Episode 012 — Men At Large, Mental Health, and Music as Medicine with Dr. Dave Tolliver
FRIENDS AND LEGENDS WITH SKIP MARTINShow Notes
A conversation with Dr. Dave Tolliver — founding member of Men At Large, Cleveland kid who grew up idolising the Dazz Band — on legacy, loss, the LeVert Experience, and why music is a soul vaccination.
Host: Skip Martin
Summary: Dr. Dave Tolliver grew up in Cleveland with his uncle Lynn Tolliver on the radio and Skip Martin on the stage — Skip was his inspiration to start singing before they ever met. In this conversation, Dave and Skip revisit a pandemic pop-up concert with Tony Terry, trace the history of Men At Large from Boys From The Hood through Michael Bivins renaming them to a 2022 album dropped 30 years after their debut, and talk about losing a bandmate and finding their way back. Dave opens up about his new rap single Too Much Pain and his mental health story. Skip closes on music as medicine and what gets left behind.
Main Topics:
Dave's Cleveland childhood — uncle Lynn Tolliver's 40-year radio career and growing up idolising Dazz Band and New Edition Seeing Skip perform live as a kid and Skip becoming the reason Dave started singing The pandemic pop-up concert with Skip, Tony Terry, and a member of Surface The story behind Skip and Dave's collaboration Someone Like You How Boys From The Hood became Men At Large — the Michael Bivins rename story The shift from novelty act to R&B lover-boy image and hits like Holiday and Let's Talk About It Losing bandmate Gemini Porter and reuniting with the original partner The LeVert Experience — Dave's current touring project with Joe Little and Marc Gordon Love Benefits — the 2022 album released 30 years after the group's debut Dave's rap single Too Much Pain and his personal mental health journey Skip on music as medicine, soul vaccination, and what legacy really means
Intriguing Quotes: "A man at large is not only a man that's large in stature, but he's somebody that's large in the community. He has a lot of clout. He's a man at large." "That's a love prejudice. That's all that is." — Skip Martin "Music is a tool for change. It's a tool, it's a medicine. It's a soul vaccination, it's a healing." — Skip Martin "Once our lives are gone, we'll be forgotten in two generations. Nobody will even know who we were." — Skip Martin
Key Moments:
[00:47] Dave traces his Cleveland roots — uncle Lynn Tolliver, 40 years in radio, and a house full of music. [02:01] The pandemic pop-up concert. Skip, Dave, Tony Terry, and a member of Surface. What happened that night and why it mattered. [04:15] The story behind Someone Like You — how Skip and Dave came to make the record together. [08:26] Michael Bivins hears Boys From The Hood and tells them that name has to go. Men At Large is born. [12:42] Dave talks about losing bandmate Gemini Porter — and what it took to come back and reunite with his original partner. [13:09] Love Benefits drops in 2022. Thirty years after the debut. The group is still here. [18:03] Dave releases Too Much Pain — a rap single about his own mental health journey. He tells Skip why he had to make it. [18:39] Skip closes on music as medicine, legacy, and what gets left behind when we're gone.
Notable Resources:
Someone Like You — Skip Martin featuring Dave Tolliver, available on Spotify Too Much Pain — Dave Tolliver's rap single and video on mental health Love Benefits — Men At Large 2022 album, available on streaming platforms LeVert Experience — Dave's current touring project with Joe Little and Marc Gordon
Connect with Dave Tolliver:
Search Dave Men At Large or Dave Tolliver on all platforms
Connect with Skip Martin:
Website: https://www.skipmartinmusic.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skipmartinmusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skipmartinmusic/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/skipmartinmusic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/skipmartinmusic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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