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Life is still sweet for rockers Sugar Ray
By John Benson
Every morning when Mark McGrath wakes up he may not find a halo hanging from the corner of his four-post bed, but the Sugar Ray lead singer is definitely thanking his stars.
A decade and a half after his Southern California band kicked out top 10 hits “Someday,” “When It’s Over,” “Fly” and “Every Morning,” McGrath is busy as ever having parlayed his fame into a successful hosting career (“Killer Karaoke,” “Extra” and “Forget The Lyrics!”). He’s also appeared on “American Idol,” “The Celebrity Apprentice (Season 4),” “Wife Swap” and “The Neighbors.”
Lately, McGrath is dabbling into the acting world with appearances in “Sharknado 2: The Second One” and recently released “Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser.” However, summer means it’s time for another Sugar Ray jaunt on the “Under The Sun Tour.” The package tour, which McGrath co-founded in 2013, comes through the area for shows Saturday at the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park and Aug. 9 at Stage AE (tickets available at Ticketmaster.com for both shows). Oh, did we mention McGrath recently released his debut solo EP “Summertime’s Coming?”
The Vindicator talked to McGrath about his new projects.
Q. It was roughly 20 years ago that Sugar Ray was getting its start. Any early memories of playing the Rock Hall City?
A. So many great memories, particularly the first time we ever played Cleveland at the Grog Shop. There were maybe 20 people there at most, including the band. And it’s such an old-school place that had a real rock ’n’ roll history to it. You could tell the walls had seen some things. The old Grog Shop was awesome. Wasn’t there a big post in the way? When you walk in the door, you’re like on stage. It’s just blood and guts and sweat on the walls, the type of rock ’n’ roll show we love.
Q. This time out, we’re getting Sugar Ray with Better Than Ezra, Uncle Kracker and Eve 6 on the “Under The Sun Tour.” Will there be blood, guts and sweat?
A. You never know, man, Uncle Kracker, those guys like to party. But it’s rock ’n’ roll, you never know what’s going to happen. We are getting older. It used to be strippers and booze back stage and now it’s babies and formula. It’s kind of toned down a little. There’s nothing more depressing than 50-year-old guys thinking they’re going to set the world on fire.
Q. Congrats on the new EP. How long has that been in the works?
A. When you’re in a band, you do two things. You perform live and create music. And we’ve never stopped performing, but we haven’t released new material since 2009. The guitar player and myself, we’re always writing songs but we got serious about it two years ago. There are no fantasies we’re going to sell millions of records. We just want to release new material and if you’re a fan of Sugar Ray and that kind of melody, I think you’ll like it.