Review Fix chats with Big Engine’s Tony Mikus, who discusses the band’s new album, “Shot Like a Rocket.†Touring for 200 nights a year and sharing the stage with every one from Ted Nugent, to Motorhead, they’ve already established themselves as a damn good rock band. Discussing the creative process of the new album, as well as their appearance in a Rock Band video game, Mikus lets us know the band still has plenty of aspirations.
Review Fix: What was the creative process like for Shot Like A Rocket”?
Tony Mikus: It was a blast. The majority of the songs are about having a good time and we had a good time creating and recording. We worked quickly and went for vibe instead of perfection. We recorded with Jeff Tomei in Atlanta and Ryan Williams in Los Angeles. Both of those guys have done albums with us in the past and are like extra members of the band. They knew what we were shooting for with each song.
Review Fix: How is the album different from your other work over the years?
Mikus: The songs on this album were hand picked by our fans. They voted on their favorite Big Engine songs. The songs that received the most votes wound up on the album along with some brand new material.
This is our first release on Pavement and distributed through MRI/SonyRED so we wanted to put our best foot forward and we wanted the fans to be a part of it all.
Review Fix: What song do you think is an example of those differences?
Mikus: I was pleasantly surprised by the fans choosing “Not Your Fool” to be on the album. It’s a powerful song but we never played it much live. Our live shows are fast paced and high energy so not many slow songs make it onto the set list. We weren’t sure what people thought about the song. The fact that fans rallied to have “Not Your Fool” included on the album made me glad that fans appreciated another side of the band.
Review Fix: Which song on the album do you think has the best story behind it?
Mikus: There are a few actually. Most of the songs on the album are party anthems. There are stories behind them all. Most of them are humorous. Others are much deeper subject matter. The song, “Sister Mary” has meant a lot to many people for a long time and anybody that has lost somebody can relate to “No More Time”.
Review Fix: How do you think being a part of the Rock Band video game series affected the band and its legacy?
Mikus: It was a bit of a surprise how it happened. They contacted me and wanted the ‘stems’ of the song to use on the game. I’m not sure how it affects the legacy of the band but It was cool to have people send us videos of themselves playing our song on the game.
Review Fix: Can you tell us how touring 200 nights a year affects you personally, emotionally and musically?
Mikus: I’m used to it. I make it work personally. Emotionally I think it recharges me. Missing home is a good thing. It makes you appreciate things. Getting out of your comfort zone is an opportunity to grow. Musically it is inspirational to me. I get a lot of song ideas while rolling down the highway. Also each show sounds different. The environment. The acoustics. The crowds. It keeps things fresh. By the way I am answering these questions while I’m in a hotel room in Cleveland. Hello Cleveland.
Review Fix: You guys have shared the stage with so many great acts, but who else would you love to work with?
Mikus: We have been very lucky to share the stage with some heroes and icons but we always have conversations about who else we would love to play a show with. It’s a long list. I mean everybody would pick the obvious AC/DC, KISS and Metallica but some of the others that top the list every time we talk about it are Cheap Trick and Tom Petty. We are from Jacksonville, Florida, the same town that Lynyrd Skynyrd hails from and we have never done a show with them. That would be great. ZZ Top too! I am such a music fan that I want to do shows with everybody.
Review Fix: Bottom line, why should someone pick up this album?
Mikus: It’s a rock album with swagger and attitude. Not enough of that out there anymore in my opinion.
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