In the late 80's I picked up a demo cassette called 'A Christian Banned' by a punk band
called 'One Bad Pig.' It's been a fun ride ever since.

Smash One Bad Pig - Smash (Pure Metal) 1989

1. "Godarchy" (3:09)
2. "Isaiah 6" (2:36)
3. "Let´s Be Frank" (3:38)
4. "People Cry Out" (3:57)
5. "Frat Rats" (2:26)
6. "Smash The Guitar" (3:44)
7. "Kingdom Come" (4:33)
8. "Take A Flying Leap" (2:15)
9. "I´m Not Getting Any Older" (4:28)
10. "Looney Tune" (1:24)
11. "Don´t Be Fooled Blow And Go" (3:19)
12. "Blow & Bo" (2:14)

One Bad Pig begins a crossover from a more traditional punk sound to a thrash crossover. Loads of great anthems and humerous lyrics on this one. Songs like "Smash the Guitar" and "Let's Be Frank" are guaranteed to embed themselves permanently in your brain with their infections choruses. Finally snagged a mint cd copy in a trade.

Swine Flew One Bad Pig - Swine Flew (Myrrh) 1990

1. "See Me Sweat: (2:38)
2. "Altar Ego" (4:09)
3. "Hey Punk" (1:40)
4. "Red River" (5:04)
5. "Bowl of Wrath" (2:15)
6. "Big Stomach" (3:39)
7. "Christmas Time" (4:15)
8. "Judas' Kiss" (3:24)
9. "Desperation" (4:38)
10. "Thrash Against Sin" (1:31)
11. "Swine Flew" (3:33)
12. "When Your Love Died" (5:29)
13. "We Want You" (3:55)

Ahhh, I can finally trash those old cassette tapes I have had for ten plus years as I finally replaced them with some shiny new cds. Well, actually they are used, but you get the point. One Bad Pig are a bubbling cauldron of fun. 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 on Sunday School class for juvenile delinquents. No doubt the lyrical themes were all patently Christian, but these guys made learning your Sunday School lessons fun. They could take serious topics like the wrath of God, and add some humor to it to bring home the message, without actually diluting the message. "Bowl of Wrath, Breakfast on the crooked path! If you choose to laugh, you can have another "Bowl of Wrath!" Gotta love it! At the same time, they could bring me to my knees in worship like no other band with songs like "When Your Love Died" and "Red River," the later sounding more like a U2 song than anything by a punk band. Even a thrashing version of Petra's "Judas' Kiss." Was 'blessed' to see the Pig on this tour at a volleyball court in Albuquerque, NM. One other note about this album is that it was one of the first 'heavy' bands to ever be released on Myrrh Records, a label more known for acts like Amy Grant. Anyone need a Pig cassette?

"Red River" has been covered by Slamcat and Deuteronomium.

I Scream Sunday One Bad Pig - I Scream Sunday (Myrrh) 1991

1. "Take A Look At Yourself" (4:22)
2. "You're A Pagan" (2:18)
3. "I Scream Sunday" (3:14)
4. "Man In Black" (4:00)
5. "Not Love Money" (4:18)
6. "Cut Your Hair" (5:11)
7. "For A Good Man" (4:05)
8. "Ice Cream Sundae" (2:03)
9. "Bird Nest" (3:06)
10. "Up the Nose" (:55)
11. "Spirit of Murder" (4:58)
12. "Sober Up" (2:42)
13. "Pad Thai" (:20)
14. "Never Forget the Cross" (4:22)
15. "Wholly My Lord" (3:50)
One Bad Pig / Johnny Cash
One Bad Pig with Johnny Cash

A spastic mix of funk, punk and thrash metal all mixed around a message of God, redemption and ice cream. Much in the same mold as 'Swine Flew.' Also similar is that this album was once again produced by Whiteheart's Billy Smilley. This one is just as fun too with a slamdance called "You're a Pagan," and off-the-wall Johnny Cash cover "Man in Black," complete with Johnny sharing lead vocal duties. Of course who wouldn't love a song called 'Up Your Nose'? Once again, amidst all the fun are some emotional worship songs in "For a Good Man" and "Wholly My Lord." Man, that is One Bad Pig!

Live One Bad Pig - Live: Blow Down the House (Mhyrr) 1992

1. "Predlude: Green Acres Theme" (1:32)
2. "Take A Look At Yourself" (4:47)
3. "Hey Punk" (1:39)
4. "Smash the Guitar" (4:27)
5. "I Scream Sunday" (3:26)
6. "Red River" (5:10)
7. "Judas Kiss" (2:57)
8. "Cut Your Hair" (5:20)
9. "Bowl of Wrath" (2:53)
10. "Isaiah 6" (4:25)
11. "Let's Be Frank" (1:48)
12. "Altar Ego" (2:22)
13. "Swine Flew" (3:12)
14. "Godarchy" (2:44)
15. "Kosher" (3:51)
16. "Ice Cream Sundae" (2:41)
17. "Looney Tune" (1:40)
18. "Rock the Casbah" (3:38)
19. "Never Forget the Cross" (5:21)

Recorded live at Cornerstone 1991, the Pig were large and in charge here. They were wildly popular in the Christian metal and punk subculture at the time. For this show the band went all out. I had seen the Pig several times in concert over the years, and I can say, even if you didn't like their music, you could still enjoy their show and their sense of humor. These guys were funny, energetic, and they gave each show their all. "Blow the House Down" is a testimony of this fact and is also a closing chapter in the life of the Pig, for after this release their popularity began to slide and the band began to go through some radical changes. They haven't really released any new material since this cd. Picked this disc up for $4.99 from Second Spin.

One Bad Pig - Quientessential One Bad Pig Vol. 1 (Diadem) 1994

1. "People Cry Out" (4:02)
2. "Lust" (4:00)
3. "I Am The Chief" (2:50)
4. "Let´s Be Frank" (3:43)
5. "I´m Not Getting Any Older" (4:28)
6. "The Man In Black" (4:14)
7. "Life´s A Bomb" (2:24)
8. "Sleepin´ With The World" (1:56)
9. "Isaiah 6" (2:38)
10. "Red River" (5:55)
11. "Be Not Alarmed" (3:03)

'Quientessential" is a greatest hits CD. (Did the Pig actually have a 'hit'?) The initial reason I picked up this CD was because it features a few songs from albums I hadn't yet picked up on CD, including several songs from 'Smash' and two songs from 'A Christian Banned' ('Sleepin' With the World' & 'Life's A Bomb'). This demo was finally released by the band and sold on their website, although I still don't own it. Besides these tracks, 'Lust' and 'I Am the Chief' are songs exclusive to this compilation, making it essential to my Pig collection. Track 11 is an unlisted song titled "Be Not Alarmed". Overall, not a bad career retrospective and a good collection of songs from the Pig. Oink!

Live at C2K One Bad Pig - Live At C2K (M8) 2000

1. "Intro/Take A Look At Yourself" (3:51)
2. "See Me Sweat" (4:23)
3. "Life's A Bomb" (2:40)
4. "Thrash Against Sin" (2:04)
5. "Let's Be Frank" (4:4^)
6. "surprise from Paul" -dialogue (2:00)
7. "Judas' Kiss" (3:16)
8. "Phillip and Paul confabulate" -dialogue (1:!2)
9. "People Cry Out" (3:23)
10. "Red River" (6:00)
11. "Isaiah 6" (4:45)
12. "Kosher exhortation" -dialogue (6:27)
13. "are you ready for more" -dialogue (:35)
14. "Ice Cream Sundae" (3:56)
15. "who's in the band?" -dialogue (1:57)
16. "Looney Tune" (1:42)
17. "Smash the Guitar/outro" (7:26)

Kosher at Cornerstone 2002
photo by Jake P.

Yet another fun romp through the Pigsty at Cornerstone. This time around the sound quality isn't as good, but the show is just as good. The band is a little looser here, sounding like they were having more fun than they did back in the day. The dialogue between songs is pretty goofy as usual, but then what can you expect from these guys. They were all about fun and goofiness, yet at the same time they are serious as a heart attack when it comes to sharing their faith in Jesus Christ. This disc is actually part of a series of cds that were released from Cornerstone 2000. However, of the 11 different live discs, this is the only one I have any interest in at all.


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