ERIC MARTIN - SOMEWHERE IN ... TOKYO LIVE 1998 (2 CD-Set)
Ultra Rare Live Concert. Awesome Rock/ AOR USA, Mr Big Singer Solo, "Somewhere In The Middle Tour" at Koseinenkin Hall, Tokyo In Japan !!!
DISC 1
1.Fly On A Wall
2.Wink And A Smile
3.Finders, Keepers
4.She's Out For Blood
5.I Wrote The Book/ 30 Days In The Hole
6.Alive And Kickin'
7.Wild World
8.Kisses Stain
DISC 2
1.I Just Wanna Make Love To You
2.Where Do I Fit In?
3.That's What I'm Here For
4.To Be With You
5.Better Day
6.Somewhere In The Middle
7.Voodoo Kiss
8.Don't Stop
SONGWRITERS
Eric Martin, Andre Pessis, Danny Kortchmar, Marti Frederiksen, Tony Fanucchi, Paul Gilbert, Pat Torpey, Billy Sheehan, Frankie Miller, Andy Fraser, Cat Stevens, Jon Bevo, Bill Wray, General Johnson, Jeffrey Bowen, Willie Dixon, Steve Marriott, David Grahame
-----------------
Eric Martin
Although Eric Martin is best-known as the lead singer of rock quartet Mr. Big, he was a seasoned music veteran before that outfit in 1988. Born on October 10, 1960, in Long Island, NY, Martin moved often during his childhood due to his father's career as an Army officer. When the family settled in San Francisco in 1976, Martin formed the band 415 with some high school friends. The band became a popular local draw, eventually opening for acts like Billy Squier, Molly Hatchet, and the Marshall Tucker Band, while still an unsigned act. Signed to Elektra Records, 415 changed its name to Eric Martin Band and issued the debut Sucker for a Pretty Face in 1983. Despite continuing to land high-profile gigs as support for some of the most popular acts at the time, such as Night Ranger and Journey, the album received a fairly tepid reception and the band split up in 1985. Martin contributed the track "I Can't Stop the Fire" to the movie soundtrack Teachers and released a self-titled solo album in 1985, which spawned a minor pop hit with "Information." In 1988, Martin joined forces with bass player Billy Sheehan, guitarist Paul Gilbert, and drummer Pat Torpey to form Mr. Big. The reputations of the players, particularly amongst fellow musicians, generated immediate interest and the band was signed to Atlantic Records in 1989. Recording three albums for the label in the late '80s/early '90s, Martin found success as Mr. Big had several pop hits, including "Just Take My Heart," a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World," and the number one "To Be With You," but they could never fully capitalize on their momentum in the States. They did retain a fervent following in Japan right up through the end of the decade. A second solo effort by Martin, Somewhere in the Middle, wasn't given a release in the U.S., but proved to be a strong seller in Japan and in late 2000, Spitfire Records released I'm Only Fooling Myself.
All Credits Choir/Chorus Composer Composer/Lyricist Featured Artist Group Member Guest Artist Guitar Guitar (Acoustic) Keyboards Liner Notes Lyricist Melodion Member of Attributed Artist Musician Performer Photography Piano Primary Artist Producer Quotation Author Tributee Vocals Vocals (Background)
2019 Moonglow Avantasia Vocals
2017 10x10 Ronnie Montrose Composer, Featured Artist, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
2017 Defying Gravity Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member, Composer
2016 Fingerprints Benjamin Composer
2016 Ghostlights Avantasia Featured Artist
2015 Love Songs: The Collection Composer
2015 Songs: The Very Best of Acoustic - The Collection Composer
2014 Rock Ballads: The Collection Composer
2014 The Stories We Could Tell Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member, Composer
2014 Top 100 90s Composer
2013 Celtic Land Mägo de Oz Featured Artist
2013 The Mystery of Time: A Rock Epic Avantasia / Tobias Sammet Featured Artist
2012 A Cappella/Nearly Human/2nd Wind Todd Rundgren Choir/Chorus
2011 100 Tubes Rentrée 2011 Composer
2011 Sin-atra Quotation Author, Featured Artist, Primary Artist
2011 The World as We Love It Pushking Featured Artist, Vocals
2010 Bounce! Vol. 2 Composer
2010 Greatest Hits: Remixed Triumph Composer
2010 New World Man: A Tribute to Rush Primary Artist, Vocals
2010 Siam Shade Tribute Primary Artist
2010 What If... Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member
2009 Back to Budokan Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member
2009 Next Time Around: Best of Mr. Big Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member, Composer
2009 Rock of Ages [Original Broadway Cast] Composer
2008 Mr. Vocalist Eric Martin Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Choir/Chorus
2008 Oh! Things Are So Corruptible We Insist! Member of Attributed Artist, Guitar
2007 From the Heart: Classics Composer
2007 VH1 Classic Presents: Metal Mania - Stripped, Vol. 3 Primary Artist
2006 Rhino Hi-Five: 90s Love Composer
2006 Rhino Hi-Five: Chart Hits: Rock Composer
2006 Rhino Hi-Five: Valentine's Day Songs 2 Composer
2005 Deejay Classixxx Collection, Vol. 4-6 Composer
2005 Rhino Hi-Five: Mr. Big Mr. Big Composer, Lyricist, Vocals
2005 Rhino Hi-Five: Wedding Songs, Vol. 2 Composer
2005 TMG I Tak Matsumoto Composer
2004 Destroy All Monsters Eric Martin Primary Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Vocals (Background), Composer
2004 Greatest Hits [US Release] Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member, Composer, Lyricist
2004 Influences & Connections, Vol. 1: Mr. Big Composer
2003 Billboard #1 Hits of the '90s Composer
2003 I'm Goin' Sane Eric Martin Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Composer
2003 Rock the Bones Primary Artist
2003 Sincerely, Vol. 2: Mariya Takeuchi Song Book Mariya Takeuchi Primary Artist
2002 In Japan Mr. Big Composer
2002 Mister Big Box Mr. Big Composer
2002 Non-Stop Party Album. Vol. 3 Composer
2002 Pure Eric Martin Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Vocals (Background), Composer
2001 Actual Size Mr. Big Member of Attributed Artist, Vocals
2001 The Most Beautiful Sad Songs Composer
2000 Daytona USA Circuit Edition Vocals
2000 Deep Cuts: The Very Best of Mister Big Mr. Big Vocals, Composer, Lyricist
2000 Get Over It Mr. Big Composer
2000 Pump Up the Hits Technotronic Composer
2000 Soul Sessions: Capitol Years Eric Martin Primary Artist
1999 Brazebeck Gildas Arzel Melodion
1999 How the Supersuckers Became the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World Supersuckers Vocals
1999 Kuschelrock, Vol. 7 Composer
1999 Rockin' 90's, Vol. 1 Composer
1999 Static Mr. Big Composer
1998 Live at the Hard Rock Cafe Mr. Big Member of Attributed Artist, Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic)
1998 Somewhere in the Middle Eric Martin Primary Artist, Guitar (Acoustic), Piano, Vocals (Background), Composer
1997 Edge of the World Mogg/Way Vocals (Background)
1997 I Love the Way You Love Me Eric Martin Primary Artist
1997 Live at Budokan Mr. Big Composer
1997 Mad About You Primary Artist
1997 Marching to Mars Sammy Hagar Guest Artist, Vocals (Background)
1997 The Ultimate Party Megamix Composer
1997 This Beat Is Technotronic Technotronic Composer
1996 Big, Bigger, Biggest!: The Best of Mr. Big Mr. Big Composer
1996 Club Mix's Biggest Jams, Vol. 1 Composer
1996 Deep House Party, Vol. 4 Composer, Primary Artist
1996 Hey Man Mr. Big Composer
1996 Mega Man Composer
1996 Visualize World Greaze Greazy Meal Photography
1996 Working Man: A Tribute to Rush Vocals, Primary Artist
1995 The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers [Original Soundtrack] Vocals
1994 Deep House Party Primary Artist
1994 Japandemonium Mr. Big Member of Attributed Artist, Vocals
1994 Megadance Into the 90's Composer
1994 Raw Like Sushi Mr. Big Vocals
1994 Raw Like Sushi II Mr. Big Composer
1994 Unboxed Sammy Hagar Guest Artist
1993 Bump Ahead Mr. Big Vocals, Composer, Lyricist
1993 Greatest Hits [Castle] Technotronic Composer
1993 Over My Heart Laura Branigan Composer
1993 Rave Masters Mixers 1+2 Primary Artist
1992 Mr. Big Live Mr. Big Musician
1991 Lean Into It Mr. Big Vocals, Group Member, Composer, Lyricist
1991 North by Northeast: Roots, Rock & Country Primary Artist
1991 Prisoners in Paradise Europe Composer
1990 Duck & Cover Composer
1990 Trip on This! The Remixes Technotronic Composer
1989 I Pass for Human Stone by Stone Composer
1989 Mr. Big Mr. Big Vocals
1989 Nearly Human Todd Rundgren Choir/Chorus
1989 Pump Up the Jam: The Album Technotronic Composer
1987 Big Trouble Big Trouble Guest Artist
1987 I'm Only Fooling Myself Eric Martin Primary Artist, Vocals (Background)
1987 The Hunger Michael Bolton Guest Artist, Vocals (Background)
1986 Iron Eagle [Original Soundtrack] Performer, Primary Artist
1985 Eric Martin Eric Martin Primary Artist, Liner Notes, Vocals, Piano, Vocals (Background)
1985 The Sport of Kings Triumph Composer
1984 Teachers [Capitol] Performer, Primary Artist
1983 El Rayo Live David Lindley Piano, Vocals
1983 Sucker for a Pretty Face Eric Martin / Eric Martin Band Primary Artist, Vocals, Piano, Composer
100 Essential Christmas Songs Composer
300 Hits: The '80s Composer
90s: 60 Definitive Hits [Rhino] Composer
Access YLO Access Composer
Avalon Avalon / Richie Zito Composer
Billboard 90s, Vol. 6 Composer/Lyricist
Billboard Karaoke: Top 10 Box Set, Vol. 6 Composer, Composer/Lyricist
Born to Rock: 60 Tracks of Classic Rock Composer
Chart Show: Die Erfolgreichsten: One-Hit-Wonder [Folge 1] Composer
Color Blind Ronnie Montrose / Ricky Phillips / Eric Singer Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Eric Martin Eric Martin Primary Artist
Goud Adam Composer
Headbanger's Hits, Vol. 4 Composer
Heavy Traffic Ronnie Montrose / Ricky Phillips / Eric Singer Featured Artist, Vocals, Composer, Vocals (Background)
How to Receive a Miracle From God Reinhard Bonnke / Eric Martin / Richard Reneau Primary Artist
L' Arc-en-Ciel Tribute Primary Artist, Tributee, Vocals
Light My Fire: A Classic Rock Salute to the Doors Vocals
Love Is Alive: Works of 1985-2010 Eric Martin Primary Artist
Love's Labour's Lost Composer
Metal Matters Vocals
Mr. Rock Vocalist Eric Martin Primary Artist, Producer, Composer, Lyricist
Mr. Vocalist, Vol. 2 Eric Martin Primary Artist
Mr. Vocalist, Vol. 3 Eric Martin Primary Artist
Mr. Vocalist: Best Eric Martin Primary Artist
Mum: The Collection Composer
Nachtschicht Vol. 37 Composer, Lyricist
Now That's What I Call Power Ballads: Hits Composer
Party Tyme Karaoke: Rock Male Hits 3 Party Tyme Karaoke Composer
Party Tyme Karaoke: Billboard Top 40 Karaoke, Vol. 6 Composer
Pop Decades: 90s Composer
Return of the 90s Composer
Rock Classics: The Collection Composer
Rock Radio Air Play,Vol. 2 Composer
Still Singin' With the Band Ronnie Montrose / Ricky Phillips / Eric Singer Vocals
Sweet Children O'Mine Shione Yukawa Composer
The Greatest Ever... Party Album Composer
Timeless Eric Martin Primary Artist
To Be With You Keith Semple Composer
To Be with You Cole Vosbury Composer
Top Hits/90's Only Number 1's Composer
Top Hits/Ballads & Love Songs 80's & 90's Composer
Whata' Wonderful One Hit Wonders Composer
Songcredits
Takuro
Leo Imai
Anna Lee
Elmore James / Marshall Sehorn
Jon Bevo / Bill Wray
Harry Hess
Ralph Shuckett
Neil Geraldo & His Orchestra / Billy Steinberg
Eric Martin / Dillon O'Brian / Phil Roy / Bob Thiele
Eric Martin / André Pessis
Billy Steinberg
Eric Gorfain / Frank Scarpelli
Walter Afanasieff / Mariah Carey
Marti Frederiksen / Damon Johnson / Kari Smith
Kevin Elson / Tony Fanucchi / Neal Schon
Eric Martin / André Pessis / Sugizo
Chuck Cannon / Victoria Shaw
Dan Hartman / Charles Midnight
David Gates
L. Gold / J. Wilson
Tony Fanucchi / Randy Jackson / E. Martin
Tony Fanucchi / E. Martin / Neal Schon
Ric Ocasek
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
Tony Fanucchi / Eric Martin / André Pessis
Eric Martin / André Pessis / Eric Westphal
Alex Lifeson / Neil Peart
Geddy Lee / Alex Lifeson / Neil Peart
Jack Blades / Eric Martin / André Pessis
Kerry Brothers
Eric Martin / André Pessis
Marti Frederiksen / Jani Lane / Kanata Okajima / Siam Shade
Seiji Motoyama
Chris Thompson
Eric Martin / André Pessis / Dave Simon-Baker / John Wuopio
Marti Frederiksen / Eric Martin / André Pessis
Tony Fanucchi / Eric Martin
Diane Warren
Myles Hunter
Rob Hyman / Cyndi Lauper
Jeff Watson
Similar To
Albert Hill
Chuck Negron
Jim Peterik
Johnny Boyd
Michael Hutchence
My Superhero
Nigel Olsson
P.J. Olsson
Saves the Day
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
Collaborated With
Kevin Elson
Paul Gilbert
Eric Martin
Eric Lee Martin
Born
October 10, 1960
Origin
Long Island, New York, US
Genres
Hard rock, pop rock, heavy metal
Occupation(s)
Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments
Vocals, piano, guitar, drums, bass
Years active
1978–present
Labels
Capitol
Associated acts
Mr. Big, Tak Matsumoto Group, Scrap Metal, The Eric Martin Band / EMB / 415, Kid Courage, Jun Senoue, The Power Rangers Orchestra, Avantasia
Eric Lee Martin (born October 10, 1960 in Long Island, New York) is an American rock singer/musician active throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands. He earned his most prominent success as the frontman for the hard rock band Mr. Big, a supergroup (currently reunited) who scored a big hit in the early 1990s with "To Be with You," a song that Martin wrote during his teen years.
A local of the San Francisco Bay Area, Martin first started his career in the music industry in 1978.
Early years
Eric is the son of Frederick Lee "Pepper" Martin[1] and Iris Martin. He has three younger siblings Dan, Joan and Laurie; and is half-Irish, half-Italian.
Musically, Eric Martin was first influenced by his father, Frederick Lee "Pepper" Martin. Pepper Martin had a gig as drummer for the band "The Buzz". This first gig would actually be an opener for Sérgio Mendes, a renowned jazz/ bossa nova artist in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.[2]
Martin was a drummer only for a while. Realizing it fit his personality better, he opted for the position of front man / lead vocalist in the next bands he was in. He played in a handful of teen rock groups such as "S.F. Bloodshy" and "Backhome" while attending Foothill High School in Sacramento, California. Eric performed in a punk band in the mid 70s called 'The Innocents' with Connie Champagne and Ric Walz-Smith. Also in 1974–75, Eric played a lot of college clubs with Jim Preston in a band called The J.C. Michaels Band. He started to make it big when he joined a band called "Stark Raving Mad" (which also included future Winger guitarist/keyboardist Paul Taylor) in Santa Rosa, California. Stark Raving Mad, which also included Donavan and Brian Stark, cut a Demo with Bearsville Records that was produced by Chris Nicks, brother of Stevie Nicks.
During the summer break in 1974, Martin joined a Musical Comedy Workshop held at Mira Loma High school in Sacramento. He auditioned for the part of Judas, but wasn't given the part. Instead, he was made the understudy.
Martin credits the honing of his voice to his teacher, Judy Davis. She taught him diction, stamina, and breath-control.[3]
The Martin family finally settled in the San Francisco Bay Area in about 1976. Martin attended Galileo High School and met up with some of the guys who would join him in his first successful venture – the band "Kid Courage". Kid Courage opened for AC/DC for two shows in the Bay Area, which were actually AC/DC's first shows in America.[4]
Musical influences
Martin has always been able to sing either rock, soul, or even country music.[3] He grew up listening to both soul and rock icons in the 70s, such as Otis Redding, Paul Rodgers, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Edgar Winter, Free, and Humble Pie.[4][5] When he was about 13 to 15 years old, while living in Italy, he was introduced musically to different artists under Motown Records and Stax/Volt Records.[2]
He often collaborates and performs with fellow songwriter and friend Andre Pessis.
415 / Eric Martin Band, 1978–1985
Martin had decided to live independently by the age of 18. His first job was selling ice-cream.[2] The big break he needed came when John Nymann, guitarist for the band "Mile Hi", gave him a call and asked if he would want to form a new band together. The two had known each other from the past, since their former bands (Mile Hi and Kid Courage) had played together at the Mabuhay Gardens on Broadway. In agreement, John Nymann and Eric Martin got together people from both their previous bands and formed a new group named 415 – which was the telephone area code for the San Francisco Bay Area, since every person in the band was from there.[3]
415 was formed in late 1979. It marked the start of Eric Martin's career as lead vocalist. Eric says, "415 played hundreds of shows at area nightclubs, beer parties, even high school and college dances, before eventually headlining San Francisco's premiere night club – the Old Waldorf. Selling out in advance, word quickly spread about our dynamic live shows and soon we were opening for established acts like Billy Squier, Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, Molly Hatchet, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Foreigner, to name a few. Eventually, without yet being signed to a recording contract, we played in front of 60,000 fans at Oakland Stadium at Bill Graham's Days on the Green Concert."[4] The band became a popular local draw, all the while still being an unsigned act.[6]
415 was later signed on to Elektra/Asylum Records under the management of Walter "Herbie" Herbert, Ron Chiarottino, and Sandy Einstein. These three persons managed and worked for the band Journey. The management decided to change the name of the band to the "Eric Martin Band" (EMB), as singer-named bands were popular during that time.[3] EMB debuted their first album in 1983, entitled Sucker for a Pretty Face. The LP received a gold disc (certification?), and consequently led to the band's appearance on American Bandstand and in various arena tours as the opening act for the likes of ZZ Top, Night Ranger, and Journey.[4] In one interview, Eric mentions that they "worked thousands of shows, from clubs, to frat house parties, Bill Graham concerts, opening for anybody and everybody."[3] One of the most acclaimed performances of the band was a solo tour in 1983 held at Honolulu, Hawaii. But despite continuing to land high-profile gigs as support for some of the most popular acts at the time, the band decided to split up in 1985 after returning from the ZZ Top tour.[7]
Solo career after Eric Martin Band, 1985–1988
After the break-up, Martin continued involving himself in several recordings and gigs. He contributed to the track "I Can't Stop the Fire" from the movie soundtrack Teachers,[6] as well as "These Are the Good Times" and "Eyes of the World" from the movie Iron Eagle.[2] In 1985, Eric Martin released a self-titled album – Eric Martin – which was followed later on in 1987 by another album called I'm Only Fooling Myself. These solo albums exemplify Eric's unique soulful voice and candid lyrics. The latter, I'm Only Fooling Myself, was re-issued in 2008 by Rock Candy Records. The album is a compilation of songs written by such people as Myles Hunter, John Waite, and a whole host of other established songwriters. It also included top West Coast session musicians such as drummers Mike Baird (who worked with Rick Springfield and Journey) and Mickey Curry (with Bryan Adams and Hall and Oates), guitarists Richie Zito, Tim Pierce, Michael Landau, and Rick Nowells.[8]
A compilation of the two solo albums are available on Soul Sessions – The Capitol Years CD. At his young age, Eric had also been invited to audition for various iconic bands in the 70s & 80s, such as Van Halen, Toto, and Rainbow.[9]
Mr. Big, 1988–2002
In 1988, Martin teamed up with Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey, and Paul Gilbert to form Los Angeles supergroup Mr. Big. The band combined "shredding" musicianship with melodic vocal harmonies.[7] The reputations of the players generated immediate interest in fellow musicians, and the band was signed to Atlantic Records in 1989. That year, the band released their eponymous debut, which received critical and commercial success in the US and Japan. In June 1990, the group toured America with the Canadian band Rush.
The group's 1991 release, Lean into It, featured two ballads that established them as a commercial success: "To Be with You" (number one song in 15 countries) and "Just Take My Heart".[10] The album was followed by a British tour in April and May of the same year, supported by bands The Throbs and Heartland.
After another British tour, the band released the Mr. Big Live album in 1992. Mr. Big continued work on a third album as they headlined shows across the U.K. in 1993. In December, the band notably broke away from this run to play as support act for Aerosmith's three-night, sold-out stand at London's Wembley Arena.
In 1993, another ballad from Mr. Big's new album Bump Ahead rose to the top 10 of the charts – a cover of Cat Steven's "Wild World". Although the band was unable to sustain commercial success in the US, their popularity in Japan continued to soar, leading to several Japan-only live albums as Raw Like Sushi I, Raw Like Sushi II, Japandemonium, and Mr. Big in Japan[11]
While in Mr. Big, Martin was also involved in other projects on the side. In 1995, Martin was the vocalist in The Power Rangers Orchestra, which also featured Guns 'N' Roses member Matt Sorum. Their version of "Go Go Power Rangers" was featured in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
In 1996, Mr. Big released Hey Man, which sold strongly in the Far East.
Martin's third solo album, Somewhere in the Middle, was written during the two-year hiatus from Mr. Big. The CD was completed in 1998 and released in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Strong Japanese sales prompted a 1998 tour.
While recording their fifth studio album, Paul Gilbert announced his decision to leave the band, and new guitarist Richie Kotzen was added to the lineup. In 1997, Eric also recorded the song "I Love the Way You Love Me" for the television soundtrack series Mad About You under Atlantic Records, and was also released as a solo track.
The new line-up of Mr. Big released Get Over It on September 1999 in Japan. Get Over It yielded "Superfantastic", a number one hit in Japan that went multi-platinum. It proved to be Atlantic's biggest selling release in that territory. Mr. Big put in a 20-date tour of Japan followed by a rousing New Year's Eve 1999 show with Aerosmith at the Osaka Dome in Osaka. Get Over It was released in the U.S. on March 21, 2000, followed by a short club stint at The Roxy Theater in West Hollywood.
In the summer of 2001, Martin and the rest of Mr. Big released Actual Size in Japan and the rest of Asia. The CD stayed on the charts in the number three spot and "Shine" the first single off the album was number one. The song was also used as the ending theme for the animation series, Hellsing.
Though headed for a breakup, the members of Mr. Big performed a farewell tour of Japan and Asia in 2002 as part of a contract they were obliged to comply with.
All combined, worldwide sales of Mr. Big albums featuring Eric Martin topped the seven million mark.
Solo albums and projects after Mr. Big, 2002–2004
In between promoting and preparing for Mr. Big's 2002 "Farewell Tour", Martin continued to record songs for his fourth solo album. He promised a return to his "rawk roots" and he definitely did so with "I'm Goin' Sane" which was released in Asia, Europe, and the US in late 2002. After the success of a Japan tour, an appearance at the European "Gods Festival", and a 23-city US tour, Martin decided to go back to the studio to record Pure, an EP that covers his hits in an unplugged and stripped-down acoustic form.
In 2002, during the demise of Mr. Big, Martin married Denise, the sometime-drummer of the Eric Martin Band.
In 2003, Martin contributed his version of "Cheer Up" to the Japanese release Sincerely 2 – Mariya Takeuchi Song Book album. He also came to attention outside of his priority solo activities, portraying the character "Mr. Niko" for a 2004 "Genius" outing In Search of The Little Prince.[8]
Later on, Martin would record another album entitled Destroy All Monsters, which would then be released in Japan, Europe, the US, and South America in 2004. The album's sound is something Eric calls "distorted pop" with a focus on his rock roots. That same year Eric was unable to promote the album as much as he wanted, due to a call from the biggest guitar star in Japan, Tak Matsumoto.[7]
Tak Matsumoto Group, 2004
Tak's band, B'z, has sold over 80 million records and held onto success for over 20 years in Japan. Tak decided to put together a rock band called Tak Matsumoto Group, or TMG, with his favorite players; this would include Eric on vocals, Jack Blades (Night Ranger/Damn Yankees) on bass, and Chris Frasier (Steve Vai/Edgar Winter/Eddie Money) on drums, and, of course, Tak on guitar. They spent four months writing and recording an album in Los Angeles, did a 10-day promotional tour in Japan, quickly followed by a Platinum album, and a 20-city sold-out tour from July to September, ending in Japan's famous 15,000-seat arena, Budokan.[7] The Japanese tour for TMG saw the inclusion of Mr. Big's "To Be With You" in the set list.
TMG was among the top five bands on melodicrock.com during that time, but the band no longer pursued tours beyond Japan.[12]
During the same year TMG was in the works, Eric and Denise were also expecting twin boys by December. In light of this, Eric decided to lie low for the next couple of years.[13]
Projects between 2004–2007
From 2004 to 2007, Martin was involved in numerous projects while remaining near home. A more comprehensive collection of his works are available on Eric Martin's Official Site. His projects included singing tracks on albums of different composers/artists, singing for karaoke games, video games, and TV commercials, and joining benefit concerts all year round.[14]
Martin wrote and recorded the theme song for the Pride Fighting Championships, which was a major mixed martial arts organization. The song "The Last Man Standing" debuted New Year's Eve 2006 on pay-per-view to millions of viewers.
Martin also wrote and recorded a song for guitar legend Ronnie Montrose's CD, 10x10. He sings along with nine other singers including Sammy Hagar, Edgar Winter, Davey Pattison, and Mark Farner. The 10x10 album sparked interest in Eric's vocal performance and he was asked to sing the classic song "Guitar Man" with Ronnie Montrose, Denny Carmasi, and Ricky Phillips to take to the Sundance Film Festival.[7]
Martin also composed and performed a song called "Fly" for the commercial of Asahi Super Dry Beer in Japan. It is accompanied by a music video which is available at Youtube.com
International tours in 2007–2009
From 2007 to 2009, Martin toured all over Europe, South America, and India, with different local bands backing him up at each tour.
It all started as an idea a few years before; Eric and Denise were figuring out how to make tours overseas cost effective and fresh per performance. They would call promoters all around the world and book shows 5 months in advance, find the best rock musicians or the most popular bands in the big cities and have them learn 18 to 20 of Eric's tunes, send mp3's back and forth (and pray for the best). Eric performed all over the world with bands such as The Road Vultures from Argentina, Hayseed from Norway, Raw Like Sushi (a Mr. Big tribute band) from Italy, and John McNamara's band from Australia.[15]
The tour in India came as a surprise for Martin, as he never expected to perform in front of more than 20,000 people. Martin was invited by the King of Tripura, Kirit Pradyot Deb Burman, to perform Mr. Big songs during the Rock Festival at Shillong. Shillong is well known in India as a place for avid music-lovers, especially rock. Eric and the band members (the Road Vultures) were graciously treated as state guests and were escorted upon arrival in India and during the concert. Amit Paul, a popular singer from the show "Indian Idol", together with other Indian celebrities, joined the show and sang part of "To Be With You" with Eric. The gig in India was meant to be only a seven-to-ten thousand seat show; but, as people started to break into the barricades, the crowd got larger (to about 20,800 people). The situation was handled, nevertheless, and the show was an amazing success. The whole festival in general was phenomenal.[12]
Martin also toured with Richie Kotzen in South America, a former bandmate from Mr. Big. The two found themselves performing 15,000-seat shows and playing the songs of Mr. Big together again.
Scrap Metal, 2007
While taking his family on a stroll along the Marin County Fair, Eric was able to watch a performance by the Nelson Brothers and was later introduced to them by a common friend. The Nelson Brothers, Matthew and Gunnar, invited Eric to join them in the new 80s all-star band they were forming called "Scrap Metal". Generally, Scrap Metal would be a band dedicated to performing classic heavy metal and rock 'n' roll hits from the 80s and 90s.[16]
On February 3, 2007, Eric Martin, together with Matthew and Gunnar Nelson of "Nelson", Mark Slaughter of "Slaughter", Jani Lane of "Warrant", and Kelly Keagy of "Night Ranger", performed under the "Scrap Metal" banner for an MTV filmed concert at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. They would compose the core of the band.
A few months later, he made an appearance as a Guest Vocalist of Japanese Jazz Fusion Band T-Square on their album, 33. The song he was featured in is called "Tell the Truth", which is based on T-Square's hit from 1987, "Truth".
Scrap Metal would tour around the US all year round. In most performances, they would often have different guests who were likewise players from other 80's bands.
Mr. Vocalist 1 (2008) and 2 (2009)
In early 2008, Martin was approached, again, by Sony Japan to do a project wherein he would cover (translated) famous Japanese Ballads sung by women. The album, entitled Mr. Vocalist, was released in November 2008 and topped the charts of several cities in Japan; it was also the number-one seller in several online record stores. The album would include ballads such as "I Believe" by Ayaka, "Yuki no Hana" by Mika Nakashima, and "M" by Princess Princess.
Seeing the success of Mr. Vocalist, Sony Japan opted to follow it up with another one. Mr. Vocalist 2 was unique from the first because all the songs included in it were famous international ballads, and were voted in by fans either through the Internet or through mobile phone. Martin and Sony Japan lined up about 30 international ballads sung by women, such as "Hero" by Mariah Carey, "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion and "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles.[17] The top 12 songs were taken from the list and were covered by Eric and Sony Japan's team of top musicians. The resulting album was released on March 4, 2009, and topped the charts all over Japan at its debut. For months, it continued to move along the top five albums in Japan.[18]
Mr. Big reunion, 2009 and beyond
A near Mr. Big "one-off" reunion took place on May 13, 2008, in Los Angeles, at the House of Blues, when Paul Gilbert was joined onstage by Pat Torpey, Richie Kotzen and Billy Sheehan for renditions of Humble Pie's '30 Days in the Hole' and original Mr. Big composition 'Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy'. Reportedly, the three had such an amazing time that they decided to contact Eric Martin a few days later, and a reunion of the four original members (Paul, Eric, Pat, and Billy) was put into motion.[19]
The reunion was first officially announced on February 1, 2009, in a Japanese radio program called "Heavy Metal Syndicate by Koh Sakai". The interviews and press conferences that followed shortly within the first two weeks of February revealed plans of the band to tour Japan in June 2009 and to release new albums.[20] A world tour followed suit, with dates all across Europe, and several gigs in South East Asia, particularly in India, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea.
In 2010, Eric participated in a tribute album titled Mister Bolin's Late Night Revival, a compilation of 17 previously-unreleased tracks written by guitar legend Tommy Bolin, prior to his death in 1976. The CD includes other artists such as HiFi Superstar, Doogie White, Troy Luccketta, Jeff Pilson, Randy Jackson, Rachel Barton, Rex Carroll, Derek St. Holmes, Kimberley Dahme, and The 77's. A percentage of the proceeds from this project will benefit the Jackson Recovery Centers.[21]
In 2010, Mr. Big recorded a new album titled What If..., produced by Kevin Shirley[22] and released in early 2011.
On May 10, 2011, after almost two decades, Mr. Big played the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, the Philippines. The band performed most of the songs from "Lean into It", and also introduced new songs from "What If".
The band recently embarked on a very successful South American tour that ended with two dates in Brazil, at the last of which in the city of Porto Alegre on July 10, according to Eric Martin, Mr. Big had an "end of the tour party" live in front of over 2,000 fans at the local rock venue Bar Opinião.
In 2013, Martin was invited to be part of the metal opera project Avantasia, by Tobias Sammet. Martin played the role of a beggar on the album The Mystery of Time, performing What's Left of Me, with Sammet. Martin was also part of their 2013 world tour in support of the album as one of the guest vocalists. He is also part of their 2016 world tour in support of the album Ghostlights, notably performing the guest vocal role in the songs "Dying for an Angel", "The Wicked Symphony" and "Twisted Mind".[23]
In October 2014, Mr. Big released "The Stories We Could Tell," with 13 new songs and a bonus live track of "Addicted to That Rush." They embarked on a world tour to support the record and an unofficial fifth member of the band joined them on the tour: drummer Matt Starr. Starr (most notably from Ace Frehley's band,) is a talented drummer and singer, and Mr. Big recruited him to sit in for Pat Torpey, who had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. While Torpey did tour with the band, he played drums on only a few songs, and typically sat on a stool and sang with the band while Starr handled the rest of the drum duties. Additional dates are planned for rock cruises and West coast dates in early 2016.
On July 7, 2017, Mr. Big released Defying Gravity, its ninth studio album. The record was recorded in a matter of six days to accommodate the schedules of the band members and the producer, and was released on the Frontiers Music SRL label. [24]It featured 11 new songs and was produced by Kevin Elson, who also produced Mr. Big’s debut record in 1989. They embarked on a tour of the United States, followed by tours of Europe and southeast Asia, including a return to the Philippines on October 12, 2017.
Today[
During September 2013 Eric Martin confirmed he would appear as a guest in the 25 anniversary album from Mägo de Oz,a Folk/Celtic Metal Spanish band.
Discography
Solo albums
Eric Martin (1985)
I'm Only Fooling Myself (1987)
Somewhere in the Middle (1998)
I'm Goin' Sane (2002)
Destroy All Monsters (2004)
Mr. Vocalist (2008)
Mr. Vocalist 2 (2009)
Mr. Vocalist X-Mas (2009)
Mr. Vocalist 3 (2010)
Mr. Rock Vocalist (2012)
Compilation albums
Soul Sessions: The Capitol Years (1986)
Love Is Alive: Works of 1985–2010 (2010)
Mr. Vocalist Best (2010)
Extended plays
Pure (2003)
Eric Martin Band
Sucker for a Pretty Face (1983)
Mr. Big
Mr. Big (1989)
Lean into It (1991)
Bump Ahead (1993)
Hey Man (1996)
Get Over It (1999)
Actual Size (2001)
What If... (2011)
...The Stories We Could Tell (2014)
Defying Gravity (2017)
Tak Matsumoto Group
TMG I (2004)
Guest appearances
Big Trouble – Big Trouble (1987; duet on the track "What About You And Me)
Michael Bolton – The Hunger (1987)
Signal – Loud & Clear (1989)
Todd Rundgren – Nearly Human (1989)
Europe – Prisoners in Paradise (1991; co-writer of "All or Nothing")
Laura Branigan – Over My Heart (1993; co-writer of "Over My Heart")
Sammy Hagar – Marching to Mars (1997)
Mogg/Way – Edge of the World (1997)
Lebocat – Flo's Barbershop (2002)
Harry Hess – Just Another Day (2003)
Mariya Takeuchi – Sincerely, Vol. 2: Mariya Takeuchi Song Book (2003)
Various artists – Genius: A Rock Opera, Episode 2: In Search of the Little Prince (2004; as "Mr. Niko")
Richie Zito's Avalon – Avalon (2006)
Various artists – Genius: A Rock Opera, Episode 3: The Final Surprise (2007; as "Mr. Niko")
Ted Nugent – Love Grenade (2007)
T-Square – 33 (2007)
Jun Senoue – The Works (2009)
Pushking – The World as We Love It (2011)
Avantasia – The Mystery of Time (2013)
Mägo de Oz – "Celtic Land" (2013)
Avantasia – Ghostlights (Digibook edition bonus live disc) (2016)
Avantasia – Moonglow (2019)
Tribute album appearances
Working Man – A Tribute to Rush (1996)
Siam Shade Tribute (2010)
Mister Bolin's Late Night Revival (2011)
Sin-Atra (2011)
Working Class Dogs: A Tribute to Rick Springfield (2012)
L'Arc~en~Ciel Tribute (2012)
Soundtrack appearances
Teachers soundtrack (1984) ("I Can't Stop the Fire")
Iron Eagle soundtrack (1986) ("These Are the Good Times" and "Eyes of the World")
The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (1993)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers soundtrack (1995)
Mad About You - Music from the Television Series (1997) ("I Love The Way You Love Me")
Daytona USA Circuit Edition soundtrack (1997)
Pride Fighting Championships theme song "Last Man Standing" (2006)
Mr. Big (American band)
Origin
Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres
Hard rock ·
soft rock ·
glam metal (early years)
Years active
1988–2002, 2009–present
Labels
Warner, Atlantic, Frontiers, Evolution Music Group
Associated acts
David Lee Roth, Racer X, Impellitteri, G3, Tak Matsumoto Group, The Winery Dogs
Members
Eric Martin
Billy Sheehan
Paul Gilbert
Matt Starr
Past members
Pat Torpey
Richie Kotzen
Mr. Big is an American hard rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1988. The band was originally composed of Eric Martin (lead vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass guitar), and Pat Torpey (drums & percussion). They are noted especially for their musicianship, and have scored a number of hits.[1] Their songs are often marked by strong vocals and vocal harmonies. Their hits include "To Be with You" (a number-one single in 15 countries in 1992) and "Just Take My Heart".
Mr. Big have remained active and popular for over two decades, despite internal conflicts and changing music trends. They broke up in 2002, but after requests from fans, they reunited in 2009; their first post-reunion tour was in Japan, in June 2009.[2] To date, Mr. Big have released nine studio albums, the latest being Defying Gravity (2017). In July 2017, the recording catalogue of their music, owned by Warner Music, was sold to Hong Kong-based Evolution Music Group.
The band takes its name from the eponymous song by Free, which they eventually covered on their 1993 album, Bump Ahead.
History
Formation (1988–1989)
After bass player Billy Sheehan left David Lee Roth's backing band in 1988,[3] he began piecing together a new band with the help of Mike Varney from Shrapnel Records, a label specialized in the shredding genre. He recruited Eric Martin, of the rock-oriented Eric Martin Band and also soul-leaning solo artist, and soon thereafter added guitarist Gilbert and drummer Torpey. Gilbert was already a well-respected guitarist who had released two albums with his Los Angeles-based band Racer X. Torpey came to California from Arizona, and had previously recorded and toured with a number of high-profile artists, including Impellitteri, Stan Bush, Belinda Carlisle, Ted Nugent, The Knack, and Jeff Paris (who would later collaborate with Mr. Big in a songwriting capacity).
Breakthrough (1989–1997)
The newly formed band hired Herbie Herbert, the former manager of Journey, Europe, and Santana, to be their manager. By 1989, they signed with Atlantic Records and released their self-titled debut the same year. The record did not gain the band a mainstream rock audience stateside, but was a success in Japan.[citation needed] In June 1990, the group toured America as an opening act on Rush's Presto Tour. In August 1990, two songs, "Strike Like Lightning" and "Shadows", performed by Mr. Big, were exclusively released on the soundtrack album of the action film Navy SEALs.[4]
Mr. Big's second album, 1991's Lean Into It, was a major commercial breakthrough, especially two ballads, "To Be with You" (which went to number one in fifteen countries) and "Just Take My Heart", as well as the song "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind". The cover features a picture of the train in the Montparnasse derailment. They toured the UK in April and May 1991, and again in 1992, releasing a live album, Mr. Big Live, in 1992. For three nights, they opened for Aerosmith at London's Wembley Arena.
In 1993, another ballad, a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" (from their third album, Bump Ahead), peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Although it is said that the band also contributed music to the soundtrack for the Sega Mega-CD release of The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin, the songs actually featured Eric Martin with musicians hired by Sega.
The band released Hey Man in 1996. The song "Take Cover" was included on the soundtrack to the cartoon series Mega Man.
Although the band never replicated its earlier success in the US market, their popularity continued to soar in Japan and in much of Asia. They continued to sell out tours in the Asian market, resulting in a number of live releases for the Japanese market.
Live At Budokan was one of those live releases intended for the Japanese market only. By the time that album appeared, the group had been put on ice, as the individual band members became more engrossed in other projects; the band temporarily broke up in 1997.
Gilbert's departure and new line-up (1999–2002)
Gilbert left the band in 1999, and eventually reformed Racer X. Richie Kotzen, another Shrapnel artist and former guitarist for Poison, was brought in as a guitar player. Two studio albums were released by this lineup: Get Over It in 1999, and Actual Size in 2001. Get Over It was released on September 1999 in Japan, and yielded the single "Superfantastic," to a lukewarm audience response. Mr. Big performed a twenty-date tour of Japan, followed by a New Year's Eve 1999 show with Aerosmith at the Osaka Dome, in Osaka. Get Over It was released in the US in March 2000, followed by a short club stint at "Roxy", California.
Several music videos for songs on Get Over It were recorded (for Electrified and Superfantastic), however the director claimed rights to the music videos and they were never released.
In 2001, Mr. Big released Actual Size in Asia. The CD sat on the charts in the number three spot and "Shine", the first single, went to number one. The song was also used as the ending theme for the anime series Hellsing.
However, tension had developed between Sheehan and the other members when Sheehan began touring with Steve Vai. Martin, Kotzen, and Torpey decided to write songs without Sheehan, who was only given credit for two songs on Actual Size. Martin and the others were also upset with Sheehan's attitude during the recording of the Shine music video. This was when Martin and Torpey decided the only way to keep moving forward was to fire Sheehan. When Kotzen learned of the decision, he made the rest of the band have a meeting with Sheehan to join the dots, seeing as the reason he originally joined the band was to play and jam with Billy. Although Sheehan was upset that the other members had attempted to "fire" him from the band he created, he agreed to rejoin them, provided that that would be their farewell tour. The band then toured and ultimately disbanded, in 2002.
Reunion and What If... (2009–2013)
A near Mr. Big "one-off" reunion took place on May 13, 2008, in Los Angeles, at the House Of Blues, when Paul Gilbert was joined on stage by Pat Torpey, Richie Kotzen, and Billy Sheehan, for renditions of Humble Pie's "30 Days in the Hole" and original Mr. Big composition "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy". Reportedly, the three had such an amazing time that they decided to contact Eric Martin a few days later, and a reunion of the four original members (Paul, Eric, Pat, and Billy) was put into motion.[6]
On February 1, 2009, a radio announcement for "Koh Sakai’s Burrn Presents: Heavy Metal Syndicate" contained a short message from Mr. Big, announcing the reunion of the original Mr. Big line-up to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their debut album. A press conference in Japan in February generated much excitement,[7] and a tour of the country starting in June was announced, with shows in ten locations (including the Budokan). They held their first reunion concert outside Japan at Rock Cafe in Tallinn, Estonia, on September 2009, continuing their tour.[8]
Warner Music Japan released remastered copies of their four studio albums, as well as a greatest hits CD and DVD. There are two bonus studio songs on the album, the new track "Next Time Around", and a cover of Argent's "Hold Your Head Up".
Mr. Big toured India in October 2009 as part of the Reunion Tour, playing to huge crowds in Bangalore, Dimapur, and Shillong.
In September 2010, Mr. Big recorded a seventh album with producer Kevin Shirley at a Los Angeles-area studio.[9] The album was released in Japan on December 15, 2010, in Europe on January 21, 2011, and in the US in February 2011. What If... is their first album of new material in nearly 10 years.[10] The band also toured in support of the album.[11] The tour to support the album kicked off at The House of Blues, in Hollywood, California, on April 2, 2011, and ended at the Rockout Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2011. The band also appeared at the Download Festival on June 2011.
As part of the album release, the group created a music video for the song "Undertow". Directed by Vicente Cordero and Fernando Cordero, it featured the band in an industrial park.[12]
On May 10, 2011, Mr. Big performed at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines. They performed most of the songs from Lean Into It, and introduced a couple of songs from What If. Additionally the group toured the UK and Europe, with both Gilbert and Sheehan performing solos at the majority of shows.
On July 2011, the lead track of their album Bump Ahead, "Colorado Bulldog", was used as the ending theme for the first episode of the Kami-sama no Memo-cho anime series.
Continuing career and death of Pat Torpey (2014–present)
Mr. Big released their eighth studio album ...The Stories We Could Tell on September 30, 2014, via Frontiers Records. It was produced by Pat Regan, who returned as producer for the first time since 1999's Get Over It. Due to Pat Torpey being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he could not play drums on the record, but worked with a drum programmer. The band confirmed that Pat's fill-in for the upcoming world tour would be Burning Rain drummer Matt Starr, who had also previously performed with Ace Frehley and Joe Lynn Turner.
The group's latest album, Defying Gravity, was recorded in Los Angeles in six days, and released on July 21, 2017.[13][14] Matt Starr recorded the drum tracks, while Pat Torpey acted as "drum producer."[15]
On February 7, 2018, drummer Pat Torpey died from complications of Parkinson's disease at the age of 64.[16] His last show took place at the Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton on 23 November, 2017.
A memorial show took place on 23 May, 2018 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, California, with former member Richie Kotzen as a special guest.[17] The all-star finale of "To Be With You" included, among others, Matt Sorum, Dave Amato, Ricky Phillips, Keith St John, Prescott Niles, Kelly Keagy, Jeff Scott Soto, Ace Von Johnson and Gregg Bissonette.
Members
Current membersEric Martin – lead vocals (1988–2002, 2009–present)
Billy Sheehan – bass guitar, backing vocals (1988–2002, 2009–present)
Paul Gilbert – guitars, backing vocals (1988–1999, 2009–present)
Matt Starr – drums, backing vocals (2014–present)
Former membersRichie Kotzen – guitars, backing and lead vocals (1999–2002)
Pat Torpey – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1988–2002, 2009–2018; his death)
Discography
Main article: Mr. Big discography
Studio albumsMr. Big (1989)
Lean into It (1991)
Bump Ahead (1993)
Hey Man (1996)
Get Over It (1999)
Actual Size (2001)
What If... (2011)
...The Stories We Could Tell (2014)
Defying Gravity (2017)