In 1985, Big Black recorded their first full-length, ‘Atomizer’, as well as finishing the ‘Il Duce’ 7”. Hey it's not Zep but if you're against the Big Black grain then maybe you exist in an airtight, brain-free starless environment. Don't worry about their longevity, as Philips will pronounce them obsolete when the next phase of the market-squeezing technology bonanza begins. Additionally, Atomizer and all post-Atomizer releases by the band do not feature the TR-606, instead opting for the E-mu Drumulator.

This is the band’s first recording since bassist Jeff Pezzati left in late 1984 to work more closely with his other group, Naked Raygun. The CD omitted track 9 "Strange Things", as well as the artwork and liner notes from the original records. One song from the album, "Big Money", was released as a B-side to the " Il Duce" single prior to the release of Atomizer. You should take every opportunity to scratch them, fingerprint them, and eat egg and bacon sandwiches off them. My copy (bought new in '86) has white labels, plain white inner sleeve with a printed insert, so make of that what you will.Steve's guitar is the distance between ice and hoarfrost, the lyrics archetypal of on the edge sociopath, or maybe just a frustrated disc-jockey.

It's also Albini at his most plainspoken and bleak: "Stare at the wall/Stare at each other and wait 'til we die. Atomizer was originally planned for release sometime in late 1985 – however, the band ran into some legal issues with the album cover, which originally featured Marvin the Martian. That same year, the band recorded and released the 7” of ‘The Model’ / ‘He’s A Whore’ as well as their second full-length album, ‘Songs About Fucking’. The label sent the promo 12" to radio stations, then sold extra copies outside of Big Black's native Chicago, hoping the band would never find out.

Pezzati was replaced by Dave Riley, an audio engineer who worked closely with Parliament/ Funkadelic. That same year Atomizer was compiled onto compact disc along with the Headache EP and the band's "Heartbeat" single under the name, The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape. By 1984, the band haddone some touring and recorded the ‘Racer X’ EP andthe start of the ‘Il Duce’ 7”. Big Black always credited Roland along with the band's members, though Roland is a brand of drum machine and not an actual person. Instrumentally, Atomizer is a wailing behemoth of assaultive Roland beats, Steve Albini and Santiago Durango's clanging and whirring guitars, and new member Dave Riley's lumberjack bass.