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 The new all-star band, Scrap Metal featuring Eric Martin (Mr. Big), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter), Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger) and Gunnar and Matthew Nelson of (Nelson) will be playing their first gig together this Saturday night February 3rd at the Mohegan Sun Casino at the Wolf Den. The event is creating quite a musical buzz in the music industry, as MTV will be on hand to film this special concert event.
Most people remember Eric Martin, as the singer from Mr. Big. After the demise of Mr. Big, Eric went on to perform with Night Ranger's Jack Blade in TMG. A band that was fronted by Japan's Tak Matsumoto of The B'Z. www.myspace.com/scrapmetalband
I recently caught up with the former Mr. Big front man, Eric Martin, as we discuss the premiere of Scrap Metal, the break-up of Mr. Big, and why the sudden trend in 80's music is all of a sudden becoming very popular again.
Eric, Congratulations on your new project Scrap Metal. Tell me how Scrap Metal came about?
I went with my family to the Marin County Fair last year. They had this big tent sent up, and they had Eddie Money play, but during the afternoon Nelson played. I thought to myself, I had never seen Nelson perform before. I remembered them from MTV, and they had this big blonde hair back then, so I said, "Well I will take a chance." I really liked their tunes, so I dragged the family to the big tent. It was awesome. Actually, my first record ever, was their fathers record (Ricky Nelson) that included, "I Am A Traveling Man", and "Hello Mary Lou". So they played all of their hits, but they also played his hits. It was a phenomenal show. So I went backstage and Matthew and Gunnar came over, and we began talking and they mentioned how they were thinking of putting this band together. It was kind of like out of an old 40's movie, just like a sitcom because they both said it at the same time, because they are twins. It sounded something like this, "Hey I've got an idea how about you join us Eric." I felt like I was the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz or something like that. I said, "Yes, I would be interested. In between doing benefit gigs, and trying to be Father of the year, sure call me." So they contacted me within 6 months, because they were getting it together. The core of the band is Gunnar, Kelly, and Mark Slaughter. Matthew Nelson and myself are guests. The plan came down to this. If they book a 15-city tour, if they were playing in Northern California, I would come up and join them for these shows. If they were playing in Los Angeles, they would have the LA rock stars come up. The same thing with the East Coast. This particular gig at Mohegan Sun Casino is a promo show. They are spending tons of money on making a video, and promoting this whole Scrap Metal idea. I know I am jumping all over the place, because I am Mr. Big mouth, and I can't," Shut The Fuck up."
You are doing fine. It is a new band, so there is a lot to say. Tell me about the name of the band. How did you come up with Scrap Metal for the name of this All Star 80's line-up?
Well when they first said, Yeah we are thinking about calling it Scrap Metal, I was going I really don't like that name. It is kind of like when all the old rocks stars get put out to pasture. Yeah know? I said I would think of something clever and funny, so I can live with it. So I look at it, "Scrap Metal" is pieces of pop history. That is what all these guys are. I know Kelly Keagy really well. One of the first tours that I went on in 1983 was with the Eric Martin Band, and I toured with ZZ Top and Night Ranger. Kelly was the guy I connected to early on. I had great conversations with him about life and music. He is such a wonderful person. I have never met Mark Slaughter. But I feel like I know him because, I have seen that Dark Angel video. (Laughter) I hear, he is real funny, and outgoing. The girls love him; he is a good-looking guy. He is also kind of like a family man, like myself.
Tell me about the Scrap Metal set list. Will each member be performing hits from the MTV heyday?
I will be playing a big handful of Mr. Big songs including "To Be With You". I will possibly sing a Night Ranger song as well. I haven't rehearsed with them at all. They have been rehearsing in Nashville, where they live. Kelly calls me up everyday, saying the harmonies are amazing. Today Kelly told me, "Hey look Eric, it is not going to be Mr. Big, it's us." Now I remember back in the day, when use to tell the guys in Mr. big, yeah know guys, we don't have to be so perfect. We can be loose. We don't have to be so meticulous about our shit. Just make it loose, kind of dirty. Like don't wash your hair for three days. Kelly goes, "Well that is kind of how it is going to be. A very loose, and dirty rock and roll version of your tunes." If I were in this kind of situation back in the 90's, I would say this is probably not going to work. But right now, everyone has been there, done that, they have been up and down the ladder of success a million times. They are seasoned pro's. Everybody has got a great demeanor. It is probably going to come out like a Rock and Roll Rat Pack on stage. There is going to be a good mixture of Night Ranger, Slaughter, Nelson songs, and I am not just playing the acoustic stuff. We are going to be playing some slammin rock and roll songs from Mr. Big as well. The set list is really long. I mean not Grateful Dead long, but a good bang for your buck.
Any plans to go into the studio and record original music with Scrap Metal?
Kelly and I were talking about that today. If it is painless, and we don't have to go through the songwriter's gauntlet like from our perspective bands. Where it was, "What do you think of this, it doesn’t kill me?" If we have to go through any of that nightmare, then it is not fun. For everybody, it is just like an outlet to play their songs. It is a bigger and better situation because everybody has a lot of hits.
Do you ever listen to music of today? How has it changed since the 80's?
Some of the music now is great. Lyrically, I think it is great, the kids are digging it, but it is a little over the top for me. It is almost like ambiguous lyrics, where it only means something to them and not to me. I don't mean to generalize all of the music, but there are some bands like I really dig. All the music that you hear right now, like the punk/pop rock and roll bands is just a derivative of 80's music.
Actually, Mr. Big got started in the early 90's, when the grunge period was starting to take control. Yet Mr. Big was one of the few bands to remain on Atlantic Records, during the downfall of MTV and 80's metal. Why was that?
Well we sold a lot of records. We did really well internationally. That is why they kept us. When "To Be With You" hit Number one in fifteen countries that was good. But you can only ride on that success coattail for a little while. We did so well in Europe, and especially Asia through Atlantic Records worldwide, they kept us. In touring too, we were fortunate to tour with Rush, Aerosmith and all of the big bands. That kind of kept us going.
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What was your favorite tour with Mr. Big?
I liked both of those tours with Rush and Aerosmith for different reasons. I wasn't a Rush fan, when I was growing up. But Paul Gilbert, our guitar player was a huge Rush fan. After the two tours with Rush, I became a Rush fan. Aerosmith I grew up with. To have Steven Tyler come in our dressing room every night before his show and after our show and sing Beatle songs with us was amazing. The fact that, it must have been five years ago, when Mr. Big broke up, and I can still go to an Aerosmith show and have Steven Tyler say "Hi Eric Martin, how are you doing?" That means a lot to me. To watch those bands was a huge learning lesson for me.
You actually had the opportunity to work with Jack Blades from Night Ranger in TMG, after Mr. Big broke up. Tell me about that experience? Jack is a talented musician.
Yes, I am going through the whole Night Ranger cards. Actually I grew up with Jeff Watson, which is ironic. I went to school with him. Now I am working with Kelly. Brad Gillis is the only one that I haven’t worked with in a long time. Jack Blades and I, we were asked to participate in recording and performing with this artist Tak Matsumoto in Japan. He fronted the B'Z. I use to call him Japan's favorite son. He sold 80 million records with his band, The B'Z. It is kind of a Journeyish rock pop band. The play Japan. When Mr. Big use to tour Japan a lot we would get together with The B'Z and Tak. Well Tak remembered me from the past, and said I am going to do a solo record, and I want an American rock feel, who out there do you know that can play bass and sing and write? I immediately thought of Jack Blades because Jack and I are also friends. Jack and I wrote the last single that Mr. Big had. TMG consisted of this great drummer Chris Frazier, who played with Steve Vai, and he played on the record. It went platinum and we did this 20-city tour. It was the best band that I had ever been in. Not to take anything away from Mr. Big. It is kind of how I can look into the future, which is Saturday which features guys who have been there, and done that, they don't have any more baggage. They just are playing to have fun. That is what TMG was about. Jack is a great person.
My friend Barry Sparks from Dokken was in the B'Z for a while.
Yes, he was and ironically, so was Billy Sheehan. Billy played bass for Tak.
What was it like touring in Japan?
We played clubs, the rest of them were like 15,000 seaters. We played Budakon in the end. That is like 15,000. It is ironic. When Jack and I, prior to joining TMG, the B'Z came to San Francisco and played five sold out shows at The Fillmore. Barry Sparks was playing bass. I met him that night; I introduced Jack to Tak that is how we got together. Barry was there to see that. The biggest gig, I have ever played was to 100,000 people on the beach in Brazil with Mr. Big. It was a great experience performing with The B'Z. Jack, and I and Chris, we were famous in our own little way, but Tak was like Keith Richards or Eddie Van Halen in Japan.
Mr. Big has worked with so many great guitar players. How did Paul Gilbert's style differ from Ritchie Kotzen?
Paul was meticulous and technical. When I first met him, he was technical. Then he started to get his own style. He had a swagger about him, when he played. He was a very fluid guitar player. He wrote some odd kind of rock and roll songs. He was completely unique. Ritchie was straight ahead, right up and down blues rock and roll guitar player. He had a blues, and smoky velvet kind of voice. Ritchie was more, of a lead singer. It was kind of funny, because he was kind of a lead singer, when the song called for him to do background vocals. He was a great guitar player, and predecessor to Paul Gilbert. He brought something; in a way what we wanted all along. When we got the name Mr. Big from a free song, and free with this blues rock and roll outfit, and Ritchie was the right guy for that. Paul was larger than life character; he brought a lot of humor to the band.
Last time I saw Mr. Big perform at Axis in Boston. Do you remember that show?
Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. I remember The Lost opened for us. They were an East Coast band. They would be perfect now.
Who are some of your favorite guitar players?
I really enjoy Zakk Wylde's playing. Do you remember him back in the day? He had long blond, a good-looking dude. He was the total Randy Rhoads predecessor. He was the guy. Now he has this whole Viking rock dude look. He totally reinvented himself. I always have heard, he is a really cool dude too. Some friends of mine James Lomenzo and Greg D’Angelo use to say Zakk was a really cool guy. He kind of had that Randy Rhoads kind of look, but now he has reinvented himself. It is a good thing. So if the fans don't think, I am manly enough, I can change my image too and pump up too. (Laughter)
Yes, Zakk is an amazing guitarist and good friend. Zakk is definitely one of the greatest guitarists of our generation. Now getting back to Billy Sheehan. Do you think there will be a Mr. Big reunion? Have you talked with him recently?
I have talked to Pat Torpey about it a couple of times. We just kind of both agree that it is kind of a bloody shame that we don't get back together for a tour. Just something to have a little closure of the band in America. Because, we ended it in 2002 in Japan. We need to have some closure. It would be great to do something with Mr. Big, I think about it all the time. I think about the songwriter’s gauntlet, which kills me. I hated that part, and the band meetings. I hated that part of the bullshit. But I loved being on stage with musicians, who were totally in it 150 percent. They were so good. We never left anybody hanging. Everybody loved the shows. I miss that. I miss the power and energy of being onstage with Mr. Big. It would be nice to get together and do a reunion, but I think some of the nails in the coffin are pretty tight. Billy is doing a lot. He is doing that Steve Vai thing. It is a medicine ball caravan. It is like a long snake. It is never ending. I haven't talked to him in years. I know for sure that Paul Gilbert thinks that is over. Other than that, I don't think about it that much.
Would you say that with Scrap Metal you are trying to rewrite a chapter in your career?
At least we are keeping the songs out there. They are great songs; I hate to see them just kind of disappear. I don’t think those songs need to die. I think they need to come back alive. Saturday will be doing tons of promo and video promotion for the project.
Is there anything else that you would like to say to the readers about Scrap Metal?
Let's see. Scrap Metal is kind of a mystery to me. It is going to be one big surprise, when walk in the door. It is not going to be a pretentious rock show. You are going to see a little different twist. When I was in Mr. Big, there were times, when I was told what to do. I completely understood. I was completely unbridled before, I got in Mr. Big. In Scrap Metal, I get to be unbridled again. As well, as everyone else does too. I can't wait to see and taste the fun. I have never played Mohegan Sun, but Kelly has and he says it is a bunch of fun.
Thank you so much for giving us some insight about Scrap Metal. I look forward to the show.
Thank you.It is going to be a lot of fun.
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