Billy Sheehan Talks the Mr. Big Reunion

"We want to play everywhere," says bassist Billy Sheehan regarding the upcoming Mr. Big reunion. "People think we're only playing Japan, but the time frame worked so we're just starting there." Mr. Big will play together again starting this month. Many Japanese dates are sold-out and Sheehan says his inbox is full of messages from fans around the world, clamoring for more dates – and a new album.

"We're just going to enjoy ourselves for awhile, but why not do another record?" Sheehan muses. "One of the criteria we're trying to follow is that we want everything to be enjoyable. We found ourselves in a situation before where we were under a lot of pressure from all sides and it didn't help any of us. So when the time comes and Mother Nature takes her course, I'd love to do another record with these guys."

Mr. Big became a household name when their acoustic ballad "To Be With You" hit the top of the 'Billboard' charts. Chided by fans for years, Sheehan says he's well aware than many of his followers wish the band had never released the song... and he disagrees with all of them. "Having a number one single and having it for three weeks and having it in 14 countries – that's a whole other world. That's another level of existence. I still love the song, still loving playing the song."

While it's not clear when Mr. Big will play shows outside of the June dates, it is evident the band has given some thought to their set list and performance style. "I remember from the early Van Halen shows when everybody in the audience was into it and singing along and laughing at the jokes," Sheehan explains. "That's my idea of a show. In Mr. Big, we always intend to have a balance between hard, soft and between soft and low and high and low. It's really a great thing, just to bring joy to people. The elation we're getting from people that Mr. Big will tour again, it's touching. It really is."