Pig City (song)
Encyclopedia
Pig City is an independently released song recorded in late 1983 by the Brisbane
band The Parameters. The song critiques the corrupt and authoritative aspects within Joh Bjelke-Petersen
's Queensland
State coalition government and Queensland police force during the early 1980's. Issues raised within the song included banning of street marches, persecution of aborigines, ministerial and government corruption, SP bookmaking, police harassment and Special Branch surveillance.
The song later lent its name to the 2004 book "Pig City - from the Saints to Savage Garden" written by Andrew Stafford. Stafford's book explores the political climate and music scene in Brisbane between 1971 and 2000.
In 2007, the song's title has also referenced within the name of the Queensland Music Festival
, Pig City: Brisbane's Historical Soundtrack
. This day-long festival featured music originating from Brisbane over the past 30 years. The festival included the first reformation in 30 years of The Saints
and also performance by The Apartments
, The Riptides
, Ups and Downs, The Pineapples From The Dawn Of Time
, Regurgitator
, Screamfeeder
, Kev Carmody
and Kate Miller-Heidke
performing songs by The Go-Betweens
. The festival also included a reformation of members of The Parameters performing Pig City.
In "Pig City": An Interview with Andrew Stafford", Andrew Stafford stated that "the reason I chose that song for the title was that it was really a rallying call, and a signature song for Brisbane at that time. Certainly if you listened to ZZZ in that period, the song was inescapable and it was so symbolic of living in Brisbane at that time, it described so vividly what it was like to live here."
The song was written by Tony Kneipp and recorded over two week period at 4ZZZ
's studios at the University of Queensland. Each track on the song was recorded and overdubbed separately.
The Parameters members included Tony Kneipp on vocals, rhythm and slide guitars and saxophone, Ian Graham on lead guitar and bass and Steven Pritchard on drums.
Pig City received a large amount of airplay on the independent radio station 4ZZZ
and regularly featured within the station's annual Hot 100. A single was released in 1984, which included "Material Possession" on the b-side.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
band The Parameters. The song critiques the corrupt and authoritative aspects within Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
's Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
State coalition government and Queensland police force during the early 1980's. Issues raised within the song included banning of street marches, persecution of aborigines, ministerial and government corruption, SP bookmaking, police harassment and Special Branch surveillance.
The song later lent its name to the 2004 book "Pig City - from the Saints to Savage Garden" written by Andrew Stafford. Stafford's book explores the political climate and music scene in Brisbane between 1971 and 2000.
In 2007, the song's title has also referenced within the name of the Queensland Music Festival
Queensland Music Festival
The Queensland Music Festival is a series of musical events staged in a number of locations in Queensland, Australia usually around late July, every second year. It is financially supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and a wide range of other partners...
, Pig City: Brisbane's Historical Soundtrack
Pig City (music festival)
Pig City: Brisbane’s Historical Soundtrack was a one day music festival held as part of the Queensland Music Festival in 2007. The idea for the concert came from Queensland Music Festival Artistic Director for 2007 Paul Grabowsky, who was inspired after reading Andrew Stafford’s book Pig City: From...
. This day-long festival featured music originating from Brisbane over the past 30 years. The festival included the first reformation in 30 years of The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
and also performance by The Apartments
The Apartments
The Apartments was an Australian indie band that first formed in 1978 in Brisbane, broke up in 1979, and reformed several times since.-History:...
, The Riptides
Riptides
The Riptides were a band from Brisbane Australia and worked largely as a vehicle for the song-writing talents of Mark "Cal" Callaghan. Over a career spanning 6 years from 1979 to 1983 the band also featured a number of notable musicians.-History:...
, Ups and Downs, The Pineapples From The Dawn Of Time
The Pineapples from the Dawn of Time
The Pineapples from the Dawn of Time is an Australian psychedelic punk band that first formed in 1985 in Brisbane, broke up in 1988, and reconvened in 2000.-History:...
, Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
, Screamfeeder
Screamfeeder
Screamfeeder are a rock band from Brisbane, Australia.-Members and history:Screamfeeder began performing under that name in Brisbane, Australia in 1991. They formed out of the remains of Tim Steward and Tony Blade's band, The Madmen....
, Kev Carmody
Kev Carmody
Kevin Daniel "Kev" Carmody is an Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter. His song "From Little Things Big Things Grow" was recorded with co-writer Paul Kelly for their 1993 single; it was covered by the Get Up Mob in 2008 and peaked at #4 on the Australian Recording Industry Association singles...
and Kate Miller-Heidke
Kate Miller-Heidke
Kate Miller-Heidke is a singer-songwriter from Brisbane, Australia. Although classically trained, she has followed a career in alternative pop music. She is signed to Sony Australia, Epic in the US and RCA in the UK.-Career:...
performing songs by The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
. The festival also included a reformation of members of The Parameters performing Pig City.
In "Pig City": An Interview with Andrew Stafford", Andrew Stafford stated that "the reason I chose that song for the title was that it was really a rallying call, and a signature song for Brisbane at that time. Certainly if you listened to ZZZ in that period, the song was inescapable and it was so symbolic of living in Brisbane at that time, it described so vividly what it was like to live here."
The song was written by Tony Kneipp and recorded over two week period at 4ZZZ
4ZZZ
4ZZZ is an independent community radio station operating in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, at the frequency 102.1 FM. As a community radio station, 4ZZZ is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia...
's studios at the University of Queensland. Each track on the song was recorded and overdubbed separately.
The Parameters members included Tony Kneipp on vocals, rhythm and slide guitars and saxophone, Ian Graham on lead guitar and bass and Steven Pritchard on drums.
Pig City received a large amount of airplay on the independent radio station 4ZZZ
4ZZZ
4ZZZ is an independent community radio station operating in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, at the frequency 102.1 FM. As a community radio station, 4ZZZ is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia...
and regularly featured within the station's annual Hot 100. A single was released in 1984, which included "Material Possession" on the b-side.