Mark Blake (writer)

Last updated

Mark Blake is a British music journalist and author. His work has been published since 1989 in The Times and The Daily Telegraph , and the music magazines Q , Mojo , Classic Rock , Music Week and Prog .

Contents

Career

Blake is the author of Us And Them: The Authorised Story Of Hipgnosis, published by Nine Eight Books in February 2023, Magnifico! The A–Z Of Queen, published by Nine Eight Books in November 2021, and Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, The Story Of Rock's Greatest Manager published by Little Brown/Da Capo in the UK and US in 2018, and voted a Music Book Of The Year in The Sunday Times , The Times , Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph .

His previous books include the best-selling 2007 music biography, Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd , [1] published by Aurum Press (available under the title Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd in the United States); Stone Me: The Wit & Wisdom Of Keith Richards, [2] (Aurum Press, 2008); Is This The Real Life: The Untold Story of Queen (Aurum Press, 2010), Pretend You're in a War: The Who and The Sixties, published by Aurum Press in September 2014,

Blake is a former Assistant Editor of Q , and previously edited the books Dylan: Visions, Portraits and Back Pages and Punk: The Whole Story" (Dorling Kindersley, 2004 & 2005). He has also contributed to official projects for Pink Floyd, including Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, The Who, Queen and the Jimi Hendrix estate. He is represented by Matthew Hamilton at The Hamilton Agency.

Bibliography

Books

Articles

Album reviews

Album titleArtistReviewed in
The endless riverPink FloydBlake, Mark (December 2014). "[Untitled review]". Mojo . Vol. 253, no. 6. p. 88.

Book reviews

DateReview articleWork(s) reviewed
2014Blake, Mark (December 2014). "Bryte young thing". Books. Mojo . Vol. 253, no. 6. pp. 118–119.Drake, Nick (2014). Gabrielle Drake (ed.). Nick Drake: remembered for a while. John Murray.

Related Research Articles

<i>Animals</i> (Pink Floyd album) 1977 studio album by Pink Floyd

Animals is the tenth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 21 January 1977 through Harvest Records and Columbia Records. It was self-produced at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row Studios in London throughout 1976. The album continued the long-form compositions that made up such previous works as Meddle (1971) and Wish You Were Here (1975).

<i>Obscured by Clouds</i> 1972 soundtrack album by the English rock band Pink Floyd

Obscured by Clouds is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 2 June 1972 by Harvest and Capitol Records. It serves as the soundtrack for the French film La Vallée, by Barbet Schroeder. It was recorded in two sessions in France, while Pink Floyd were in the midst of touring, and produced by the band.

"Echoes" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, and the sixth and last track on their 1971 album Meddle. It is 23+12 minutes long and takes up the entire second side of the original LP. The track evolved from a variety of different musical themes and ideas, including instrumental passages and studio effects, resulting in the side-long piece. The music, credited to all the band, was mainly written by Richard Wright and David Gilmour, while Roger Waters' lyrics addressed themes of human communication and empathy, which he returned to in later work.

<i>More</i> (soundtrack) 1969 studio album / Soundtrack album by Pink Floyd

More is the third studio album and first soundtrack album by English rock band Pink Floyd. It was released on 13 June 1969 in the United Kingdom by EMI Columbia and on 9 August 1969 in the United States by Tower Records. The soundtrack is for the film of the same name, which was primarily filmed on location on Ibiza and was the directorial debut of Barbet Schroeder. It was the band's first album without former leader Syd Barrett.

Rado Robert Garcia Klose is an English musician, photographer and printmaker. Between 1964 and July 1965, he was the lead guitarist of the rock band the Tea Set, an early incarnation of Pink Floyd. Although he recorded a few songs with that band, he left before their transformation into Pink Floyd. However, on the band's official Facebook page, he has been repeatedly mentioned when discussing the band and their tenure as the Tea Set.

"The Great Gig in the Sky" is the fifth track on The Dark Side of the Moon, a 1973 album by English rock band Pink Floyd. The song features music by keyboard player Richard Wright and improvised, wordless vocals by session singer Clare Torry. It is one of only three Pink Floyd songs to feature vocals from an outside artist. The Great Gig in the Sky was released as a digital single in February 2023 to promote The Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary box set.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Have a Cigar</span> 1975 single by Pink Floyd featuring Roy Harper

"Have a Cigar" is the third track on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It follows "Welcome to the Machine" and on the original LP opened side two. In some markets, the song was issued as a single. English folk-rock singer Roy Harper provided lead vocals on the song. It is one of only three Pink Floyd recordings with a guest singer on lead vocals, the others being "The Great Gig in the Sky" (1973) with Clare Torry and "Hey Hey Rise Up" (2022) with Andriy Khlyvnyuk. The song, written by Waters, is his critique of the rampant greed and cynicism so prevalent in the management of rock groups of that era.

"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is a track written and performed by Roger Waters from the 1969 Pink Floyd double album, Ummagumma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pigs (Three Different Ones)</span> 1977 promotional single by Pink Floyd

"Pigs (Three Different Ones)" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1977 album Animals. In the album's three parts, "Dogs", "Pigs" and "Sheep", pigs represent the people whom Roger Waters considers to be at the top of the social ladder, the ones with wealth and power; they also manipulate the rest of society and encourage them to be viciously competitive and cut-throat, so the pigs can remain powerful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">See Emily Play</span> 1967 song by Pink Floyd

"See Emily Play" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released as their second single on 16 June 1967 on the Columbia label. Written by original frontman Syd Barrett, it was released as a non-album single, but appeared as the opening track of Pink Floyd, the US edition of the band's debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).

<i>Mojo</i> (magazine) British monthly music magazine

Mojo is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title that would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music. The magazine was designed to appeal to the 30 to 45-plus age group, or the baby boomer generation. Mojo was first published on 15 October 1993. In keeping with its classic rock aesthetic, the first issue had Bob Dylan and John Lennon as its first cover stars. Noted for its in-depth coverage of both popular and cult acts, it acted as the inspiration for Blender and Uncut. Many noted music critics have written for it, including Charles Shaar Murray, Greil Marcus, Nick Kent, David Fricke, Jon Savage and Mick Wall. The launch editor of Mojo was Paul Du Noyer and his successors have included Mat Snow, Paul Trynka, Pat Gilbert and Phil Alexander. The current editor is John Mulvey.

"Grantchester Meadows" is the second track from the studio disc of the Pink Floyd album Ummagumma.

Denis O'Regan is an English photographer. His imagery is particularly associated with the punk movement, Queen, David Bowie, and Duran Duran, and O'Regan has photographed everyone from AC/DC to ZZ Top, documenting Punk, New Romanticism, Grunge, and Heavy Metal along the way. O'Regan has undertaken many European, US, and World tours, worked as official photographer at Live Aid and the Concert For Diana, and travelled as official photographer to David Bowie, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, Kiss, Europe, Neil Diamond, Bee Gees, Pink Floyd and Thin Lizzy. His work has been widely published and exhibited. He has photographed David Bowie and Duran Duran more than any other photographer, covering over 200 concerts around the world by the former. In 2021, O'Regan was appointed as the first ever Artist In Residence at London's Royal Albert Hall.

"Signs of Life" is the opening track on A Momentary Lapse of Reason, the first Pink Floyd album headed by David Gilmour, in the absence of ex-member Roger Waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink Floyd</span> English rock band

Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows. They became a leading band of the progressive rock genre, cited by some as the greatest progressive rock band of all time.

Genesis Publications Limited is a British publishing company founded in 1974 by Brian Roylance, a former student of the London College of Printing. His aim was to create a company in the traditions of the private press, true to the arts of printing and book binding. Headed today by his son and daughter, Nick and Catherine Roylance, Genesis Publications produces signed, limited edition books that are created in close collaboration with authors and artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Side of the Moon Tour</span> 1972–1973 concert tour by Pink Floyd

The Dark Side of the Moon Tour was a concert tour by English rock band Pink Floyd in 1972 and 1973 in support of their album The Dark Side of the Moon, covering the UK, US, Europe and Japan. There were two separate legs promoting the album, one in 1972 before the album's release and another in 1973 afterwards, together covering 128 shows.

<i>A Clockwork Orange</i> (soundtrack) 1972 soundtrack album by Wendy Carlos

Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is a soundtrack album released in 1972 by Warner Bros. Records, featuring music from Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. It includes pieces of classical music and electronic music by American composer and musician Wendy Carlos, whom Kubrick hired to write the film's original score. Music that Carlos recorded for the film that remained unreleased, including complete tracks, was released three months later on her album Walter Carlos' Clockwork Orange.

Carlena Williams was an American vocalist. Early in her career, she recorded under her name, Flora Williams, as an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. In the 1960s she released a few singles as Carlena Weaver. She later toured with rock group Pink Floyd as a backing vocalist. Williams sang with various artists, including The Carpenters, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Etta James, David Gilmour, and Humble Pie. Williams was a member of Sunshine, Donna Summer's backing vocal group in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blackberries</span> American female vocal trio

The Blackberries was an American female vocal trio formed in the 1970s. They were a backing vocal group for various musicians, as well as songwriters. They performed with various acts, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Humble Pie, Ringo Starr, and Pink Floyd. The Blackberries recorded for Motown's West Coast subsidiary Mowest and A&M Records.

References

  1. "La musique aussi se lit". Metro France (in French). 11 December 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  2. "Keith Richards inspires rival tribute books". 3 News. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2010.