Fig Dish was a 90's
Chicago rock band. The band formed in the early 1990s and signed to
PolyGram Records in 1995, releasing two full length albums before becoming inactive in 1998. They were part of the mid 90's Chicago rock scene that included
The Smashing Pumpkins (although hardly their contemporaries),
Veruca Salt, and
Local H. They were closely associated and often shared bills with other Chicago acts such as Tripl3FastAction, Veruca Salt, Local H, Smoking Popes, and Hushdrops. Their Chicago live shows become legendary amongst a small, yet devoted fan base, due to the potent mix of great songs, goofy banter, audience interaction and their overall embracing of a drunken rock club party atmosphere. For example, their live shows often included an encore of classic rock numbers that showcased the vocal skills of "The Bunny"-- Tripl3FastAction's Wes Kidd (apparently intoxicated) dressed up in a pink bunny suit. Their sound was influenced by 80s college rock and indie bands such as
Dinosaur Jr and
The Replacements, with a good dose of
Cheap Trick's tendencies towards big hooks and catchy melodies thrown into the soup. Fig Dish participated in the first, and many subsequent of the Halloween shows at Chicago's
Double Door. For some time, Fig Dish singer Blake Smith was dating
Nina Gordon of Veruca Salt. The band caused some controversy by releasing an adult rated video for their song When Shirts Get Tight in 1998.
Members
Discography
- That's What Love Songs Often Do (1995)
- When Push Goes Back To Shove (1997)
After Fig Dish
Several members of Fig Dish have gone on to form or work with other bands. Blake Smith and Mike Willison formed
Caviar in 1999 and then, more recently joined forces with
Local H frontman
Scott Lucas in the electronica project
The Prairie Cartel.
