- Mark Eitzel
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Mark Eitzel Birth name John Mark Eitzel[1] Origin Walnut Creek, California[2][3] Genres Rock Occupations Singer-songwriter, musician Instruments Vocals, guitar Years active 1980–present Labels Decor, Cooking Vinyl, Thirsty Ear Recordings, New West Records, Matador Records, Diablo Records, Warner Brothers Associated acts American Music Club, Toiling Midgets, The Naked Skinnies, Peter Buck, The Undertow Orchestra Website markeitzel.blogspot.com Mark Eitzel is a musician, best known as a songwriter and lead singer of the San Francisco band American Music Club.[4][5][6]
Contents
History
Eitzel spent his formative years in a military family living in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ohio and the United Kingdom.[7] He moved to America in 1979.
He started making music while he was a teenager in Southampton, England. His first band was a punk band called the Cowboys when he moved to Columbus, Ohio at 19. They released one single in 1980. His second band was called The Naked Skinnies[8] and they released one single in 1981. He moved to San Francisco with The Naked Skinnies in 1981 where they disbanded in 1982. Eitzel formed American Music Club (AMC) in San Francisco in 1982. The band performed and created albums for twelve years. At one point, Eitzel also sang with San Francisco's Toiling Midgets, and often recorded solo work while involved in AMC.
American Music Club disbanded in 1994, and Eitzel focused on his solo career, releasing 60 Watt Silver Lining[9] in 1996. It was a surprisingly smooth, jazz-pop departure. Also in 1996, Eitzel contributed to the AIDS benefit album Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip produced by the Red Hot Organization. Following this, he released West in 1997 co-writing all of the songs with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, with whom he also toured. He followed up with Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby, assisted by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew.
Eitzel released more music in 2001, beginning with a more electronic turn in The Invisible Man[10] on Matador Records. This was followed by two covers projects in 2002: Music for Courage and Confidence,[11] which was material written by other songwriters, and The Ugly American,[12] an album which included reinterpretations of American Music Club songs performed with a band of traditional and non traditional Greek musicians.
American Music Club reformed in 2003 for a sold out show at the London South Bank Centre, The following year they released [(Love Songs For Patriots)][13] and toured both the United States and Europe several times. The Guardian Newspaper called Mark "America's greatest living lyricist"[citation needed] and the album received glowing reviews across the world. In 2008 the band line up changed again and the band released The Golden Age[14] which UNCUT magazine said was their best since Mercury with a 5 star album of the month review.
Eitzel released an compilation album of soundtrack material and electronics in 2005, Candy Ass.[15] His most recent album is Klamath which was released at the end of 2009 on Decor Records. UNCUT magazine said it was his best solo album yet. 2010 saw the launch of Marine Parade. This was a musical written by Simon Stephens for which Mark had written all the music. It was premiered in the 2010 Brighton Festival to good reviews and featured two of the songs from Klamath. He also contributed a cover of the Ira Gershwin song 'S Wonderful to the soundtrack of "Vidal Sassoon - The Movie".[16] In addition to all the above albums Mark has also released many mail order tour CDs, his most recent being the limited edition (500 copies) Brannan St., which is available at his concert dates and at the Decor records website.
Discography
Cowboys
- Supermarket / Teenage Life (7") Tet Offensive Records - 1980
- All My Life / This Is The Beautiful Night (7") - Naked House Records - 1981
- The Restless Stranger (LP) - Grifter Records (January 1985)
- Engine (LP) - Frontier Records (October 1987)
- California (LP) Frontier Records (October 1988)
- United Kingdom (LP) - Demon Records (October 1989)
- Everclear (CD) - Alias Records (October 1991)
- Mercury (CD) Reprise Records - (March 1993)
- San Francisco (CD) Reprise Records - (September 1994)
- Love Songs for Patriots (CD) Cooking Vinyl - (September 2004)
- The Golden Age (CD) Merge Records - (February 2008)
- Son (CD) Matador Records - 1993
Solo
- Mean Mark Eitzel Gets Fat (Self-released Cassette) - 1982
- Songs of Love (CD) - Diablo Records - 1991
- 60 Watt Silver Lining (CD) - Warner Brothers - 1996
- Words and Music (CD) - 1997
- West (CD) - Warner Brothers - 1997
- Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby (CD) - Matador Records - 1998
- The Invisible Man (CD) - Matador Records - 2001
- Music for Courage and Confidence (CD) - New West Records - 2002
- The Ugly American (CD) - Thirsty Ear Recordings - 2002
- Candy Ass (CD) - Cooking Vinyl - 2005
- Klamath (CD) - Decor Records - 2009
- Brannan Street (CD) - 2010
References
- ^ MetroLyrics, American Music Club: "Why Won't You Stay?" Songwriters: John Mark Eitzel
- ^ AllMusic Overview, Mark Eitzel
- ^ California Births, 1905 - 1995, John M. Eitzel – Birth Date: 01/30/1959, County of Birth: Contra Costa (Walnut Creek)
- ^ Strong, Martin Charles; Peel, John (2004-10-25). The great rock discography. Canongate U.S.. pp. 37–. ISBN 9781841956152. http://books.google.com/books?id=_WoRAPJQ58sC&pg=PA38. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Taylor, Steve (2006-08-29). A to X of Alternative Music. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 12–. ISBN 9780826482174. http://books.google.com/books?id=KPOsu8JOHO8C&pg=PA12. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Buckley, Jonathan (1999-11-18). Rock: the rough guide. Rough Guides. pp. 25–. ISBN 9781858284576. http://books.google.com/books?id=Fie47qSuTsoC&pg=PR2-IA27. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Belcher, David (February 13, 1998). "All on his own and more's the pithy...". Glasgow Herald. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/60147468.html?dids=60147468:60147468&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+13%2C+1998&author=DAVID+BELCHER&pub=The+Herald&desc=All+on+his+own+and+more's+the+pithy%3B+Boss+Grooves%3A+garb+yourself+in+finely+textured+tunes+cut+from+very+different+cloths&pqatl=google. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ George-Warren, Holly; Romanowski, Patricia; Bashe, Patricia Romanowski; Jon Pareles (2001-10-30). The Rolling stone encyclopedia of rock & roll. Fireside. pp. 18-. ISBN 9780743201209. http://books.google.com/books?id=uU9AAQA6kAMC. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Eggers, Dave (MAY 8, 1997). "Mark Eitzel". Salon. http://www.salon.com/entertainment/music/feature/1997/05/08/eitzel970508. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (May 24, 2002). "The Melancholy Man Lightens Up". Washington Post: p. T6. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/121246940.html?dids=121246940:121246940&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+24%2C+2002&author=Richard+Harrington&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=The+Melancholy+Man+Lightens+Up&pqatl=google. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Caligiuri, Jim (May 31, 2002). "Mark Eitzel - Music Review". Austin Chronicle. http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2002-05-31/93940/. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Sanders, Mark (February 13, 2008). "American Music Club's San Francisco Fixation". SF Weekly: p. 1. http://www.sfweekly.com/2008-02-13/music/american-music-club-s-san-francisco-fixation/. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Foster, Patrick (November 6, 2004). "POP MUSIC". The Washington Post: p. C3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29481-2004Nov5.html. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Sweeney, Eamon (February 4, 2008). "A divine evening at the music club with old friends". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/a-divine-evening-at-the-music-club-with-old-friends-1280682.html. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Spin control". Chicago Sun-Times: p. D2. November 27, 2005. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10E384114C1BCEC8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ http://www.vidalsassoonthemovie.com/
External Links
- Wish The World Away: Mark Eitzel and the American Music Club by Sean Body, SAF Publishing, Ltd. (April 1999), ISBN 0-946719-20-9, ISBN 978-0-946719-20-4
- Official site
- American Music Club Official Site
Categories:- 1959 births
- Living people
- American rock singers
- American male singers
- American singer-songwriters
- LGBT musicians from the United States
- Musicians from California
- Music of the San Francisco Bay Area
- The Minus 5 members
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