Pig piñatas, silly string, confetti, kiddy pool sized ice cream sundaes topped with maraschino cherries, guitar smashing, giant beach balls and skateboard mayhem - all combined with powerful music and most importantly a very powerful message. Not a typical description of your average rock band? Well, it is an average description if you are the band One Bad Pig! 

It all started back in 1985 when Carey Womack (lead vocals) and Paul Q-Pek (guitar) and a couple of other friends were on their way from Austin Texas to the Cornerstone Music Festival in Illinois. They stopped to get something to eat in St. Louis at a Pizza Hut that was doing a promotion with local radio station KSHE FM95. Available for purchase were promotional wrap-around sunglasses which featured the radio station mascot: a tough-looking pig wearing a muscle shirt and sunglasses, sporting a Mohawk haircut and earring, holding an electric guitar. Carey exclaimed, "Man, that's one bad pig!"  Paul replied, "That sounds like the name of a punk band." The rest of the trip they joked about being in this fictional band and about all of the amazing exploits they had done, were doing, and were about to accomplish. Their chance to make this joke into a reality came two months later at the Austin Labor Day Music Festival at Zilker Park Hillside Theatre. Paul currently had his own band (The Paul Q-Pek Band) on the roster for the festival, so they decided to get on the bill as One Bad Pig and do a few original songs, and a few cover tunes, complete with a large dose of stage antics. Carey, being the gifted evangelist he is, also interjected passionate "sermons" throughout.  After the initial shock, the response was apparently positive enough for the band to take their brand of craziness to the clubs in town. The early years were filled with  extremes. Playing in clubs, the band found acceptance in terms of their music, but as a result of their upfront message, they found themselves the targets for insults, obscenities, spit, beer and bottles. In time the band also  ventured into the church venue, but many times found just the opposite dynamic there. The message was well received, but the music style was given to much controversy. This juxtaposition the band found themselves in lead to the title of their first independent recording "A Christian Banned".

SMASH (1989) PURE METAL

My brother bought this on cassette as a new release. We listened to it so much, we almost wore it out. But when this CD turned up in a local used CD store, I waited forever to buy it. I thought I had outgrown the somewhat childish music on it. I'm so glad I changed my mind, and snagged it. Because I do not consider this childish. It's humor we're talking about here. Fun songs, with somewhat serious themes. They are not the best players in the world, nor do they write hit-songs, but I like them anyway. The variations in music-styles only keeps it from getting boring.

Killer tracks: Godarchy, Isaiah 6, Kingdom Come, Looney Tune

SWINE FLEW (1990) MYRRH/WORD

After the demise of Pure Metal Records, One Bad Pig was one of the first heavy acts to get signed to Myrrh, a label more known for contemporary Christian pop-acts. But that doesn't mean that this band changes their musical approach one bit! They are still surfin' on a wave of punk, skate-thrash, funk and fun. Humor is the essential ingredient, yet the words they sing deliver a message we all need to hear. One review states: "They were typically classified as a punk band, but really their music was a mish-mash of punk, funk, rock and thrash, all rolled into one Sunday School class for juvenile delinquents." And that about sums it up. Also look out for guest appearances from known names such as Phil Keaggy, Dann Huff and Bob Hartman. The latter delivers a guitar-solo on the cover of his own band's (Petra) song, "Judas' Kiss".

Killer tracks: Bowl Of Wrath, Thrash Against Sin

I SCREAM SUNDAY (1991) MYRRH/WORD

Take A look At Yourself You're A Pagan I Scream Sunday Man In Black Not Love Money Cut Your Hair For A Good Man Ice Cream Sundae Bird Nest Up The Nose Spirit Of Murder Sober Up Pad Thai Never Forget The Cross Wholly My Lord

Line-up: Carey "Kosher" Womack: Screams, Vocals Paul Q-Pek: All Guitars, Vocals Daniel Tucek: Bass Guitar, Vocals Phillip Owens: Drums, Vocals Guest: Johnny Cash - Vocals on 4

Once more the Pig returns. This was their 3rd album in as many year. For some reason I find the heavier influences to be more vacant here. Save for the thrashy "You're A Pagan" and "Not Love Money", of course. Maybe it is just me, but the band sounds like someone who play on 7 instead of 11, so to speak. Maybe their record company made them tone it down a notch after all? Some things never change though; the humor and the radical message is still very much intact. Not sure I like the cover of the Johnny Cash classic "Man In Black", but since the man himself does guest vocals on it, maybe at least he did. If you are a fan of this band, 'I Scream Sunday' is still a safe buy. Thanks to Tim for hooking me up with a copy!

Killer tracks: You're A Pagan, Cut Your Hair, Never Forget The Cross

One Bad Pig also appear on:  

V/A - 'Heavy Righteous Metal II'