Another musician inspired by The Beatles grows up inventing tunes before he's 10. RCA is stunned: "Hey, these are actual songs!" 45s in the '60s & albums in the '70s leads to writing for rock royalty.
Thanks, Chris! Mark has a fascinating story, especially when you factor in his general lack of "fame," even as he's written so much music and lyrics that so many of us have sung along with and enjoyed! Plus, it's fun to be re-connected to an album (his first) I had and enjoyed over 5 decades ago! Thank you, internet! 😁👍
And, for lo these many decades, I'd never once heard his name said out loud! I read about him, in the rock mags of the day, plenty of times, but I was ready to leave a pronunciation directive of (ruh-DEE-say)!! I didn't know!! Then, of course, I found those videos of him and others introducing him, and saying his name with just two syllables!
As for being reminded, as I did in the piece, gotta thank Joe Bonomo and his recent Edmunds article for that little brain tug!
And, he's one of many, Keith....thanks! In many ways, Mark's career reminds me of Stephen Michael Schwartz's....which I thought about mentioning in the piece, but opted not to, so as not to distract from Mark's already-entwined tale!! Both, of course, were on RCA early, and while not commercially successful, the obscurity they both more or less share in the "public eye," the record industry pros are well aware of both Mark and Stephen, and have been for decades!
As Stephen and I have detailed on these pages (https://bradkyle.substack.com/t/stephen-michael-schwartz), he wrote songs, in the late-'70s, post-RCA-album, with David Pomeranz (who's landed hits with Barry Manilow, including "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again"), and with Rock Hall-of-Famer (and living legend), Jeff Barry...and others, as well!
Speaking of Manilow, he sang a Christmas song Stephen wrote ("Merry Christmas (Wherever You Are)": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnxrjj1rgbc on at least one TV Christmas special in 1985! As I've told many friends, "I can't believe I know someone who has Manilow's phone number!" More to the point, I think I really mean, "I can't believe I know someone whose phone number Barry Manilow would want to have!"😂
Also, Stephen made a several-decade career as a major player in the children's music lane, founding Parachute Express in the early-'80s, a trio who recorded for Disney Records, sold out venues all over the world, and have several videos available on YouTube (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_Express)! Stephen once said in an interview (on YT) that he/they don't have their audience for very long....'til they're like 5 or 6 years old, then they pass 'em off to Beyonce!
It's THAT career niche, Keith, that impresses me so much about Stephen! After RCA dropped him from their roster in '75 (after tepid sales of his debut), he coulda chucked it all and sold insurance for the rest of his life! But, he stayed true to his talents, and discovered/created a lane for himself to flourish!
Similarly, Mark became a "writer to the stars," so to speak, after his own recording career stalled. Gotta hand it to these pros who stay at it, and keep believing in their natural talents!
This was amazing. Signed at age 7! First album release at 10! Such a child prodigy. I also love how rebellious he became with age 😂 I didn’t have his talent as a kid, only his adult sassiness 😅😅😉😉
'T'weren't easy, Bob.....but, thanks! Knowing so few people would know Mark's name (or career, for that matter), I figured I'd better start with what many might know....those opening 3 songs'n'artists! From there, I could then go back in time!!
When I first saw Mark's debut solo album ('72 or '73), I was just a couple years out from having known a school chum who looked quite similar to Mark's cover shot! Plus, looking so young, I was intrigued by what kind of music he was making!
In the early-'70s, of course, we were just coming out from "bubblegum land," where everyone, it seemed, under the age of 20, was marketed (and performed) as teeny-weenybop music (looking at you, Partridge Family, Cowsills, Archies, Monkees, Jacksons, Osmonds, et al! And, virtually everyone OVER 20 was a hairy, smoking, psychedelic, hard-rockin' Zappa, Beefheart, Fugs, Canned Heat, Tull, Arthur Brown, et al....where WAS the middle ground?😂This was a fun one, to be sure! Thanks again!
I just remember, when they first came out, and I saw their pix in the rock mags, I remember them being all big’n’hairy….’n’scary!!! They seemed to be the….uh, Hite of hippiedom!! And, I was all but 15 in 1970!
Thank you! This is brilliant on so many levels. That song at age 10 is great. Don’t ask what I was doing at age 10. Or 7.
Thanks, Chris! Mark has a fascinating story, especially when you factor in his general lack of "fame," even as he's written so much music and lyrics that so many of us have sung along with and enjoyed! Plus, it's fun to be re-connected to an album (his first) I had and enjoyed over 5 decades ago! Thank you, internet! 😁👍
It’s crazy really - the “6 degrees” aspect. And yes - im a big fan of “rediscovering” albums. I love when I’m reminded of a former piece of music.
And, for lo these many decades, I'd never once heard his name said out loud! I read about him, in the rock mags of the day, plenty of times, but I was ready to leave a pronunciation directive of (ruh-DEE-say)!! I didn't know!! Then, of course, I found those videos of him and others introducing him, and saying his name with just two syllables!
As for being reminded, as I did in the piece, gotta thank Joe Bonomo and his recent Edmunds article for that little brain tug!
This was intense! So fascinating.
And, he's one of many, Keith....thanks! In many ways, Mark's career reminds me of Stephen Michael Schwartz's....which I thought about mentioning in the piece, but opted not to, so as not to distract from Mark's already-entwined tale!! Both, of course, were on RCA early, and while not commercially successful, the obscurity they both more or less share in the "public eye," the record industry pros are well aware of both Mark and Stephen, and have been for decades!
As Stephen and I have detailed on these pages (https://bradkyle.substack.com/t/stephen-michael-schwartz), he wrote songs, in the late-'70s, post-RCA-album, with David Pomeranz (who's landed hits with Barry Manilow, including "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again"), and with Rock Hall-of-Famer (and living legend), Jeff Barry...and others, as well!
Speaking of Manilow, he sang a Christmas song Stephen wrote ("Merry Christmas (Wherever You Are)": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnxrjj1rgbc on at least one TV Christmas special in 1985! As I've told many friends, "I can't believe I know someone who has Manilow's phone number!" More to the point, I think I really mean, "I can't believe I know someone whose phone number Barry Manilow would want to have!"😂
Also, Stephen made a several-decade career as a major player in the children's music lane, founding Parachute Express in the early-'80s, a trio who recorded for Disney Records, sold out venues all over the world, and have several videos available on YouTube (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_Express)! Stephen once said in an interview (on YT) that he/they don't have their audience for very long....'til they're like 5 or 6 years old, then they pass 'em off to Beyonce!
It's THAT career niche, Keith, that impresses me so much about Stephen! After RCA dropped him from their roster in '75 (after tepid sales of his debut), he coulda chucked it all and sold insurance for the rest of his life! But, he stayed true to his talents, and discovered/created a lane for himself to flourish!
Similarly, Mark became a "writer to the stars," so to speak, after his own recording career stalled. Gotta hand it to these pros who stay at it, and keep believing in their natural talents!
This was amazing. Signed at age 7! First album release at 10! Such a child prodigy. I also love how rebellious he became with age 😂 I didn’t have his talent as a kid, only his adult sassiness 😅😅😉😉
Thanks, Andy........you know me: I'm all about the sassy! If FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE was a label, I'd have a Sassy subsidiary!😉👏
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wPXTDN9sI
😅😅😅🤣🤣🤣👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Just wow. Love how you pull everything together.
'T'weren't easy, Bob.....but, thanks! Knowing so few people would know Mark's name (or career, for that matter), I figured I'd better start with what many might know....those opening 3 songs'n'artists! From there, I could then go back in time!!
When I first saw Mark's debut solo album ('72 or '73), I was just a couple years out from having known a school chum who looked quite similar to Mark's cover shot! Plus, looking so young, I was intrigued by what kind of music he was making!
In the early-'70s, of course, we were just coming out from "bubblegum land," where everyone, it seemed, under the age of 20, was marketed (and performed) as teeny-weenybop music (looking at you, Partridge Family, Cowsills, Archies, Monkees, Jacksons, Osmonds, et al! And, virtually everyone OVER 20 was a hairy, smoking, psychedelic, hard-rockin' Zappa, Beefheart, Fugs, Canned Heat, Tull, Arthur Brown, et al....where WAS the middle ground?😂This was a fun one, to be sure! Thanks again!
I blame "bubble gum land" for the downfall of western civilization.
I always learn so much from your ramblings.
And you mentioned Canned Heat, I thought I was the only that listed to them.
I just remember, when they first came out, and I saw their pix in the rock mags, I remember them being all big’n’hairy….’n’scary!!! They seemed to be the….uh, Hite of hippiedom!! And, I was all but 15 in 1970!
Great piece!
Thanks, Joe....and, thanks again for the inspiration! I had forgotten what a killer song "Information" is!