member was Nick Disbray on vocals and percussion. Witer and Sherine were previously together in a Melbourne-based band, Bang, which Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described as playing "Grace Jones-styled funk". Witer wanted an edgier, more experimental sound that also retained Bang's funky rhythms and, when his visa ran out, he returned to Melbourne. Late in 1985, Big Pig consisted of Abeyratne on lead vocals and percussion, Tony Antoniades on vocals and harmonica, Neil Baker on drums, Disbray on vocals and percussion, Tim Rosewarne on vocals and keyboards (also ex-Scratch Record Scratch and then Bang with Witer), Adrian Scaglione on drums, and Witer on vocals and percussion. McFarlane felt the new group's sound used a "more avant-funk-meets-disco route while still retaining a feel for pop economy". 1986: Big Pig Big Pig made its concert debut in February 1986 and soon recorded a self-financed, independently distributed three-track, self-titled extended play, which was released in May. It was co-produced by Etienne Conod and Big Pig. Two of its tracks were "Hungry Town" and "Money God". They signed with Mushroom Records' imprint White Label Records, which re-released their debut EP in October as a double-12" with bonus dance mixes of "Hungry Town" and "Money God". In November that year, Polyanna Sutton of The Canberra Times reported that the group had postponed plans to return to London pending interest from the United States. Antoniades told her "The dance mixes are just for clubs, really. The other thing is: say it did well on the American club scene, it is a strong inroad into cracking some of the American market". Sutton noted that as they "do not use guitars there is a strong reliance on the harmonica to fulfill what the lead guitar would do, playing either riffs or solos". "Hungry Town" peaked at No. 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. In March the following year it reached No. 22 in New Zealand. Witer won an award for Best Cover Artist for the artwork on the Big Pig EP at the first ARIA Music Awards of 1987. They were also nominated for ARIA Award for Best New Talent and ARIA Award for Best Video for "Hungry Town" by Julie Stone Productions. The video was directed by Richard Lowenstein (INXS, Hunters & Collectors) and was filmed by Andrew de Groot at a Melbourne dance club. 1987-1989: Bonk Their debut studio album, Bonk, was recorded