Bio, influences and gear

Mark has several guitars which makes it look like he might be good. This theory ends in great disappointment when he finally picks one up and emulates the sound of mating baboons in a tunnel without the use of any pedals. He is able to do this with a wide range of instruments however he is most at home with a ukulele, a stool and a green plectrum.

Mark is easily influenced by mysterious clouds and custom car jobs.

Mark and his guitar

....and now the real Bio, influences and gear

Born in Guildford, Surrey , not as long ago as people say.

Founder member of CACM (Campaign Against Country Music) and the AML (Anti-Madonna League).

Started playing when I was 15 after A. going to a Judas Priest concert, and B. realising that lead guitarists get all the best girls, are the fastest racing drivers and are generally feted and adored wherever we go.

Got Honours Degree in Fine Art and then as all art students do, joined a band and eventually landed in the line-up of legendary* metal band DAM, signed to German label Noise International and off we go! Made one album (Human Wreckage), videos, toured a lot etc. Highlights - played Hammersmith Apollo (gig was released on video called '3-way Thrash') and lots of other great music venues - the old Marquee many times, the Astoria, Glasgow Mayfair etc etc; toured in Ireland at the height of the troubles; we were recording in Berlin in 1989 the day the wall came down and played a gig the next day, literally making us the first rock band to play in re-unified Germany! How cool is that? An interesting if pointless footnote to history.

Packed it in when I got bored (and skint) and went to live in Somerset , playing in my own band Red House which eventually morphed into a full Zeppelin tribute. When that band finished (and it will take a considerable amount of bribery for me to tell that story, as well as someone guaranteeing my legal fees) I made a solo CD, the enigmatic** 'Noise Generation Company', met Cat (thereby proving at least some of the opening paragraph is true) and went off to Wales to live in a remote farmhouse in the mountains.

Played as a jazz duo with Cat (great singer) for a few years, then made second solo CD, the mysterious*** 'Late Night Guitar' before finally landing in London in July 2006, day job running arts projects, festivals and events for the council. Joined the Pigs a whole WEEK later and haven't looked forward since.

• *i.e. no-one remembers them
• ** i.e. no-one's ever heard it
• *** i.e. no-one's ever even seen it

INFLUENCES; For rock - Jeff Beck, Richie Blackmore, Vivian Campbell when he was in Dio, the usual suspects really. I've always tried not to copy and to develop my own style instead. I don't do any whammy arm stuff or two-handed tapping. I mean, Steve Vai - who cares anymore? Really?

For Jazz - Joe Pass and my Uncle Geoff

GEAR; A couple of Strats and a really unusual spec Kramer - hardtail thru-neck with quadrails. I'll also be nicking Cat's Les Paul Special at some point. Marshall and Laney amps, a wah pedal and that's it. It's all in the fingers anyway. Oh yeah and I've got a Dobro for slide which I'm going to sneak on with the Pigs any time soon.

For jazz I use an Ibanez archtop and a guitar custom-built by Dave Gregory in York . The man's a genius and if the Pigs ever let me do a short jazz set to open up, you'll see it.

FAVE COLOUR; none-more black

FAVE FOOD; anything that doesn't begin with 'Mac'

FAVE POP STAR; none - they're all bastards

LEAST FAVOURITE MOVIE; Lord of the Rings. Honestly. I mean, they just completely missed the point of the books, didn't they? I know it's only me that thinks this. and while I'm on the subject, Harry Potter is a complete load of crap too. And anything by Disney.

FAVE CHICK; Redhead, blue eyes, legs, intelligent, talented.

FAVOURITE WORD; absolutely

DRUG OF CHOICE; vodka

THINGS I DON'T LIKE; horrible lying politicians, racism, sexism, country & western, Michael Schumacher, mobile phones, the Arts Council, my ex-wife and her entire unbearable family, golf, Little Britain, local bands who think they're something they're not, soap operas, Celine Dion, Sting, celery, bad food, Britney Spears.

THINGS I LIKE; Cat, music (apart from County & Western), guitars, Shakespeare, Monty Python, contemporary dance, Greece, beaches, sunshine, Jack Vettriano's paintings, Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall, Eddie Izzard, film noir, cooking, expensive restaurants, Formula 1, Oreganza perfume (especially on Cat), leather (see previous), playing in Boyld Pig.