MR. BIG Guitarist PAUL GILBERT Reveals He Is Now Drilling Holes In Guitar Picks For Faster Picking (Video)
January 24, 2023, a year ago
Taking to Instagram, Mr. Big / Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert has given his followers some insight into his latest accessory innovation, which he claims could be the key to better grip and quicker picking: drilling holes in guitar picks.
Gilbert: "I drilled four holes in my pick, and it’s easier to grip it; 11/64 seems like the drill bit that works the best. Makita drill, of course."
Reporting for Canada's The Metal Voice on the East Coast, Kenny Kessel spoke to Mr. Big singer, Eric Martin, on December 15, 2022 at Daryl's House in New York. Watch the video below.
During the chat, Martin talks about Mr. Big's plans and also plays an answering machine message from late drummer Pat Torpey.
On Mr. Big's plans: "I'm here to tell you, folks, I have been talking about it lately. I still can't really say the drummer. Mr. Big, it's definitely gonna happen, there's no question about it. It's gonna happen in the middle of 2023 (summer). There are going to be multiple dates. We are working on the US. Paul Gilbert is involved, the original guitar player. Billy Sheehan (bass) and the spirit of Pat Torpey. There will be a phenomenal drummer, it won't be Matt Starr, Matt is doing his own thing. We have this new drummer, I will tell you that he sent an audition video and I watched it and (he played) 'Lucky This Time' which is a song that we've hardly ever done, mainly because it was really hard to sing it. It's on the Lean Into It album. What he did was, he thought he would one up the audition, so he played drums on it and he sang the lead and the harmonies, on everything. It was phenomenal. I don't want to mention the guy's name until the press release comes out. But the guy really stepped up and everybody knows him... and then one really really cool thing is that he was a big fan of Pat Torpey. I think Pat, he'd approve of this new mystery man."
The band was originally composed of Eric Martin (lead vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Pat Torpey (drums). Torpey died at age 64 on February 7, 2018, due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
