Artist: MR. BIG
Album: MR. BIG (CD)

Year: 1989
Media type: CD

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 (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. However, what Sheehan did not know was that he was about to form one of the most revered "supergroups" to come out of America.

The band, now managed by former Journey and Santana manager Herbie Herbert, was composed 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 cross over to a mainstream rock audience stateside; however, Mr. Big was an immediate smash success overseas in Japan.

TRACKLIST:

"Addicted to That Rush" (Paul Gilbert/Billy Sheehan/Pat Torpey) – 4:46
"Wind Me Up" (Eric Martin/Gilbert/Torpey) – 4:11
"Merciless" (Gilbert/Martin/Torpey) – 3:57
"Had Enough" (Sheehan) – 4:57
"Blame It on My Youth" (Gilbert/Martin/Sheehan) – 4:14
"Take a Walk" (Gilbert/Martin/Sheehan) – 3:57
"Big Love" (Martin) – 4:49
"How Can You Do What You Do" (Jonathan Cain/Martin) – 3:58
"Anything for You" (Gilbert/Martin/Sheehan) – 4:37
"Rock & Roll Over" (Martin) – 3:50
"30 Days in the Hole" (Steve Marriott) – 4:12

Track 11 originally recorded by Humble Pie on the album Smokin'.


LINE-UP:

Paul Gilbert – guitars
Eric Martin – vocals
Billy Sheehan – bass guitar
Pat Torpey – drums