Mr Big (UK Band)
Encyclopedia
Mr Big were a British
pop rock
band
, active in the 1970s and 1990s. They were formed by Jeff Pain (aka Dicken) and best known for their 1977 Top 5 hit, "Romeo". The band was originally active from 1972–1978 and then for a second period from 1990-1998.
in Oxford Street
, London
, when the manager
billed them as Mr Big instead of Burnt Oak. The manager refused to change it, so it stuck for the rest of the band's career.
In 1974, the band signed to Epic Records
, releasing three singles
, none of which made a significant breakthrough, but which did lead to appearances on Lift Off, a TV
pop
show presented by Ayesha Brough, and Softly, Softly: Taskforce
, a police drama in which actor
/singer Paul Nicholas
played the lead singer.
In 1975, Bob Hirschman, then manager of Mott the Hoople
, took over as the band's manager. Their first album, Sweet Silence, was released on EMI
, to greater acclaim than their previous singles. Promotional TV appearances for this album included Supersonic with Mike Mansfield and Superpop. In November 1975, Mr Big supported Queen
on their A Night at the Opera
tour.
In 1976, Mr Big embarked on their own UK
headline tour and supported Sweet
on their tour of Europe
, performing on TV in Denmark
, Holland and the UK. Mr Big were also the first British
band to be signed to Clive Davis
's Arista Records
in America
. They recorded
their second album, Mr Big, in Los Angeles
, California
, with Val Garay
.
In 1977, the band toured the United States
in February, March and April with Tom Petty
, Journey
, Kansas
and The Runaways
. Meanwhile, the single, "Romeo", reached No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart
, despite a temporary ban by the BBC
. It also sold well in Japan
, Australasia
, the U.S. and parts of Europe, and has since been covered
by a band in South Africa
. The follow-up single "Feel Like Calling Home" failed to capitalise on the success of the previous one, and only reached No. 35 in UK. The band embarked on a UK headline tour with more television appearances in the UK and Europe.
In 1978, the third album Seppuku was recorded with Ian Hunter
as producer and the band again toured the UK. They appeared on Top Of The Pops
with "Senora", and split up soon afterwards.
Dicken and bassist Pete Crowther went on to form another band named Broken Home, which released two albums and played the Reading Festival in 1980, also scoring a couple of minor hits in Norway
and Germany
. Dicken has since collaborated with a variety of different artists
under various names, as well as releasing solo
material and performing "Mr Big greatest hits" tours. The current Mr Big consists of originals Dicken and Eddie Carter with new members on bass, keyboards and percussion. Their last album, Rainbow Bridge
, was released in 1996....
PRESS RELEASE
Mr Big
“Romeo” stars return with
“Georgia” on their mind
On the 12th Sept Mr Big release their wonderful single “Georgia”, from the album “Bitter Streets” which was released on 27 June through Soundfactor Records, distributed by Nova. Formed under another name in the late 60s by Dicken and Pete Crowther the first Mr Big live show came in 1972. The band hit the big time in 1977 when their classic single “Romeo” reached number 4 in the charts earning a slot on TOTP. The single remained in the charts for ten weeks – and made them briefly a household name: see it at HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cndHeQdCptQ" www.youtube.com/watch?v=cndHeQdCptQ.
“Bitter Streets” is a confident statement from an outfit once again hitting their stride. Fitting neatly into the plangent melodic style exemplified by “Romeo”, the new single “Georgia” is a feel-good slice of Late Summer Pop with its eyes on the horizon rather than in the past. This new track is an instant sing-along favourite steeped in harmonies and sounds like the Bee Gees would if they were up to their knees in the warm Pacific watching the sunset.
Mr Big initially enjoyed a great start to their career. Managed by Bob Hirschman who also looked after Mott The Hoople, the band were initially signed to Epic for three singles before moving to EMI. In November 1975 the band supported Queen on their ‘A Night At The Opera’ tour. Things were building nicely. It was EMI who released “Romeo”, as well as the “Sweet Silence” album and its follow up “Mr Big”. The band were also signed to Arista in the US by the near-legendary Clive Davis; the first UK band that he took on. Though the band headlined their own tours and also hit the road with the likes of Sweet, Tom Petty, Journey, Kansas and The Runaways, the momentum was fading. A third album was recorded, produced by Mott’s Ian Hunter, in 1978 but the band broke up soon after.
Despite this, the Mr Big story never truly ended and the band were intermittently active. 1996 saw the release of “Rainbow Bridge” album but it seems that perhaps 2011 will once again see Dicken and Eddie Carter back in the limelight. “Georgia” and, indeed, “Bitter Streets” prove that the creative fires still burn bright.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, active in the 1970s and 1990s. They were formed by Jeff Pain (aka Dicken) and best known for their 1977 Top 5 hit, "Romeo". The band was originally active from 1972–1978 and then for a second period from 1990-1998.
Biography
The members of Mr Big had been playing together since the late 1960s, under the name "Burnt Oak". They first played under the name, "Mr Big", in 1972, at the Marquee ClubMarquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
in Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, when the manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
billed them as Mr Big instead of Burnt Oak. The manager refused to change it, so it stuck for the rest of the band's career.
In 1974, the band signed to Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, releasing three singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, none of which made a significant breakthrough, but which did lead to appearances on Lift Off, a TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
show presented by Ayesha Brough, and Softly, Softly: Taskforce
Softly, Softly: Taskforce
Softly, Softly the popular BBC television police drama series, was revamped in 1969, partly to coincide with the coming of colour broadcasting to BBC 1...
, a police drama in which actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
/singer Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas is an English actor and singer who has had considerable success on stage, screen and in the pop charts.-Biography:Nicholas was born as Paul Oscar Beuselinck in Peterborough, England...
played the lead singer.
In 1975, Bob Hirschman, then manager of Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
, took over as the band's manager. Their first album, Sweet Silence, was released on EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, to greater acclaim than their previous singles. Promotional TV appearances for this album included Supersonic with Mike Mansfield and Superpop. In November 1975, Mr Big supported Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
on their A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera (Queen album)
A Night at the Opera is the fourth studio album by the British rock group Queen, released in November 1975. Co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, A Night at the Opera was, at the time of its release, the most expensive album ever recorded...
tour.
In 1976, Mr Big embarked on their own UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
headline tour and supported Sweet
Sweet (band)
Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
on their tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, performing on TV in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Holland and the UK. Mr Big were also the first British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band to be signed to Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
's Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
their second album, Mr Big, in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with Val Garay
Val Garay
Val Garay is a record producer and engineer who has worked with Kim Carnes, The Motels, Marty Balin, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Armatrading, Dolly Parton, Pablo Cruise, James Taylor, Queensrÿche, Cock Robin, Dramarama, EZO, Ringo Starr, Linda Ronstadt, Sarah Brightman, Nicolette Larson, and Reel Big Fish,...
.
In 1977, the band toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in February, March and April with Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
and The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
. Meanwhile, the single, "Romeo", reached No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, despite a temporary ban by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. It also sold well in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, the U.S. and parts of Europe, and has since been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by a band in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The follow-up single "Feel Like Calling Home" failed to capitalise on the success of the previous one, and only reached No. 35 in UK. The band embarked on a UK headline tour with more television appearances in the UK and Europe.
In 1978, the third album Seppuku was recorded with Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter (singer)
Ian Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...
as producer and the band again toured the UK. They appeared on Top Of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
with "Senora", and split up soon afterwards.
Dicken and bassist Pete Crowther went on to form another band named Broken Home, which released two albums and played the Reading Festival in 1980, also scoring a couple of minor hits in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Dicken has since collaborated with a variety of different artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
under various names, as well as releasing solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
material and performing "Mr Big greatest hits" tours. The current Mr Big consists of originals Dicken and Eddie Carter with new members on bass, keyboards and percussion. Their last album, Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge may refer to:Bridges :* Rainbow Bridge National Monument, a natural rock formation located in Utah, USA* Rainbow Bridge , in Kansas* Rainbow Bridge , on the United States – Canada border...
, was released in 1996....
PRESS RELEASE
Mr Big
“Romeo” stars return with
“Georgia” on their mind
On the 12th Sept Mr Big release their wonderful single “Georgia”, from the album “Bitter Streets” which was released on 27 June through Soundfactor Records, distributed by Nova. Formed under another name in the late 60s by Dicken and Pete Crowther the first Mr Big live show came in 1972. The band hit the big time in 1977 when their classic single “Romeo” reached number 4 in the charts earning a slot on TOTP. The single remained in the charts for ten weeks – and made them briefly a household name: see it at HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cndHeQdCptQ" www.youtube.com/watch?v=cndHeQdCptQ.
“Bitter Streets” is a confident statement from an outfit once again hitting their stride. Fitting neatly into the plangent melodic style exemplified by “Romeo”, the new single “Georgia” is a feel-good slice of Late Summer Pop with its eyes on the horizon rather than in the past. This new track is an instant sing-along favourite steeped in harmonies and sounds like the Bee Gees would if they were up to their knees in the warm Pacific watching the sunset.
Mr Big initially enjoyed a great start to their career. Managed by Bob Hirschman who also looked after Mott The Hoople, the band were initially signed to Epic for three singles before moving to EMI. In November 1975 the band supported Queen on their ‘A Night At The Opera’ tour. Things were building nicely. It was EMI who released “Romeo”, as well as the “Sweet Silence” album and its follow up “Mr Big”. The band were also signed to Arista in the US by the near-legendary Clive Davis; the first UK band that he took on. Though the band headlined their own tours and also hit the road with the likes of Sweet, Tom Petty, Journey, Kansas and The Runaways, the momentum was fading. A third album was recorded, produced by Mott’s Ian Hunter, in 1978 but the band broke up soon after.
Despite this, the Mr Big story never truly ended and the band were intermittently active. 1996 saw the release of “Rainbow Bridge” album but it seems that perhaps 2011 will once again see Dicken and Eddie Carter back in the limelight. “Georgia” and, indeed, “Bitter Streets” prove that the creative fires still burn bright.