About Me
Mark Mulholland is a versatile and original musician and songwriter, whose repertoire spans a wide range of styles and influences, including Celtic folk, country, reggae, blues, jazz and rock. His assured and inventive guitar playing encompasses fingerpicking reminiscent of Scottish guitarist Bert Jansch, fine slide playing and a powerful sense of rhythm, combined with a subtle and distinctive voice which is instantly recognisable. Drawing from an eclectic range of influences, Mark has developed a unique and individual style which is unmistakably his own.Mark Mulholland's finely crafted songs include haunting and emotive works which have been compared to Nick Drake, exuberant celebrations of travel, love, friendship and drink, and entertaining parodies of different musical styles, all delivered with a confidence that commands the attention of audiences everywhere.Born in Glasgow in 1968, Mark has been travelling and making his living from playing music for the last 15 years. He started playing in bands while at university in Edinburgh. After a year studying philosophy in France, Mark left his studies to concentrate solely on music. For a couple of years he toured Europe with the band The Purple Rizla Experience, then settled in Prague in 1992, becoming a key figure in The Oul’ Bogwarriors, a loose configuration boasting many great musicians and songwriters within its ranks. For several years he split his time largely between Prague and Ireland, where he also had a band and a solo career.In 1995, he formed the band Impure Thoughts with a couple of other Prague musicians, spending a year in Ireland writing songs and playing around the country. In 1996 they set off on an open-ended tour taking in 10 European countries. On reaching Berlin, the van died, leaving the band stranded there. Mark and another member decided to stay, and the band recorded two albums, "Life and How to Ignore it", and "Lights Ahead". Mark now plays in the alternative country/acoustic blues band Two Dollar Bash, who have released two albums, "Two Dollar Bash" and "On the Road", and have just finished their third, "Lost River". The band tours extensively around Europe and North America, and has been invited for the second successive year to the prestigious SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Mark also plays regular solo concerts which have built up a dedicated following both in Berlin and around Europe. For many years Mark hosted a weekly session which was one of the main meeting points for musicians in Berlin. Together with a friend he opened an international second-hand bookshop, East of Eden, in the Friedrichshain district of Berlin, which is also a venue for many concerts and readings and is a favourite haunt of musicians, writers and artists. He is also a partner in the Berlin record label Cannery Row Records.
Mark’s album “The Devil on the Stairsâ€, recorded and co-produced by Australian producer Dugald Jayes, has been remastered and will soon be released as a double album, together with a bonus track and a live concert recording from the 12 Bar Club in London, by Troubadour, the new contemporary folk offshoot of UK label EASY ACTION.“A versatile and accomplished songwriter with memorable songs and an impressive voice, who has developed a distinctive yet richly varied style of music.†East Thuringen News“Mulholland's solid, varied and atmospheric guitar playing is most impressive, effortlessly switching between rhythmic and melodic songs, one moment playing with raw power, the next coaxing sounds delicately from the strings. His voice is no less versatile than his playing, one moment ringing out high and clear, the next gravelly, always bringing impact and feeling to his songs, which, although drawn from different genres, always reflect his own distinctive style†Vogtlands AdvertiserOther links:
www.twodollarbash.net
www.canneryrowrecords.com
www.east-of-eden.de
