BIG LIFE is a new project featuring the immense talents of the UK's melodic rock genius, Steve Newman(NEWMAN) and ex (PRAYING MANTIS) frontman, Mark Thompson-Smith, BIG LIFE has produced an album of exceptional songs that are already causing massive interest in the rock world, delighting early listeners with their power, musicality and pure emotion.
BIG LIFE is a superb collaboration by this pair of outstanding musicians and great friends who have created an album of pure class, one which will enthral listeners with a passion for all things AOR and Melodic Rock.
STEVE NEWMAN’s reputation is second to none. With 8 immense Newman albums released in the last decade, the latest being the highly acclaimed “The Art Of Balance”.
Steve’s prolific first class output continues to impress and amaze. With a tour de force of live performances with the NEWMAN band at Firefest 2010 and 2012 , he has firmly established himself as one of the UK's leading melodic rock singer/songwriters and performers with admirers across the globe.
Add to this his work on other albums with artists such as ATLANTIC, STEVE OVERLAND, EDEN, AOR PROJECT, FROZEN RAIN, FAR CRY, GRAND ILLUSION and PHENOMENA as both performer and engineer/producer and you know that this album is not going to disappoint.
MARK THOMPSON-SMITH re-emerges from the shadows after a lengthy period out of the limelight to more than demonstrate that time has not dulled his impressive vocal powers.
Best known as the singer with Praying Mantis in the early 90's and as guest vocalist in The Sweet in 2005, he has also featured as frontman for various 80's UK bands such as IDOL RICH featuring Nick Burr (LIONSHEART), Atlantic Records near signees TOUCHE featuring, Mark and Steve Owers (AFTER HOURS/LIONSHEART/THE PSYCHICS) and FLIGHT 19, with former Praying Mantis producer and keyboardist GARY FLOUNDERS, featured on the Metal For Muthas II compilation.
The early 90's also saw Mark working in America with Mike Walsh(DEPARTURE) and legendary keyboardist Dave Rosenthal (RAINBOW/RED DAWN/BILLY JOEL), spending two exciting years performing and recording the later released and now much
sought after solo album, A FAR CRY FROM NEW JERSEY.
Returning to the UK in 1993, as the grunge band tsunami swept away the US melodic rock scene, Mark joined PRAYING MANTIS recording the impressive Only The Children Cry EP and completed a successful tour of Japan before leaving the band
in 1994.
It was at this point that Mark met Steve and although a proposed link up band wise did not materialise with Mark 'retiring from the music business' to pursue a different career, they became firm friends with Mark lending an ear to Steve's
songs and helping with the occasional backing vocal on the constant stream of excellent NEWMAN albums.
After the death of a close friend in 2005, Mark's interest in singing returned full force with close friends reuniting to reform top covers rock band FAY WRAY. Fate continued to play a strong hand shortly afterwards with a surprising call from his former PRAYING MANTIS bandmate, Bruce Bisland, to ask Mark to guest with Bruce's current band, 70's legends THE SWEET.
A highly successful tour of Sweden followed and despite The Sweet experience being short lived as the band required a bass playing vocalist, it fired up Mark's renewed passion for singing further and so he sought out Steve to embark
on a brand new musical adventure....and certainly found it in BIG LIFE!!
The guys are joined by Rob McEwen, the outstanding drumming talent on the last 3 Newman albums, and all recordings have once again taken place at “The Blue Room” studios in England.
