Mark Wirtz

About

Mark Philipp Wirtz, born in Strasbourg on 3rd September 1943, was a multi talented record producer, arranger,. composer, singer, songwriter, musician, author, artist and comedian.

Mark moved to the UK in 1962, and began his music career while studying art at London's Fairfield College of Arts and Sciences. A former flatmate of Mark's from that period once described the already visible genius of Mark by saying "he could paint original work in the style of any of the grand masters, and he could pick out any tune on the piano by ear" and also described Mark's "zany sense of humour – he idolized the comedian Jerry Lewis."

While studying drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1963 his band of that time, The Beatcrackers, were signed to EMI by Norman Newell under the new name Mark Roger's and the Marksmen (the first of many pseudonyms Mark would go on to use throughout his career) and released the single 'Bubble Pop'.

Between 1965 and 1967 Mark formed his own production company, and worked with Marlene Dietrich, as well as releasing a variety of other musical works, mostly instrumental, sometimes with non lyrical vocals - a style of vocals sometimes known as 'mouth music', 'vocalisation' or 'scat singing' - (often by The Ladybirds) and often under various pseudonyms or variations on his name. In 1966, he wrote and produced the 'Mood Mosaic' single 'A Touch of Velvet, A Sting of Brass' an amazing - mostly instrumental and orchestral - work fusing rock style guitar elements with brass and strings complete with vocal elements by the Ladybirds as described above, which became a popular theme tune on pirate radio stations.

In 1967, Mark accepted Norrie Paramor's offer to join EMI Records as an in-house producer. Working at what eventually became known as Abbey Road Studios alongside George Martin and during the peak period of the Beatles and Pink Floyd, often alongside the legendary engineer Geoff Emerick, Mark wrote and produced classic works by artists such as Keith West, Tomorrow, Kippington Lodge and Caroline Munro (on two recordings that feature the full Cream line up of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, plus Steve Howe).

During this time Mark's 'Excerpt from A Teenage Opera' (also known as 'Grocer Jack'), recorded with vocals by Keith West, achieved both worldwide success and legendary status, and the never completed rock opera from which this track and two others - 'He's Our Dear Old Weatherman' and 'Sam' - became in many ways as legendary as the 'Smile' project by Brian Wilson (which in itself was never completed until 2004 when Brian revisited it).

Though never completed or released as an entire work, the idea of a rock opera initiated by Mark Wirtz became influential with Sir Paul McCartney of The Beatles and Pete Townsend of The Who both expressing in later interviews that those recordings associated with the Teenage Opera became highly influential on The Beatles Abbey Road album, McCartney's Ram album and The Who's occasional forays into Rock Opera territory. It is likely no accident that Pink Floyd also later went on to complete similar projects, since Mark was a friend of Syd Barrett and other member of Pink Floyd during the period in which these works were recorded.

In 1969 Mark recorded the classic Philwit & Pegasus album, a feature film in music, writing with Maria Feltham and with vocals by John Carter (Flower Pot Men), Chas Mills, Peter Lee Sterling and Roger Greenway.

During this period Mark left EMI to return to independent production projects. He completed works with artists such as Samantha Jone and Kris Ife, issuing material through Larry Page's Penny Farthing label and Les Reed's Chapter One label among others.

Among these works was the classic 1970 album 'Bubble Gum A Go Go' issued by the band The Matchmakers on Chapter One records, which was formed around, and by, Mark Wirtz, alongside Chas Mills, Rudi Lindt, Miki Antony and others. Many of the songs were written by Mark, albeit in some cases under his occasional pseudonym of 'Bigsby', alongside Rudi Lindt, Chas Mills, Miki Antony and Petra Hold (a pseudonym for Maria Feltham). Several of the songs issued as The Matchmakers had previously been issued under different names, such as Cellophane Mop or Astronaut Alan & The Planets.

In 1970, Mark relocated to Los Angeles at the invitation of Denny Cordell to work at Hollywood's Shelter Records. In 1973, Mark signed with Capitol Records where he recorded two albums, Balloon and Hothouse Smiles as Marc Wirtz.

Mark was reluctant to tour, or to perform live, which Capitol were unhappy about, and so Mark parted ways with Capitol and signed instead with Tom Cataliano and the TomCat label, although sadly the label itself folded only a few weeks after the release of Mark's 'We Could Have Laughed Forever'.

At this point Mark had become a parent and felt the need for a less haphazard career path, so - going under another pseudonym, this time as Marc Peters - Mark became a freelance session arranger/conductor/producer working on a wide array of musical projects from many genres including Pop, R&B and Country Music, with artists such as Helen Reddy, Anthony Newley, Dean Martin, Leon Russell, Kim Carnes and Vicky Leandros

In 1979, while mid way through recording a new solo album, to be called Lost Pets, for Interworld Music/CBS Records, which featured Richard Bennett and John Beland on Guitar, Denny Seiwell (formerly of Wings) on Drums and David Hungate on Bass among others, Mark made the decision to halt proceedings to concentrate on his family which in turn led to Mark effectively leaving the music world completely for around 20 years, during which time Mark worked in a variety of capacities as a telemarketer. a waiter, voice over artist, seminar leader and a sales manager.

Mark took up acting lessons during this period, also studying improvisational skills at Hollywood's Groundlings Improv Theatre, beginning to work on his lifelong ambition to become a stand up comedian, which led to performances at The Comedy Store and The Improv in Hollywood, while also pursuing a career as a novelist.

In 1996 Mark moved to Savannah in Georgia and began to write award winning articles for magazines as a columnist and critic, including critiques for food and drama reviews and articles, and published his first novels called 'Love Is Eggshaped' and 'Sisyphus Rocks' while also successfully selling paintings at a Savannah Art Gallery.

During the late 90s and early 2000s onward, a resurgence of interest in many of the works Mark had been involved in - throughout the 1960s particularly - commenced, in part due to the reissuing of many of these works. Among these reissues was the release by RPM Records of what was purported to be the full 'Teenage Opera' album on CD. Mark was very vocal in his assertions and desire for clarity that this was misleading in that many of the works included on this CD release were not in any way related to the proposed and intended 'Teenage Opera' album and that this release was in truth a compilation of disparate works that Mark had been involved in from that period. As a compilation of classic works from the psychedelic era of music, it is in itself a classic album, but the quality of this CD as a compilation should not lead to any misinterpretation of there being any accuracy to the assertion, or implication, of the album itself that it was in any way exemplary of the specific Teenage Opera plans that Mark had.

A number of reissues of works by Mark and those Mark had been involved in led to interest once again in Mark's career and music and in many ways this took Mark by surprise but led directly to Mark commencing work on new musical projects again for the first time in two decades. These included an album Mark produced for the Italian band Les Philippes called 'Philharmonic Philanthropy', Mark's own 'Love Is Eggshaped' album under the name The Mark Wirtz Ear Theatre, Spyderbaby's album 'Glassblower' and Anthony Rivers' album 'Marked Confidential' among others.

Mark also made a return to comedy, working alongside 'Jax Comics' group of working comedians, at the Comedy Zone. touring the Southeast (USA) comedy clubs to develop his unique comedy act, while simultaneously working on new solo albums, 'Lost Pets 2' and the still to this day unreleased album 'Self Licking Ice Cream'.

In 2016 a Theatrical presentation of The Teenage Opera was devised and after a read through at the Lyceum Theatre in London in 2016, the production, with the Youth Music Theatre UK, took place over several days in 2017 premiering on 11th August 2017, at the South Hill Park Arts centre in Bracknell UK. This show was, on 13th August 2017, live streamed on YouTube and the complete show remains available on YouTube to watch. A link can be found on the Links page of this website.

By this time Mark had started to become unwell, and sadly passed away on 7th August 2020 from the condition Picks Disease. Mark left a musical legacy and catalogue of songs and musical works that represent some of the greatest music created. The influence Mark's 60s output particularly had on other artists and the public's unconscious consciousness may not have received the same level of attention in the media as some of Mark's luminaries but it should not be underestimated or ignored, and Mark's place in the history of music and rock is secure.