Start-up and early career
Big Fat Snake was formed in December 1990 by singer Anders Blichfeldt and bassist Jacob Perbøll. Big Fat Snake recorded their self-titled debut album in just one single night in the studio, with drummer Holger Kølle, and guitarist Peter Viskinde, whom Blichfeldt had played with since 1988 in the band The Werners.
The album consisted of cover numbers within the rock and blues genre, as well as three own tracks composed by Blichfeldt and Viskinde. The debut album sold in 10,000 copies. Drummer Holger Kølle joined for a few months and was replaced by Jens Fredslund in March 1991.
In 1991 Big Fat Snake signed a contract with the record company Medley Records, and in 1992 released the album Born Lucky, produced by Medley Records’ owner Poul Brun. By this time, Pete Repete had also joined the band. Born Lucky sold 12,000 copies. In 1992, Medley Records was sold to EMI and Big Fat Snake could not agree with the company to continue the collaboration.
Big Fat Snake then signed a contract with the record label Sundance, and released the album Beautiful Thing which gained reasonable popularity with, among other things. Blichfeldt’s song “Howling at the Moon” is still on the set list at regular intervals. In 1994 the band signed a contract with the company L&G and released the album Midnight Mission. contained the rock ballad “No Peace like in heaven” written by Peter Viskinde and became the band’s first major hit.
The record label L&G was sold to Playground, which was again sold to Sony, and Big Fat Snake moved on to Mega Records. Kjeld Wennick, known from the duo Jan & Kjeld, was the owner and manager of Mega Records and had a good understanding of the band’s sometimes difficult composition, and the collaboration with Mega Records became the longest Big Fat Snake has worked with any record company. First album on Mega Records was Fight for Your Love, which gave the band their first gold record.
Commercial success
In 1997, Jakob Perbøll chose to step out of the band, and he was replaced by Anders Blichfeldt’s old friend Asger Steenholdt. The new team now recorded the album Flames. Blichfeldt’s “Bonsoir Madame”, which has since become the band’s signature song. With the release of the Flames, Big Fat Snake got their actual commercial breakthrough, and both record and ticket sales increased.
The band quickly became the main name of many festivals, selling thousands of tickets at major venues. The live concerts were from the start the band’s force, and with the many concerts in the baggage, and a really strong team both in and around the band, Big Fat Snake managed to be the most touring band in Denmark in a 10 year period.
A number of platinum and double platinum selling albums such as, www.bigfatsnake.com, Running Man, and Play It By Ear, were released from 1997 to 2003.
One Night of Sin happened by chance when part of the band was asked by Henrik Knudsen, founder of Graceland Randers, whether they would participate as extra musicians and singers in a concert with TCB Band, Elvis Presley’s old band. The TCB Band stayed an extra day in Denmark, and a repertoire of 1/3 Elvis, 1/3 Roy Orbison and 1/3 Big Fat Snake was rehearsed and tried before the concert.
The recording was broadcast on CD and DVD and became a huge success with over 125,000 copies sold. Big Fat Snake later traveled to the tropical island of Tobago in 2003 and recorded the album More Fire on the Beach. This album, with Blichfeldt’s “Sittin ‘in a window” became the best-selling album in the band’s history with over 130,000 copies sold.
In 2006, the band released Between the devil and the big blue sea, an album recorded in the Medley studio at Vesterbro with guest performance by D-A-D’s guitarist Jacob Binzer. During this time it became more difficult for the band to devote the necessary time to work in depth with recordings, and in 2007 Big Fat Snake recorded the album Now in Anders Blichfeldt’s studio. The recordings were really demos, but contained so much nerve and life that the band chose to release it.
Firing of Peter Viskinde
Frustrations and disagreement over which way the band should follow led to the firing of Peter Viskinde in December 2008, which was published in March 2009. The breach then developed into open media war, with both Viskinde and the remaining members of the band claiming the right to the name Big Fat Snake, where at one point there were two bands calling themselves “Big Fat Snake”.
In June 2009, however, a settlement was reached between the parties, and Peter Viskinde waived the right to the name. In 2009, Big Fat Snake recorded the album What is left is right, produced by Chief 1 in the legendary Malmöstudie Varispeed.
The album was released in the slipstream on the negative press coverage the band had received when Viskinde left the band, and did not become the great sales success. Big Fat Snake struggled with a bad reputation and had a hard time penetrating the press with the message that they still existed and that it was actually going pretty well.
Recovery
Big Fat Snake made a decision in 2011 to return to the starting point: Love for the music and recorded the album Come Closer in front of a live audience at the Brundby Rock Hotel on Samsø. All the songs for the album were written in less than three weeks, and Henrik Nilsson helped to finish the album afterwards.
The good rumor began to spread, and the audience returned to the concerts and record stores. The band got a gold record for Come Closer. Big Fat Snake receives gold for their album ‘Midnight Hour’ on March 13, 2014 In the spring of 2013,
Big Fat Snake celebrated the 10th year of One Night Of Sin with a tour where this album was played live. It resulted in 20 sold out concerts, and was a manifestation that the band still has a large and faithful audience. In April 2013, the band recorded the Midnight Hour concert, slightly in line with One Night Of Sin, mixing Big Fat Snake’s own repertoire with major international hits – this time under the heading Memphis Soul.
In connection with the release of Midnight Hour, Big Fat Snake began a collaboration with the demolition company J. Jensen, who helped realize the band’s dream of making a big show. Big Fat Snake released the album ‘IdiOcrazy’ in April 2014, and got really good reviews for the first time in many years.
The album was recorded by analogy, ie on tape, and was produced by Chief1. Digital marketing on Facebook and YouTube helped, ironically, bring a 100% analogue album on the 1st place on the digital hit list for several weeks. Again, the album was released in collaboration with a partner, this time the energy company Trefor.
In December 2017, Big Fat Snake announced that 2018 would welcome a farewell tour and that the 2019 band will no longer tour. At the same time, it was announced that Big Fat Snake does not dissolve but goes to sleep.
Discography
Unplugged
Nordic Dynamic 2017
Tracks: Run Run Run, Explain, Bonsoir Madame, No Peace Like In Heaven, You´re An Apple I´m An Orange, Sitting In A Window, Animal, Little Wings, Losing You, Fight For Your Love, Female Voice, Hej Mr. World & Whenever You Ready.
Musicians on the Unplugged album: Big Fat Snake and others.
IdiOcrazy
REO Records 2014
Tracks: Ramblin´Man, Cheap Wine And Dine, Devil In The Jukebox, Explain, She Lives For Today, Inside/Outside, Swayed, Twinseater, Ophelia´s Song & Anystreet Anywhere.
Musicians on the IdiOcrazy album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Midnight Hour
REO Records 2013
Tracks: Burning Love (Dennis Linde), In The Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett/Steve Cropper), Water (E.Floyd/S.Cropper), Up In The Sky (Anders Blichfeldt/BFS), Raise Your Hand (Cropper/Floyd/Bell), Stranger In My Own Hometown (Percy Mayfield), I Will Take Care Of You (Anders Blichfeldt/BFS), Stop Sleeping With The Lights On (Pete Repete/BFS), Howling At The Moon (Anders Blichfeldt/BFS), This Old Heart Of Mine (Holland/Dozer/Holland), Explain (Anders Blichfeldt), Sitting In The Dock Of The Bay (O.Redding/S.Cropper), Don’t Think Twice (Bob Dylan), Only One Like You (Anders Blichfeldt/BFS), Little Sister (Dolpomus/Mort Shuman), Get Back (Lennon/McCartney), Green Onions (Booker T.), Soul Man (Isac Hayes/David Porter), Every Negative (Anders Blichfeldt/BFS), Hard To Handle (Redding/Isbell/Alvertis/Jones/Allen Alvoid), That’s How Strong My Love Is (Redding), Leah (Roy Orbison), If You Talk In Your Sleep (Johnny Cristopher/Bobby West), Let It Be Me (Gilbert Be’caud/Mann Curtis), Time To Say Goodbye (Asger Steenholdt/BFS), A Little Less Conversation (Scot Davis/Billy Strange) & From The Inside (Anders Blichfeldt/Chief1).
Musicians on the Midnight Hour album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Come Closer
RecArt Music 2011
Tracks: Love Is Freeware, Rebuilding, One More Time, Every Negative, Come Closer, I Would Die For You, All I Wanna Know, Only One Like You, Time To Say Goodbye & Begin to Shine.
Musicians on the Come Closer album: Big Fat Snake and others.
8 Originale Album
CMC Records 2009
Tracks: Tracks: Big Fat Snake (1991), Beautiful Thing (1994), Midnight Mission (1995), Fight For Your Love (1996), Flames (1997), www.bigfatsnake.com (1998), Running Man (2000), Play It By Ear (2002) & One Night Of Sin (2003).
Musicians on 8 Originale album: Big Fat Snake and others.
What Is Left Is Right
Mermaid Records 2009
Tracks: Different Day, Addicted, What Is Left Is Right, Up In The Sky, Tight, Shadow, 101%, Sittin’ By The Road, Stop Sleeping With The Lights On, First Thing (On My Mind) & Hymn For You.
Musicians on What Is Left Is Right album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Nu
Copenhagen Records 2007
Tracks: Juliet, I.O.U, You Can Have It All, She’ll Come Back, Sunset, Don’t Know Why, Open Wine, Never Let You Go, Rock Song, Like The Rain, No One Wants To Lose Their Feeling, Turn Back Time For A While & Why Do I cry.
Musicians on the Nu album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Between The Devil And The Big Blue Sea
CMC Records 2006
Tracks: All My Love, Between The Devil And The Big Blue Sea, A Little Less Loneliness, Call From An Angel, I Wanna Feel I’m Alive, Baby Girl, Please Don’t Go, No Love At All, Wind, Won’t Wanna Wait, Deep In My Heart & Love And War.
Musicians on the Between The Devil And The Big Blue Sea album: Big Fat Snake and others.
The Box
CMC Records 2005
Tracks: Big Fat Snake (1991 – CMC), Born Lucky (1992 – CMC), Beautiful Thing (1994 – CMC), Midnight Mission (1995 – CMC), Fight For Your Love (1996 – CMC), Flames (1997 – Mega Records), www.bigfatsnake.com (1998 – Mega Records), Running Man (2000 – Mega Records), Live (2001 – Mega Records) & Play It By Ear (2002 – Mega Records).
Musicians on The Box album: Big Fat Snake and others.
More Fire
CMC Records 2004
Tracks: Walk Into An Empty Room, Still In Love With You, Sittin’ In A Window, Living A Lonely Life, Hey Mr. World, When I’m In My Dreams, Gospel Truth, Rise & Shine, Now Your Love Is Gone, With You With Me & Simple Song.
Musicians on the More Fire album: Big Fat Snake and others.
One Night Of Sin
CMC Records 2003
Tracks: See See Rider, One Night Of Sin, Only The Lonely, Fight For your Love, You Gave Me A Mountain, In Dreams, Mean Woman Blues, No Peace Like In Heaven, Animal, Bonsoir Madame, Sweet Inspirations, Pretty Woman, Always On My Mind, Johnny B. Goode, Someone Like You, Steamroller Blues, What Now My Love (with Jimmy Jørgensen), Suspicious Minds, A Love So Beautiful, Fire Down Below & My Way.
Musicians on the One Night Of Sin album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Play It By Ear
Mega Records 2002
Tracks: Play It By Ear, Sunshine Man, Man In The Street, Let’s Go Home, Foot In The Door, Connected To You, It’s Over, Nice And Easy, You Got Me Going, Love The Way You Walk & Where Are You Going.
Musicians on the Play It By Ear album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Hjælp Uden Omveje
Dansk Flygtningehjælp 2001
Tracks: Female Voice, Fight For You Love, Be Alone With Me, You´re An Apple & Running Man.
Musicians on the Hjælp Uden Omveje album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Running Man
Mega Records 2000
Tracks: Two things, Warm and Tender, I Can´t Stay, Need Another Love Song, Goodnight, Patience, Have a Seed, Be Alone With Me, Come On, Another Lover & Running Man.
Musicians on the Running Man album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Recycled
Mega Records 1999
Tracks: CD1: Don’t Talk About It, Fight for Your Love, Flames, Whenever You’re Ready, Run Run Run, Back into Your Eyes, Empty House, Howling at the Moon, Female Voice, You’re the One, So Sad, Little Wings, Hit Me, Sending Me Angels, Never had it so Good & Gone Forever. CD2: Whenever the World, You’re an Apple - I ‘m an Orange, Ain’t no Use, Bonsoir Madame, Songs in My Head, Plastic Man, No Peace Like in Heaven, Nothing Gets Me Down, I’ll take care of You’, Hippie Cow Country, Forever, I’m Losing You, Think about That, Someone like You & Animal.
Musicians on the The Box album: Big Fat Snake and others.
www.bigfatsnake.com
Mega Records 1998
Tracks: Nothing Gets Me Down, Little Wings, One Sun Shining, Two Hearts, Wanna Og, Aint No Use, Easy Way To Go, Female Voice, Price Of Love, Don‘t You Ever Feel Broken Hearted, Make Me Angry, Educated Man & Little Girl.
Musicians on the www.bigfatsnake.com album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Live
Mega Records 1998
Tracks: Animal, Empty House, Fight For Your Love, You’re An Apple – I’m An Orange, Ain’t Got No Peace Like In Heaven, So Sad, Two Things, Female Voice, Nothing Get’s Me Down, Angry, Run Run Run, Cruisin, Nobody, Songs In My Head, Talking Woman Blues, Whenever You’re Ready, Someone Like You & Bonsoir Madame.
Musicians on the Live album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Flames
Mega Records 1997
Tracks: Empty House, Think About That, Flames, Rock The Rock, Someone Like You, Bonsoir Madame, Hippie Cow Country, Love Changes Everything, Match Made In Heaven, So Sad, I Need You & Songs In My Head.
Musicians on the Flames album: Big Fat Snake and others.
JBL Power Performance
JBL 1996
Tracks: No Peace Like In Heaven, Midnight Mission Man, Back Into Your Eyes, Run Run Run, You And I, Somewhere In Heaven, Hit Me, Gone Ferever, You´re An Apple – I´m An Orange & Life Never Was Easy.
Musicians on the JBL Power Performance album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Fight For Your Love
Mega Records 1996
Tracks: Night Time, Animal, I’ll Take Care Of You, You’re The One, Sally The Super, Forever, This Obe’s For You, Wham Bam, Fight For Your Love, Let Me In Tonight & Back Into My Eyes.
Musicians on the Fight For Your Love album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Midnight Mission
L&G 1995
Tracks: Run Run Run, You’re An Appel I’m An Orange, Never Had It So Good, No Peace Like In Heaven, Midnight Mission Man, Man In My Mirror, You And I, Someone In Heaven, You Left The Water Running & Gone Forever.
Musicians on the Midnight Mission album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Beautiful Thing
Sundance 1994
Tracks: Beautiful Thing, Hit Me, Howling At The Moon, Plastic Man, Mountain, Judge Of Love, Losing You, Life Never Was Easy, Do It To You, Good Thing Shows, Ain’t That Lonely Yet & Don’t Take It For Granted.
Musicians on the Beautiful Thing album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Born Lucky
Medley Records 1992
Tracks: Changes, Whenever You’re Ready, Mercury Blues, Today I Fell In Love With You Again, Tryin’ To Get Over You, Don’T You Know, Cruisin’, Broke A Rule & Lucky Old Sun.
Musicians on the Born Lucky album: Big Fat Snake and others.
Big Fat Snake
Sundance 1990
Tracks: Talkin’ Woman Blues, Love Man, C’Mon Everybody, Love Her With A Feelin’, Cold Cold Feelin’, The Big Fat Snake, Call Me The Breeze, Summertime Blues, Dance Dance Dance, Cruisin’, Lucille, I Want You, Mean Woman Blues & Everytime You Go Away.
Musicians on the Big Fat Snake album: Big Fat Snake and others.