Marcus Blake

Marcus Blake
Origin United States
Genres Rock, blues
Years active 1993 – current
Labels Alone Records
Associated acts Mother Superior
Rollins Band
Daniel Lanois
Sparks
Pearl

Marcus Blake is an American, Los Angeles based, musician and songwriter. He is primarily a bass guitarist but also sings lead and backing vocals and plays guitar. Blake has written, played, recorded and toured with numerous bands and artists and musical luminaries since 1993, including: Rollins Band, Daniel Lanois, Sparks, Pearl, Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper, Tony Visconti, Wayne Kramer and George Clinton. Blake is currently working on his first solo album and recently contributed his solo song "Don't Taser Me, Bro!" to the "Occupy This Album" compilation. Blake is also a music journalist having interviewed top record producers and being published in Spain's Popular 1 Magazine and "Blurt" magazine (see Blurt interview of Daniel Lanois and Blurt interview of Mark Optiz).

History

Blake founded the trio Mother Superior with vocalist/guitarist Jim Wilson and drummer Jason Mackenroth (replaced by Matt Tecu around 2005). They recorded 10 studio albums and numerous singles and compilations from 1993 to 2008. Producers of their albums include legends Henry Rollins, Daniel Lanois, Wayne Kramer and Tony Visconti. Mother Superior has toured all over the world establishing big followings in the United States, Europe (especially Spain), the U.K. and Japan. Their music has been used in numerous films and television shows including "Dancing at the Blue Iguana", "National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off", "Supernatural" and "True Hollywood Story".

Mother Superior simultaneously became the Rollins Band from 1999 to 2003. The new Rollins Band recorded two studio albums plus several live albums and internet only compilations and toured the world over numerous times. Their final project and subsequent tour was a benefit for the West Memphis Three featuring 24 Black Flag songs as covered by Rollins Band with numerous guest vocalists, including: Chuck D. of Public Enemy, Keith Morris of Black Flag and The Circle Jerks, Iggy Pop, Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Exene Cervenka of X, Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age, Hank Williams III, Dean Ween of Ween, Casey Chaos of Amen, Mike Patton, Ice-T, Tom Araya of Slayer, Lemmy of Motörhead and Chuck Dukowski of Black Flag.

Blake has played bass and performed background vocals for Grammy winning producer and artist Daniel Lanois (Bob Dylan, U2, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young) on numerous tours and recordings off and on since 2003. Also with Lanois he has appeared in Lanois' film "Here Is What Is" and on its soundtrack, played bass on Lanois' score for the Pixies documentary film "loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies" and done live shows with Emmylou Harris at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Montreal Jazz Festival and in Nashville.

Blake has played bass and rhythm guitars and performed background vocals for legendary Los Angeles band Sparks on numerous tours, records and television and radio performances beginning in 2008. Blake participated in Sparks' unprecedented 21 albums in 21 nights concert series in London and recorded with them on their latest critically acclaimed album "The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman". Blake, with Sparks, recently did a live performance of "Seduction" as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival and they can be heard weekly on the theme song for KCRW's "Bookworm" show.

Blake has played bass and performed background vocals for Pearl, daughter of music icon Meat Loaf. Blake co-wrote and played on Pearl's debut album "Little Immaculate White Fox" (as well as on Pearl Aday's previous album under the name Mother Pearl), produced by Joe Barresi (Kyuss, Melvins, Tool). Blake has toured with Pearl alongside thrash metal icon Scott Ian from Anthrax on their own and opening for Meat Loaf in the U.S. and the U.K. Blake, with Pearl, also opened for legendary band Heart at a sold out show in Los Angeles' Gibson Amphitheater on September 18, 2010. Meat Loaf covered Mother Superior's song "Whore" (co-written by Blake) on his 2006 single for "It's All Coming Back To Me Now".

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