Purveyors of revved-up, tastelessly funny trash-punk, the Didjits were an atypically straightforward part of the Touch & Go stable, as well as an utterly manic live band. Their sound was mostly speed-blur garage-band punk with a dash of AC/DC-esque hard rock, but their true inspirations were rock & roll wildmen like Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, not to mention the guitar heroics of Chuck Berry. Most Didjits albums were virtual catalogs of rock & roll sleaze and vice -- s**, booze, d**, violence, d**h, Satan, and the like -- all rolled into a smart-alecky, Midwestern white-trash act. Whether he was being jokey, offensive, or just plain bizarre, lead singer/guitarist Rick Sims' sense of humor could only be described as indelicate, leading to charges of s**ism and racism from journalists with little patience for tongue-in-cheek political incorrectness. In truth, they sent up white-trash culture much more than they embraced it, but did so with such gleeful immaturity and abandon that they often made things pretty convincing.br /br /The Didjits were formed in Champaign-Urbana -- home of the University of Illinois -- in 1985 by brothers Rick (guitar/vocals) and Brad Sims (drums). The two had grown up listening to first-generation British punk, as well as high-volume guitar bands like Sonic Youth and Big Black, and had each been in several local groups (including a new wave pop outfit) before teaming up. Adding ba**ist Doug Evans, the trio began playing around the local club scene; under the alias Rick Didjit, their frontman quickly distinguished himself with a crazed stage demeanor and a wardrobe of snappy suits. Their debut recording, Fizzjob, was issued in 1987 on the band's own Bam Bam imprint, but it was the as-yet unreleased follow-up, Hey Judester, that caught the attention of Touch & Go Records. Boasting tougher, beefed-up production, Hey Judester was picked up for release in early 1988, and launched many of the cornerstones of the band's repertoire: "Max Wedge," "Dad," "Skull Baby," "Plate in My Head," "Stumpo Knee Grinder," and others.br /br /Now with a slowly growing cult audience, the Didjits returned in 1989 with the one-off single "Lovesicle," then completed their next album, Hornet Pinata, in 1990. Its key track, "k**boy Powerhead," a moderate success on college radio, was later covered by Didjits enthusiasts the Offspring. A not-so-official live album, Backstage Pa**out, captured a gig in London from the supporting tour. 1991's Full Nelson Reilly kept the band's creative prime going, but the following year Brad Sims went through something of a life crisis; he got divorced, remarried a short time later, and left the band to take a day job. The Didjits quickly replaced him with Rey Washam, who'd previously played with Rapeman, Scratch Acid, and the Big Boys, among others. Washam played on the five-song 1992 EP Little Miss Carriage!, but for the group's next tour, he was replaced by Todd Cole, who was soon made a permanent member. Cole made his recorded debut on 1993's full-length Que Sirhan Sirhan, which also proved to be the band's swan song. After one further single, "Headless," in 1994, the Didjits broke up. Sims joined spiritual kin the Supers**ers for several months, then played briefly with Fred Schneider before starting a well-received new band, the Gaza Strippers. Washam went on to play with Ministry and Lard, among others. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide