Billy Sheehan

[RodrigoAltaf]

They also brought Candlebox on tour as well.


Rod, I'm only being semi serious. I mean, I'm just explaining why I was disappointed in them, but I'll follow up on the recs in the thread.

I'm being ZERO % serious...just yanking your chain, man.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I've tried hard with Mr Big but I could never get into them.  Disappointing for who's involved. 

I did enjoy the What If album from a few years ago though.  That had a bjt of grunt to it.

[HOF]

Pop rock is fine for The Cars. Not for a band with the Talas bassist and the Racer X guitarist.

But here’s the thing, if you are in Talas or Racer X, why would you start another band that was all shred? Not that Mr. Big doesn’t have an element of that, but it was clearly an outlet for more commercial music. I look at it as pop rock that is special because it features the playing of guys who were in Talas and Racer X.

[RodrigoAltaf]

The mid section here is PURE shred: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbuO1NASYOs

[TAC]

Pop rock is fine for The Cars. Not for a band with the Talas bassist and the Racer X guitarist.

But here’s the thing, if you are in Talas or Racer X, why would you start another band that was all shred? Not that Mr. Big doesn’t have an element of that, but it was clearly an outlet for more commercial music. I look at it as pop rock that is special because it features the playing of guys who were in Talas and Racer X.

I get it. It's cool. It just wasn't for me at the time.

[HOF]

Pop rock is fine for The Cars. Not for a band with the Talas bassist and the Racer X guitarist.

But here’s the thing, if you are in Talas or Racer X, why would you start another band that was all shred? Not that Mr. Big doesn’t have an element of that, but it was clearly an outlet for more commercial music. I look at it as pop rock that is special because it features the playing of guys who were in Talas and Racer X.

I get it. It's cool. It just wasn't for me at the time.

Now is the time, TAC, now is the time. ;-)

[PetFish]

I always thought Billy should have been in LTE.  Then it would be *really* crazy.

But, at the same time, sometimes it's not good to have everything crazy and you need that calming factor of just holding things together.  It all worked out but it's always been scratching my brain.

[HOF]

I always thought Billy should have been in LTE.  Then it would be *really* crazy.

But, at the same time, sometimes it's not good to have everything crazy and you need that calming factor of just holding things together.  It all worked out but it's always been scratching my brain.

Yeah, who knows how that would have turned out. I do think Tony’s sound and style are a big part of LTE so it would have been different probably. Judging by Niacin, I wonder if it would have been a bit more jazzy if Sheehan were involved, but then those are jazz players in Niacin and MP and JP really aren’t.

[Kwyjibo]

Pop rock is fine for The Cars. Not for a band with the Talas bassist and the Racer X guitarist.

Just out of curiosity, what did you expect them to sound like?

[TAC]

Talas X

[bl5150]

Talas X

And instead you got Racer- as(s) 


I never got into Mr Big much but Lean Into It is a solid album .  Addicted To That Rush was the first song I heard from them and it was pretty much what I expected from them (tinny production aside) but from there they weren't quite what I was expecting.

[ytserush]

I’ve been on a Billy Sheehan kick lately. Mr. Big was one of my first favorite bands of sorts, and still I go through these periods where I can just listen to them and smile. Spent a few hours listening to them  last night and again this morning. Just a great band and Billy’s playing is a huge part of it. I love how even on their ballads and acoustic songs he’s still playing these amazing melodic bass lines.

I’ve also been trying to get more into Niacin lately. Have had Time Crunch for a long time but recently picked up High Bias and Deep. Those are both fantastic, but his tone and playing on Deep are on another level (and Jon Novello and Dennis Chambers aren’t too shabby either). I’m not a huge fan of jazz and fusion, but I can sort of just get lost in the music (in a good way). It was also cool to find out that Pat Torpey plays on one of the tracks on High Bias. Miss that guy.

I think Niacin is by far my favorite Billy Sheehan project. I love that stuff, but I'm a huge fan of jazz/fusion

[ytserush]

I liked the early Talas albums, especially the live one, and the DLR albums, but other than that I really don't pay attention to Billy Sheehan. I couldn't get into Mr. Big.

The live Talas album is the only one I still have although I'm admit to owning the Green Tinted Sixties Mind  Mr. Big CD single.

[ytserush]

I always thought Billy should have been in LTE.  Then it would be *really* crazy.

But, at the same time, sometimes it's not good to have everything crazy and you need that calming factor of just holding things together.  It all worked out but it's always been scratching my brain.

I LOVE Billy but if I have to choose between Tony and Billy for a project like that it's got to be Tony Levin.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Yeah it is subjective.

But when you put Billy Sheehan (Talas) and Paul Gilbert (Racer X) together, I was expecting an ass kicker. What I got was Winger Part 2.

DON'T YOU TALK LIKE THAT IN HERE. BLASPHEMER!

[HOF]

I’ve been on a Billy Sheehan kick lately. Mr. Big was one of my first favorite bands of sorts, and still I go through these periods where I can just listen to them and smile. Spent a few hours listening to them  last night and again this morning. Just a great band and Billy’s playing is a huge part of it. I love how even on their ballads and acoustic songs he’s still playing these amazing melodic bass lines.

I’ve also been trying to get more into Niacin lately. Have had Time Crunch for a long time but recently picked up High Bias and Deep. Those are both fantastic, but his tone and playing on Deep are on another level (and Jon Novello and Dennis Chambers aren’t too shabby either). I’m not a huge fan of jazz and fusion, but I can sort of just get lost in the music (in a good way). It was also cool to find out that Pat Torpey plays on one of the tracks on High Bias. Miss that guy.

I think Niacin is by far my favorite Billy Sheehan project. I love that stuff, but I'm a huge fan of jazz/fusion

They are really wonderful albums. I don’t feel like I need a ton of jazz/fusion in my life (and even less of the more bluesy stuff probably), but I enjoy it as an excursion from time to time, and these guys are such great players for it.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Ok, here's the link to the interview with Eric Martin. MANY cool Rush anecdotes on the interview:

 https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-eric-martin/?fbclid=IwAR3sw_jRBUuRx1-J5_aaqvc4I681UA38krlGfD73sMeemLoL6sBP-10X9VE

[HOF]

Ok, here's the link to the interview with Eric Martin. MANY cool Rush anecdotes on the interview:

 https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-eric-martin/?fbclid=IwAR3sw_jRBUuRx1-J5_aaqvc4I681UA38krlGfD73sMeemLoL6sBP-10X9VE

Awesome! Will have to check this out when I get some time.

[RodrigoAltaf]

BOOM, a lot of other sites picked it up!!!

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mr-big-to-release-collection-of-pat-torpeys-final-performances-in-japan/?fbclid=IwAR1nl2T4Z-RbasBKhLD4UqLn4n72YWZ-BOGObIUYZ09EbWrFp5MbTr6Xikw

https://www.irocknashville.com/2021/02/09/mr-big-to-release-collection-of-pat-torpeys-final-performances-in-japan/?fbclid=IwAR3kjDOklTAG-c6_wdeAckeqUDndasXKSpy36m8e9TGUCzOychFD5W9_158

https://www.695therock.com/mr-big-to-release-collection-of-pat-torpeys-final-performances-in-japan?fbclid=IwAR1K3dh6_i7WMCJWnkuraQbe02oi29zuojaO4W97zgGbWllHWzNdSp2RfCU

[devieira73]

But I think it isn't clear if they were the final performances of Pat as a drummer alone or with Matt Star on drums and him on percussion/vocals.

[RodrigoAltaf]

But I think it isn't clear if they were the final performances of Pat as a drummer alone or with Matt Star on drums and him on percussion/vocals.

It's with Matt on drums, and pat joining for the occasional slow song, and singing Judas Priest's Living After Midnight on the encore. That was the case since 2014, and the shows from this release are from their last tour, in 2017.

[devieira73]

Thanks, Rodrigo!
Very nice interview as always and Eric seems such a cool dude to talk!

[EPICVIEW]

The man was a legend in Talas...Talas was great live, great shows back in the day

[Setlist Scotty]

Ok, here's the link to the interview with Eric Martin. MANY cool Rush anecdotes on the interview:

 https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-eric-martin/?fbclid=IwAR3sw_jRBUuRx1-J5_aaqvc4I681UA38krlGfD73sMeemLoL6sBP-10X9VE

Great interview Rodrigo! And yeah, I especially loved the Rush stories! Was lucky enough to be able to join MP and Paul Gilbert to record the audio commentary for the Cygnus and the Sea Monsters DVD, and it was great hearing Paul's take on getting his hair stuck with the drill on the Rush tour, although he didn't go into anywhere as much detail as Eric did!

[RodrigoAltaf]

Ok, here's the link to the interview with Eric Martin. MANY cool Rush anecdotes on the interview:

 https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-eric-martin/?fbclid=IwAR3sw_jRBUuRx1-J5_aaqvc4I681UA38krlGfD73sMeemLoL6sBP-10X9VE

Great interview Rodrigo! And yeah, I especially loved the Rush stories! Was lucky enough to be able to join MP and Paul Gilbert to record the audio commentary for the Cygnus and the Sea Monsters DVD, and it was great hearing Paul's take on getting his hair stuck with the drill on the Rush tour, although he didn't go into anywhere as much detail as Eric did!

Thanks man! And yeah, he went to town with the Rush stories. I actually had a question about his audition for Van Halen, which ended up not happening, but I figured we had spoken long enough after 70 minutes!!! I pursued the interview because of my daughter's love for "To Be With You", and was lucky that he revealed the new Mr. Big release. I hadn't seen this announced anywhere else until the day we spoke.

[HOF]

So this is a fun play through video with Billy doing Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93954TKFXvI

[MinistroRaven]

TALAS is back with the release of their new album “1985,” which will see a September 23, 2022 release via Metal Blade Records.Check out the new single “Crystal Clear” below #Talas

https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/classic-hard-rock-band-talas-announce-new-album-1985/

[TAC]

Please tell me that’s the worst song on the album.

[HOF]

Never actually heard any Talas before (aside from covers of Shy Boy). Did not expect them to sound like The Police. But I kind of dig it.

[TAC]

Never actually heard any Talas before (aside from covers of Shy Boy). Did not expect them to sound like The Police. But I kind of dig it.

I have the early Talas albums and was psyched to hear the new song. It kind of blows, so no surprise that you like it.

[Stadler]

Never actually heard any Talas before (aside from covers of Shy Boy). Did not expect them to sound like The Police. But I kind of dig it.

I never actually heard any Talas either; I heard ABOUT them, but never heard them.  The first I actually heard Billy play was the Eat 'Em And Smile record.   Is the rest of the band any good?  Are there vocals?

[devieira73]

Please tell me that’s the worst song on the album.

https://youtu.be/Z2eB2MiTigM
Another new song, the first releasead. I think it's more like their original style.

[HOF]

Please tell me that’s the worst song on the album.

https://youtu.be/Z2eB2MiTigM
Another new song, the first releasead. I think it's more like their original style.

That’s more like what I expected!

[RodrigoAltaf]

Never actually heard any Talas before (aside from covers of Shy Boy). Did not expect them to sound like The Police. But I kind of dig it.

I never actually heard any Talas either; I heard ABOUT them, but never heard them.  The first I actually heard Billy play was the Eat 'Em And Smile record.   Is the rest of the band any good?  Are there vocals?

If The Winery Dogs had started in the 70's, they would sound like Talas.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 I am REALLY happy to announce that I got the confirmation today for an interview with Billy next week. When that's done, I'll have interviewed all members of Sons of Apollo, The Winery Dogs and all living members of Mr. Big!!!