Mr. Big

[PetFish]

New Album Info:  https://www.frontiers.it/news/10440/
Undertow Video:  https://www.frontiers.it/news/10441/
Undertow HD:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHGv5FCS2j8

This song is so wicked.  I love PG's tone and just the whole song is awesome.  I was hoping for more music like their "Next Time Around" single and it looks like it's going to be just like it.  I want the new CD now but NA has to wait until February. 

[Scard]

I'm not even a big Mr. Big fan, but Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan slay, so I am excite.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Looking forward to this in a major way.  So the world tour starts in South America in March and is to be in Europe by summer.  I cannot see them being any sort of a big draw in the states.  Just doesn't seem to be the interest in them, like there is overseas and that bites.  I'll keep my fingers crossed though.

Also, there's a Paul Gilbert thread here, with some cool video links:

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=5219.0

[jsem]

Mr. Big is great, but I really didn't like this song too much.

[jsem]

Listening to the ALBUM RIGHT NOW.

[Zydar]

I've barely heard this band, but Undertow is a great song.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

The samples I've heard on iTunes were all very good, so I'm very much looking forward to this.  Also, they're slated to be on the bill at Baltimore's M3 Rock Festival this May.  VERY excited!!

I've barely heard this band, but Undertow is a great song.

Oh. No. You. Didn't.

Get comfortable for a bit.  Here's some classic Mr. Big tunes for you to check out. Maybe you know some of them, don't know, but I'm posting them anyway.  


First and foremost, the first three songs off the first album, starting with Addicted to that Rush: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck3MuHqYRLM

Wind Me Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmpQ8wbaJ4w

Merciless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyXbX2kL0og


From Lean Into It, the first three tunes, starting with Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song).  I've provided a live version, displaying why it's called "the electric drill song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD-C-oS--xQ

An excellent driving song, Alive and Kickin': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRAQNPlx0GY

A Paul Gilbert Tune, Green Tinted Sixties Mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtrmwzIyaMU

And their (likely) most well known tune, To Be With You.  This got literally played into the ground on the radio, resulting in a bunch of teenage girls saying they loved Mr. Big, despite having NO CLUE what a rocking-assed band they were.  Much like what happened to Extreme and More than Words.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDN8BN0Od6I


That's as good a primer as any on what passes for good Mr. Big.  There are plenty of other things to point out - Colorado Bulldog, Rock and Roll Over, Take a Walk, The Whole World's Gonna Know, their cover of Free's "Mr. Big", Road to Ruin, Just Take My Heart, live covers (the Who's Baba o' Riley in particular), etc.  Anyways, the above is a good start.  Enjoy.

[jsem]

Easily the best album of 2011 so far. EPIC. They've still got it!

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Can not wait!

[Lowdz]

Love the album, PG and BS rock.
Kevin Shirley should be taken outside and slapped for what he has done to Eric Martin's vocals. The rest of the band sounds great though, it's just stopped the album being a classic as instead of enjoying the songs I'm thinking about the production.

[Zydar]

Oh thanks Coz, I'll get right to it

[jsem]

The only weak songs are the two last songs (excluding bonus track). The rest are  and Mr. Big's debut album all over again. Just sheer epicness.

[YtseBitsySpider]

Wow.
I seem to be the loan voice of disappoint.
It got 2 spins...just to be sure I wasn't expecting too much the first time.
Another Chickenfoot for me. MAJOR disappointment......should have stayed retired/session players.

I had it a month or so ago.
AWFUL

[Samsara]

Looking forward to the album. Loved Undertow, and from what I was told, the album is rockin'.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT M3 IN BALTIMORE THIS SUMMER, WOOHOO!!!!

[YtseBitsySpider]

I would probably go see them live to see them do the old stuff.

[rumborak]

Whoo, bring back thread back from the dead!!

So, due to the Winery Dogs I got to listen to a lot of Mr Big lately again. What an excellent band overall.
That is though, in the original lineup. Man, I watched this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VqhjaSpZVc

 

compared to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpaFNf_-lQo

I mean, how can you leave the electric drill out of the Electric Drill song?

[jingle.boy]

Love Mr. Big, right from the s/t.  The Kotzen years (as good a player as he was) were a bit of a bust, and it's too bad they lost all those years until this album.  Back to Budokan is f'n amazing.

[rumborak]

I mean, apart from the obvious impossibility of following Paul Gilbert in any band, I think it was also the fact that he's so clearly a blues player. Playing Daddy, Brother ... with a mildly distorted Telecaster isn't gonna work, no matter how you go about it.

[rumborak]

Pat Torpey is actually a pretty good drummer.

[Lowdz]

Love Mr. Big, right from the s/t.  The Kotzen years (as good a player as he was) were a bit of a bust, and it's too bad they lost all those years until this album.  Back to Budokan is f'n amazing.

Actual Size is a pretty good album but the other Kotzen one was poor. I did fall out of love with them after LII- too many ballads bogged them down. They were always great live though. I would find PG's big headphones a bit offputting though.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Paul Gilbert's hearing has suffered dramatically, which is why he wears the Extreme Isolation headphones.  But yeah, live, I think I'd have a hard time wearing them, if it were me.

I agree that they got the Extreme Syndrome.  Too many people knew them as that band that does "To Be With You" and had NO idea that songs like Addidcted to that Rush, Take a Walk, DBLLB, and Alive and Kickin' existed.

[Pelata]

I agree that they got the Extreme Syndrome.  Too many people knew them as that band that does "To Be With You" and had NO idea that songs like Addidcted to that Rush, Take a Walk, DBLLB, and Alive and Kickin' existed.

That's exactly what happened. Sad too, cuz Mr. Big was a perfect blend of musical dexterity and commercial hooks. Eric Martin was and still is a bloody fantastic singer.

[rumborak]

Love Mr. Big, right from the s/t.  The Kotzen years (as good a player as he was) were a bit of a bust, and it's too bad they lost all those years until this album.  Back to Budokan is f'n amazing.

Actual Size is a pretty good album but the other Kotzen one was poor. I did fall out of love with them after LII- too many ballads bogged them down. They were always great live though. I would find PG's big headphones a bit offputting though.

They're a bit weird, but frankly I also appreciate a musician doing the right thing to be able to continue what he loves doing.
Also, there's Slash, Buckethead etc., all of whom have some weird head garment. Paul kinda looks alien-ish with his headphones on

[TAC]

Paul Gilbert's hearing has suffered dramatically, which is why he wears the Extreme Isolation headphones.  But yeah, live, I think I'd have a hard time wearing them, if it were me.

I agree that they got the Extreme Syndrome.  Too many people knew them as that band that does "To Be With You" and had NO idea that songs like Addidcted to that Rush, Take a Walk, DBLLB, and Alive and Kickin' existed.

I don't know. I thought the first album was very disappointing. The only song that I remember having any bite to it was Addicted To That Rush.

After further thought, maybe I can agree. But as far as Extreme goes, their brand of music just didn't resonate in studio. It was a strange time for music with such an explosion of bands. It would be easy for a quality band to get lost in the shuffle. But I believe Mr. Big's biggest issue was that it was Sheehan and Gilbert playing generic arena rock. IMO, of course.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I love Mr. Big, but I´m such a lazy fan!! I had "What If" for a while, but it wasn´t until last Saturday that I heard this track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZfQAD3xarY

 Still trying to pick my jaw from the floor...

[T-ski]

eric martin ruins any enjoyment of Mr. Big for me.  I can't stand his voice.

[RodrigoAltaf]

eric martin ruins any enjoyment of Mr. Big for me.  I can't stand his voice.

I disagree, but can totally understand it. His voice is not one that pleases every ear.

[rumborak]

I definitely like his voice on the recordings. Live he is a mixed bag, he often can't hit the notes of the recordings.

[rumborak]

Severe thread necro!

Mr. Big is soon releasing a new album "Defying Gravity":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw18TY64nM8

I also heard the tune "Mean To Me", which is really cool.

[Lowdz]

Album is out and on Spotify. I liked it but yet again the vocals sound weird. It must just be hoe Eric sounds now as it's ruined the last three albums for me. I don't know what the problem is as he hits the notes. He just sounds weird.

[rumborak]

Wow, I don't get that at all. To me he sounds just like in the old days.

Did you watch the video? It's admirable that they included Pat in the video, but it's also a bit sad to see.

[axeman90210]

They played a couple tunes from the new album at the show last month, seemed pretty good at least in a live setting. I'll probably pick it up at some point.

[Lowdz]

Wow, I don't get that at all. To me he sounds just like in the old days.

Did you watch the video? It's admirable that they included Pat in the video, but it's also a bit sad to see.

I can't put my finger on what's wrong. Lacking in dynamics maybe? I don't know.

Yeah, I saw the video. That was a nice touch but it's sad. Getting old sucks. And Parkinson's is so cruel especially for a drummer where control of every movement is essential.

[HOF]

Can't immediately find a more recent Mr. Big thread.

Last week Eric Martin announced the band would be touring the US this year with a new drummer, yet to be announced.

https://www.metaledgemag.com/metal-wire/eric-martin-mr-big-will-reunite-and-tour-in-2023

“There will be a phenomenal drummer, it won't be Matt Starr. Matt is doing his own thing," he said. "We have this new drummer, I will tell you that he sends an audition video and I watched it and he played ‘Lucky This Time,' which is a song that we've hardly ever done because mainly because it was really hard to sing it. It's on the Lean Into It album."

He continued, “What he did was, he thought he would one up the audition, so he played drums on it and he sang the lead and the harmonies, on everything. It was phenomenal. I don't want to mention the guy's name until the press release comes out. But the guy really stepped up and everybody knows him and then one really, really cool thing is that he was a big fan of Pat Torpey. I think Pat, he'd approve of this new mystery man."

That part about singing got me to thinking, what if Nick D'Virgilio was the guy? Then today Nick featured several Pat Torpey grooves in his "Groovy Thursday" video. Coincidence? I hope not!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZdXNHyuTjo

Don't know how a Mr. Big tour would fit in with Nick's Big Big Train commitments this year (recording in May, and I believe they have dates for this fall), but it could probably work out.