Reel Big Fish

Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band lost mainstream recognition but gained an underground cult following. As of 2006, the band is no longer signed to a major record label, and has since been independent. After many line-up changes throughout the years, front man Aaron Barrett remains the only founding member in the band.

History

Early success (1992-1999)

The band started as a Led Zeppelin Cover Band until they released a demo in 1992 which is now called "In The Good Old Days". At the time, their band name was "The Fischer King". With the departure of Ben Guzman, then backup vocalist Aaron Barrett took his place as lead singer. The band then changed their genre to ska.

Big Fish

Big Fish is a 2003 American fantasy drama film based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace. The film was directed by Tim Burton and stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, and Marion Cotillard. Other roles are performed by Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew McGrory, and Danny DeVito among others. Finney plays Edward Bloom, a former traveling salesman from the Southern United States with a gift for storytelling, now confined to his deathbed. Bloom's estranged son, a journalist played by Crudup, attempts to mend their relationship as his dying father relates tall tales of his eventful life as a young adult during which scenes he is played by Ewan McGregor.

Screenwriter John August read a manuscript of the novel six months before it was published and convinced Columbia Pictures to acquire the rights. August began adapting the novel while producers negotiated with Steven Spielberg who planned to direct after finishing Minority Report (2002). Spielberg considered Jack Nicholson for the role of Edward Bloom, but eventually dropped the project to focus on Catch Me If You Can (2002). Tim Burton and Richard D. Zanuck took over after completing Planet of the Apes (2001) and brought Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney on board.

Big Fish (band)

Big Fish was a Swedish experimental rock music group with influences from industrial music, punk, jazz, blues, metal and folk music, adding up to a unique sound.

One of their songs, "Den Blinde Rasisten" (eng. "The Blind Racist"), is based on a poem by Hans Alfredsson. "Den Blinde Rasisten" gained a lot of popularity for its lyrics, which tell the story of a blind boy who grows up to be a racist. He then undergoes a surgical procedure that restores his sight. A glance in the mirror and the man falls dead of a heart attack. The glance had taught him that "he himself was a nigger".

Discography

On compilations

Big Fish (soundtrack)

Big Fish: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack, on the Sony Classical label, of the 2003 film Big Fish. The original score and songs were composed by Danny Elfman.

The album was nominated for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.

Track listing

References