After several years of gigging in Boston and Cambridge, the band signed to a major label and released its debut album In Loving Memory of... in 1997. The single The Oaf was a major Top Ten hit for the band that year.
Due to Thornley's Canadian nationality, the band's biggest commercial success was actually in Canada rather than the United States. The album's subsequent singles, Blown Wide Open and That Song, were not as successful on the American charts as The Oaf had been, but in Canada they were both Top Ten hits.
In October of 2001, Big Wreck played a special show at Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Uzume Taiko Ensemble of drummers, with The Tragically Hip's Paul Langlois and Robby Baker also making appearances.
The band's second album The Pleasure and the Greed (released in 2001) was marred by poor marketing and was not as big a hit as their debut album, especially in the United States. The band subsequently broke up a year later in 2002.
Thornley moved back to Toronto, launching the band Thornley. Doherty has gone on to be in the indie band Death of 8, but the other band members never emerged with new projects.
Ian and Brian rekindled their friendship, which lead to a reunion in 2011.
This reunion, however, would not include founding members Dave Henning and Forrest Williams.
Albatross, the band's third album, would be released on March 6, 2012, and would be Big Wreck's best charting album of all time, debuting at #5 on the Canadian albums charts, and would see its title track hit #1 on the Canadian Rock charts, which it would hold for six weeks straight. It would also spawn the singles Wolves and A Million Days, and would receive the CASBY award for "Favourite New Album" in 2012.
2014 would see the release of their fourth album, Ghosts, on the 10th of June. The album would debut at #5 on the Canadian Rock charts, and would go on to debut at #4 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, making it their highest charting album on that chart to date. Ghosts would come to spawn three singles: the name-sharing Ghosts, Come What May, and Hey Mama.
Big Wreck's fifth studio album, Grace Street, would see its release on February 3, 2017. The album would end up peaking at #5 on the Canadian Albums chart, much like Albatross and Ghosts. However, the lead single One Good Piece of Me would end up outperforming Ghosts (the song), with the track charting high on two separate charts within the first week of airplay. The other two singles that spawned from Grace Street were Digging In and You Don't Even Know.
On June 5, 2019, founding guitarist Brian Doherty would pass away after a battle with cancer. He was 51.
Big Wreck would release their sixth studio album, ...but for the Sun, on August 30, 2019. The band would end up dedicating the album to the late guitarist in memory of him. The album would see Locomotive, Too Far Gone, One More Chance and Alibi be the four singles to spawn, and would also see an in memoriam tour dedicated to Doherty.
...but for the Sun would be the last full-length album recorded with longtime drummer Chuck Keeping, as he would end up leaving the band in 2021 to focus on family life.
In the following years, Big Wreck would hire new drummer Sekou Lumumba (the former drummer for Ian Thornley's side project, Thornley) to replace Chuck Keeping, and would go on to release 3 EPs: 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3.
Pages, Big Wreck's 7th album, was released on November 24, 2023.
Discography:
Studio Albums
In Loving Memory Of... (1997)
The Pleasure And The Greed (2001)
Albatross (2012)
Bag of Tricks (Live, 2013)
Ghosts (2014)
Grace Street (2017)
...but for the Sun (2019)
Pages (2023)
EPs
7.1 (2021)
7.2 (2022)
7.3 (2023)
Members:
Ian Thornley (Vocals, Guitar, 1992 - present)
Chris Caddell (Rhythm Guitar, 2019 - present)
Dave McMillan (Bass Guitar, 2010 - present)
Sekou Lumumba (Drums, 2021 - present)
Past Members:
Brian Doherty (Guitar, 1992 - 2019 (d. June 5, 2019))
Paulo Neta (Guitar, 2010 - 2017)
Dave Henning (Bass Guitar, 1993 - 2002)
Forrest Williams (Drums, 1994 - 2002)
Brad Park (Drums, 2010 - 2012)
Chuck Keeping (Drums, 2012 - 2021)
By the Way
Big Wreck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you would be my one bad thing
Never when you tried
I let the fire burn out again
And then inside
So let my tears be realized
Before my eyes are turned
Won't work no more I've learned
Drowning or bathing
I've found out
What you meant
By the way
Knowledge unexpectedly
That you and me could be
Quiet the voices in my head
Warm my bed tonight
So you could be my one again
Never when you tried
Drowning or bathing
I've found out
What you meant
By the way
The opening lines of the song By The Way by Big Wreck sets up a mood of regret and reflection. The singer reiterates how letting go of someone you love can be incredibly difficult, particularly when you know you could have made it work if you had tried harder. The lyrics, "So you would be my one bad thing, never when you tried" indicate that maybe the relationship was doomed from the start and the singer recognizes that his/her partner was never really invested in making it work. The fire that was once burning bright between them has been extinguished and the singer is left in a place of emotional turmoil, of regret and loss.
The lyrics "So let my tears be realized before my eyes are turned, and every lie I've tried before won't work no more I've learned" implies that the singer is finally coming to terms with the reality of the situation. They are acknowledging that they need to deal with their emotions rather than turning a blind eye to them, and that no amount of deception can make it okay. The lines "Drowning or bathing, I've found out what you meant, by the way" suggest that the relationship is either a source of emotional rejuvenation or emotional turmoil, they have both made an impact on each other's lives.
Overall, By The Way is a heartfelt and nostalgic take on love and loss. The lyrics capture a sense of longing and melancholy that is emblematic of relationships that have failed and reminds us of the pain of letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
One two three four
Beginning of the song, starting the count in a deliberate manner
So you would be my one bad thing
Referring to a person who causes trouble, but still wanted and needed in life
Never when you tried
The trouble caused is never intentional or wanted by the person causing it
I let the fire burn out again
Relationships and passions can require attention, if left ignored they die out
And then inside
Highlighting the emotional toll loneliness can have
So let my tears be realized
Expressing the need to acknowledge and process personal pain
Before my eyes are turned
Wanting to face emotionally tough situations before it's too late
And every lie I've tried before
Describing past attempts to avoid the truth of tough situations
Won't work no more I've learned
Acknowledging the need for honesty and facing problems head on
Drowning or bathing
Comparing the choice to either be consumed by personal pain or to cleanse oneself from it
I've found out
Implying realization and acceptance of a personal truth
What you meant
Discovering a truth about a person or situation
By the way
Indicating that this truth was conveyed casually or unintentionally
Knowledge unexpectedly
A realization which happened by chance or without intention
That you and me could be
Realizing that a positive relationship is possible between two people
Quiet the voices in my head
Finding peace and calm within oneself, and the ability to think clearly
Warm my bed tonight
Wanting comfort and companionship
So you could be my one again
Referring back to the person who was once a source of trouble, but now seen as a source of comfort and love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN THORNLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind