The Big Dirty set to premiere epic music video Swine at The Picturedrome

Four years in the making and conceived before a global pandemic changed the world, Swine - the film project featuring The Big Dirty by production company GiantDwarf - will finally be revealed this week.

The launch at The Picturedrome in Northampton will be the first time the Northampton rockers have returned to the stage as a full band since January 2020.

For GiantDwarf, it will be the conclusion of an epic project, more than 20 minutes long, which also features Tony Ceasar and Danny Nightingale.

Swine sees members of The Big Dirty embark on a rescue mission to save fellow acts from an ugly underbelly of the music industry.

Singer in the hard rock quartet, James Shaw – AKA Johnny Rocket – said: “To finally have it here and ready for people to see is really satisfying, the first time I saw it through I was a bit blurry eyed.

“GiantDwarf have really outdone themselves with what they have produced.”

The first meeting to discuss the project was in 2017, after both had worked together on The Big Dirty’s single Rhythm Of My Drum.

Shaw, who is joined in The Big Dirty by bassist and backing singer JC, lead guitarist C-Diddy and drummer T-Dog, added: “They wanted to launch themselves, their channel and they wanted to do something for the local music scene.

“We all sat down, put our heads together and came up with the concept of Swine being about the ‘meat-grinding’ agencies which exist, just churning acts out.

“Swine is a bit of a middle finger to that side of the industry, without wanting to overstep the mark.”

Phil Chapman and James Millar from GiantDwarf had initially approached Tony Ceasar with the idea to write a track for a video after a job had gone sour and they were left with unused footage.

They then decided to join up with The Big Dirty and producer Chris Datson – who went onto join the latter as lead guitarist.

“We created a brief for them all to work on based on the idea of something that was pro independent music and slightly anti industry which was a reflection of us being burned on the previous job,” explains Millar.

“The track was so good we ended up scrapping the footage we had from the previous video and decided it needed to be a completely new thing from scratch and also approached Danny ‘The Drunken Master’ to do the opening verse.

“We then came up with a video concept and film idea and the project just kept growing from there.”

Filming originally started in 2019, with the intention of it being released that year and while the coronavirus meant significant delays to the project, it allowed GiantDwarf the chance to change what was initially a music video into a short film.

“It’s gone from being a music video with a little intro and outro into a 22-minute epic,” explains Shaw.

“The first part introduces all of the characters and you learn about ‘Swine’.

“There’s a scenario where a label is running a competition for artists to perform and be judged.

“The judges, wearing pig masks, hold up signs showing who they like – while those they don’t get sent to a place called The Pit where they have to fight pigs, get locked in a dungeon, and become slaves for the music industry.

“The Big Dirty go in to rescue people. There’s body armour, guns, we drive through a wall in a van, there’s a huge shootout where pigs explode and turn into cash and I have a massive fight with a pig boss who is being played by a huge body builder.

“It’s been stressful, but really great fun. GiantDwarf did us really proud on Rhythm, but this is their baby. The quality is insane.”

Talking about the project, Mr Millar said: “Both myself and Phil are extremely proud of the end result.

“Swine has become something really cool and everyone that’s been involved in it in one-way or another has helped to create something really special.

“Most of the people in the project are musicians and not actors but you honestly wouldn’t know it.

“They all did great and the musical score is insane, Chris Datson has written some truly epic music for this film I really can’t wait for people to see and hear it all.”

Since Swine’s inception, The Big Dirty has undergone a line-up change and released their debut album, The Sex. Their most recent single, Under The Crimson Moon, was released in April.

With new management, they now have tours booked for later this year and into next and are hoping to raise their presence in America and Japan.

“Releasing our album during lockdown wasn’t ideal,” Shaw admits.

“We couldn't tour or even practice because of restrictions.

“Now we're at a point where we're learning the album again while simultaneously trying to write new music.

“It’s going to be emotional getting back on stage.

“We wanted our first show back to be somewhere everyone was able to stand, dance, jump around and have a good time.

“After that, we're just going to keep going and going and hopefully take over the world.”

Swine will be premiered at The Picturedrome in Northampton on Thursday, July 22.

The Big Dirty will be joined by Karl Phillips and White Raven Down who will all be performing as well as the screening.

Doors open at 7pm, tickets cost £10 online in advance via www.seetickets or £15 on the door.

For more information visit http://giantdwarf.co.uk and https://www.facebook.com/bigdirtyrock