Big House

Big House was a Canadian punk-influenced rock band, based in Edmonton, Alberta, and active in the early 1990s. History The band began in 1982, when singer and guitarist Jan Ek and drummer Sjor Throndson moved to Edmonton from their hometown of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where they had grown up together. Both had been steeped in classic rock, but were now hooked on Punk rock. In Edmonton, they joined the punk band Down Syndrome, which had been founded by Tim Balash, Laurie Bulback and Bob Kropotkin. Down Syndrome released one self-titled album, in 1984. In 1986, Balash, Bulback and Kropotkin left the band; Ek and Throndson found replacements in guitarist Kevin 'K. B.' Broc and bassist Craig Beakhouse. They became Big House in 1987. They were renting a large old house at the time, which is how they chose the new band's name. By this time, the band's music had evolved into a more commercial hard rock sound. In 1990, they were signed to Boom Town Music and produced an EP called "Pretty Things". In 1991, they released the album Big House. Throndson recalled that Boom Town thought that it could market the band as a Canadian version of Guns N' Roses, and the label did invest in the band. The album was recorded at Prince's Paisley Park Studios, it was produced by the prominent David Bendeth and its cover was designed by Hugh Syme, who did all of the covers for Rush.