Mario Cipollina Interviewed on The Rock Shop with Ralph

Mario Cipollina (Huey Lewis and the News) sat down with The Rock Shop with Ralph to discuss his early days touring with Van Morrison, turning down the bass gig in Foreigner to join HLN. Huey Lewis and the News formative years, going multi platinum, the Ghostbusters debacle, The Grammy debacle, recording We Are The World, Back to the Future, all the HLN albums he's played on ,his exit from HLN ,and how he plans on spending his retirement.
A true rocker and gentleman!!!!
www.mariocipollina.com
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[@johncaldwell881]

Mario is one of my favorite rock bassist also, he was real cool, laid back, laying down the pocket!

[@rle440]

Mario’s bass on Perfect World is killer. What a great interview. Thank You!

[@si2u263]

Wishing you well Mario, always loved seeing & hearing you play with the guys during Belfast concerts @ the King's hall. Mr Cool💯

[@pootle5096]

Fantastic interview. Really nice to hear Mario's take on his years with The News. Thanks for recording this. Can you interview Chris Hayes next please?

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

I would hope so!! Stay tuned!!!!!! You can't deny my love for HLN!!!! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!!

[@danielc1978]

The King of Comedy

[@krisscanlon4051]

Dat hair and cig! His brother was a monster...we need ya back Mario

[@TheCreativesSpacePodcast]

Fellow Queens boy here (Astoria born and bred). Great job interviewing Mario. 🤘

[@westfield90]

Sad to see them getting old. I loved the 80’s and the incredible music. Happiest times ever.

[@JohnnyKickHolesInTheSky]

I am the road manager Ed Ryan's nephew Johnny. My mom is Ed's sister Mary. Good interview guys.

[@johnnersinger5075]

Great bass player and such a noticeable member on stage.love ya mario.

[@michaelmarshall1713]

I have always like Mario but after seeing his bass solo from the Japan video I became a huge fan.

[@SuperBoomshack]

I remember thinking how cool Mario was when I was a kid watching those early MTV videos🤣

[@locovel10]

His decision to leave Foreigner...wow! Didn't know he had that opportunity. $6000 a week - turned it down for $150?! He had to have been homesick or unsure that he could do the Foreigner gig. Great interview, this is what i love about modern media. Years ago, the only thing available were short interviews with Huey (ex. Letterman for 5 minutes. )

[@MistressThunder]

4th grade, I have the FORE poster in my room. I've always wondered who the tall, dark, and handsome guy in the shades is. Come to find out, it's Bass player, Mario Cipollina!!! Now, I'm and will ALWAYS BE A HUGE BASS FAN! -- High School Tuba/Sousaphone player -- I love basslines!! (TURN IT UP!!!) So, whether he's performing or not, Mario has been and still is my favorite guy!! Love him for who and what he is! (ON OR OFF STAGE).

[@charlienorton2337]

Great interview ralph

[@chadchesney3858]

GREAT interview. Ralph you made it great. I mean I tuned in to hear from Mario. But because Ralph like me is such a fan he knows the questions to ask. And where to go. I especially agree with Ralph and Mario’s opinion on small world. Maybe some members of the band chalked it up to oh the new sound was too sophisticated for the fan base. But it was simpler than that. The songs for all their fancy instrumentals just weren’t good. No hooks. It wasn’t the Huey and the News sound. It was a BAAAAD idea. Mario said as much.

[@grapefruitm00n]

Great bass player. Stop smoking so we can have you around longer!!

[@MRK-hn3jx]

Great interview. Lots of things I had never heard before (how they each shared equally in the revenue, how Ghost Busters assumed I want a new drug would be in their movie, etc.). Always loved Mario, the bad boy on the bass. I was sad when he left (got fired from) HLN. I would love to hear Huey, Bill, Chris, Sean and Johnny's take on why Mario was fired. I'm sure there are two sides to the story. But at the end of the day as they are all getting older, I would hope they all would get together and bury the hatchet, especially if they do ever make the Hall of Fame. Life is too short to hold grudges.

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

Tried to get everybody!!! Hope you enjoy this and i STILL love them all!!! Forever HLN!!!!

[@clarkehylton]

Great interview, but Mario is constantly interrupted, which is incredibly frustrating to listen to. Mario has a lot to say, and that's why we're here. Let him get a word in edgewise.

[@JJtheguitartech]

Absolutely, the interviewer is very annoying. I came to listen to Mario not listen to the loudmouth NYer talk over Mario throughout the interview. Absolutely annoying

[@mrdottle8581]

noticed that too

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

maybe you could do better? couldnt hide my excitement.This man was a huge part of my youth!!!!! I get that alot but what can you do? i try!!!

[@shaund.2273]

There is no "can of worms" concerning the song "Hearts." LOL Although Marty Balin had a 1981 hit with a single called "Hearts" (which was written by Jesse Barish), it is NOT the same song that appears on Huey and the News' 1980 debut album.

[@android584]

Just starting to appreciate Mario's bass playing via videos. Mario's angle on The News history is a great one to record because of his mysterious aura and being the first original member to depart the band. I get the impression that too much bad blood must have accumulated between him and the band when he was struggling. Otherwise why would they not utilise a former band member keen to rejoin. Interesting that he turned down a high paying gig, I think that shows character.

[@nathansnyder971]

Speaking of Picture This...Mario tries to clarify that Do you Believe in Love was their first hit. The interviewer keeps saying Working for a Living which which was the third US single from the album and didn't get near the chart placement of the other.

[@kuriaki71]

Awesome interview

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

So did i and i was there!!!!

[@alexmacleod3728]

He Almost Joined San Diego band Smash Mouth a year after he was fired from Huey Lewis & The News

[@Hollowdogmusic]

Unfortunately interview gave little credit to the signature style of Tower of Power horns that toured throughout their 80's albums. They were truly the X factor for Huey Lewis & the News.

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

I could have went on for another four hours!!! As Huey would always say " so many hits,so little time" Hopefully next time I'm sure it will come up ,I thank you for watching and commenting!!!!!

[@avanestmetal731]

Traduccion pliss

[@filmusikchannel7596]

Good evening can you help me to contact Mr.Cipollina I want to interview him. Thanks

[@TheRockShopwithRalph]

very hard to reach try on facebook!!!

[@ojovideo]

I always wondered why he left. Shameful. The sound was never the same after Mario and Chris were no longer with the band. Mario is one of my favorite bassist along with Michael Anthony and John Entwistle.

[@gabriel222]

Just keep in mind that there’s always two sides to every story. I think there are other issues that occurred that nobody wants to speak about.

[@91dodgespiritrt]

I love the Italian connection here! Settle an old American-Italian debate: did you guys put "gravy" or "tomato sauce" on your macaroni after the interview? Great stuff, thanks!

[@einarludviksson3103]

Mario is fired from HL&TN --> 56:50

[@thatseventiesguy]

Mario seems like such a humble guy. What happened with Huey? I know people change but firing someone while they going through loss seems a bit extreme.

[@thatseventiesguy]

Of course there are other sides to the story to be heard as well.

[@anamariaaguilarojas8246]

Que lastima como salio del grupo.La pena ( depresion) más drogas o alcohol es una pésima mezcla. Lamento el final , pero el show debía seguir.

[@locovel10]

I Agree about Picture This and Sports ( Finally Found a Home/You crack me up) I disagree with Small World, i only wish it had been *more* experimental. I loved Four Chords but it should have been an album created recently not back in 1994. I appreciate how much the interviewer knew about their songs and his opinions of the albums over the years, he's clearly a fan. When Chris and Mario left, HLN was over. I knew those two were through with the songwriting choices. But damn, 20 years is 50 years in R&R! I was sorry to hear that his departure wasn't amiable like Chris and that his injuries kept him from playing live.