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Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, USA, good time rockers Big Engine roars through biker rallies from Daytona to Sturgis, clubs, and NASCAR events, amassing an army of gearheads, bikers, and race fans known affectionately as ‘Big Engine Freaks’. New single, the bluesy, slide-guitar-laden, and sparkling keys-infused ‘Hot Summer Night’ is out now on all good digital platforms, and founding member/frontman/lead guitarist Tony Mikus was on hand to spill the beans on all things Big Engine-related.
What are the origins of Big Engine? How long have you been playing together?
The band’s first name was The Motion, and started in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in the late 80’s. After a couple of lineup changes, I decided to change the band name to better reflect the direction the band was heading. In late December 1990, we revealed the new name as Big Engine and officially started playing under that name in January 1991.
What is it about Jacksonville, Florida, that makes it such a hotbed for Rock music? Skynyrd, Allmans, Shinedown, Limp Bizkit, Yellowcard, Tedeschi Trucks, and the Holy Grail: Blackfoot…the list is endless!
There definitely is a long list of successful bands from this area. I do know that back in the day it was easy to find places that had live music seven days a week.
Settle the debate: are Big Engine a Southern Rock band? We would argue that the keys sound (which is crucial) gives you guys more of a rock-and-roll feel…
The original lineup included Banner Thomas (original Molly Hatchet member) on bass and Steve Wheeler (original Danny Joe Brown Band member) on guitar, along with Seth Burkhart on drums and me on guitar and lead vocals – so the Southern Rock label was immediately attached to the band. Over the years, Big Engine has released a lot of music. You could cherry-pick songs out of the catalog and be correct in saying that it’s southern rock, and grab another handful of songs that are hard rock or straight-ahead rock n roll or even alternative. I don’t set out to write a certain genre of song, I just write. I’m a fan of a wide variety of different styles. I’m cool with whatever label people want to put on us.
With decades of experience, and so many live gigs performed each year, what do you remember of your first gig as Big Engine?
The first gig as Big Engine was at a place called The Crab Pot in Jacksonville Beach. No one in the crowd knew that we were changing name that night. We had shirts on that said The Motion, then we took those off and had Big Engine shirts on underneath!
Having shared the stage with so many bands, which band – in terms of a similar audience – at the minute do you feel that you would be best suited to open for? And to flip that on its head: who is the most suitable band to open for Big Engine?
We have opened for such diverse acts as Motörhead to David Allen Coe, so I’m cool with opening for anyone. I’ve always enjoyed doing shows with .38 Special. Another Jacksonville band. There are so many bands that I wouldn’t know who to have open for us!
The new single is ‘Hot Summer Night’, a fantastic slice of good time, rock n’ roll. How quickly did the track come together?
I wrote the song last summer. The initial idea came to me on stage in Daytona Beach. It was about 100 degrees during the show. I was just observing the interactions between people in the crowd and later in the streets, and I wanted to capture that feeling in song.
In the latest issue of Classic Rock magazine, Rob Halford is quoted as saying: “It is the simplest thing in the world to write songs; but it’s the hardest thing in the world to write songs that live forever”. Would you agree?
Absolutely.
Which song of yours do you feel is the one to live forever?
I have been really fortunate to have such a long career and supportive fan base that continues to want to hear songs from way back in my catalog to brand new material. There are several songs that I have to play every show, or I know people will be disappointed. One in particular is ‘Sister Mary’, but there are several others.
When did you first discover your voice? It is a proper old-school, rock n’ roll voice.
It’s funny because I never wanted to be a singer. I started playing guitar and writing songs so I would sing them just to get the ideas down. I became the singer by default. Now, all of these years later, I guess it’s worked out!
With so much experience under your belt, has it been a challenge to navigate the choppy waters of the current-day music business, and have you had to adapt to new challenges like streaming and social media?
Most definitely! We have always made our living from the live shows, so that part hasn’t changed. Think about it…our first CD came out in 1993. Record companies and radio stations weren’t interested in our style of rock n roll. We sold a ton of CDs at our live shows and never relied on a record company or heavy radio airplay. I think having the DIY attitude has kept the band alive. Until recently, I wasn’t sure if I should release new music. Our last CD came out a decade ago and sold about 30,000 copies. Right as that was happening, everything switched to streaming.
Looking at the band’s social media pages, your daughter, Emily, has started on her own path in music. Do you offer help and advice on the pitfalls, or let her plow her own path and wait in the background until needed?
Both of my kids are doing their own music. Emily Mikus in the Country Music scene, and Anthony Mikus in the Alternative Music scene. My kids and my wife are the background singers on ‘Hot Summer Night’! They grew up in the music business, seeing me do it their whole lives, and they’ve traveled all over the United States to shows with me since they were born. It’s so great to watch them have the passion for music and do their own thing. They do ask questions about the business and trust my advice, and I’m always there to help.
What are your first musical memories? And what was the lightbulb moment that made you say “I want to do that”?
I loved music as long as I can remember. Before I even played an instrument, I wanted to be a musician. When I was a kid, my sister Angie took me to a Doobie Brothers concert, and I was hooked. Crazy thing was, years later I’m playing a show, and I look down in the audience and saw Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers watching me. It was a surreal, full-circle moment. I was lucky enough to talk to Patrick afterwards and tell him that.
What album do you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
Everybody is a fan of something; who or what are you a fan of?
Lots of things! Including comic books, vinyl records, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What does the rest of 2026 hold for Big Engine?
More new music, lots of live shows, and a cool announcement coming, so keep an eye out for that!
Connect with Big Engine HERE:
Official Website – Facebook – Spotify – Instagram – YouTube
Main press photo by Big Engine
Live images – Scott Hamilton
