Big Wreck
| Big Wreck | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1994–2002, 2010-present |
| Labels | Anthem, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Thornley |
| Website |
bigwreckmusic |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
Big Wreck is a rock band formed by Canadian Ian Thornley in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994. They disbanded in 2002 and Ian Thornley went on to a successful solo career with his own band Thornley. In 2010, Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty reunited for a cross-Canada tour, playing both Big Wreck and Thornley songs.[1] In 2012, under the name Big Wreck, the band released their third studio album, Albatross. The band's latest album Ghosts was released on June 10, 2014.
History
Formation and In Loving Memory Of...
Big Wreck was formed in Boston, Massachusetts by lead vocalist Ian Thornley, guitarist Brian Doherty, bassist Dave Henning and drummer Forrest Williams while they were students at the Berklee College of Music.[2] After a few years of gigging in the Boston area, the band signed to Atlantic Records and released their debut album In Loving Memory Of.... In the US, their single "The Oaf" reached the top ten on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart in early 1998.[3] Four months later, their follow-up single "That Song" reached the top 40 on that same chart.[3] The band found even bigger commercial success in Canada, scoring 4 top 40 hits on the Canadian Singles Chart.
The Pleasure and the Greed, breakup, and other projects
Big Wreck released their second album The Pleasure and the Greed in June 2001, but its potential success was marred by poor marketing. All of the album's singles failed to chart in both the US and Canada.
In October of that year, the band played a special show at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Uzume Taiko Ensemble of drummers, guitarist Eric Johnson and The Tragically Hip's Paul Langlois and Robby Baker.[4]
The band broke up in 2002. Ian Thornley moved back to Toronto and formed the band Thornley. Brian Doherty moved to Camlachie, a small community near Sarnia, Ontario, where he taught guitar and prepared students for University or Conservatory entrance requirements. Doherty also went on to form the indie band Death of 8.[5]
While Big Wreck was inactive, hard rock band Submersed and American Idol winner David Cook both cited the band as an influence.
Reunion, Albatross, and Ghosts and new album
In 2010, Thornley and Doherty rekindled their friendship. This led to Dohertly filling in as guitarist at a Thornley show, and that led to Doherty joining the band as a permanent member. A tour promoted as "An Evening with Thornley and Big Wreck" followed, and as a result of the tour's success, the band assumed the Big Wreck moniker, effectively making all existing members of Thornley become members of Big Wreck.[2]
In November 2011, Big Wreck released their first song in ten years "Albatross" as the lead single of their 2012 album of the same name. The song achieved chart success in both the US and Canada.
On February 5, 2012, Big Wreck performed at the Sound Academy in Toronto for Canada's Official Super Bowl XLVI party. They also completed two tours that year, touring Canada from British Columbia to Ontario from April to July, then accompanying Theory of a Deadman for their Jingle Bell Rock tour from November to December.
In April 2014, the band announced the release of their fourth studio album, Ghosts,.[6] The album was released in the US and Canada on June 10, 2014. The album reached #5 on the Top 200 SoundScan chart in Canada, hit #25 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart[7] and was nominated for "Rock Album of the Year" at the Juno Awards of 2015.
In November 2016, Big Wreck released a new single "One Good Piece Of Me" off of their upcoming album Grace Street.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [8][9] |
US Heatseekers [9] |
CRIA [10] | ||
| 1997 | In Loving Memory Of... | 48 | 31 | 2× Platinum |
| 2001 | The Pleasure and the Greed | 10 | - | |
| 2012 | Albatross | 5 | 25 | |
| 2014 | Ghosts | 5 | 4 | |
| 2017 | Grace Street | |||
Extended plays
- Bag of Tricks (2013)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [11][12] |
CAN Alt. [13] |
CAN Rock [14] |
US Mod [15] |
US Main [16] | |||
| 1997 | "The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)" | 21 | 3 | 24 | 9 | In Loving Memory Of... | |
| 1998 | "That Song" | 31 | 7 | — | 32 | ||
| "Blown Wide Open" | 31 | 8 | — | — | |||
| "Under the Lighthouse" (Canadian single only) | 12 | — | — | — | |||
| 2001 | "Inhale" | — | × | × | — | — | The Pleasure and the Greed |
| "Ladylike" (Canadian single only) | — | × | × | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "Knee Deep" (Canadian single only) | — | × | × | — | — | |
| 2011 | "Albatross" | 71 | 2 | 1 | — | 31 | Albatross |
| 2012 | "Wolves" | 98 | 11 | 4 | — | — | |
| "A Million Days" | — | 35 | 6 | — | — | ||
| 2014 | "Ghosts" | — | — | 7 | — | — | Ghosts |
| "Come What May"[17][18] | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Hey Mama" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "War Baby" | — | 6 | 12 | — | — | ||
| 2016 | "One Good Piece of Me" | — | — | — | — | — | Grace Street |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. "×" denotes periods where charts did not exist or were not archived. | |||||||
See also
References
- ↑ Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- 1 2 "Big Wreck Frontman Ian Thornley on Their Successful Comeback, How Close He Came to Rejoining Velvet Revolver".
- 1 2 "Big Wreck - Chart history - Billboard".
- ↑ "Big Wreck's Strung Out - NOW Toronto's Magazine - Think Free".
- ↑ "Canadian Indie Band: Death of 8".
- ↑ "BIG WRECK ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM GHOSTS OUT JUNE 10 ON ANTHEM/WARNER MUSIC IN CANADA". bigwreckmusic.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
- ↑ "Biography -- Big Wreck Official Site".
- ↑ Peak positions for Big Wreck's albums in Canada:
- For "In Loving Memory Of..." "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 67, No. 7, May 11, 1998". RPM. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- 1 2 "Big Wreck - Awards". allmusic. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
- ↑ Peak positions for Big Wreck's singles on Canadian Singles Chart:
- For "The Oaf" "Top Singles - Volume 66, No. 16, January 12, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "That Song" "Top Singles - Volume 67, No. 9, May 25, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Blown Wide Open" "Top Singles - Volume 67, No. 33, November 23, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Under the Lighthouse" "Top Singles - Volume 68, No. 12, December 14, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ↑ "Big Wreck - Chart history – Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ↑ Peak positions for Big Wreck's singles on Canadian Alternative rock Chart:
- For "The Oaf" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 66, No. 16, January 12, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "That Song" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 67, No. 15, July 06 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Blown Wide Open" "Rock/Alternative - Volume 67, No. 21, August 17, 1998". RPM. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Albatross" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - February 14, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Wolves" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - July 3, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- For "A Million Days" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - December 11, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ↑ Peak positions for Big Wreck's singles on Canadian Active rock Chart:
- For "Albatross" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - January 24, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- For "Wolves" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - September 4, 2012". America's Music Charts. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- For "A Million Days" "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - February 26, 2013". America's Music Charts. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Big Wreck - Chart history – Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ↑ "Big Wreck - Chart history – Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Rock Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014.