Mark Mallman

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Mark Mallman

Mark Mallman (b. July 20, 1973, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a Minnesota musician.

1 Education
2 Musical career
- 2.1 Marathon
- 2.2 Alter ego
3 Recognition
4 Discography
5 External links

[edit] Education

Mark Mallman studied jazz piano at The Milwaukee Conservatory of Music then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1991. In 1995, at age 21, Mallman earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Minneapolis College of Art and Design where he studied painting and performance art. Following a near death experience in a Seattle, Washington motorcycle accident, Mallman abandoned the visual arts to focus on songwriting.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Musical career

Mallman riding his keyboard during a performance at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN

His CD, "The Tourist" was released in 1998. A follow up "How I Lost My Life And Lived To Tell About It" was released in 2000. A clinical diagnosis with Dysthymic Disorder prohibited any form of long term touring, and he stayed in Minneapolis building a cult following of glam loving fans. Among his nicknames - "Mr. Serious," "Mallkill," and "The Fastest Piano in the Midwest."

His first musical marathon put the national spotlight on him. 2002 found Mallman's "The Red Bedroom" album to be released on Minneapolis indie punk label Guilt Ridden Pop. He took a short break after its release to focus on his mental health. A year later, the depression that once kept him homebound had cleared enough for him to start playing on the road.

Mallman signed with Badman Recording Company in 2003. In 2004, his first national release Mr. Serious was praised by critics, but largely ignored by the majority of American and European media. All Music Guide called him "criminally underappreciated."

Mallman has toured across America opening for Guided by Voices, Cat Power, Donovan, Tegan and Sara, Ozomatli, Everlast, Eagles of Death Metal, Exene Cervenka, Howie Day, Cracker, Beth Orton, Linda Ronstadt, and many others. Along with numerous tours of the United States, Mallman completed his first extensive tour of the United Kingdom with friend and mentor Chuck Prophet in spring of 2005.

That summer he would begin writing what critics would soon call "the essential Mallman record"^{[citation needed]} — Between the Devil and Middle C. It would be his most extensive songwriting session in 10 years — a 9-month session where Mark wrote "enough material for 3 albums." The final product was recorded in Minneapolis and Louisville, KY, and released in the US on September 5, 2006.

[edit] Marathon

Mallman is well-known for his shows Marathon 1 and Marathon 2. Marathon 1 was the nonstop 26.2-hour performance of a single song in 1999 at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. Marathon 2 was the nonstop 52.4-hour performance of a single song, double the length of Marathon 1, reportedly comprising more than 600 pages of lyrics. It started on September 4, 2004, at the Turf Club and ended at 10:24 p.m. CST September 6.

Marathon 2 was considered for the Guinness Book of Records longest pop song. However, the record was denied, citing the subjective nature of judging what a song is.