The Boston ensemble
Big D and the Kids Table brought on their fast-paced style of ska-punk upon their debut in 1995. But like most ska bands, a revolving lineup frequented for the next three years as the Allston-based crew self-released their debut 1997 split with pop-punkers
Drexel,
Shot by Lammi (recorded for only $700), and the Live EP. Both were issued on their own Fork in Hand Records, run by vocalist
David McWane and bassist
Steve Foote. By the time
Big D signed with Asian Man Records, the ten-piece of
McWane,
Foote,
Gabe Feenberg (trombone),
Dan Stoppelman (trumpet),
Sean P. Rogan (guitar),
Marc Flynn (trombone),
Chris Bush (tenor sax),
Jon Lammi (guitar),
Max MacVeety (drums), and
Chris Sallen (tenor sax) had already released their first full-length,
Good Luck, in 1999. Known for an especially rowdy live show,
Big D picked up the award for Outstanding Ska Band at the 1999 Boston Music Awards before
Mike Park and Asian Man reissued
Good Luck. The band returned in 2002 with the
Gipsy Hill EP and continued with their notoriously relentless show schedule (playing an average of 200 shows a year), as a split EP with Japanese noise rock act
Melt Banana appeared in 2003. Fueled by a D.I.Y. work ethic since early on, the band's small but loyal fan base kept growing through incessant grassroots touring and promotion, all with little label support and money.
Big D hooked up with part of the summer's Warped Tour and played at Vegas' Ska Summit. They headed out across North America in 2004 on the Ska Is Dead and You're Next tour with
Catch 22,
Mustard Plug, and
the Planet Smashers; their Springman debut,
How It Goes, was released that same year.
Big D stayed on the road, of course, hooking up with the likes of
the Suicide Machines,
Reel Big Fish,
Streetlight Manifesto,
RX Bandits, and more. By this time, the band was down to seven members:
McWane,
Foote,
Stoppelman,
Rogan,
Bush, drummer
Jon Reilly, and trombonist
Paul E. Cuttler. The limited-edition
Salem Girls EP appeared for Halloween 2005;
Big D then returned to the studio by 2006's end to work on their next full-length and debut for SideOneDummy Records, with
Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist
Joe Gittleman in the production chair. With new saxophonist
Ryan O'Connor on board in place of
Bush, the chilled-out vibe of
Strictly Rude surfaced in March 2007. The album was preceded by a February split via Bad News Records with China's
Brain Failure, entitled
Beijing to Boston. The band teamed up with Gittleman again in 2009 for their fifth studio album, Fluent in Stroll, before hitting the road on their own headlining tour.
Big D eventually took a break from the road, and in 2011 released For The Damned, The Dumb & The Delirious.
–
Mike DaRonco & Corey Apar, Rovi