R.I.P. Randy "Biscuit" Turner
Thursday August 18, 2005 – 11:40 pm
Thomas, an old friend from high school, just sent word about Biscuit’s passing yesterday. There’s an article about it in the Statesman but it doesn’t give much info. (Use BugMeNot if you can’t get in to read that.) Biscuit was absolutely one of the key leaders of the music scene I first jumped into (as a fan) as soon as I was old enough to pass for drinking age (even if I wasn’t). In the early 80s I saw the Big Boys countless times at the Ritz, Club Foot, Liberty Lunch and God knows how many other joints in Austin. They were probably my favorite band to see live just because they were SO MUCH FUN, and that had everything to do with Biscuit’s infectious enthusiasm for the music, the kids, the whole scene. The motto went "Now go start your own band!" and I wouldn’t be surprised if that one phrase helped to spawn hundreds of other bands directly or indirectly. I remember thinking at the time that it sounded a little corny, but the phrase stuck in my head from then on. There was no denying he was right… you have to get out there and do it, there’s no other way in this world but to just do whatever it is that you love. Biscuit, wherever you are, god bless ya for giving us that kick in the ass! You were an inspiration to so many kids like me. I only wish I could’ve said all this just a few days earlier. :-(
The Dictionary.com Word of the Day is "ephemeral"….
August 19th, 2005 at 6:07 am
The Chronicle just published a long profile…
August 19th, 2005 at 6:18 am
Edith.
Most random thing ever. Last night while I was photographing the Killers at Stubbs in Austin, Andy Langer (big radio personality) came up to me and wispered in my ear that buscuit had died. that part isn’t so strange. what is really strange is that he was on the cover of this weeks chronicle
http://www.austinchronicle.com/
but the paper was printed the day before he died!!!!
Mary.
August 19th, 2005 at 9:31 am
I remember how psyched I was that T&G;reissued all the Bog Boys stuff. And even more psyched that the wreck collection finally came out on CD.
Definitely one of the great punk bands of their time.
Thanks to the DJ (I think his name was Matt) on WXDR who used to play "No" at the end of every show he did. That is how I got turned onto the Big Boys.
August 25th, 2005 at 1:10 pm
How sad. I saw Randy a few months back at an art opening in Austin which was showing some of his art. We chatted a bit since we kind of knew each other from a distance. (Both he and I were in an art show back in the mid-80s, taking place in the basement of Rutamaya’s in downtown Austin with the Big Boys playing. Great show!) As I left the gallery, I nodded goodbye and he, in turn, blew me a kiss. Not the usual thing I get from guys but from him I knew it to be a sweet and sincere gesture. He was indeed a sweetheart.
There’s a final interview with him in this week’s issue of the Austin Chronicle (http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-08-26/music_feature.html).
Jeff