Mr Mister
With the New Wave in the mid-70s, we encompassed quirky pop music, steamy electronic sounds and melodic suburban tunes that allowed musicians to set themselves apart from repetitious blues and rock & roll at that time.
Today we shine the light on a band known for its progressive pop-rock style and mesmerising hits such as “Broken Wings” and “Kyrie”: Mr Mister.
Even though they disappeared from our radars as fast as they entered. We were presented with a new kind of music that makes it hard to forget. Today we go back in time. We are looking at the group that shaped the New Wave genre the way we know it today.
A Flashback to the 80s
Both Richard Page and Steve George always had a deep passion for music. The two artists started their creative journey in the mid-70s. When both worked and composed for renowned musicians, such as Kenny Loggins, Michael Jackson and Donna Summer.
In 1987, Richard and Steve formed the band Pages and released their first studio album, soon followed by two more. After a short break, the band was renamed Mr Mister in 1984, quickly publishing their first album, “I Wear the Face”, with RCA Records. But not only did the name change. Drummer Pat Mastelotto and guitarist Steve Farris joined the crew and brought new wind to the band’s music orientation.
Due to the surprising success of their first album. Richard was offered the position of lead singer for the band Toto. Which he later turned down.
And for a good reason, because a big year was just about to come. In 1985, Mr Mister had a gigantic breakthrough when they gifted the world of music with their second album, “Welcome To The Real World”. The songs “Broken Wings” and “Kyrie” soon became radio-ready hits and convinced fans with their slow themes yet theatrical songs, placing them both at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Broken Wings
“Broken Wings” was the first single to be released and is a collaboration with the lyricist John Lang, who drew the idea for it from the book The Broken Wings by the Lebanese philosopher Kahlil Gibran. The Hit “Broken Wings” Reached number 4 on the ARIA Charts.
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The sequence, “Take these broken wings and learn to fly”, references the famous Beatles’ song Blackbird whose origin is likewise Gibran’s book.
As every band out there faces both monumental success and dangling failure, Mr Mister released their third album in 1987. The album “Go On” didn’t find commercial success. It was for this reason that Steve Farris left the band the following year. Even the record label turned its back on the Band from Phoenix and didn’t find it necessary to publish their 4th and last album, “Pull“.
The 90’s
1990 marks the parting of Mr Mister and the end of an era of revivified pop and the New Wave. But despite the breakup, fans were soon to be surprised with the release of their last album “Pull” in 2010. When Richard Page founded his own record label, Little Dume Recordings.
Even though Steve and Richard parted ways, they still found their way back to their true passion: music. Both of them relive their origins and nowadays compose music like in old times. The Arizona-born musicians still perform separately with various bands worldwide. They can be seen alongside Whitesnake, King Crimson, Kenny Loggins and Djinn.
Check out our Mr Misters PopRock Radio Power Ranking here
What do you think, any memories of Mr Mister and their tunes? Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to like, love, share and follow.
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