Mr. Big (not to be confused with the 70s band of the same name) was a heavy rock, supergroup project, formed by bass player Billy Sheehan (b. 19 March 1955, Buffalo, New York, USA), guitarist Paul Gilbert (b. 6 November 1966, Carbondale, Illinois, USA; ex-Racer X), drummer Pat Torpey (b. 13 December 1962, USA) and vocalist Eric Martin (b. 10 October 1960, Long Island, New York, USA). Signing to Atlantic Records, their self-titled 1989 debut was a high-energy blast of sophisticated hard rock. Lean Into It, released two years later, marked a considerable progression; the band had evolved their own style and sounded more comfortable together. Drawing on influences from a wider musical spectrum, the album was well received by the critics and charted on both sides of the Atlantic. The radio-friendly single ‘To Be With You’ became a number 1 hit in the USA in late 1991/early 1992, while ‘Just Take My Heart’ broke into the Top 20. The exposition of AOR that graced the charts remained, however, in sharp contrast to the band’s reputation for strong live performances. They proved particularly popular in Japan, where several live albums were released.
Mr. Big took an extended hiatus after the release of Hey Man in 1996 as each member concentrated on solo projects. They returned to the studio in 1999 with ex-Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen (b. 3 February 1970, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA) replacing the departed Gilbert. Get Over It was released in Japan the same year, and in North America the following March. This line-up released another studio album before embarking on a final tour.
