Mark Spybey

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Mark Spybey
Background information
Birth name	Mark Spybey
Born	1961
Origin	Marske-by-the-Sea, Yorkshire, UK
Genre(s)	Ambient industrial, Experimental
Occupation(s)	Vocalist, percussionist
Years active	1985 - present
Label(s)	Invisible Hynotic Kranky Hushush Nettwerk Subconscious Communications Soleilmoon
Associated acts	Dead Voices On Air Zoviet*France Spasm Propeller Download
Website	Subconscious Studios

Mark Spybey (b. 1961) is most known for being a member of Zoviet France, as well as the founding member of Dead Voices On Air.

Mark Spybey was born in Marske-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire, a small town in the north of England. He lived there until the age of two, and moved to the neighbouring town of Redcar. At the age of eleven, his father passed away. Like most teenagers, Mark got into non-commercialized music and left-wing politics, when, at age 16, he discovered punk rock and discovered the spirit of rebellion.

He began to feel his life lacked direction as he became older. On the insistence of a career specialist, he got into the field of occupational therapy. Spybey traveled to Newcastle (40 miles from Redcar) in 1980, and finished the course in 1983. After completing the course, he then went on to live in a small railway town called Darlington for nine years. In 1992, he emigrated to Vancouver, Canada and continued to work on his music.

Contents 1 Zoviet*France 2 Personal life 3 Discography 4 Joint collaborations 5 External links

[edit] Zoviet*France

While living in Darlington, Spybey became very active in the animal-rights movement, working for the Hunt Saboteurs Association. It was there that he ran into Ben Ponton, a local resident and member of ambient industrial group Zoviet*France. Ponton remarked that his band was looking for a third member, which was open to Spybey if he considered it. He continued working for the Hunt Saboteurs, until the summer of 1987 when he and Ben got together to hear more of Zoviet France's music. Ben invited Mark to a meeting with Robin Storey, fellow Zoviet France member, and made music together. Mark was given a three-month conditional offer of joining the band, which he passed. They recorded together sporadically throughout the fall of 1987 for their release, Loh Land.

While recording, the group took up odd jobs. Mark gained employment through a local hospital, which allowed the group to undertake large visual art exhibitions and public art events. Though these exhibitions were showcases onto itself, the band had yet to play a proper, formal live show. They got the opportunity in a small pub in Newcastle called The Strawberry. Reviews were favorable, and the group continued performing live shows throughout the 90's.

Zoviet France went on to release six albums after Spybey joined the fold, though only two would feature his musical contributions (Loh Land and Look Into Me). His last show with the group (at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, December, 1988) resulted in a disastrous set, plagued with feedback and multiple technical difficulties. He left the group in January, 1999. In 2005, Mark would later go on to begin a new chapter in the Zoviet*France books, with his project The Reformed Faction Of Soviet-France (now known as Reformed Faction). The group features Spybey, as well as two former members (Robin Storey and Andy Eardley). The remaining five past (and present) members of Zoviet*France are not involved.

[edit] Personal life

Mark currently resides in his origin of birth, northeast England, with his wife Elaine (whom he married in 1986).

[edit] Discography

• Dead Voices on Air - Abrader (1993)
• Dead Voices on Air - Hafted Maul (1994)
• Dead Voices on Air - New Words Machine (1995)
• Propeller - Rame (1995)
• Download - Furnace (1995)
• Download - Microscopic (1996)
• Download - The Eyes of Stanley Pain (1996)
• Download - Sidewinder (1996)
• Spasm - Spasm (1996)
• Dead Voices on Air - Shap (1996)
• Dead Voices on Air - How Hollow Heart (1996)
• Spasm - Smear (1997)
• Propeller - Oro (1997)
• Dead Voices on Air vs. Not Breathing - A Fire In the Bronx Zoo (1998)
• Dead Voices on Air - Piss Frond (1998)
• Dead Voices on Air - Frankie Pett Presents: The Happy Submarines Playing the Music Of (2000)
• Dead Voices on Air - Live (2001)
• Dead Voices on Air - From Labrador to Madagascar (2007)

[edit] Joint collaborations

• Spybey:Theriault - Spybey:Theriault (1997)
• James Plotkin & Mark Spybey - A Peripheral Blur (1998)
• Ambre & Mark Spybey - Sfumato (2000)
• Mark Spybey & Mick Harris - Bad Roads, Young Drivers (2002)
• Niels van Hoorn & Mark Spybey - De Klaverland Klompen Voetbal Club (2002)

[edit] External links

• Spybey.net, the official Mark Spybey web site.