2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Big Heavy Stuff entering Charing Cross Studios in Waverley to record both their primary 90’s releases Covered In Bruises and Maximum Sincere.
Love As Fiction Records is proud to release two deluxe vinyl/CD/cassette issues in association with the band that cover the complete sessions and is titled simply Bruises, along with a subsequent complete recording at Troy Horse Studios which bridges the gap between the “Max” and “Size Of The Ocean” albums.
Many tracks appear across the two releases either as alternative arrangements of future songs or unreleased tracks appearing for the first time anywhere. All songs have been freshly mixed from the 2 inch analogue master tapes by Wayne Connolly at Alberts especially for these 2025 editions.
The Covered In Bruises EP from 1995 was the final recording the band released on the Volition label after signing to it in 1991. The title track and the opening song ‘Birthday’ received nation wide radio play, the latter performed on Channel 7’s “Denton” program as well as being the only vinyl release from the 90’s, backed with unlisted “secret” track ‘White Flag’ in the US on the deSoto label via Washington DC band Jawbox.
J.Robbins from that band was responsible for the unique artwork on what is now a collectable piece in the band’s discography. After this Big Heavy Stuff then left their longtime mentor Andrew Penhallow (R.I.P.) at Volition and signed to Melbourne label Shock. This period was extremely prolific, with singer/songwriter Greg Atkinson and guitarist Carolyn Polley taking full advantage of their new and young rhythm section Eliot Fish/bass and Nick Kennedy/drums.
Along with all the songs that were released on the original EP in 1995, A Bruises Compendium contains songs recorded for but not released on 1997’s Maximum Sincere album and a full session the band did as ideas continued to flow for the following album Size Of The Ocean. Some of the tracks, including a full band early arrangement of their most streamed song ‘Hibernate’, were re-worked for that 2001 album. Some have never appeared anywhere and illustrate the diverse interests and alternative paths the band could have taken.
Opening song ‘Birthday’ reinstates the original counter vocal recorded with Peter Milton Walsh, whose legendary project The Apartments has included all BHS members from this line-up over the decades. Both the full band arrangement of ‘Scars’ plus original ‘Birthday’ vinyl b-side and live favourite ‘White Flag’ have been liberated from 90’s CD secret bonus track purgatory to sit alongside a diverse array of tight tracks.
Mixed and mastered into a cohesive whole by Wayne Connolly at Alberts, the previously released songs sound better than ever, the previously unheard tracks a revelation.
