Bump Ahead

Bump Ahead is the third studio album by the American rock band Mr. Big. It was released on September 21, 1993 by Atlantic Records.

Overview

Released two years and five months after their previous album Lean Into It, this work marks the band’s third studio album.
Following the huge success of the single "To Be With You", the band faced intense pressure from their record label during the production of this album. Recording was completed in April 1993, and the release was originally scheduled for June. However, after listening to the finished version, the label rejected it, saying that there was no powerful ballad comparable to "To Be With You". As a result, the band was forced to create numerous new ballad demos. Even interviews with music magazines that had already been conducted had to be replaced, which led to some discrepancies between the final album and previously published interviews or liner notes.
To address the label's concerns, several tracks were replaced or added, including a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World". The album was finally released in September. Despite the production difficulties, the album was highly polished, featuring songs with bold use of synthesizers and strings, showcasing a broader and more mature musical direction.
The album's title, like Lean Into It and Hey Man, was suggested by Pat Torpey. He came up with the idea after finding a unique photograph in a San Francisco library showing a man sticking his head out of a manhole. When he showed it to the other members, Billy Sheehan spontaneously remarked, "Bump ahead". The phrase carries a double meaning — both “Look out!” and “Move forward.” Interestingly, the title for their next album, "Hey Man", had already been conceived during the making of this record.
According to Paul Gilbert, demos for "What’s It Gonna Be", "Mr. Gone", and the outtake "Stand By Me" had already been recorded before their tour with Bryan Adams.

Personnel

;Mr. Big

Eric Martin – lead vocals
Paul Gilbert – guitar, backing vocals
Billy Sheehan – bass, backing vocals
Pat Torpey – drums, backing vocals

;Additional musicians

Little John Chrisley – harmonica on "Price You Gotta Pay"

;Production

Kevin Elson – producer, engineer, mixing, mastering
Andy Udoff, Stephen Hart, Dick Kaneshiro, Michael Semanick – assistant engineers
Tom Size – mixing
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Melanie Nissen – art direction
Reisig and Taylor – photography, images