Mark's musical adventures - summary ( by Bill Direen ).
In the very early days (1981) Mark played drums in Pink Noise (a mainly punk covers band with a few originals ) with Peter Jefferies : Vocal ,- Graeme Jefferies: Guitar,- Damian Saunders: Guitar and Peter Green: Bass. They played live in NewPlymouth,mainly hall & pub Gigs , playing songs by Public Image Ltd, The Skids, The Ramones, Johnathan Richman etc. In 1984 he joined Peter and Graeme Jefferies in ''This Kind of Punishment'' in Auckland to play drums, though his part in that fine group didn't last because of chronic health troubles. In 1986 Mark made his first recordings at The Lab Studio in Auckland. This yielded the 7" Poetical License (songs: Footprints b/w Room 101: with Keri Ansley : Voice on Footprints and Andrew Leckie Bass on Room 101). Room 101 got to No:5 on the BFM indie Chart in 1986. Mark writes, "Brian Wafer at 'Imahit Records' in NewPlymouth sent copies of the 7'' to Germany,- the U.K and U.S.A for us."
Other work to follow included: The Glass Bead Game' (e.p.)1987. The Urchins : Live Cassette: Pukekura Park NewPlymouth: Outdoor Concert: with Brendan Conlin: Guitar ,-Vocs,- Chris Croad: Bass Guitar: Mark on Drumkit, 1988.
Feet like Fins: Le Mystere 1991. Wellington playing originals by Mark: Keri Ansley: Voice,- Hillary Urwin: Voice,- Nick Christie: Bass Guitar: Roger Hughes: Drums and me on Guitar. The second Feet like Fins release, While you were Sleeping, happened in1992. For the Feet Like Fins and Attic Stair material to follow 1993 Mark had help from his then-wife Kathleen Airlie on vocals; with Nick Christie Bass and Gary Wilby on Cello. They played occasionally in Wellington, and this is about the time I saw Mark about town and sometimes Kathleen, as they were near-neighbours. Kathleen wrote the odd song and co-wrote with Mark on occassion. Releases: Attic Stair: Mosaic, 1993, A House With Unseen Guests, 1995.
In 1995 Mark decided to shoulder the load himself, and became a solo recording musician playing drums, bass guitar, elec 6string guitars and piano, acoustic guitar and synth +voice. This brought about Man In A DogSuit (1995), Anxious Frieda (1996) and later Mark Airlie & Attic Stair: 'Face Down At The Apartment, 1999 (Kiwi-Pacific Records), and finally Peril Not A Pearl (2004, Powertool Records).
So by 2004 Mark was beginning to be listened to out of New Zealand again, and some of you will know the recent history. Peril not a Pearl was released as Axecalibre by Smashed Records:(Queensland), and the track Goof off that was used as part of a Smashed Compilation: MMV Smashed. Two tracks off Peril/Pearl (Grappling Iron & Tarquin The Portmeister) featured on compilations by Sexy Killer Records (Florida, U.S.A). Marbled saw the light in 2005, finding some sympathetic ears in Germany and now Let The Seasons Fall should continue to make friends all over the place!
