1-Hi Eric, thanks for the opportunity! Guitar Clinic is excited for having you interviewed. Please start by telling us about your beginning with music. What city are you from? What was your childhood like?
I grew up on Army posts all over the world from New York City, Taiwan, Kansas, Washington DC, Florida, California, Germany, and Italy etc. My father was a career soldier but before that he was an accomplished drummer/singer/performer. I learned from the best. My childhood was all about travel which prepared me for what I have been doing all my life. I started out as a drummer and got away with it for a little while and ultimately ended up as a singer at 14 when the guy in our band (The red Sun) couldn't cut it. I didn't learn how to play the guitar until I was at least 16. My Mother and siblings all sing as well.
2-You have an incredible and gifted voice. Tell us, have you ever taken classes and what do you do to keep your voice healthy?
I took vocal lessons when I was in my 20's from a woman named Judy Davis. She taught me diction and stamina as well as breath control. She was my mentor. I can knock back the beers and dip into Tequila once in a while but never on a show day or for a tour for that matter. There are people that pay good money to see you on your best behavior. You just have to pace yourself…. Hey wait till the end of the tour to wash down all that dust.
3-Who were your heroes? Do you like Heavy Metal singers like Bruce Dickinson or Ronnie James Dio?
Bruce is a little too operatic for me but Ronnie James Dio has got Soul on fire. I love Paul Rodgers, Lou Gramm, Glen Hughes, David Coverdale, Rod Stewart, Mark Farner, and my ultimate hero was Wilson Pickett.
4-Tell us about Eric Martin Band's first album, which is called "Sucker for a pretty face". Was that your first step to a successful career?
It was my first step into the record business circus and the beginning of my musical schooling. It was the first time that I went on tour, came home after a year and the record company (Electra) kicked us off the label. I kid around now but at the time I was devastated. I learned many lessons from the 1980's. I went on to do a couple of solo albums after that and a few movie soundtracks that kept me alive but I was gearing up for something big to happen to my future.
5-Getting into Mr. Big days, you did team up with Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert who were already in that time well known musicians due to their bands and projects. What was that experience like? Tell us about Mr.Big's early days.
I had heard of both those guys from reading Guitar magazines and watching MTV. Billy was definitely larger than life at the time and Paul was more of the underground speed metal kid. I remember our first day of practice I believe that it was louder than a jet airplane starting up and I thought to myself that my hearing was probably going to go. As soon as I said, "can we bring the sound down a bit" I knew I was a marked man…lol. We wrote our first album in 8 days and it was an amazing experience. Everyone was so open to ideas. Atlantic records signed us without even seeing us. They loved our demo so much. The first tour was hard because it felt like it lasted forever, but it was just shapes of things to come. It was all worth it in the end, we made a lot of fans over the years.
6-Looking at "Mr. Big Live in San Francisco" on "Learn into it" tour we can see clearly a nice atmosphere. Do you think that was the highest point of Mr.Big's career? What are the differences in your life that time and nowadays? What are your memories about Mr.Big show in Brazil?
That was definitely one of our memorable moments. The 90's were good to us. We got along and we were on top of the world. Brazil was amazing with all those people on the beach. There had to be 100,000 fans out there in the midnight heat. I felt like Jagger and the Stones for a couple of hours. It was by far the biggest gig I have ever done. My life doesn't compare with the heydays of MR. BIG. But I don't have the wanting desire to be on top of the world anymore. I make a nice living playing smaller shows with my solo group or playing acoustic at a café. I have been working on an album for a while, playing in a group called "Scrap Metal" with Kelly Keagy (drummer/singer for Night Ranger), The Nelsons and Mark Slaughter. Oh yeah we play all the hits and there are over 20 of them.
7-You have played with amazing virtuoso musicians. Tell us about each one of them. What differences have you noticed?
Lets see… Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Richie Kotzen, Pat Torpey, Neal Schon, Steve Lukather, Ronnie Montrose to name a few. Not to mention all the great session players that have played on my solo albums. Each one of these special people are world-class musicians.
8-Paul left Mr.Big and Richie Kotzen replaced him. Richie besides being an amazing guitar player is an amazing singer. In your opinion what did he bring to Mr.Big? We can see Ritchie's Influence clearly in songs like "Suffocation"," Static" and many others!
When Mr. Big had its first band meeting in 1988 we discussed our sound and what we were all about and our future. I always wanted up Mr. Big to be a blues-rock band with great soloists like the bands Free and Bad Company. We had a different musical style back then. Paul had his own style and simple 4-chord blues-rock wasn't it. But he was a wonderful rock writer with an eclectic form. He's the guy that came with the song "Green tinted 60's mind" that put us on the map for originality I think. When Richie came aboard our sinking ship because of Paul leaving us, he brought us back to life with his blues-rock style and strong co-lead vocals. I for one loved it and thought we could sail forever. We made two albums with Richie that were really soulful and melodic, toured for a while and then unfortunately the band sunk.
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9-Do you think it would be possible to do a reunion, maybe perfoming Paul Gilbert and Richie Kotzen together? I could be wrong but they both probably couldn't care less about Mr. Big. |
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10-About your solo career, what are your favorite songs and specials songs? Which songs have a special meaning for you?
No offence but I'll be here all day with that question. So I'll just say the ones about all the girls I have loved before.
11-If you could choose your favorite musicians on earth to form a band, who would they be?
Mr. Big in 1989 and kick start it all over again. I know that time travel isn't here yet so for now I'm going to say; Tak Matsumoto, Jack Blades and Chris Frazier (TMG).
12-Tell us about TMG. Was it nice to perfom at Budokan again?
Hands down the most fun I have ever had in an honest to goodness rock band. We got along famously. Budokan was better than it's ever been.
13-You got in a new project called "Scrap Metal". How did you get this idea and what are your plans for this project?
It's actually the brainchild of Gunnar Nelson, Kelly Keagy and Mark Slaughter. I was a special guest for a show we did in Hartford Connecticut. They made me a full member a few days ago. Stephan Pearcy (Ratt) and CJ. Snare are the new special guests. It's a no baggage, no crap, and no fear hit song rock show, and the fun factor is on eleven.
14-What are your activities beside music? What's an ordinary day in Eric's life like?
Playing guitar, changing diapers, writing lyrics, making lunch for my sons, changing diapers, putting them down for a nap, listening to news radio on my way to the studio,more writing and recording, driving home in Bay area traffic and listening to demo's, eating a scrumptious dinner prepared with loving care from my wife/drummer/manager/ and doting mother to our twin sons, trying to type out interviews like this one with two fingers, learning "Sister Christian" on acoustic guitar, knock back 2 Gunniess beers (in the can), read my website forum and touch base with my friends/fans, play with the kids, give them a bath (tonight is Denise's night), read a bedtime story and put them to bed…tryto anyway, play some video games on my play station 2 (Play station 3 is too damn expensive) or watch a movie and at midnight crawl into bed…… Everyday of my life except show days.
15-What are your plans for the future?
I'm going to Norway to play 3 shows…whoa I have got to go pack and… change a couple of diapers. Thanks for your patience.
16-Please leave a message for Guitar Clinic's Visitors.
Hello everyone this is Eric Martin from the band Mr. Big and beyond wishing you good health, wealth and happiness. Be good to your Mother, your sweetheart and your guitar and most importantly your singer.
Yeah you heard me. Cheers!
~E~
More information at www.ericmartin.com
Eric Martin allowed Guitar Clinic to use his photos.