.randybiscuitturner.com). All proceeds from this event will go to Randy’s beloved 84-year-old mother, Nellie Mae Turner, to help offset expenses.

Anyone wishing to make donations to Nellie Mae in the meantime can send them to: Nellie Mae Turner, PO BOX 1528, Gladewater, TX 75647