Duncan Reid & the Big Heads

Duncan Reid & the Big Heads

Duncan Reid & the Big Heads is the solo project name used by Duncan Reid, the bassist and singer best known for his work in The Boys. Reid grows up in a small cathedral town in England and moves to London as a teenager, where he arrives at the start of the 1970s punk explosion. He first plays bass after finding a vintage instrument in his father’s cupboard.

The Boys and related work

Reid joins The Boys, a punk band that becomes known for mixing harmonies, pop melody and raw punk energy. The group records four albums and tours extensively across Europe and the United States. Its influence reaches later acts including Green Day and Die Toten Hosen, and Joey Ramone names it among his favourite groups. During a tour with The Ramones, Reid and fellow Boys member Casino Steel provide backing vocals on a live version of “Baby I Love You”, making Reid one of only two non-Ramone performers to play with the band. The Boys also record under the name The Yobs, releasing comic punk versions of songs such as “The Worm Song” and Christmas carols, helping establish a template for comedy punk.

Solo recordings and side projects

After The Boys first split, the group reforms for two shows in Tokyo, then continues to play worldwide, with performances in the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, Japan, the United States, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, among other places. Reid also records with other former Boys members as The Mattless Boys and writes songs for other bands, including The Cute Lepers. He releases his first solo album, Little Big Head, in 2012. Two years later he releases The Difficult Second Album under the name Duncan Reid and the Big Heads.