From Pittsboro, NC, Mark Holland leads the group Mark Holland's Rhythm Force. Simply put, they are a dance band.
A former member of '90's major-label act Jennanykind and founder of alt-indie Jule Brown, his deep, heavy, rhythmic sound and style has blossomed and is reminiscent of early jazz and blues masters, but also has elements of country, R&B, Gospel, funk, soul, afrobeat and world music and is updated for today's contemporary, independent rock and jam scene. From the first note the polyrhythmic music gets the crowd moving and the hours-long rhythm takes the audience back and forth through time. He is best known as a drummer, but leads this group from many different instruments: keyboards, guitar, percussion, vocals, harmonica and a return to the drum kit for the first time in 10 years. The groove is set by a veteran band that can number 4 to 8 members at times. They are also known to call percussionist out from the crowd as the dancing goes all night. After breaking into the music business in the early '90's as a drummer and member of Jennyanykind (a rock act on major-label Elektra, see them here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHrtSRQbCAA&feature=rec-H
M-fresh+div), Mark has refined his act over 16 years of performing and recording, and the Rhythm Force shows it. He has supported such acts as Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Southern Culture on the Skids, Paul Thorn, Flaming Lips, Afghan Whigs, Howard Jones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Toby Keith, Shooter Jennings, Trace Adkins, Jimbo Mathus, Luna, Fastball and many others.
------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------
WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE STORY OF THE 1995 RELEASE OF THE JULE BROWN DEBUT, "THE LEGENDARY MAGIC OF JULE BROWN", AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL REVIEWS FROM BILLBOARD AND NEW YORK TIMES:Scandal immediately followed the now infamous press release for Jule Brown's first album, The Legendary Magic, released in 1995. Presented as a backwoods NC savant, and due to the authenticity of his sound, the press bit hard. Chris Morris from Billboard listed the album in his top 5 upon release. But a price was to be paid: freaking-out, as it were, about the repercussions, someone at Elektra (which Jennyanykind was still signed to) tipped Morris off to the ruse and thus Legendary gained legendary status. More of the story is told by Terry Tolkin, the label owner and also Elektra A&R man:
"... actually, Wayne (Flaming Lips' frontman) and Scott (their Manager) were always on the No.6 "promo" list. They know who you are. They both brought up the (now infamous) press release. Wayne had totally fallen for it at the time and when he found out about the spin, oh , I don't know if I ever told you this story before, stop me if I did. I was in Minneapolis for a Whigs opening for the Lips show when I told him about it. Someone at Elektra had already broken down and voluntarily told Morris that it was "fabricated". They did that BEFORE anyone knew the truth. As soon as they saw the review they called him and spilled the beans. Anyway, I had told the Lips and Whigs backstage before the show. Unbeknownst (is that a word? well it is one now...) to me, when each band took the stage they introduced themselves as "Jule Brown". "
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
"Jilted lovers everywhere might consider the example of Jule Brown, who parlays heartbreak into 12 spectral songs."
New York Times - Jon Pareles
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Billboard's Editors and Writers pick Their Top Ten records:
5 Jule Brown: Mutant country necromancy recorded solo by North Carolina savant.
-Chris Morris
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
"Country blues so sinister it could scare the guy who scared Robert Johnson." Indy Week - Rick Cornell
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
"Jule Brown is the real roots deal."
Harp Magazine - Brian Baker
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
---
THE LATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! logged 4/2/09:
We recorded a live show in Feb in NY and are releasing it as our first. Tentatively titled "On the Rhodes". Available starting May 2009.Later,Mark---------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
--
------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
BOOKING: message here, or
[email protected].
Mark Holland's Rhythm Force is available for booking for all events, public and private.
------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------Discography: With Jennyanykind: Etc.... (1993) No. 6, Blues of the Afflicted (1994) No. 6, Mythic (1995) No. 6, Revelater (1996) Elektra, Big Johns (1998) Yep Roc, I Need You (1999) Yep Roc, Money? Can't Buy Mojo (2000) Big Johns, Peas and Collards (2003) Morisen; as Jule Brown: The Legendary Magic of...(1995) No. 6, Occurrence at Jule Brown Bridge (1997) No. 6, Smoke and Mirrors (2006) Enabler, Soldier in the 9th (2007) Enabler, Surreal Folk Blues (2008), Dualtone Music Group.
