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Dave Riley
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David Michael Riley (July 30, 1960 – December 24, 2019)[1] was an American musician who was the bassist in the punk rock band Big Black from 1985 until the band's dissolution in 1987. Riley moved to Chicago in 1982 from Detroit, where he had worked as a recording engineer. He played on Big Black's two studio albums, Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987), as well as their Headache EP (1987), several singles, and two live albums.

After Big Black, Riley recorded tracks with several other artists before being incapacitated by a stroke in 1993, losing the ability to walk. He became a blogger, and published a book in 2006 titled Blurry and Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-Swim Nihilism. He died in late 2019 from squamous cell carcinoma.

Early life

[edit]

Growing up, Riley was a misfit and often bullied, the target of what he later called "insidious crap perpetrated by imperceptive emotional retards."[2] As a teenager he was in a car accident that permanently disfigured his face, causing a speech disorder.[2][3]

Career

[edit]

In Detroit, Riley worked as a recording engineer at a studio where funk artists George Clinton and Sly Stone recorded.[3][4] His engineering credits include Parliament's Trombipulation (1980) and Funkadelic's The Electric Spanking of War Babies (1981).[3] He moved to Chicago in 1982 and became bassist in the punk band Savage Beliefs, who released one EP, The Moral Efficiency of Savage Beliefs (1983).[3][4][5] He met Big Black guitarist Santiago Durango at a punk show at the Cubby Bear, where Durango, drunk and vomiting in the club's restroom, complimented his playing style.[2][3] Big Black was getting ready to release their Racer-X EP (1985), but bassist Jeff Pezzati was amicably departing the band to focus on his job, fiancée, and primary band Naked Raygun.[4][5] Big Black's leader, singer/guitarist Steve Albini, was also impressed by Riley's playing in Savage Beliefs and gave him a copy of Big Black's first EP, Lungs (1982), telling him "Listen to this, and if you don't think it sucks, then maybe you can play with us someday."[4]

Riley joined Big Black the week of Racer-X's release in April 1985, while also keeping his day job as a litigation law clerk.[5][6] He learned the group's repertoire, and they began writing songs for the band's first LP.[2] That May, Riley produced and played saxophone on Ward, an EP by Chicago experimental band End Result which came out on Albini's Ruthless Records label.[1][7] Big Black's Atomizer came out in 1986; in Our Band Could Be Your Life (2001), author Michael Azerrad remarks that "Riley's gnarled bass sound combined explosively with the brutally insistent hammering of the drum machine while his funk background gave the music an almost danceable kick".[2] The album was polarizing due to its aggressive, violent music and lyrics, but won praised in the national press and became an underground success, selling 3,000 copies upon its release on Homestead Records.[5][8] This led to a tour of Europe that year, on which the band met an enthusiastic response.[9] "It was kind of overwhelming for a while," Riley told Azerrad; "Needless to say, I got used to it really damn quick. People actually appreciated what you were doing and it was kind of cool. It was much different from America. We were treated with respect in Europe."[9]

After a falling out with Homestead and its distributor, Dutch East India Trading, Big Black signed to Touch and Go Records and released the Headache EP in spring 1987.[10] Tensions were mounting within the band, with Riley earning Albini's ire.[11] Albini did not drink alcohol, so Riley and Durango became drinking buddies on the road while Albini was doing interviews and handling the band's logistics.[11] Albini later claimed that Riley was "kind of fucked up most of the time" (which Riley denied) and accused him of a number of other shortcomings including "always [being] late for rehearsal, never having equipment together, needing a ride to everything, a fresh excuse for every day, generally unkempt and unreliable, impossible to communicate with when loaded, flashes of brilliance offset by flashes of belligerence."[11] Durango claimed that Riley's drunkenness ruined several of the band's shows, including one in Milwaukee where "he couldn't even sit on the stage. We tried to plug him in and he fought us off. He was fucked up beyond fucked up — he was FUBAR."[11] Durango also related that at a key show at New York's CBGB, Riley drunkenly smashed the drum machine and the band had to call in Peter Prescott of opening act Volcano Suns to play live drums, but Prescott did not know the songs and the show was ruined (in a 2008 interview, when asked whether Riley had smashed the drum machine during a concert, Albini said "I don't remember anything like that ever happening").[11][12] Albini made a number of threats, but never fired Riley; Durango later remarked that "It was kind of a love-hate thing" and speculated that "maybe on some subconscious level he understood that that was something Dave brought to the band."[11]

By late 1986 Riley was in college and both Albini and Durango had to keep day jobs, limiting the band's touring opportunities.[11] When Durango chose to enter law school, the band decided to keep going until his schooling began in the fall of 1987 and then disband.[5][13] They were now enjoying increased press, radio airplay, record sales, and concert fees, but Riley later said "Big Black was never about that. For Big Black to make any money, it wouldn't have been Big Black anymore."[3][14] A final tour, from June to August 1987, took the band to Europe (including performing at the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium), the United Kingdom, Australia, and across the United States, ending with their final show at Seattle's Georgetown Steam Plant where they smashed their instruments onstage.[5][15] Big Black's second studio album, Songs About Fucking, was released shortly after their breakup and became their best-selling record, with an initial pressing of 8,000 copies.[5][15]

Riley worked with other bands in subsequent years: He produced Chicago hardcore punk band Rights of the Accused's 1987 album Dillinger's Alley with Iain Burgess; sang gang vocals on the song "Red" on Flour's self-titled 1988 album; produced Spongetunnel's 1989 EP (1989); played bass, piano, and additional percussion on two tracks on Algebra Suicide's 1990 album Alpha Cue; and played bass on Bull's "Tinbox" single (1992).

Disability and writing

[edit]

Riley had a stroke in 1993 which caused paraplegia; he was unable to walk, and used a wheelchair for the rest of his life.[3] The doctors attending to him erroneously thought that his condition was the result of drug use or a suicide attempt, and he was forced to live in a "convalescent home" for nearly 10 years, with people he described as "lowlifes, criminals, psychopaths, and token seniors with whom nobody wanted to bother."[3][5] He participated in a musical project called Miasma of Funk, engineering and doing drum programming for a track titled "The Law of Averages" on the 1997 compilation album The Glory of Destruction. He was able to get out of the government care system in 2001, and moved into an apartment south of Chicago.[3] He later moved to a farm in west-central Illinois with longtime friend Rachel Brown, who he had met in the late 1980s.[3] Miasma of Funk released a studio album, Groove on the Mania!, in 2004. In 2006 Riley published Blurry and Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-Swim, a book consisting of five satirical short stories and a novella.[3][16] He also started a blog that year titled "Worthless Goddamn Cripple", on which he wrote about his experiences until 2008.[3][17]

Big Black reunited for a short performance on September 9, 2006, at Touch and Go Records' 25th Anniversary festival.[18][19] Albini did not invite Riley to participate, later saying that "We haven't kept close contact post-Big Black, but it's been close enough to know that he wasn't in a condition to play. I didn't want to put him in an awkward position of trying to play, but not being able to do it."[3] Instead, they called upon original bassist Jeff Pezzati and played four songs from his tenure with the band.[19][20]

Later years and death

[edit]

In 2015 Riley and Brown retired to a small ranch near Arivaca, Arizona.[1][3] In late August 2019 he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma that had begun in his throat and spread to his lungs, and died on December 24, 2019.[1][3] Commenting on Riley's death to Rolling Stone, Albini called him "a fantastic musician and a critical part of the Chicago music scene. He bridged the gap between raw enthusiasm and outstanding musicianship better than anybody else in our peer group and I always admired him for it", while Durango remarked "Many of my favorite Big Black memories involve Dave, including the riot he single-handedly started by taunting the audience at one of our shows in Australia. A wicked prankster. Funny, charming, smart and talented. I would glue myself to Dave on our tours. Dave was a positive force in my life and I will miss him dearly."[3]

Discography

[edit]
  • Parliament – Trombipulation (studio album, 1980): recording engineer
  • Funkadelic – The Electric Spanking of War Babies (studio album, 1981): recording engineer
  • Savage Beliefs – The Moral Efficiency of Savage Beliefs (EP, 1983): bass guitar
  • Savage Beliefs – The Middle of America Compilation (various artists compilation, 1984): bass guitar on "Shake Your Neighbor's Hand", drums and vocals on "Double Standard"
  • Big Black – "Rema-Rema" (single, 1985): bass guitar
  • Big Black – "Il Duce" (single, 1985): bass guitar
  • End Result – Ward (EP, 1985): producer, saxophone
  • Big Black – Atomizer (studio album, 1986): bass guitar
  • Big Black – God's Favorite Dog (various artists compilation, 1986): bass guitar on "Every Man for Himself" and "Crack Up"
  • Big Black – Sound of Impact (live album, 1987): bass guitar
  • Big Black – Happiness Is Dry Pants (various artists compilation, 1987): bass guitar on "Burning Indian Wife"
  • Big Black – Headache (EP, 1987): bass guitar
  • Big Black – "Heartbeat" (single, 1987): bass guitar
  • Big Black – "He's a Whore" / "The Model" (single, 1987): bass guitar
  • Big Black – Songs About Fucking (studio album, 1987): bass guitar
  • Rights of the Accused – Dillinger's Alley (studio album, 1987): producer
  • Big Black – The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape (compilation album, 1987): bass guitar
  • Flour – Flour (studio album, 1988): gang vocals on "Red"
  • Spongetunnel – 1989 (EP, 1989): producer
  • Algebra Suicide – Alpha Cue (studio album, 1990): bass guitar, piano, and additional percussion on "Summer Virus Night" and "What Rubs Up to You"
  • Big Black – Pigpile (video album/live album, 1992): bass guitar
  • Big Black – "In My House" (single, 1992): bass guitar
  • Bull – "Tinbox" (single, 1992): bass guitar
  • Miasma of Funk – The Glory of Destruction (various artists compilation, 1997): recording engineer and drum programming on "The Law of Averages"
  • Miasma of Funk – Groove on the Mania! (studio album, 2004)
  • Savage Beliefs – Big Big Sky (compilation album, 2015): bass guitar

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dave Riley

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from Grokipedia
Dave Riley is an American military veteran, quadruple amputee, and prominent for disabled veterans, best known for his leadership roles in the (DAV) organization and his inspirational story of resilience following severe injuries sustained during his Coast Guard service. Born to a military family, Riley grew up moving frequently, attending high school in Key West, Florida, before completing it in North Kingston, Rhode Island. He served four years in the U.S. Army and later joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where he trained as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer in Pensacola, Florida, graduating as one of only six from a class of 25. Stationed in Mobile, Alabama, and married to Yvonne, with whom he has two daughters and a son, Riley's career involved high-risk rescues until a life-altering incident in 1997. During a family vacation, he contracted a bacterial infection that led to septic shock and a 30-day coma, resulting in the amputation of both arms below the elbows and both legs below the knees; he spent two additional months hospitalized before beginning rehabilitation. Following his recovery, Riley earned bachelor's and master's degrees in , retired from the , and launched his own business in . Inspired by fellow amputee Alvis during rehab, he became deeply involved with the DAV, crafting and distributing over 280 custom "hook-made" keepsake boxes to veterans as symbols of support. In 2010, he became the first veteran to receive the DAV's Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year award. Riley advanced to serve as Alabama's DAV state commander and then as national commander from 2016 to 2017. His advocacy extends to high-profile honors and activities, including laying a wreath at the , ringing the opening bell at the , and throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a game. Residing in Semmes, , with his wife , who provides essential caregiving support, Riley actively participates in adaptive sports through DAV programs, such as , golfing, and 5K races, while pushing for expanded VA benefits for caregivers and improved treatment for veterans. As of 2025, he continues to inspire newly injured service members through DAV initiatives and , emphasizing resilience and community support.

Early Life and Background

Early Life and Education

David W. Riley was born to a military family and grew up as a "military brat," frequently relocating due to his father's service in the armed forces. He began high school in Key West, Florida, before completing his secondary education in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Following graduation, Riley followed in his father's footsteps by enlisting in the U.S. military.

Early Military Service

Riley served four years in the U.S. Army from 1976 to 1982 as a radar repair technician, with assignments at Homestead Air Force Base in , K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in , and Griffiss Air Force Base in New York. In 1982, after his honorable discharge from the Army, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and trained as an aviation rescue swimmer at the facility in , graduating as one of only six successful candidates from a class of 25.

Musical Career

David W. Riley, the subject of this article, has no documented involvement in music or a musical career. His professional focus after military service was on education, business, and advocacy for disabled veterans through the DAV.

Health Challenges and Writing

The 1997 Infection and Disability

In 1997, during a family vacation, Dave Riley contracted a bacterial infection that led to and a 30-day medically . This life-threatening condition resulted in the of both arms below the elbows and both legs below the knees, as well as the removal of several internal organs. He spent two additional months hospitalized before beginning rehabilitation, during which he was inspired by fellow amputee Teddy Alvis to embrace resilience and support for other veterans. Riley's recovery involved adapting to prosthetic limbs, regaining mobility for activities like —where he crafted over 280 custom "hook-made" keepsake boxes for —and participating in adaptive sports. He relies on his wife Yvonne for essential daily caregiving, including assistance with dressing, eating, and personal care, highlighting his ongoing dependence due to the quadruple . Long-term, Riley has managed severe , initially treated with patches in the late 1990s, but successfully tapered off opioids by the 2010s amid evolving VA policies on . As of 2025, he advocates for improved non-opioid treatments and expanded benefits for veteran caregivers. Riley has not published any books or maintained a public blog related to his experiences.

Later Life and Death

Relocation to Arizona

In 2015, Dave Riley and his partner, Rachel Brown, retired to a small in the hills near Arivaca, , motivated by the region's warmer climate to better accommodate his ongoing mobility challenges from the 1993 . This move marked a shift toward a more stable, independent lifestyle after years of institutional care, allowing Riley greater autonomy in a rural setting suited to his needs. Riley adjusted well to life on , embracing simple outdoor routines that enhanced his daily well-being and integration into a quieter community environment. He particularly enjoyed swimming in the property's pool and spending time outdoors, activities that provided physical relief and enjoyment in the mild weather, alongside caring for their two dogs. Occasional visits from friends and family further supported his social connections during this period of relative calm. During these years, Riley's focus remained on personal stability rather than professional pursuits, with no significant musical or writing endeavors reported, reflecting a deliberate emphasis on management and recovery. The notably improved aspects of his care through the supportive home environment and accessible amenities.

Final Illness and Passing

In late August 2019, Dave Riley sought medical attention for a persistent that had been initially dismissed as acid reflux. Subsequent testing revealed a diagnosis of originating in his , which had already metastasized to his lungs by the time of discovery. Given the advanced stage of the cancer, Riley and his medical team opted against aggressive treatments such as or , determining them unlikely to be effective. The illness progressed rapidly over the ensuing months, with physicians estimating a potential six-month survival period that ultimately shortened significantly due to the tumor's aggressiveness. His pre-existing disabilities from a 1993 further complicated , though he remained at home in throughout. Riley died on December 24, 2019, at his home on a in , at the age of 59. His longtime partner, Rachel Brown, who served as his housemate and caregiver, announced the news via a post shortly thereafter, sharing details of his final days and expressing gratitude for the support from friends and the music community. No public arrangements were reported, with Brown emphasizing Riley's wish for a quiet passing surrounded by loved ones.

Discography

Recordings with Big Black

Riley joined Big Black as bassist in 1985 and contributed to the band's core sound on their debut full-length album Atomizer (1986), providing bass lines across all tracks, including "Jordan, Minnesota," "Kerosene," "Passing Complexion," and "Bazooka Joe." His playing introduced a chunky, muscular low end that contrasted and underpinned the band's signature abrasive guitars and rhythms, drawing from his prior engineering experience in to add melodic funk-inflected elements to the framework. A notable stylistic innovation occurred on "Bazooka Joe," where Riley replaced traditional bass strings with taut strips of pink bubblegum to achieve a tight, unconventional tone that transformed an earlier slow into a frenetic highlight. On Big Black's final studio album (1987), Riley's bass work further emphasized experimental noise aspects, supporting improvised chaos and industrial textures in tracks such as "The Power of Independent Trucking," "The Model," and "." His contributions helped amplify the record's raw, confrontational energy, blending punk aggression with sonic experimentation through fat, driving lines that propelled the band's deconstructed song structures. Riley also performed bass on key singles from this period, including "Heartbeat" (1987) and "He's a Whore" (1987), which captured Big Black's provocative post-hardcore edge in concise, high-tension formats. His involvement extended to the Headache EP (1987), where he laid down bass for tracks like "Bomb," "Heel," and "Blowjob That Didn't Blow," contributing to the release's transitional intensity between the band's two major albums. Live recordings from 1985 to 1987 document Riley's onstage presence, with his muscular bass anchoring the trio's volatile performances; a prime example is Pigpile (recorded summer 1987 at London's Clarendon, released 1992), which features extended sets of tracks like "" and "Cables" highlighting the band's ferocious live dynamic.

Other Collaborations and Projects

Prior to his involvement with , Riley worked as a recording engineer in , contributing to Parliament's 1980 album Trombipulation, where he handled engineering duties alongside a team that included Bob Dennis and Fred Munch. He also engineered tracks on Funkadelic's 1981 release The Electric Spanking of War Babies. In the Chicago punk scene, Riley played bass for Savage Beliefs, a short-lived hardcore band that released the 7-inch EP The Moral Efficiency of Savage Beliefs on Wasteland Records in 1983, featuring tracks like "Outskirts" and "Big Big Sky." The band appeared on the 1984 compilation The Middle of America, contributing the tracks "Shake Your Neighbor's Hand" and "Double Standard," which showcased their raw, keyboard-infused punk sound. Riley produced the 1987 album Dillinger's Alley for Rights of the Accused, a hardcore outfit shifting toward influences, with co-production by Iain Burgess. Later, he formed Miasma of Funk with Joe Irizarry around 1997, blending funk and noise elements; the group released their debut album Groove on the Mania! in 2004 on Top Scrap Recordings. Archival efforts have preserved some of Riley's early work, including the 2015 compilation Big Big Sky: A Recorded History of Savage Beliefs on Alona's Dream Records, which remasters their 1983 EP and includes previously unreleased live recordings and demos from 1982–1984.

Legacy

Influence on Veterans Advocacy

Dave Riley's leadership in the (DAV) has significantly advanced support for disabled veterans, particularly through his roles as Alabama state commander, national commander from 2016 to 2018—the first Coast Guard veteran to hold the position—and current chairman of the DAV national board. His personal experiences as a quadruple amputee have informed advocacy for expanded VA benefits, including support programs, which he has pushed to include pre-9/11 veterans like himself. Riley's efforts have contributed to broader policy changes, notably influencing the VA's shift toward holistic management. After decades managing his own post-amputation initially through like , Riley's advocacy highlighted the risks and gaps in treatment, supporting DAV's campaigns that led to a 67% reduction in VA prescriptions from 2012 to 2022 and emphasis on non-pharmacological alternatives. As of 2025, he continues to testify and speak on these issues, emphasizing individualized care and research funding. Through DAV programs, Riley has mentored newly injured service members, distributing over 280 custom prosthetic-hook-made keepsake boxes as symbols of resilience and community. His participation in adaptive sports, such as the DAV Winter Sports Clinic since 2010, promotes physical rehabilitation and for veterans. These initiatives have helped professionalize support for disabled veterans, bridging personal recovery stories with systemic policy improvements without diluting the focus on individual empowerment.

Recognitions and Remembrance

Riley's contributions have earned him high-profile honors, including the DAV's Outstanding of the Year award in , the first for a veteran. He has laid a wreath at the , rung the opening bell at the , and thrown the ceremonial first pitch at a game, symbolizing his role as an ambassador for veterans. In public speaking and media, Riley is celebrated for his story of resilience, with features in outlets like AL.com (2017) and VA News (2019) highlighting his transition from to advocate. DAV videos and congressional testimonies, such as his 2017 statement, underscore his impact on legislative agendas for veterans' care. As of 2025, he remains an active inspirer through DAV initiatives, with online communities and events like the DAV 5K remembering his message of perseverance and support.

References

  1. https://www.al.com/living/2017/11/after_he_lost_his_limbs_dave_r.html
  2. https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2025/how-and-why-the-va-changed-how-it-treats-veterans-chronic-pain/
  3. https://news.va.gov/64788/quad-amputee-finds-adrenaline-adaptive-sports/
  4. https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/disabled-veteran-shares-story-of-resilience
  5. https://www.dav.org/wp-content/uploads/David-Riley_Bio.pdf
  6. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dave-riley-big-black-dead-at-59-931315/
  7. https://pitchfork.com/news/dave-riley-big-black-bassist-dead-at-59/
  8. https://www.spin.com/2019/12/big-black-bassist-dave-riley-dead-at-59-obit/
  9. https://rockandrollglobe.com/post-punk/dave-riley-bassist-of-big-black-has-died/
  10. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/dave-riley-bassist-big-black-died-cause/
  11. http://touchandgorecords.com/bands/album.php?id=137
  12. https://www.discogs.com/release/368853-Big-Black-Atomizer
  13. https://www.discogs.com/master/6380-Big-Black-Songs-About-Fucking
  14. https://www.discogs.com/master/111940-Big-Black-Headache
  15. https://www.discogs.com/master/6477-Big-Black-Pigpile
  16. https://www.discogs.com/release/1237862-Various-The-Middle-Of-America-Compilation
  17. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/miasma-of-funk-mn0000871330
  18. https://shop.alonasdreamrecords.com/album/big-big-sky-a-recorded-history-of-savage-beliefs
  19. https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2016/coast-guard-veteran-quadruple-amputee-becomes-first-lead-veterans-organization/
  20. https://www.facebook.com/DAV/videos/caregivers/10159524417290387/
  21. https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2017/goal-setting-altitude/
  22. https://congress.gov/115/meeting/house/105577/witnesses/HHRG-115-VR00-Wstate-RileyD-20170228.pdf
  23. https://www.facebook.com/DAV5K/videos/a-message-from-past-dav-national-commander-dave-riley/1158108651468530/
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