Mr. Mister
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mr. Mister | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Pop Soft rock |
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| Years active | 1982 – 1989 | |
| Label(s) | RCA Records | |
| Members | ||
| Richard Page Steve George Pat Mastelotto Steve Farris |
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Mr. Mister was an American atmospheric pop band of the 1980s. The band took its name from a drink called Mr. Misty that was sold by the Dairy Queen ice cream franchise. Mr. Mister is considered by many as representative of the typical sound of '80s pop rock. The band consisted of Richard Page on vocals and bass guitar, Steve George on keyboards, Pat Mastelotto on drums and Steve Farris on guitars.
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[edit] Early work
Richard Page had formerly worked as a session musician (for Quincy Jones) and had composed for Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, and many more, when in the late 1970s, he and his childhood friend Steve George founded the band Pages (most notable song: "I Do Believe in You") in Phoenix, Arizona, from which Mr. Mister was founded in 1982. The two continued to apply their tight harmonies to background vocals on albums by successful pop artists like Laura Branigan and the Village People while working to break their own material.
[edit] Albums
When the first Mr. Mister album, I Wear the Face, was released, Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto, and later was offered Peter Cetera's place in Chicago; he refused both offers.
The second album, Welcome to the Real World, with lyrics from Page's cousin John Lang, was the breakthrough for Mr. Mister, with three top 10 singles, two of which hit #1 on the U.S. pop charts (most notably "Broken Wings", the chorus of which was sampled on the 2Pac single "Until the End of Time"). The video for "Kyrie" features a poster for the Tears For Fears album Songs From The Big Chair, which was also a major success.
In those days of success, Mr. Mister toured with Tina Turner, for whom the song "Stand And Deliver" was written. This song eventually appeared on Mr. Mister's third album, Go On..., which the band said was "some of the best stuff we ever did," showing a much more mature band and a sound that hinted at progressive rock. Nevertheless, Go On was not a commercial success.
Guitarist Steve Farris left around 1989. The band began working on a fourth album, Pull, with session guitarists, but were dropped by their label before it could be released, and the band decided to break up. The album remains unreleased to this day, although one track ("Waiting in My Dreams") later appeared on a greatest hits collection by the band. There were plans for a Japan release of the album in 2001, but the release was canned, ostensibly due to disagreements over artwork for the album.
[edit] After the breakup
- After the band's split, Richard Page continued to work as composer (he co-authored Madonna's "I'll Remember") and as background singer for many artists. He joined producer/songwriter Patrick Leonard and released an album called Meanwhile under the artist moniker 3rd Matinee, basically a continuation of Leonard's 1990 Toy Matinee project. Page released a solo album, Shelter Me, in 1996, which featured guest appearances by all his former bandmates. He has subsequently guested on lead vocals on various compilation albums in Japan, but is reported to basically have retired.
- Steve Farris toured with Whitesnake and recorded songs with Tori Amos, the 4 Non Blondes, and others. He has also regularly performed with various David Garfield jazz combos in Los Angeles.
- Mastelotto played with XTC, King Crimson, Mastica, and many more. He regularly tours with King Crimson and gives drum clinics all over the world.
- Steve George was musical director for Kenny Loggins until 1997 and toured with Jewel. A solo album was rumoured to be in the works in 1998, although he has not released it as of yet. He currently resides in Arizona.
- Lyricist John Lang founded the band Djinn.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1984 - I Wear the Face - #170 US
- 1985 - Welcome to the Real World - #1 (1 week) US
- 1987 - Go On... - #55 US
- 1989 - Pull - (unreleased album)
[edit] Singles
- 1984 - "Hunters of the Night" (USA: #57)
- 1985 - "Broken Wings" (USA: #1, UK: #4, D: #8)
- 1985 - "Kyrie" (USA: #1, D: #7, UK: #5)
- 1986 - "Is It Love" (USA: #8, UK: #87)
- 1987 - "Something Real" (USA: #29)
- 1987 - "Healing Waters" (released in Europe only)
- 1987 - "The Border" (did not chart)
