Big Dog Neighborhood started off as Zombie Jamboree in 1990. Playing the local scene from the Seacoast of NH, the three-piece band spent 2 years playing shows with other local acts like Fly Spinach Fly, Bobhouse, Ghandi’s Lunchbox, Thanks To Gravity, Heaven’s To Murgatroid, et al. Drummer Shawn Fallo used to say "We were three-piece before three-piece was cool." Unbeknownst to most people, the band auditioned many fourth members unsuccessfully. It appears that one band member was so nasty that no one wanted to ever join the group for more than a beer or two.
In 1992, the band saw many changes. Drummer Fallo was out, Mike Squier was in. The year saw the release of the album "Dignified" to popular and critical acclaim. (at least three people liked the album and said so) Concurrent with the release of the new album was the name change to Big Dog Neighborhood. Rumor has it that the band name came from Fox. He was driving through some sh*thole section of Nashua NH and remarked "What is this? Some big dog neighborhood?" Apparently his girlfriend hated the expression, so he promptly pushed for the name change. The band expanded their touring schedule to include New York, Boston and Portland, Maine (and all points in between)
By 1993, tension in the band finally came to a head when Martin could no longer handle Squier’s plucking of his chest hairs as a substitute for stick click intros. Martin and Squier both hated Fox due to his incessant attempts to get fans to swim naked in the winter months. Fox claimed it was "inspirational" and reportedly wrote a song about the whole thing. Squier and Fox ganged up on Martin due to Martin’s near lethargic attitude on stage, but Martin was too comatose to notice. In short, it was time for a line up change.
1994-1995: Remaining members Fox and Martin were rumored to have been seen without drinks in their hands, but no one can prove that. Squier went on to high political office and continues to this day as El Presidente and Potentate of Zaire.
1996-2000: A chance encounter with a drummer from the band you know no one knows, Rick Aubin, lead to the final incarnation of the band. Content with three-piece lifestyle, the band played numerous shows, dives, parties and one really drunk birthday (Aubin’s). In 1998 they released what was to be their swan song album "Don’t Talk To The Driver", a rip off of a Picasso saying. By the end of 1999, the band was considered to be a musician’s band, which meant only other bands came to their shows. This is not entirely true, since no one can remember seeing any other bands at Big Dog shows. By 2000, all band members were married, which killed the original intent of the band: to score girls and get naked. The band parted ways amicably in mid 2000, mainly because they had no assets, so lawsuits seemed pointless, not to mention expensive.
Rumor has it a follow up to "...Driver" was recorded, and may still be lurking in the vaults. Watch this space for more.
Will Big Dog ever reunite for another go at stardom, big fat piles of cash and their own VH1 Behind The Music special? No f***ing way.
This band f&%$ing rocked. I almost felt like a member as I watched Gary "Boom Boom" Fox smash amps and light audience members on fire. It wasn't a Big Dog show unless someone was airlifted to a local hospital!
