BILLY SHEEHAN Is 'Not Opposed' To Music Streaming: 'As Long As' People 'Are Listening, I Think It's Good'

In a new interview with The Rock N' Roll & Coffee Show, legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS, TALAS) was asked how he has been able to adapt to the access-over-ownership business model of streaming music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, it's just different. As you get older, a next generation comes along and does things different. And all the old people complain that 'that's not how we did it. And 'that's not the right way.' But that's kind of standard, but things evolve and change. And there'll come a time when people will look back and say, 'Remember when people used to just download one song. That was ridiculous. How stupid.' It'll always change generation to generation. So I'm not opposed to — as long as they're listening, I think it's good. And music is available everywhere now. I mean, on my phone, I can access anything. Some oddball, obscure bootleg track by [Jimi] Hendrix — I found it. I got it. I found it on YouTube. You can find it anywhere. So it balances out."

He continued: "I've got a hard drive with my iTunes collection, and it's about — I don't know — 2.4 terabytes now of all music that I've collected. I ripped all of my CDs that I'd collected since the CD started, and just got tons and tons and tons of music. And I have a little hard drive. I plug it into my laptop or access it through my iPhone, and everything I've ever wanted is there. So there's advantages to it as well."

MR. BIG's ongoing last worldwide tour is aptly titled "The BIG Finish". Since the band's original drummer and co-founder Pat Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson's disease in 2018, the band now feels it's time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Joining MR. BIG on drums for this special final world tour is longtime friend of the band Nick D'Virgilio (SPOCK'S BEARD, BIG BIG TRAIN),stepping in for Torpey.

MR. BIG's final tour sees the band performing the entirety of its breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album "Lean Into It" from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist.

MR. BIG recently entered the studio to record a new studio album to coincide with the last shows of the band's farewell tour.