The Big Hurt

With its members hailing from Baltimore, Annapolis, Kent Island and Waldorf, Maryland, The Big Hurt band hit the music scene with an eclectic mix of Rock, Reggae, Breakbeat, Drum & Bass, Funk, Acid Jazz, Ska, Punk, Hip Hop, go-go, Jungle, Trip Hop and Afro Beat. The bands first notable appearance was in February of 2005 when they were asked to open for Long Beach Shortbus (of Sublime fame) at Towson's Recher Theatre. Two months later, they were picked out of 3000 local and regional acts to compete in the HFStival "Big Break" contest.


With the release of their debut album Lessons, under the label Stay Humble Music, the band was given the opportunity to work with producer Frank Marchand of Waterford Digital (Jimmie's Chicken Shack, The Toadies & Good Charlotte). Kate Nolan, writer for the Towson Times writes, "Altogether an impressive first album, Lessons just scratches the surface of the band's musical range. That is best demonstrated in concert as each member grows increasingly more animated as the show progresses. The energy is infectious." The Washington Post described The Big Hurt's music as "an easygoing sound that comfortably combines funk, jazz and hip-hop influences". Ben Herman, owner of SoundExposure.com, was quoted as saying "All I Know keeps me head on straight, and on many late nights, your songs have given me some serious strength to keep workin on the site".

The Big Hurt has opened for acts such as Long Beach Shortbus, Toots & the Maytals, Foghat, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Badfish, Kanye West, Cypress Hill, Panic! At the Disco, Matisyahu and many others at and HFStival 2006.

After a brief hiatus in 2007, a few of the bands core members along with some other notable Maryland & DC Musicians, formed an electronic, trip hop, acid jazz project called The Ashy Beat Hits.

Billy Martin — vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, djembe
Will Sutton — guitar
Tim Johnson — bass
DeeJay Germ — turntablism
Matt Costello — percussion
Jamie Kelley — drums
Joe Mysko — keyboards

Discography
LESSONS CD / LP (Stay Humble Music, 2005)
Hooligans
Play Dead
Nina
All I Know
Lessons
Low Down Ho
Impossible
Low Rider
Ditty
Disrupt

EPs
Kent Island All Stars (1989)

Compilations
In Nihilism We Trust CD / LP (2007)

Appearances
Billy and Tim make an appearance on Vote Quimby's Footloose: The Revised Motion Picture Soundtrack CD / LP (2005) Mr. Horrible Productions