Premier Guitar‘s Jason Shadrick caught up with guitarist Paul Gilbert of the reunited MR. BIG on August 12, 2011 at the House Of Blues in Chicago, Illinois. Gilbert (also a Premier Guitar columnist) walks Shadrick through Paul‘s live rig containing his signature Ibanez guitars, Marshall amps and an expansive pedalboard. Check out the footage below.

MR. BIG‘s new album, “What If…”, was released in Europe on January 21 via Frontiers Records. The North American release, also on Frontiers Records, followed on February 8.

“What If…” is MR. BIG‘s first “all-original” album since the reunion of the four original members, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey, back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of “Hey Man”, the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current hard rock scene. The CD was produced by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, RUSH, IRON MAIDEN).

Formed in 1988, MR. BIG forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark “shredding” musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original lineup produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres, be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock. Their hits included “To Be With You” (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), “Wild World”, “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind”, “Just Take My Heart”, and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”, “Addicted to that Rush”, “Colorado Bulldog”, and “Take Cover”.

Source: Blabbermouth.net