NW Metalworx Music

Brand new CD from Everett, Washington crossover Thrash/Hardcore band BIG TOP - A CONGRESS OF BABOONS - from PIG Records from 2026. Features Kirk Verhey of MACE on lead vocals. Guest appearances by Bud Gaugh (Sublime) Brad Conyers (the Ziggers), Blaine Cook (Accused/Fartz), and Shawn Durand (Subvert, Portrait of Poverty.) Produced by Dave Hillis and Gerry Irwin. Remastered by Jack Endino. Cover art by Tommy Niemeyer (Accused/Gruntruck). Graphics by Chris Palmer.
TRACKS:
1. Monster Island 01:46
2. I Don't Know 02:16
3. The Avengers 03:17
4. Everett1 01:53
5. S.L.O.B.S 01:08
6. Dissatisfied 02:12
7. Twelve 00:21
8. Funky B-Hole 03:00
9. Pocket God 01:09
10. The Four 04:05
11. Framed 03:50
12. Night of the Living Rednecks 03:03
13. Everett2 01:51
14. Tommy 21 03:18
15. Babboonsong 02:25
16. KGB 02:47
17. Jeckyl & Hyde 02:49
18. Rest of the World 02:52
19. Not Afraid To Die 03:31
20. Big Drunk 02:44
21. Wrong From Right Master 02:27
22. Race Car Man 04:54
23. Z-Rock Interview 00:49
24. What Happened? 03:21
25. New Realization 01:55
26. Born To Raise Hell 04:57

BIO: In 1988, two friends, Brian Fritts and Curt Bruce, started writing punk rock songs together to go along with their other hobbies: drinking beer, skateboarding, smoking pot, and trying to get laid. In 1989, Bigtop got an offer to open for NW heavyweights Poison Idea. Brian scrambled together a lineup, which ended up being Brian (guitar), Josh Cagle (drums), Phil Bentz (bass), and Rob Bruce (Curt’s older brother) on vocals. They played a few gigs under this lineup, then Phil left to join Slam Suzanne. Jerry Leonard took over bass guitar duties. This is the lineup they used to record their first EP, with noted producer Chris Hanzsek, at the famed Seattle studio Reciprocal Recordings. Beginning in 1990, they recruited powerhouse drummer Tom Pulley. In this commanding lineup, their songcraft, fusing punk, metal, funk, thrash, and rock, began to take full effect. For 6 short months, 5 young men came together to create a legacy that lives to this day. In July, the day after filling a local Grange Hall, Rob and Curt, along with their girlfriends, Mayumi Paull and Jennifer Olive, were taken from us by a drunk driver. With their community devastated, Bigtop pushed on. With the support of family and friends, Bigtop was able to continue with Kirk Verhey on vocals.
This is the lineup that carried on for a few more years, recording 2 full-length LPs and playing many shows throughout the Pacific Northwest. Playing with many diverse acts such as D.O.A., Forced Entry, Gruntruck, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Candlebox, TKO, The Gits, Black Happy, The Ziggens, The Accused, etc. In 1997, another full-length CD came out, which was completely DIY. During these years, Brian, Kirk & Jerry continued playing shows with different drummers and recorded a few demos and songs that were released on various compilations, while also working in a few of Seattle’s famed studios, such as London Bridge, and with some noted producers, Dave Hillis (Pearl Jam) and Gerry Irwin (The Melvins). Bigtop also founded and organized a multi-day music festival, BDAD, held for many years between 1991 and 2006. In 2007 and 2008, Bud Gaugh (Sublime) and Brad Conyers (The Ziggens) respectively came to Seattle to record drums and collaborate on music with Bigtop. These Sessions ended up becoming their last full-length CD, “Festejamos”. ‘A Congress of Baboons’ is an anthology of all these recordings, compiled and remastered by legendary Nirvana Producer Jack Endino.

(PRE-ORDER: ESTIMATED SHIPPING DATE: Early August 2026)