This story is from October 29, 2007

I eat a lot of Indian food: Eric

TNN / Oct 29, 2007, 00:00 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Eric Martin, lead singer of the popular nineties band Mr Big, talks to TOI about the good ol’ days with his former band members, his iconic long-haired look and his fascination for India

doweshowbellyad=0;

Eric Martin (TOI Photo)‘It’s funny, I’m only 5’10” and I’m called Mr Big!’
The music map has changed a lot since Mr Big had their biggest hit ‘To Be With You’ in 1992. But the band’s music — who combined melody and a hard rock sound to create their own kind of music — has a pretty good fanbase in Mumbai. Over to Eric...
Considering this is your first visit to India, why did you agree to perform in lesser known Shillong instead of Mumbai/ Delhi?
Great bands like Michael Learns To Rock and Firehouse have had some of their best concerts in Shillong.MLTR had a full house of 30,000 people.

There are a lot of genuine music lovers in this part of the country. Besides, it’s the done thing for an international band to perform in the bigger cities. Honestly, it doesn’t make a difference to me, just put me on a stage and I’ll sing anywhere!
What’s the one thing you’re most looking forward to doing in India?
I’ve read a lot about India as a child, and have always wanted to see its varied colours and rich heritage. And now that I’m here, I also want to eat authentic Indian food.

I eat a lot of Indian food back home too — I love chicken Afghani and chicken vindaloo — but it’s not half as spicy as it ought to be. Now I want to eat the real masala!
What did ‘Mr Big’ stand for?
Initially, everybody thought I was Mr Big. Then they saw that I was only 5’10” and they were like, ‘Huh, he’s Mr Big?’ Mr Big was the name of a song by a British rock band Free, who we used to imitate since they were just like us: three great rock musicians and a soul singer.
In the later years, the band was accused of drifting towards pop and away from rock. Was that a conscious decision?
No, it just happened. I wrote most of the songs for the band, most of which were ballads. Also, I preferred soulful, melodic guitaring. So eventually, we did transform into a melodic pop rock band, especially in our last album together, but our foundation was still very rock n’ roll. Our music just had
a different edge, it was soulful rock.
Eric Martin was synonymous with the long-haired, hair-band look. Do you miss the long locks now?
Yes, the long hair became my trademark, so much so that Mr Big came to be known as the Hair Band! The long locks were part of the Mr Big package! People were appalled when I cut it, but it was an order from my first wife. There were times I hated all that hair on my face, and it irritated me when people took our look more seriously than our music.
It was like we had all hair and no brains! Yes, I do miss the long locks, especially when nobody recognises me when I walk down the street now! That's really frustrating. The long hair also acted as a protective shield for me; I was insecure when we started out, I used to hide behind all that hair.
You were the face of Mr Big. Do you think you being in the limelight was the cause for the band's eventual break-up?
Yes, I shot to fame after To Be With You. First, I was just a voice, now I also had a recognisable face. But then, aren’t the lead singer and lead guitarist the most popular members of any rock band?
Look at Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, Steve Tylor. Nah, Mr Big didn't break up because of my singular popularity. There was a huge communication breakdown between me and the bass player.
The band’s relations were like a failed marriage that couldn’t be worked out. It’s unfortunate that it’s over, but I’m glad at least our music lives on.
Rate yourself as a singer on a scale of 1-10.
Ten, without hesitation. I’m really good at what I do!
What are your views on the current rock scene the world over?
Right now, one can see a resurgence of classic rock from the 80s and early 90s. The recent past has seen too much of the same thing for too long, now the time is right to go back to the classics. There’s a musical evolution taking place.
What’s the craziest thing a fan has done for you?
A fan once threatened to tie me up, put me in the trunk of her car and take me home to meet her mum! Another once asked for a strand of my hair!
Is being a solo artiste more creatively satisfying?
It’s a lonely job, but somebody’s got to do it! I have a band from
Argentina now, who I tour with, and I’m lucky that they capture the essence of Mr Big. But I miss Mr Big.
Is there a chance for a permanent reunion?
I’d love to have a reunion, but honestly, I don’t think it will happen. What we had was really special, I wonder if the others miss it too...

End of Article