Australian musician Adam Briggs has launched a new punk band named Big Noter, shifting away from his solo rap career while maintaining his signature political activism and social commentary, according to reporting from The Guardian.
Big Noter Debut Album and Collaborations
Big Noter features Briggs as the lead vocalist, alongside Steve Smith on drums, Leigh Davies on guitar, and Craig Strain on bass, as reported by The Guardian. The ensemble’s debut album, Songs in the Key of Wrestling, slated for release on 18 September, blends punk and hip-hop influences with a heavy sonic style, according to coverage from The Guardian. The project includes notable international collaborations, featuring Public Enemy’s Chuck D on the track “A Message from Chuck” and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello providing a solo for “What’s Wrong With Adam,” along with a feature from Idles’ Joe Talbot, as detailed by The Guardian.
Bridging Hip-Hop and Punk Ethics
Briggs views the transition not as a departure from his previous work, but as a gear shift that carries the same message and DIY ethics inherent in both punk and hip-hop, according to The Guardian. Both genres serve as “the voice of the voiceless,” according to Briggs’s remarks cited by The Guardian. The band’s touring history includes opening slots alongside Tom Morello, Suicidal Tendencies, Karnivool, and Amyl and the Sniffers, bridging distinct musical communities through shared values of accountability and community-based support, as noted in The Guardian’s reporting.
Advocating for First Nations Artists
Alongside his musical transition, Briggs continues to amplify First Nations voices through his record label Bad Apples and the Universal Music imprint Irruk Birruk, which focuses on distribution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, according to The Guardian. Bad Apples has launched the careers of more than a dozen artists, including rappers Barkaa and Kobie Dee, as reported by The Guardian. Briggs utilizes his platform to support authentic artistry within the Australian music industry amid ongoing challenges facing the live music sector, according to The Guardian.
Did You Know?
Big Noter worked with production legend Nick Didia—known for his work with Rage Against the Machine, Bruce Springsteen, and Pearl Jam—for their debut album, Songs in the Key of Wrestling, according to The Guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is in the band Big Noter?
Big Noter consists of Adam Briggs on lead vocals, Steve Smith on drums, Leigh Davies on guitar, and Craig Strain on bass, according to The Guardian.
When is Big Noter’s debut album releasing?
According to The Guardian, Songs in the Key of Wrestling is scheduled for release on 18 September, followed by a performance at The Tote in Melbourne on 19 September.
What other projects is Adam Briggs known for?
Briggs is widely known as a solo artist and one half of the hip-hop duo AB Original, as well as an actor in Cleverman and Boy Swallows Universe, and the founder of the Bad Apples record label, according to The Guardian.
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