Big Cheese (band)

Big Cheese is an English hardcore punk band from Leeds, West Yorkshire. They are a part of the New Wave of British Hardcore.[1] In an article for Metal Hammer, Jimmy Wizard included their song "Rotter" in his "essential hardcore mixtape".[2]

Big Cheese
Big Cheese performing in 2022
Background information
OriginLeeds, West Yorkshire, England
GenresHardcore punk, heavy hardcore
Years active2016–present
LabelsQuality Control, Triple B, Painkiller
Members
  • Tom "Razor" Hardwick
  • Louis Hardy
  • Maegan Brooks
  • Joe Williams
  • Alex Wizard
Past members
  • Anthony Wheatley

History

The band formed in 2016, when guitarist Maegan Brooks (who then-played in Rapture) and vocalist and then-bassist Tom "Razor" Hardwick (formerly of Obstruct, Fade, Violent Reaction and Shrapnel) began living together. After developing some of the songs Brooks had written, the pair decided to recruit Louis Hardy and Alex Wizard of fellow-Leeds hardcore band Higher Power to play guitar and drums, respectively. On 22 October 2017, they played a sold-out show the Camden Underworld with Trapped Under Ice, Higher Power, King Nine and Chamber.[3][4][5] As soon as they began playing live, Hardwicke handed bass duties over to Anthony Wheatley (formerly of Sheffield hardcore band the Pact).[6] In June 2018, they played Outbreak Festival in Leeds.[7] In August they toured Europe with Illusion of New York.[8] In October, they opened for Turnstile on their UK headline tour.[9] On 17 April 2019, they released Don't Forget To Tell The World, a compilation of all their material released up to that point through Painkiller Records. This included their EP Aggravated Mopery and live tape from a NWOBHCFM Radio session. On 21 July, they opened for Have Heart on their reunion run at the Stylus in Leeds.[10] In June and early-August, they began a European headline tour with Mere Mortal,[11] followed by a European tour with Culture Abuse and Short Sharp Shock hosted by Vans.[12] In October, they announced that they would be entering the studio to record their debut studio album Punishment Park.[13] They released their first single from the album on 3 December 2019, titled "Write-Off".[14] On 8 October 2021, they released the three track EP Anymore for Anymore.[15]

Musical style

Big Cheese play hardcore punk[16][17][18] and heavy hardcore.[19] Their music is influenced by New York hardcore bands like Warzone, Killing Time, Leeway, Breakdown, Madball, Rest in Pieces, Sick of It All and Crumbsuckers in addition to UK bands like Motörhead, Charged GBH, Ripcord and Voorhees.[6][16] They often make use of drums grooves and metallic riffs.[20][21] Author Freddie Alva described their debut album as "a love letter to the NYHC sound during the late 1980s".[16] In an article for Hard Noise, writer Fred Pessaro described their style as "Melding Breakdown metallic brutality and Warzone-y groove".[21]

Members
  • Tom "Razor" Hardwick – lead vocals (2016–present), bass (2016–2017)
  • Louis Hardy – guitar (2016–present)
  • Maegan Brooks – guitar (2016–present)
  • Joe Sam Williams – bass (2019–present)
  • Alex Wizard – drums (2016–present)
Former members
  • Anthony Wheatley - bass (2016–2019)

Discography
Studio albums
  • Punishment Park (2020)
EPs
  • Aggravated Mopery (2017)
  • Anymore for Anymore (2021)
Demos
  • Sports Day (2016)
  • Tower To The Sun (2018)
Compilations
  • Don't Forget To Tell The World (2019)

References
  1. Gautier, Alexis. "NEWS OF THE WEEK #49". Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. Morton, Luke (6 September 2018). "Higher Power's essential hardcore mixtape". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. "HIGHER POWER, CHAMBER AND BIG CHEESE TO SUPPORT TRAPPED UNDER ICE AND KING NINE AT LONDON SHOW". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. "Single London Date for Trapped Under Ice in October!". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. HALL, MAKKY. "TRAPPED UNDER ICE – CAMDEN UNDERWORLD, LONDON". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  6. "Interview: Big Cheese (UK)". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  7. "OUTBREAK FEST MAKES FIRST LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT". Kerrang!. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. "Big Cheese / Illusion And Guests - London". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  9. "TURNSTILE HAVE ANNOUNCED A UK TOUR". Kerrang!. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  10. Redrup, Zach. "NEWS: Have Heart announce one-off UK reunion show in July 2019!". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  11. "Big Cheese / Mere Mortal". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  12. GORMAN-BUCKLEY, ISOBEL. "Vans Launches 'The Spirit of DIY' Campaign with Global Music Tour". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  13. "BIG CHEESE VERÖFFENTLICHEN NEUES ALBUM "PUNSIHMENT PARK"". 16 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  14. Kamiński, Karol. "UKHC act BIG CHEESE premiere new track "Write-Off", teasing new LP". Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  15. BREIHAN, TOM (8 October 2021). "Stream UK Hardcore Band Big Cheese's Tough-As-Nails New EP Anymore For Anymore?". Stereogum. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  16. Kamiński, Karol. "3 noteworthy UKHC records to check this Winter: BIG CHEESE, RAPTURE, STAGES IN FAITH". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  17. Pementel, Michael. "Album Review: Big Cheese – Aggravated Mopery". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  18. Ramirez, Carlos (22 December 2017). "Record Label Profile: Quality Control HQ". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  19. "Review – Have Heart (One-Off Reunion Show)". 23 July 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  20. Zelaya, Carlos. "LIVE REVIEW: Turnstile @ House Of Vans, London (26/10/2018)". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  21. PESSARO, FRED (18 March 2020). "BIG CHEESE ON CHANNELING MOTORHEAD AND SICK OF IT ALL, GROWING UP UKHC". Hard Noise. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
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