Drummer Mark Gus Scott recalls how devastating it was when MTV stopped playing Trixter’s videos
Drummer Mark Gus Scott recalls how devastating it was when MTV stopped playing Trixter’s videos
Trixter drummer Mark Gus Scott was recently interviewed by Chuck Shute for the Chuck Shute Podcast and the drummer spoke about the devastating impact when MTV stopped playing the band’s videos.
Scott indicated (as transcribed by Chuck Shute Podcast with slight edits): “Let me tell you something very interesting happened between 1991 and 92. Uh, we uh, we, we had three number one videos with the third one being “Surrender.” It debuted at number two, went to number one in the first two or three days, and it was number one for two weeks and it was the big crossover hit — the rock power ballad — blah blah, blah. It was good. So it was a good song. But then something very interesting happened. One day we were number one on MTV and the next day we were off MTV.”
Scott continued: They killed Dial MTV. The Top 10 Countdown was abolished. We were the last number one video ever to be played on MTV. We died at number one. So the weird part is this was during the Blood, Sweat And Beers Tour with Warrant and FireHouse. So imagine this scenario, we’re selling out places like the World Amphitheater in Chicago; 33,000 people in an amphitheater — sold out — and MTV is not playing your video. How the hell does that happen? It fricking happened. So the weird thing is we are standing on stage, everyone’s going freaking crazy and MTV won’t play your videos. Like what? What would we do? Did we sleep with somebody’s daughter or something like that?
I swear to God, we were scratching our heads and you know the checks are coming in. And anyway, and we’re going from town to town and everything’s going wonderful and we looked around the radio stations and MTV gave us the shaft and it wasn’t just us, it was everybody. If you look at that period in time, look at Bon Jovi, look at Def Leppard. They had albums like — Bon Jovi had Slippery When Wet. Then they had New Jersey. Their next album was Keep The Faith. What do you think their sales difference was between New Jersey and Keep The Faith in America? They did not have the support from MTV. Same thing with Def Leppard. They had, uh, what the heck was it? They had, uh, Pyromania then Hysteria. And then, you know, after that they had a reduction in sales about 70% [with 1992’s Adrenalize]. Now Trixter that sold a million records roughly, when you lose 70% of your sales, you know that, that’s like very substantive — in any business. You have a 70% decline inside of a year? You better frigging get your act together or something. And I’ll tell you what — it was a big hit and I mean it was a big, you know, negative knock. It was that whole industry change.”
“Surrender” was the third single and video from Trixter‘s self-titled debut album and was released in mid-1991.
You can listen to the entire interview with Mark Gus Scott on the Chuck Shute Podcast via Buzz Sprout‘s website.
Trixter‘s “Surrender” video:
Trixter – “Surrender” (Official Music Video)
Artist: TrixterMusic: “Surrender”Album: TrixterLabel: MCA RecordsCountry: USAYear: 1990All rights reserved to the artist and UMG. ©Connect:Website: http://ww…