Darn Floor-Big Bite

Darn Floor - Big Bite
Studio album by Da
Released	1987
Recorded	3-D Studios (Costa Mesa, California)
Genre	Rock
Label	Frontline Records
Producer	Daniel Amos
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Da chronology
Fearful Symmetry (album) (1986) Darn Floor - Big Bite (1987) Kalhöun (1991)

Darn Floor - Big Bite is the title of an album by rock band Daniel Amos, released in 1987 on Frontline Records.

DA followed the critically acclaimed ¡Alarma! Chronicles four part album series with this album which left many scratching their heads. Although it was praised by many fans and critics, it became one of DA's worst selling albums, rejected by an industry which didn't understand what it meant.

The title of the album came from an incident involving Koko the gorilla, who had been trained to understand limited amounts of American Sign Language. Koko reacted to an earthquake with the words "Darn darn floor bad bite. Trouble trouble." The general lyrical theme of the album is comparing Koko's limited and inadequate understanding of the earthquake, to man's limited and inadequate understanding of the nature of God.

The album is also heavily inspired by the works of Czesław Miłosz, especially in songs like "The Unattainable Earth" (which was named after one of Miłosz' books), "Safety Net", "Pictures of the Gone World", "Divine Instant", and "Half Light, Epoch, and Phase". Taylor also incorporated several lines from the book Little, Big by John Crowley into his lyrics, including the line "I drink you endlessly toward my hollow heart" in the song "Earth Household." Taylor's love for Annie Dillard comes through strongly with the final song, "The Shape Of Air", which features an all star choir.

The unique album cover was designed by Dave Perry. In 2007, the DVD Instruction Through Film was released which included the never-before-seen video footage of the band taking the album cover photos. Also that year, work began on a 20th Anniversary Edition of the album that was expected to be fully remastered and to include bonus material. That deluxe reissue, which was released by Arena Rock Recording Co. with help from Stunt Records, hit record store shelves on November 25, 2008.

Track listing

Side one

1. "Return of the Beat Menace" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 2:56
2. "Strange Animals" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 3:11
3. "Darn Floor - Big Bite" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 4:22
4. "Earth Household" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 3:49
5. "Safety Net" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 3:28

Side two

1. "Pictures of the Gone World" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 2:47
2. "Divine Instant" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 3:51
3. "Half Light, Epoch and Phase" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 4:15
4. "The Unattainable Earth" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor, Flesch, Chandler) – 3:42
5. "The Shape of Air" (Taylor) – 3:25

Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc

1. "The Unattainable Earth"
2. "Return the Beat Menace"
3. "Safety Net" [Live at Cornerstone 1998]
4. Interview with Terry Taylor: Concept
5. Interview with Terry Taylor: Music with Cassette Demos
6. Interview with Terry Taylor: Lyrics
7. Interview with Terry Taylor: Recording
8. Interview with Terry Taylor: The Band
9. Interview with Terry Taylor: Looking Back
10. "Pictures of the Gone World"
11. "The Shape of Air" [Live at Cornerstone 2000]
12. "Half Light, Epoch and Phase"
13. "Darn Floor-Big Bite" [Live at Cornerstone 1988]
14. "The Unattainable Earth" [Live at Cornerstone 1988]
15. "Sacred Heart"

Personnel

• Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and lead vocals.
• Greg Flesch on lead guitars, Pan Flute, and Squeeze Box.
• Tim Chandler on bass guitar and backing vocals.
• Ed McTaggart on drums and backing vocals.

Additional musicians

• Alex MacDougall: Additional Percussion.
• Andy Prickett: Guitar on Live Version of "Safety Net."
• Phil Madeira: Lap Steel and Accordion on live versions of "Safety Net" and "Shape of Air."
• Background vocals on "The Shape Of Air" by Gene Eugene, Riki Michele, Debi Taylor, Maria Chandler, Mike Stand, Jeff Crandall, Ric Alba, plus those two friends of Gene's.

Production notes

• Engineered by Doug Doyle.
• Recorded and Mixed at 3-D Studios, Costa Mesa, California.
• Photography by Ed McTaggart and Dave Perry.
• Video by Dave Perry, Videocon Productions, Costa Mesa, California.
• Cover Concept by Da.
• Original Art Direction and Layout by Ed McTaggart
• Reissue design & layout by Tom Gulotta
• Remastered by Don Tyler
• Reissue Project coordinators: Greg Glover and J. Edward Keyes
• Special Thanks: All of our families, Jason Townsend, Eric Townsend, Rob Gray, Dan De La Isla, Tardon at Mr. Toads.