The Resume

(1965-1971)
Born in San Francisco, California
Janis Joplin, lead vocals (1966-68)
Peter Albin, bass guitar
Sam Andrews, guitar
James Gurley, guitar
David Getz, drums
Kathi MacDonald, vocals (1969-1971)
Nick Gravenites, vocals (1969-71)
Re-formed by Albin, Andrews, Gurley and Getz (1987)
Recorded the albums 'Big Brother and the Holding Company' (1967), 'Cheap Thrills' (1968), 'Be A Brother' (1970), 'How Hard It Is' (1971), 'Can't Go Home Again' (1997) and 'Hold Me' (2006)

Why they might be annoying:

Unable to decide between 'Big Brother' or 'the Holding Company' as a band name, they rammed the two together.
The band members and their families lived together in a single house, which must have made the situation extra awkward when the married Gurley and Joplin had an affair.
During performances, band members would rush offstage to vomit from the effects of their heroin abuse.
Gurley was charged with murder after injecting his wife with a fatal overdose of heroin (1970); after two years of legal wrangling, he was sentenced to probation.
Janis completely overshadowed the band.
The band's post-Joplin records were commercial flops.

Why they might not be annoying:

They gave one of the most memorable performances at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967).
Gurley and Andrews' work on 'Summertime' was listed as one of the top ten psychedelic solos by Guitar Player magazine.
Joplin left the band partly because her manager pointed out she would no longer have to share royalties five ways.
Getz became a successful artist and served as chairman of the California Society of Printmakers.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Bay Area Rockers
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 22]
• I Abused Heroin
• I Performed at Monterey Pop
• I Recorded 'Summertime'
• I Sing About Mary
• Long Names
• Look at Me, I'm Giving the Peace Sign
• My Album Hit #1 on Billboard's US Album Chart [1960's] (Ranked: 1968)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2007)
• New Musical Express' Top 100 Albums of All Time [1974] (Ranked: 91)
• Profiles 26251-26500 (Ranked: 26324)
• Psychedelic Rockers
• Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Albums from the Last Twenty Years [1967-1987] (Ranked: 50)
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - 301-400 [2020] (Ranked: 372)
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - 301-400 [Performers] (Ranked: 338)
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - 301-400 [Performers] (Ranked: 344)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 414 Votes: 45.65% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 80 Votes: 53.75% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 89 Votes: 55.06% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 75 Votes: 61.33% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 61 Votes: 75.41% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 52.00% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 23 Votes: 39.13% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 44 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 22 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 36 Votes: 27.78% Annoying