During his stint at Sporting News Radio, Nestor broadcast live from the field in Atlantaโs Turner Field at the Major League Baseball All Star Game. Itโs not every morning that a fly guy like McGrath can mix baseball and music up with a save from Rick Sutcliffe outta the Camden Yards throwback machine and bullpen.
Mark McGrath, former frontman of Sugar Ray, discussed his unexpected journey from being a rock star to playing baseball in major league parks, likening it to a Make-A-Wish experience. He reminisced about his childhood in Southern California, supporting the Dodgers and idolizing players like Steve Garvey and Mike Piazza. McGrath humorously compared the crowd energy at a baseball game to a Sugar Ray concert and shared anecdotes about his interactions with fans and other celebrities, including Rick Sutcliffe. He also touched on the bandโs current studio work, aiming for a fall release. McGrath emphasized his enduring love for baseball and the joy of meeting fellow sports enthusiasts.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray, baseball fan, Dodgers, major league, Bad News Bears, Rick Sutcliffe, Madonna rumors, band updates, studio recording, Gold Coast, Cheetah Club, Atlanta, All-Star game
SPEAKERS
Mark McGrath, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:02
Mark, welcome back. Nasty nationwide. Live from Hotlanta, Georgia and joining me right now. Every morning I get up and I do sports talk, but every morning, this guy acts like the rock star that he is. Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray
Mark McGrath 00:14
here led you to my own mind, man, you know what I mean, Legend of my own minds.
Nestor Aparicio 00:17
How you doing today? Well, Iโm outstanding, but Iโm the interviewer, so Iโm gonna ask the questions today. You get on the stage, do your thing. Well, itโs as far as the rock star thing, I guess you become a rock star to meet chicks, hang out, have fun, and now you get this gig where you get to swing the bat. Like, did you play a little little league or what? Well,
Mark McGrath 00:30
you know, I did little league, and that was it, you know. And I didnโt even play high school or anything. So, you know, my swing was a little little, not so fundamental out there, but it, you know, itโs every boyโs dream going up to play in a big league Park. I got to, you know, hit in a major league Park. I got to play hockey. Play hockey, Madison Square Garden. I get to play basketball to form. So I feel like a fan, like winning, like some sort of Doritos contest. Get to play all these different places. So itโs full Make A Wish Foundation here, man, Iโm
Nestor Aparicio 00:52
stoked. Well, I tell you charity thing, thatโs great, the rock star thing. But, I
Mark McGrath 00:55
mean, we, like, on the Bad News Bears team in Southern California, sort of, you know, we did have our very similar to teams like that, with the stoners and all that, and the guys that show up late and the guy on the motorcycle. So, yeah, Iโm from that Bad News Bears camp. I donโt think anythingโs ever changed. If you see my swing today.
Nestor Aparicio 01:08
So as a baseball fan, grew up Southern Cal I mean, is it angels, or is it Dodgers? Dodgers,
Mark McGrath 01:12
Davey, love Steve Garvey, all that stuff in the 70s, all that good stuff. You know what I mean? And you know, Iโm still a fan today. Iโm Bumble lost Piazza. I think that was stupid. I think theyโre still kicking their ass for that one. You know, weโll see how Murdock will take this team until the 20 in
Nestor Aparicio 01:24
the 21st century. Well, I think Dave is going to get it together out there. Now, as far as the difference between being a rock star and being a hitter, you come out on the ballpark, and the crowd was a little docile today. I mean, it wasnโt a Sugar Ray type of crowd. No, it wasnโt. I
Mark McGrath 01:36
was surprised not to see a Sugar Ray type of crowd. Iโm kidding you, man, I
Nestor Aparicio 01:39
got to tell you this, man, I got the press pass, and weโre coming down the in the elevator, and I had chicks offer me their mind and their body, really, for just an autograph, a picture with Mark McGrath. I mean, that must make a guy feel good. Is that what youโre sweating around, a little moist, I gotta admit. I mean, just youโre being here
Mark McGrath 01:53
hanging out with you. But hey, you know itโs like, like you said earlier, I didnโt get into rock and roll for the for the dudes, you know what I mean. So the chicks, itโs great, fantastic. Whatโs up? Rick so
Nestor Aparicio 02:01
whatโs going on with Rick Sutcliffe? Say a few words.
02:05
Whatโs going on? You know, what are you doing? Man, I havenโt seen you in a while, but are we live? We are live. I better be careful what I say, as usual, then, huh? Somebody should have told my man, you donโt have to be long to be strong. Dude, everything was there, but your stride got long, which means your eyesight goes down. Did they get long? Thatโs it. What are they doing? You probably. Harold, probably told you what to do. And, you know, he canโt hit. How many career homers did Harold, yeah,
Nestor Aparicio 02:28
I would say this succulent was the one guy who was a pitcher that could handle the bat. No, no doubt, absolutely, absolutely. And, you know, this guyโs a big Dodger, fancy HE LOVES YOU SUCK Well, you
02:37
know what? But I won the rookie of the year before he was born.
Mark McGrath 02:41
How old are you? Hey, a woman never tells her age, you know,
Nestor Aparicio 02:43
come on, youโre 20.
02:45
Yeah, you 30 something maybe, come on,
Nestor Aparicio 02:48
tell me the truth. Man, Rick Sutcliffe here joining us on nasty nationwide, and we got Mark McGrath here from Sugar Ray. Weโre jamming. Thatโs why you
Mark McGrath 02:54
come to these things. You know, get to meet people like Rick Sutcliffe and, you know, players like that that, you know, Iโm a fan. Iโm here for the whole weekend. I brought my dad down, you know. And itโs just incredible. I mean, I think my dad did gigs. You go around the world and we meet people. He didnโt care. He you know, he goes, Oh, now I see what youโre doing, because I took him to the All Star game. So I gotta be frank with you, I
Nestor Aparicio 03:09
read somewhere you dated Madonna, true or false? I just want to know, totally false, totally false. Yeah, but,
Mark McGrath 03:14
you know, itโs like, now that itโs been a long enough time, I start dispelling the rumor, but it was good for me for a while. You know? What I mean, it worked for me. Iโm thinking, Thatโs my man. Iโm like, keep stoking that fire. But no, you know, now itโs time to let you know it never I met her once. I walked her to a car, and next thing was like, Ricky Martin out Martin gravid. And I was like, Iโm gonna ride that one. Iโll let that one go for a while. You know, thatโs not a rumor. You wanted to spell Absolutely not. But you know, after two itโs been about two years now, so itโs time with the truth that time let the truth be known. Kiss on the cheek. Anything? No, nothing. Man, nothing. Not
Nestor Aparicio 03:39
even a walk. Yeah,
Mark McGrath 03:41
you know, I tell you, I tell you the whole thing, I bet you
Nestor Aparicio 03:43
would. Man, Mark McGrath, youโre live on nasty nationwide, I guess. Final question for you, whatโs going with the band? I
Mark McGrath 03:47
mean, letโs get get serious. This baseball is your side light, the bandโs important thing. Yeah, absolutely. Weโre in the studio right now, you know, hopefully get a record out this fall. Thatโs what weโre working on right now. But they let me out of studios on weekends to do things like this. But weโre working hard, hopefully to come out in the fall. Man, you know thatโs thatโs the goal right now, chilling
04:02
out in hot Atlanta, GA, weโre here. You cheetah club for you or no, cheetah and the Gold Coast, right? The gold club, gold club. Itโs gone a little downhill, tell you the truth. I mean, ever since that raid with the Knicks, Cheetah, Cheetah, well, I heard cheetah get so crowded, but hey, Iโll be there. Man, Spring Street ballet for nasty nationwide. Live from Atlanta. You.