~Eric Martin of Mr.Big~

J - Do you still talk to any of them now?
E - No.

J - Nobody?
E - No I kinda had a falling out w/Pat too.. cause he kinda got me to kick Billy out.. then all the sudden he's best buddies with him again. and that's when Ii felt like I was shunned.. I kinda had a bad taste in my mouth.. I didn't trust anybody.. and I called Richie and asked him to come to my wedding, I didn't call anyone else, but I asked Richie.. grasping for straws.. "you like me right?" hahaha.. and he goes.. "I'm too busy" and that was in May.. so I haven't seen or talked to any of them really as a band since February..

But I did get contacted by management the other day that they are trying to put together a greatest hits package.. so far we have had more product out there, that is a band that is dead, then one that is living.. we have greatest hits, and box sets, and all this shit coming out.. videos, farewell tour videos, anyway. That's Mr.Big in a nut shell.

J - O.k. well you kinda covered it allll..
E - Ya I did.. I kinda get a little gabby when I suck down some Starbucks here....

J - O.k. did you go straight to your solo stuff or did you do any side projects?
E - Nope I kinda saw the light at the end of the tunnel.. When I was making the Mr.Big record, Billy wasn't around...I was like oh shit.. I don't think this is gonna last. I thought he was gonna quit. And the rock songs I had written for Mr.Big didn't make it, I didn't really have a good vote. So they were not finished, but when Billy, Pat.. and when Paul was in the band, they would take my songs, and turn them into heavy rock songs, cause I wrote most of my material on an acoustic. So I had wrote these 5-6 rock songs.. and they didn't make it.. they were like.. "uhhh.. Eric you do what you do.. we'll do what we do".. and I took those songs and put them on my solo record. And I have a few other songs of old school.. and new school stuff... that I was working on at the time. I wasn't in the studio or anything, just in my hotel rooms, sitting there.. fiddling my thumbs thinking.. ok I've written a bunch of material for Mr.Big already.. I'm just waiting for our "icon" to get back from the tour... hahahaha.. I know, I'm a fuckin smart ass.. So I'm waiting for Billy to get back, and I just wrote a bunch of material.

J - What c.d. was this stuff on? Somewhere in the Middle or Goin' Sane?
E - Going Sane ..cause the last album Mr.Big did was called Actual Size.. and I wrote a song called "Lost in America", "Merry Goes Round".. "Lost in America" is kinda heavy.. then a couple ballads.. then collaborated w/the other 2 guys. I wrote one song w/Billy, when he showed up... One song.. and I've never written a song with Billy, ever. It was ok.. it was a punk song called "How Did I Give Myself Away" that was on the Actual Size record, the last one.. so I was finished writing for that album, so I started writing for my own, I had 5 that didn't make it so I stuck it on Goin' Sane..

J - How would you describe Goin' Sane to someone who hasn't heard it yet?
E - Ummm.. Chocolate covered metal...hahaha.. I'd say it's pop rock..

J - Are they imports or are they available here in the states?
E - They are imports... but.. we are shopping it. Well we are still trying to get a theme going.. but I do that all the time, I mix old school and new school.. I've done that my whole life even with my old solo records.. Ill have R&B and Rock n Roll.. and people are like ok... "who are you" so for the next album Ill have a theme going... so maybe I'll have better luck at this shopping market for labels.. So I did a couple more songs, I have a deal in Europe, and a deal in Japan, with a label called Frontiers. So I took the last couple off the Japanese record.. and wrote a couple new ones, and I did a remake of the Cars "Just What I Needed" and I put it on the Frontiers record.. So I went to a mastering lab, redid some things.. and pumped out my own record.. sell it at the gigs.. and I don't know why my stupid pride got in the way back in my solo years.. but this is the way to go...they just go like hotcakes.. then I sell some merchandise... I have this old rock logo EMB from early 80's maybe 83' and I still use it, and people like it.

J - So any touring plans?
E - I did 6 weeks in the states... with Enuff Z'nuff... whoo that was a nightmare.. hahaha... no it wasn't a nightmare, there were some really good gigs, and there were some really bad gigs, cause nobody likes to come out on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.. but the rest of the week was great.. but also it wasn't all of Enuff Z'Nuff.. but I love Donnie Vie he's great, but it gets old, that jag off attitude.. it really gets old.. I feel bad for him man, he has substance abuse problems.. and Chip Z'nuff on again off again thing.. its like shit or get off the pot... either be a drug guy.. loser.. or stay in the game. don't complain about it.. just do it.. ya know.. I know that's easier said then done.. but after a while.. come on. How many decades have to go by.. and were still hearing about the same shit.. that's like me complaining about Billy Sheehan.. I mean come on.. get over it..
But I thought John Monaco did a really good job as a front guy. .he did a great job singing and playing guitar.. but he's no Donnie Vie... he has a presence.. even if he is a jag-off he has a presence.. hahaha.. but I thought I was getting the whole package when I was coming out on tour.. but ya know what.. its not like I'm gonna quit cause of a bump in the road. So we did this tour, and Monday we go to Japan for 4 shows... then 5 combined in-stores where we play live too.. actually the 4 gigs we are playing... are 4 of the places Mr.Big played.. but I have a long way to go before stepping into Mr.Big's shoes.. but I'm comfortable in my own..

J - Anymore us dates?
E - Well I promised everyone we would come back in 6 months.. so.. god damn.. that's April... so if I break my work.. I may get tarred and feathered or something.. so ya.. we'll get it together.. its really hard, there is a lot of work to put into entertaining people. when you don't have a record company backing.. but I made some money in Mr.Big.. so it goes into paying for a tour bus.. and band members, and equipment.. then ya get out to Sioux Falls, IA. and your playing in a big ass bowling ally.. hahaha.. and our first night in Texas.. Houston. YIKES.. it was raining.. played some place looked like it was right out of the Porkeys movie.. some run down shack.. and we go in there, downstairs is packed.. a punk rock club, then we go upstairs to us.. and there is like 30 people... coming to see the Eric Martin Band and Enuff Z'nuff.. and it was whatever it was. But its the excitement of being on the road.. otherwise its sitting home watching must see TV..

J - So what are your plans for this year?

Recordings? Or pushing Goin' Sane?
E - No I've already got about 6-7 new songs for another record.. and they are a little bit more aggressive...

J - That's cool.. cause my favorite song on the new c.d. is the first song..
E - "My Disease" ..Ya.. its more like that.. cause everyone likes that.. ya so I'm going for that.. and I've been rehearsing with the band.. for this Japanese trip.. we have something in the works for a possible European tour.. but I wish they would shit or get off the pot.. cause I want to get back in the studio.. and getting back in the studio is only a hop skip and jump away.. cause I have a pro-tools studio in my house now.

J - And how about a website people can keep up with everything your doing..
E - www.ericmartin.com

J - That's about it.. do you have anything you would like to say to your fans reading this?
Umm.. do I still have any fans?.. hahahaha.. No I'm sure I do.. but no not really.. I guess "You can't keep a good man down" hahaha.... its funny cause in Japan, you always have to have a message to fans.. every time you do an interview.. so I get so weirded out.. hahaha.. "when you go in the pool make sure you wear a...."

J - Hahahaha that would be good.. these are different from what I normally get..
E - Well what do you get?

J - Umm.. thanks for the emails.. uh, thanks for the support.. see ya on the road..
E - Ok. the prodigal sun returns

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