I heard over the weekend Randy “Biscuit” Turner died. It's been a month since he passed, but even in this day and age, news can take time to travel. Even the news itself “ I heard the other day” took time to resonate. Biscuit was front man for the legendary Austin, Texas skate rockers Big Boys. Incidentally, I happened to be interviewing a person the next day whose life was greatly impacted by The Big Boys.
The topic of this interview concentrated mostly on some new photographs this person has on exhibit, which detail the hardcore punk LPs and 45s from bands he grew up listening to. Several of which are Big Boys records.
In a book my interviewee wrote and published (some twenty years after his first visit to Texas in 1982) an entire chapter is dedicated to that pilgrimage to Austin - where he not only witnessed legend in living form, but also got the chance to interact with it. Reading about history that struck hard is almost as good as hearing it first-hand, which is nothing like showing up on its doorstep and discovering an entire group of people who live like you dream are delighted to have a visitor.
That book is so good I read it in one sitting. Oh, by the way, the title is "The Answer is Never" (by Jocko Weyland).
By the time my eardrums shattered to the Big Boys final LP, "No Matter How Long The Lunch-Line In The Cafeteria, There Is Always A Seat" they had disbanded. I still had yet to hear their other records. A couple of years later I was jumped into my first band, well, heavily pressured despite not knowing a lick on guitar. We all skated and naturally the music mirrored how we liked to skate: Fast and Loud. I remember being asked if I knew any covers. I could barely play the songs they already had. The only song I took the time to learn was "No Love" by the Big Boys. Learning other people’s songs seemed so tedious but locking into their intensity just made sense. They skated and they were about having fun.
I was in Spain on a trip with some friends who were playing a festival there in 2000. I was walking into the show and had my skateboard with me and this guy came up to me and was like “Hey, you skate?” At first I just nodded, thinking to myself “Uhh…no this is a purse.” while smiling and being friendly. The guy looked super familiar and seemed nice so I couldn’t help but smile back answering “Yeah, do you skate?”
“Yeah, I skate.” He replied. We talked for a minute and he mentioned his band, The Monkeywrench, was playing the festival. Then it clicked in my head.
“ Whoa, you’re Tim Kerr!” I couldn’t squelch the think/speak reflex.
“ Yeah.” He stoked and we continued talking about traveling to Spain for the same event and skating, etc. He was cooler than I’d ever imagined, just plain nice and as interested in talking to me as I was trippin’ out on meeting him. I was amped to meet at least one of the Big Boys and Tim only had good blood to speak about the rest of the bunch.
Among all them myths are a few truly amazing people who transcend amidst their nimble feats and keep their sense of self and their ethics intact. I didn’t have the privilege to meet the singer of the Big Boys but, as reliable sources say, Biscuit was "that kind of people." This be tribute for barking hard the message of fun to remain for many moons.
Thanks.
For more information on Randy "Biscuit" Turner and the Oct. 9 benefit at Emo's in Austin featuring performances by The Dicks, Exene Cervenka, the Punkaroos, Pong, Pocket Fishrmen and more go here. All proceeds will go to Randy's beloved mom, Nellie Mae Turner.