*** HARD FM ( MTV's lords of the 80's/90's USA charts)

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MR BIG

http://www.mrbigsite.com/

http://www.billysheehan.com/

http://www.musicmayhem.com/ericmartin.htm

http://www.richiekotzen.com/

http://www.paulgilbert.com/

History

Mr. Big combined two popular musical trends of the rock scene in the 1980s: a particular brand of hard rock, focused on melodies and listener-friendly choruses, and impressive technical proficiency, then called shredding. The seeds for the group were sown when bass player Billy Sheehan (among rock music's most prominent artists, former bass guitarist for guitarist Steve Vai) left David Lee Roth's solo band (also with Vai) in 1988. Almost immediately after his exit, Sheehan began piecing together a new outfit, with the help of Mike Varney from Shrapnel Records, a label specialized in the shredding genre.

The band, now managed by former Journey and Santana manager Herbie Herbert comprised of Shrapnel artist and former Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert, Pat Torpey on drums, and singer Eric Martin, who had a number of album releases throughout the 1980s with his Eric Martin Band. By 1989, the newly formed quartet had already inked a recording contract with Atlantic, resulting in the release of a self-titled debut the same year. Despite causing a buzz amongst musicians, the album failed to crossover to a mainstream rock audience stateside; however, Mr. Big was an immediate smash success overseas in Japan.

The band's breakthrough came with their second album, Lean Into It, in 1991. It featured two ballads that established the band as a commercial success: "To Be With You" and "Just Take My Heart", as well as rock songs that remained as staples of their live set for years to come, such as "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind". Other releases followed, Bump Ahead in 1993 and Hey Man in 1996, but the band never replicated its earlier success in the US market. In Japan, on the other hand, they continued to sell out tours, resulting in a number of live releases for the Japanese market throughout their career (from Raw Like Sushi in 1990 to Mr. Big In Japan in 2002).

Paul Gilbert left the band in 1997 to pursue a solo career and eventually reform Racer X. Richie Kotzen, another Shrapnel artist and former guitarist for Poison, was brought in to take on guitar duties, also contributing occasional vocals. Two studio albums were released by this lineup: Get Over It in 2000 and Actual Size in 2001, which featured the single "Shine", used as the ending theme in the animation series of Hellsing.

Tensions in the band between Billy Sheehan and the other members, especially Eric Martin, led to the band's demise -- contractual obligations for yet another Japanese tour were fulfilled in the form of a "farewell tour". The multi-million record-selling band broke up in 2002, many years since their last US hit, but while still enjoying great popularity in Japan. All of the former members have gone on to other projects in the music industry.

Members

Eric Martin (vocals)
Pat Torpey (drums)
Billy Sheehan (bass)
Paul Gilbert (guitar 1988-1997)
Richie Kotzen (guitar 1999-2002)

STUDIO

Mr. Big (1989)
Lean Into It (1991)
Bump Ahead (1993)
Actual Size (2001)

LIVE

Raw Like Sushi (1990)
Mr. Big Live (Live in San Francisco) (1992)
Raw Like Sushi II (1992)
Japandemonium: Raw Like Sushi 3 (1994)
Channel V at the Hard Rock Live (1996)
Hey Man (1996)
Big Bigger Biggest: Greatest Hits (1996)
Deep Cuts (2000)
LIVE In Japan (2002)

*****************************************************

ERIC MARTIN INTERVIEW AT HIS DEPART FROM MR BIG

J - How did you hook up the guys from Mr. Big?

E - I was doing solo records in the late 80's and I got a phone call from Mike Varney who was the head hunter for guitar players and also ran a label called Shrapnel. Which is mainly a mail order record company the guy has made millions. His discovered people like Paul Gilbert, Yngwie, all these guys with big names. Billy Sheehan played on some of his albums and they were acquaintances and Mike and I were acquaintances from playing punk bands in the San Fran area, he gave me a call and says how is your record doing? I said all right. He says.. "Well you have been a leader of your own thing for the last 10 years would you like to be a band member guy and be a singer for a new band that Billy Sheenan put together?" I go You mean that guy from the "Yankee Rose" video and all that and he goes hey look are you interested and I go yeah. Then he goes you talk to him, Mike is notorious for 3 way calling and he had Billy on the other line. We talked. I had a couple songs and he had a couple songs, we went shopping to labels and together we went to Warner Bros. Ted Templeman, because of Billy's affiliation with the Van Halen Brothers. That didn't work, blah blah blah. We had Paul Gilbert cause he was a big fan of Billy's said yeah he was interested in doing it. This was around 1988 and then we got our drummer Pat Torpey, we had a few songs I think, well yeah yeah we had like 8 songs in a week which was pretty the whole album and then we got signed to Atlantic Records.

J - How long were you together before you got signed?
E - Maybe 7 months I think, I don't think that long there was a lot of talk but I think we only rehearsed for about a month and then we did a show case. It was just kind of a fluke. We did it really fast and everybody had songs that they had been writing like Paul had been writing obviously for Racer X. Pat had some ideas and Billy had all these great ideas that he wanted to put out. I had a couple of songs so we were just really quick in the studio and we showcased. I remember all these labels came down to see us and Billy was sick so they had to go home cause we couldn't play in front of them so I had thought that was a big jinx. "Oh no we aren't going make it". But Atlantic signed us without seeing us that was kind of fun that was our big break. Now your big break takes a really long time for your phone to ring and go "hey you got a tour"....great! I've been waiting for ya ..... back then things started coming like every week.

J - How was important to the whole look back then with the hair bands and stuff?
E - We had long hair, we all had long hair, me and Billy and Pat were older we grew up in the late 70's and we had long hair in high school and never cut it, I mean I cut it in the 80's when I was making records tried to get the Bono look you know like everybody else I had a Bono look with a tail frightening. My wife now goes what were you thinking and I grew it back just to grow it back I've always had long hair. We weren't the pretty boys of rock and roll let me tell you. Granted I don't think I ever hair sprayed my hair I just kept cutting my bangs I look like such a geek everybody said that my hair looked so cool God I have long hair and bangs!

J - Hahahaha.. I have hundreds of pictures it wasn't that bad.

E - I mean I hate dwelling on the hair but I think it is kind of funny the hair band thing. Everybody use to have long hair chicks dug it you know.

J - What is the biggest crowd you played for and where?
E - My biggest crowd that we played for was I think around 96' I played in Brazil we headlined for a hundred thousand people on the beach, we played with Henry Rollins, Lemmon Heads, and Sepulture and we were the headliner.

J - Wow.. What a mix...
E - A total mix but still, the Lemmon Heads I don't know how they got on there but they had a really big gigantic hit song at the time. and then that was the biggest gig. 100,000 is huge but we played to 50-70,000 people all the time when we were opening for Rush and Aerosmith but this was our gig.

J - What is the craziest thing a fan had done to meet you?
E - Ummm I get a lot, I don't' know if I want it to be true or not true but I get a lot of like I am going to commit suicide till I see you. ummmm so I kind of fall for that I must be the suicide hotline. I don't' mean to laugh a lot about that.....I swallowed a bottle of Jargons because of you and I am like ooohh... don't do that, ummmm lets meet, talk about a blind date but it still happens on the internet.

J - What was your favorite package tour.. I hate to say back in the 80's cause you guys weren't an 80's band, cause you almost came out in the 90's.. but what was your favorite tour?
E - I don't really care now.. I used to care..then I kinda went. I don't give a shit.. I'm glad I lasted this long..ya cause 89' is when our Mr. Big record came out..and we played clubs for years, and I think around 92' is when "To Be With You" hit..and "Green Tinted 60's Mind"..and the band started coming out.. and we had an underground crowd.. which its always cool to have an underground crowd, cause they come out without the help of MTV and radio..they just come out, because of word of mouth..but..ya.. Rush..was definitely the best package tour we did.. the whole Presto tour, which was about, 4 or 5 months.. then we did half a Rolling Stones tour, Primus did the west coast, and we did the east coast.That was the best time ever! I wasn't a real big Rush fan, Paul was such a Rush fan he had all there albums in his wardrobe case...and waited forever, till the end of the tour, to get them signed.and I was in the dressing room with them all the time, just bullshitting with them..and eating there catered food.. mine was terrible, and I would be chomping down on a chicken bone asking what does and "By Torthe Snow Dog" mean? hahaha.. but it was a really cool time, I mean they were calling me E..and I was like wow. Elvis... and I mean I didn't have a big head but I really liked the fact that I felt like they treated me like there little mascot..like hey come on the bus E..ya know..it was cool..for Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson ..who are really outgoing.. and to have Neal pert to get inside your head.. he always made me feel like an ignoramus when I talked to him anyway..hes so smart... I had a really good time, and the gigs were always great.. I mean there were times when it wasn't great..cause nobody cares about the opening act at a Rush concert..and they are mainly dudes, and ironically "To Be With You" hit..and more girls came to the gigs, then the guys dug it too. I mean come on.."To Be With You", that's a campfire song..haha.. but there were digging it..and also we had the song.. "Addicted to That Rush" so every night id say "Are you addicted to Rush" and they would all scream..and id turn around quick to Pat... and say..ok lets go.. hahaha..

J - Ok along the way Paul left the band, and Richie Kotzen joined the band, how did that come about?
E - Paul quit. we were bummed.. but I later on in life realized he was just sick of me and Billy arguing. Paul is an only child.. no Paul has a sister, but I don't know what it was, he was more introverted.. he just couldn't stand the loud noise or something.. and after a while, he just had to go.. and do his own thing I guess.. but I knew it was because of our behavior.. and I was a friend of Richie's for a long time, another Mike Varney protégé.. Ritchie is some kid out of Pennsylvania, same as Paul.. and ah... kinda cocky.. but he was funny. and I always liked him.. excellent guitar player.. and a really good singer...I loved hearing his voice, always thought it was bluesy and soulful.. kinda from the same schooling I was from.. and we latched on as friends.. so we were gonna audition some people.. and that's one of them I put in the hat.. and he came in and played.. and he was in the band, simple as that. .. he added so much to the band.. he's not a Paul Gilbert... well Paul was a great songwriter as well as a great guitar player.. they both have chops.. but you get used to one guy after so long.. but Richie had soul. and actually in the beginning I would say we were a bluesy rock band.. like Free.. and Bad Company, but we were never that way, I thought I was that way, but I never though the band was that way. So when Richie got in the band we finally became a soulful metal band.

J - Then you went to Japan.. toured a few more times, and released a few more cds.. but what actually led to the break-up?
E - Well the band had been together for 13 years.. there was a lot of going up a ladder.. its such a cliché thing.. when your on top.. everyone's happy and when your back down at the bottom and struggling trying to get back to the top again, everyone's got a bad attitude.. but what happened... (long pause)... I don't know....I'm gonna tell ya.. haha.. Billy and I.. hey he just, I think from the beginning, we just got off on a bad foot.. a lot of miscommunication, to the point of.. he would tell me what to do.. and I would do it.. then I would get tired of him telling me what to do so I would argue with him about it, and he would say Eric..we need the same thing.. but I think it was my ego back then.. I fuckin didn't want this guy telling me what to do all the time... and he was just comfortable.. in his control freak costume.. and I just didn't like to take it.. ya know.. I moved out of my parents home when I was 17, I don't feel like I needed to be talked to that way all the time, and I never did the right thing in his eyes, I never dressed the part.. he was trying to groom me for years.. on how to be a front man.. and I just got sick of it.. and rebelled.. and I wanted to be in the band.. I loved the band, loved writing songs for it. it was a huge creative outlet for me.. I wrote some of my best songs ever in Mr. Big.. onstage I loved it.. off stage it was pathetic, a lot of whispering, and talking behind peoples backs.. and him and I just seemed to be in the butt of everything.. just utter turmoil..

J - ya know I would have had no idea.. you really couldn't tell.. I've been following the bands forever, and a lot of bands you can tell there is animosity. but I had no idea.. till recently I went to the Mr. Big site.. and how rude it was...hahaha.. It says.. we will never be together again, there will never be a reunion..hahaha...
E - Billy wrote that..

J - Ya I know cause then I see email me if you would like to talk to me.. and its Billy's email address...hahah.. so I figured there was a problem..
E - Ya we never played it off.. like Joe Perry and Stephen Tyler would have fights on stage.. and not to say I'm in the same league as them. I'm just saying from a fighting level..
although. there would be times during the show.. in the song called "Price You Got to Pay" and I come over and put my arms around Billy and play his bass.. while he would play harmonica.. just a little thing, but he would shake me off all the time, if he was in a mood or something.. or had Eric Martin disease that day. I would smile..and just say everything is great..cause I don't want the fans to know we don't like each other..ya know..hahaha.. but backstage man..... like on the last tour,the farewell tour..well the events leading up to it.. see we had whole 6 - 7 months that went by before we did that record.. we had time away from each other.. and we got together at Richie's house.. me, Pat and Richie.. and Richie Zito.. who's the producer for Cheap Trick..etc.. and we came in and Billy wasn't around, he was doing the Steve Via tour.. and creating his own record.. and was kinda like.. big deal he's not here.. because when he's here he's gonna give me a dirty look and I'm gonna go what the hell are you doing.. and he's gonna be like fuck you.. it will be just a turmoil thing... so he wasn't there, and he finally came after a couple of weeks.. and we had already written a bunch of songs the 3 of us.. so there was some animosity there, and jealousy.. ya know.. he would say he was going to bring in songs, and never did. then we did photo sessions...and he had just kinda had it with me.. and look I'm not perfect.. I mean I can be a little shit ..a little devil at times but never been a pre-madonna.. never been conceited, nothing like that. but when I feel like I'm getting "Eric I'm gonna sit you down and give you a little talk" I have no patience for that.. when its the same shit alll the time..."don't wear jeans and a t-shirt, don't wear... don't talk to the audience.. don't.." well what do ya think of my new song.. "well it don't kill me".. after a while, I kinda became my own guy, and not that you couldn't talk to me, I didn't like the tone. Pat even noticed .. he would say. "I see what your saying Eric".. Ritchie would just say.. "Hey man.. leave me out of it.. man.. I've been in Poison.." haha.. remember that?

J - ya..
E - Well that didn't work out.. so he said keep me out of it.. put me in no mans land.. hahaha...
So we did a video for a song that was on the Actual Size album called "Shine" and it was a nightmare.. and the director was a huge fan of the band.. but he was almost in tears.. because Billy would be like nowhere to be found when we take a break, and he would ask would you come over here please.. and Billy would be like "what" all rude, he was disrupting the whole thing.. and I remember that day.. and I walked up to him.. and was like hey dude.. what's wrong? and he goes "nothing man ..everything is cool".. and I would say.. I know its me.. you don't like me.. but can we just do this?...and he goes "its not you, its me.." he used to always say that. and so we did the video.. and it was not good..
So Pat gave me a call and said.. I cant take it anymore, I couldn't believe it.. usually its me saying I cant take it anymore.. Paul quit.. I was even leaning towards it.. but as cliché is at may seem.. the fans dug us.. even though we didn't dig each other.. the fans really dug us.. so Pat convinced me.. as I'm sitting there in the middle of dinner.. on the phone, and having a couple glasses of wine.. after about an hour and half.. he convinced me.. and I was like look.. I know he's not immortal.. but Billy is the icon of the band.. and if we kick him out.. the fans are never going to understand.. ya know.. even though he's not being a team player at this moment.. and Pat's like no we can get another bass player.. and I was like.. we are making a huge mistake. I mean I don't have any love for the guy, but we can't do it in this manner.. we should just break up. but I go ok.. you got my vote.. so I was one of the ring leaders.. so we call Richie.. and he's hosing off his front porch... hahaha.. this is what Pat told me.. I said.. hey have you Richie about it?.. "oh ya.. I called him 5 min. before I called you".. hahaha and he said he was hosing off his front patio..and he said.. "hey do what ya gotta do." hahaha and I went.. wow. loyalty.. gotta love the guy!. then Pat tried to call Billy...

Ya know I'm probably telling you more then you wanted to know..hahaa

J - Noooo... this is great....but let me flip the tape in case it ends..hahaha..
E - Ok.. now back to Musicmayhem... it should be Billy and Eric mayhem.. hahaha.. ya the mayhem twins.. haha..
Ok were was I..

J - You were getting ready to call Billy..
E - Ok ya.. so Pat called Billy.. and Billy is a screener.. I have a lot of friends like that, my guitar player in my band, ill call him and ill have this long conversation ..and if he wants to pick.. he'll pick it up.. ya know.. everybody does that.. so Pat basically told him.. hey its not working out.. well I don't know exactly what he said. I don't remember now.. he just said... and this is the easy way out.. but he said.. it appears your not happy with the band, so we don't wanna make you unhappy anymore, and the long and short of it.. we no longer need your services.. and Billy was really pissed off... and what's really twisted about this is he had already spoken to magazines prior even doing the "Shine" video.. and said the Actual Size record sucked.. and that my songs sucked.. and Richie's "Shine" sucked and he told everybody.. at least this is what I was told.. he told everybody in magazine world.. media.. that this record was gonna rock.. and it was gonna be heavy.. and it ddn't turn out that way.. maybe because of his influence too.. cause he didn't write anything.. ya know.. cause my characteristic is I write.. pop rock songs, or acoustic songs.. and it always turns out to be a single.. and I'm happy about that.. but that's what I do.. well that's what I did... I write a lot of rock songs but they never got anything.. it was like "ya..ya Eric.. leave it to the professionals".. do you have the last record?

J - Not the last.. last one.. no..
E - Well its a really good record. a melodic rock record.. reminate of Lean Into It, which had "To Be With You" on it.. but it had a lot of great songs.. it wasn't Soundgarden or Metallica like Billy had made it out to be.. so he slogged us in the magazines before hand.. so when he gets booted.. "the stupid booting"...he tells everyone on the internet.. and the magazines that he had nooo idea it was coming. I always thought.. now come on.. that's like being in a marriage and your constantly fighting and picking on them.. then all the sudden they get divorced.. and they go... what happened.. what did I do... hahahaha.. that just kinda shocked the shit out of me.. he's an amazing bass player, he's charming, and he's a really intelligent person.. and he does have a really funny nice side to him. that's very endearing at times... but that's on a Friday.. then Saturday is a whole different ballgame... but Sunday could be better..

J - See I didn't know you had him leave.. did you guys actually have him leave.. or just break up?
E - oh... no no no no ... ill try and make this shorter.. the day after the "firing".. Richie calls me up.. and goes.. "oh god what do we do.. we're doomed!"...and I go... dude....cause see I'm here in the bay area, they are all in L.A. so Pat and Richie get together, and Pat says let me just go over there and talk to him.. and see where his head is at... and I was saying.. we already sank the ship.. its not gonna get any better, its gonna be back to the Billy Sheehan band.. trust me.. and it was... they got him back in the band.. for a minute.

He was in but.. this is exactly what he said.. "I love you Richie.. and I love you Pat.. and I don't necessarily hate Eric... but I want to make things work.." and I didn't trust him.. but I thought.. oh man I hope this is swept under the carpet.. because I really want the band back together.. the original one.. I didn't want some other fuckin bass players.. that would have been the kiss of death. So he couldn't make it on the promotion tour, cause he had the Steve Vai tour.. which Billy used to say.. "the first priority in my like is Mr.Big. Well my family then Mr.Big." ,but apparently its my family, Steve Vai, my record, then Mr.Big. hahahaha... so we went to Japan and told everybody he's back.. and the radio stations and said he's back...and we came back and are sitting in the promoters office.. and Pat is like, I just talked to Billy, and its going to be a farewell tour. and Richie's like......with a cloudy look... and I'm tearing up.. I'm like this is unfair.. and this is not cool.. but now that I look back on it, I guess it was a smart move.. because we were just wearing out or welcome.. the team was over... so we played this farewell tour.. we played 16 sold out shows.. and it wasn't great.. well it was a mess.. we would rehearse.. and we weren't talking ..and it went back to me feeling like it was my fault or something.. because Pat, and Richie and Billy were best friends.. and I didn't know what happened.. so we head out there, and we have separate cars.. separate floors of the hotels, the 3 of us ate together, and Billy ate by himself.. it wasn't cool.. but the last show was.. well I don't think it was a greatest show, but the energy.. it was really good energy. and at the end me and Billy kinda hugged. and we went to the hard rock cafe, the whole band, promoter and our record company.. which another thing.. when I found out about the farewell tour.. so did the record company.. and they were like "what?" your our biggest band here... so it was a shock to everybody.. haha.. anyway, we did that gig, and we got along great... and it kinda weirded me out.. cause we did get along.. ya know. then we didn't.. then we did.. that was our life. but I think we made really fun music, both musically........

Article ajouté le 2007-10-29 , consulté 27 fois

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