''Racer-X'' is the third EP by American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

band

Big Black Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded first as a solo project by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band became a trio with an initial lineup that included guitarist Santiago Dur ...

. It was released by

Homestead Records Homestead Records was a Long Island, New York–based sublabel of music distributor Dutch East India Trading that operated from 1983 to 1996. While the record label was renowned for releasing work of artists such as Sonic Youth, Big Black, a ...

in 1985 and reissued by

Touch and Go Records Touch and Go Records is an American independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois. After its genesis as a handmade fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s underground and alternative rock scenes. To ...

in 1992. ''Racer-X'' was the first of Big Black's recordings to cement their instrumental lineup of two guitarists, one bassist, and a

Roland TR-606 The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a drum machine built by Roland Corporation from 1981 to 1984. Sounds It uses analog synthesis rather than samples to produce sound. It imitates acoustic percussion: the bass drum, snare, toms, cymbal and hi-hat ...

drum machine. It was the final Big Black release to feature bassist

Jeff Pezzati Jeffrey Neal Pezzati (born February 6, 1960) is an American musician, known for being the lead singer of the Chicago punk band Naked Raygun. From 1983 to 1985, he also played bass for the band Big Black. In 1980 Pezzati was asked to audition fo ...

, who left to dedicate more time to his primary band Naked Raygun.

Title

Racer X was a character on the

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

series ''

Speed Racer ''Speed Racer'', also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuo Yoshida. It was originally serialized in print in Shueisha's 1966 ''Shōnen Book''. It was released in form by Sun Wide Comics and later re-re ...

.'' The EP's title track makes numerous references to the original TV show.

Single

The song "Il Duce" (about

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...

) was recorded in the same session as the songs from the ''Racer-X'' EP. The song was released the same year as a 7" single backed with "Big Money" from '' Atomizer''. Homestead records also issued a promotional 12" version of the single with "Il Duce" and "Big Money" on the A-side and three live tracks on the B-side.

Cover art

The original EP featured cover art by Nate Kaatrud (better known as National Kato/Nash Kato) of

Urge Overkill Urge Overkill is an American alternative rock band, formed in Chicago in 1986, consisting of Nathan Kaatrud, who took the stage name Nash Kato (vocals/guitar), and Eddie "King" Roeser (vocals/guitar/bass). They are widely known for their song " ...

. When Touch and Go reissued the EP in 1992, the original artwork could not be found and a new cover was produced.

Track listing

#"Racer-X" - 4:01 #"Shotgun" - 3:28 #"The Ugly American" - 2:41 #"Deep Six" - 3:14 #"Sleep!" - 2:42 #" The Big Payback" (

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

) - 2:29

Personnel

Steve Albini Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer. He founded and fronted the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (band), ...

: electric guitar, vocals *

Santiago Durango Santiago Alonso Durango (born 1957) is a Colombian–American attorney and retired musician. He is best known for his work with the 1980s punk rock groups Naked Raygun and Big Black. Life and career Durango is the son of a Colombian doctor. Hi ...

: electric guitar *

: bass guitar *

Roland Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...

: drum machine * John Bonhen: saxophone on "The Ugly American" Recorded by Iain Burgess in Chicago.

Influence

The

Japandroids Japandroids were a Canadian rock duo from Vancouver, British Columbia, formed in 2006. The band consisted of Brian King (guitar, vocals) and David Prowse (drums, vocals).Lindsay, Ca"No Fun City Rockers" ''Exclaim!'', May 2009 accessed November ...

covered "Racer-X" during their Dec 15, 2009 Daytrotter session. Of “Racer X” they say this:

We’re recording a 7-inch in January and this going to be the B-side. This song was originally done by Big Black and came out on the Racer-X EP in 1984. Our version is pretty good, but the original is a masterpiece.

References

{{Big Black Big Black EPs 1985 EPs Homestead Records EPs Touch and Go Records EPs