The Didjits
Encyclopedia
The Didjits were an American
punk rock
band formed in Sullivan, Illinois
in 1983, comprised Rick Sims (a.k.a. Rick Didjit) on guitar/vocals, Doug Evans on bass, and Rick's brother Brad Sims, on drums. Didjits were known for the aggressive guitar playing and persona of Rick Sims, who often baited the audience between songs, and took plenty of abuse for it. Moreover, the band also added odd stunts and theatrical bits to some of their stage shows, particularly when playing in Chicago and Champaign.
They released their first album in 1987 on Bam Bam Records and disbanded in 1994, but briefly reunited in 2006. Brad Sims left the band in 1992. Former Scratch Acid
drummer Rey Washam
filled in for the Little Miss Carriage EP, and Todd Cole eventually took over as the drummer. Their song "Killboy Powerhead" was covered by The Offspring
on their breakthrough 1994 album Smash.
(who has worked with Naked Raygun
, Effigies and Mega City Four
, among others). Many of the songs on the album (and a couple subsequent releases) had appeared on self-released cassettes such as Whoop My Head and Signifies My Go-T. The album showcased the burgeoning songwriting talents of Rick Sims, along with his fast, stinging guitar leads. Although Didjits were not a hardcore punk band, they played their souped up rock and roll with plenty of speed. Underneath the fun and fury, the band displayed a real feel for classic rock forms from Jerry Lee Lewis
(spoofed and honored in the opening cut "Jerry Lee") to Ramones
to AC/DC
and others. Highlights include the dynamic "Fix Some Food Bitch", the melodic "California Surf Queen", the dramatic "Mexican Death Horse" and the smart ass "Beast Le Brutale".
Hey Judester, the follow-up album, was a big step forward, as the band, produced by Burgess again, was noticeably tighter and the production was accordingly beefed up. Furthermore, the Rick Didjit persona was truly crystallized, with sarcastic lyrics about bad asses, big cars, and fish dominating the proceedings. Considered by many fans to be the band's best album, the LP kicks off with the furious "Max Wedge" and segues directly into "Stingray". The near perfect first side also has the Cramps
-like "Skull Baby", the lightning fast "Plate in My Head", sung from the point of view of a Vietnam vet, the heavy "Under the Christmas Fish", a frequent concert opener with its pounding bass and drum rhythm and Sims hooky lead guitar line, and the closer, a wobbly version of Little Richard
's "Lucille". Side two was nearly as good, with "Axhandle" sounding like a cross between AC/DC and Buzzcocks
, "Joliet" encouraging singalongs, Doug Evans's bass dominating "King Carp", and Sims showing that he could pen a great mid-tempo song on "Dad" ("you know I really hate it/when you hit me with that belt"), a tough guy song tinged with melancholy. Judester was the band's first album released on Touch & Go Records, and was subsequently released as a two-for-one CD with Fizzjob.
The band's following solidified with the release of Hornet Pinata, which equaled, if not bettered, its predecessor. The album was littered with memorable riffs and careening, pile-driving rhythms, and perhaps the best set of lyrics on any Didjits record. Whether it was Rick Sims telling the story of a one-legged drug dealer who stored his stash in his peg leg in "Lone Lone Ranger" ("just touch my leg/and Santa Claus'll get you high"), offering a put down in "Evel Knievel" ("it takes a better woman than you baby/to call me a slut") or the pearls of wisdom dripping from "Sweet Sweet Satan" ("c'mon let me tell you my recipe/it takes 10 tons of bullshit/for 10 ounces of glory"), the album is a cackling joyride. It leads off with "Killboy Powerhead", later covered by The Offspring on their Smash album, has a worthy cover of The MC5's "Call Me Animal" and sloppy bash through Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", with Doug Evans on lead vocals. The band shot a video for "Captain Ahab", an excellent midtempo song featuring some of Sims' most memorable guitar lines, which MTV refused to play due to drug references in the lyrics. Nevertheless, a clip of the video was shown on MTV's 120 Minutes show, and the clip contained some of those drug references. The video for "Judge The Hot Fudge" appeared in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
; the boys were not impressed.
, Illinois
on September 9, 2006. The next weekend, the band played another reunion show in Champaign.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed in Sullivan, Illinois
Sullivan, Illinois
Sullivan is a city in Moultrie County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,326 at the 2000 census, and 4,396 in 2009. It is the county seat of Moultrie County...
in 1983, comprised Rick Sims (a.k.a. Rick Didjit) on guitar/vocals, Doug Evans on bass, and Rick's brother Brad Sims, on drums. Didjits were known for the aggressive guitar playing and persona of Rick Sims, who often baited the audience between songs, and took plenty of abuse for it. Moreover, the band also added odd stunts and theatrical bits to some of their stage shows, particularly when playing in Chicago and Champaign.
They released their first album in 1987 on Bam Bam Records and disbanded in 1994, but briefly reunited in 2006. Brad Sims left the band in 1992. Former Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam and Win Vitosky...
drummer Rey Washam
Rey Washam
Rey Washam is a drummer who has been performing for more than 20 years. He has collaborated with many bands, the most notable of which include: Scratch Acid, Rapeman, Ministry, the Big Boys, Helios Creed, the Didjits, Lard, and Tad and Butthole Surfers offshoot Daddy Longhead...
filled in for the Little Miss Carriage EP, and Todd Cole eventually took over as the drummer. Their song "Killboy Powerhead" was covered by The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
on their breakthrough 1994 album Smash.
Recording history
Fizzjob, their debut album, was produced by Iain BurgessIain Burgess
Iain Burgess was a British record producer and audio engineer. He helped define the sound of the Chicago post-punk music scene in the 1980s and early '90s, working with a number of key underground bands, including Big Black, Naked Raygun, The Effigies, Get Smart!, Ministry, Bloodsport, Pegboy,...
(who has worked with Naked Raygun
Naked Raygun
Naked Raygun is a Chicago-based punk rock group. Initially active from 1980 to about 1992, Naked Raygun had several short-lived reunions afterwards and a full-time reformation in 2006....
, Effigies and Mega City Four
Mega City Four
Mega City Four were an English indie/pop punk band who were popular in the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Mega City Four consisted of guitarist/vocalist Wiz, his brother and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Danny Brown, bassist/vocalist Gerry Bryant and drummer Chris Jones...
, among others). Many of the songs on the album (and a couple subsequent releases) had appeared on self-released cassettes such as Whoop My Head and Signifies My Go-T. The album showcased the burgeoning songwriting talents of Rick Sims, along with his fast, stinging guitar leads. Although Didjits were not a hardcore punk band, they played their souped up rock and roll with plenty of speed. Underneath the fun and fury, the band displayed a real feel for classic rock forms from Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
(spoofed and honored in the opening cut "Jerry Lee") to Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
to AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
and others. Highlights include the dynamic "Fix Some Food Bitch", the melodic "California Surf Queen", the dramatic "Mexican Death Horse" and the smart ass "Beast Le Brutale".
Hey Judester, the follow-up album, was a big step forward, as the band, produced by Burgess again, was noticeably tighter and the production was accordingly beefed up. Furthermore, the Rick Didjit persona was truly crystallized, with sarcastic lyrics about bad asses, big cars, and fish dominating the proceedings. Considered by many fans to be the band's best album, the LP kicks off with the furious "Max Wedge" and segues directly into "Stingray". The near perfect first side also has the Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
-like "Skull Baby", the lightning fast "Plate in My Head", sung from the point of view of a Vietnam vet, the heavy "Under the Christmas Fish", a frequent concert opener with its pounding bass and drum rhythm and Sims hooky lead guitar line, and the closer, a wobbly version of Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
's "Lucille". Side two was nearly as good, with "Axhandle" sounding like a cross between AC/DC and Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, "Joliet" encouraging singalongs, Doug Evans's bass dominating "King Carp", and Sims showing that he could pen a great mid-tempo song on "Dad" ("you know I really hate it/when you hit me with that belt"), a tough guy song tinged with melancholy. Judester was the band's first album released on Touch & Go Records, and was subsequently released as a two-for-one CD with Fizzjob.
The band's following solidified with the release of Hornet Pinata, which equaled, if not bettered, its predecessor. The album was littered with memorable riffs and careening, pile-driving rhythms, and perhaps the best set of lyrics on any Didjits record. Whether it was Rick Sims telling the story of a one-legged drug dealer who stored his stash in his peg leg in "Lone Lone Ranger" ("just touch my leg/and Santa Claus'll get you high"), offering a put down in "Evel Knievel" ("it takes a better woman than you baby/to call me a slut") or the pearls of wisdom dripping from "Sweet Sweet Satan" ("c'mon let me tell you my recipe/it takes 10 tons of bullshit/for 10 ounces of glory"), the album is a cackling joyride. It leads off with "Killboy Powerhead", later covered by The Offspring on their Smash album, has a worthy cover of The MC5's "Call Me Animal" and sloppy bash through Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", with Doug Evans on lead vocals. The band shot a video for "Captain Ahab", an excellent midtempo song featuring some of Sims' most memorable guitar lines, which MTV refused to play due to drug references in the lyrics. Nevertheless, a clip of the video was shown on MTV's 120 Minutes show, and the clip contained some of those drug references. The video for "Judge The Hot Fudge" appeared in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
; the boys were not impressed.
Reunion
All of the original members of the band appeared at the Touch and Go 25th anniversary celebration in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
on September 9, 2006. The next weekend, the band played another reunion show in Champaign.
Current Projects
Doug Evans now resides in the Austin, TX area where he builds nitro dragsters and regularly performs in his band Blöwer.Studio albums
- 1987 Fizzjob (Bam Bam Records, rereleased by Touch & Go in 1989)
- 1988 Hey Judester (Touch and Go RecordsTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
, CD released included Fizzjob) - 1990 Hornet Piñata (T&G)
- 1991 Full Nelson Reilly (T&G)
- 1993 Que Sirhan Sirhan (T&G)
Singles and EPs
- 1989 "Lovesicle" 7" (T&G)
- 1991 "Fuck the Pigs" 7" (T&G)
- 1992 "Little Miss Carriage!" EP (T&G)
- 1993 "Dear Junkie" b/w "Skull Baby" / "Fire In The Hole" (Sub Pop Records Single of the Month Club)
Compilation albums
- 1991 Virus 100Virus 100Virus 100 is a compilation album released by Alternative Tentacles.- Overview :In 1992, Jello Biafra-founded record label, Alternative Tentacles, released its 100th album. Wanting to do something special for such a momentous occasion, they decided to release a cover album of fifteen Dead Kennedys'...
(Alternative Tenticles) - 1992 "Something's Gone Wrong Again" (C/Z Records)