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Mark Lee Townsend | |
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 Mark Lee Townsend playing an acoustic set at Cornerstone Festival 2007. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mark Lee Townsend |
| Origin | U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, Christian rock |
| Years active | 1986–present |
Mark Lee Townsend is an American multi-instrumentalist and record producer best known as guitarist for the Christian rock band dc Talk and as the long-time producer for Christian rock band Relient K.
Townsend's career started as a member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for the pop and Christian band [1] Bash 'N The Code from 1986 through 1991. He played with dcTalk from 1996 until their hiatus in 2001. In between dcTalk tours, he was a lead guitarist for the Christian artist Jennifer Knapp. At the Cornerstone Festival 2000, he appeared doing an acoustic act where he ended his show with a rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". During his time with dcTalk, he and other members of the band formed the band, Zilch, which would become the band Sonicflood, and made the album "Platinum" for Gotee Records.
After dc Talk went on an extended hiatus, Townsend took to producing. He produced Jennifer Knapp Live in 2006, [2] as well as producing and engineering two full-length albums for the Christian rock band The Wedding. He also produced The O.C. Supertones' 2004 album The Revenge of the Supertones. He has also worked with the Christian rock band Relient K as a producer, working on every album by the group except for Collapsible Lung (2013). Townsend and Relient K have been quoted as being like family, as Relient K guitarist Matt Hoopes was married (now divorced) to Townsend's daughter. [3] [4] Townsend has been a Gibson guitar endorser and was featured in the article below.
A sideman's greatest asset is the chameleon-like ability to adapt to a variety of musical genres as well as imitate the signature sounds of other players. On the other hand, a session player has truly reached the top of the profession when he's in demand to add his own signature sound to a recording or live tour. [5]
In May 2006, Townsend started his own music label called Brave New World Records. He initially signed two Christian Rock artists (The Wedding and Deas Vail) and produced initial recordings for them, but the label seems to have gone into hiatus as the official website has not been updated since 2009. In 2011 he was reportedly producing The Lasting Hope's debut EP Sunsets and Second Chances. [6] Deas Vail has gone on to release new music via Relient K's label Mono vs. Stereo Records. [7]
All Work & No Play is the demo CD released by the Christian rock band Relient K in 1998. It caught the attention of dcTalk's Toby McKeehan, who subsequently signed them to Gotee Records.
Relient K is the debut studio album by American rock band Relient K. Many of the tracks are newer versions of those found on their 1998 demo All Work & No Play. Typical of early Relient K albums, the lyrics use pop culture references for teaching and to illustrate Biblical principles. As of late 2006/early 2007, this album has sold around 400,000 copies.
Mmhmm is the fourth full-length studio album by American rock band Relient K, released on November 2, 2004, by Gotee and Capitol Records. This album includes their breakthrough singles "Be My Escape" and "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" and also earned the group a Canadian Juno Award nomination for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year in 2006. It was certified Gold in 2005 by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000 units in the United States and has sold over 800,000 copies in the US. It won the 2006 Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 37th GMA Dove Awards.
The Vinyl Countdown is the fourth EP by Christian rock band Relient K, released exclusively on a clear red 7" vinyl record on Mono Vs Stereo Records. It was released in 2003, a few months after the band's third full-length album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was released. The Vinyl Countdown was followed a few months later by the band's Christmas CD, Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand, giving the band three releases in one year, and also the second recording on MVS.
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-born American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released eight full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that peaked in the top twenty on the Billboard 200. Outside of his work with Relient K, Thiessen leads a side project called Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, which released its debut album Wind Up Bird on August 31, 2018. In 2009, he co-produced and collaborated on Owl City's album Ocean Eyes.
Matthew "Matt" Ryan Hoopes is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of Relient K. Hoopes has played lead guitar and provided backing vocals for Relient K since 1998 and is one of two constant members of the band, the other being lead vocalist Matt Thiessen.
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, by Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman during their third year in high school and time at Malone University. The band is named after guitarist Hoopes' automobile, a Plymouth Reliant K car, with the spelling intentionally altered to avoid trademark infringement over the Reliant name.
Gotee Records is a record label of Christian hip-hop, based in Franklin, Tennessee in the United States.
John Reuben is an American Christian hip hop artist signed to Gotee Records until late 2010. Reuben has sold over 200,000 copies of his first four albums. He released his sixth album, Sex, Drugs and Self-Control on December 22, 2009. The album was nominated for a Dove Award for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards, while the song "No Be Nah" was nominated for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year.
Ethan John Luck is an American musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist and photographer who has played in several bands, most prominently, the ska band The O.C. Supertones, Demon Hunter, Kings of Leon, Morgan Wade, and pop punk band Relient K. He has played on albums for Kutless, Roper, Nikki Clan and Last Tuesday.
Mono vs Stereo is an independent record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It was founded in 2003 as an imprint of Gotee Records. While Gotee signs mostly rap, hip-hop, and pop-rock artists, Mono vs Stereo leaned more towards indie music.
House of Heroes is an American alternative rock band from Columbus, Ohio. They have released six albums: What You Want Is Now (2003), House of Heroes (2005), The End Is Not the End (2008), Suburba (2010), Cold Hard Want (2012), and Colors (2016). The band also released the album Ten Months (2001) under their original name, No Tagbacks, which had more of a punk sound than their releases as House of Heroes. They also re-released their self-titled record under the name of Say No More (2006). The band was last composed of Tim Skipper, Colin Rigsby, A.J. Babcock, Jared Rigsby, and Eric Newcomer.
Five Score and Seven Years Ago is the fifth studio album by Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. Furthermore, it would serve as drummer Dave Douglas' last album with the band until Air for Free (2016). Future drummer Ethan Luck makes his debut on the track "Deathbed".
Deas Vail was an alternative rock band whose lyrics are influenced by their members' Christian faith. The band's name is a combination of Latin and old French, roughly translated as "humble servant of God." Their eponymous third full-length album earned them slots at Bonnaroo and a headlining performance at CMJ.
Forget and Not Slow Down is the sixth studio album by American rock band Relient K, released on October 6, 2009. It is the band's first album to feature Ethan Luck on drums, replacing longtime drummer Dave Douglas. The album is also the first Relient K album with Mono Vs Stereo and their first on Jive Records. The album was produced by Mark Lee Townsend and mixed by Andy Wallace.
Birds and Cages is the second full-length album by Deas Vail. It was released on January 26, 2010 through Mono vs Stereo. Their previous album, All the Houses Look the Same, was released on the label Brave New World. Brave New World underwent some financial complications and had to un-sign Deas Vail. They were then signed by Mono vs Stereo, and the album was released under the new label.
Farewell Flight is an American rock band that was formed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 2003 by singer songwriter Luke Foley. Currently based in Nashville, TN, Foley is joined by lead guitarist Brian "Rabbit" Campbell, drummer Caleb Allensworth, and bassist Joshua St. Moblo.
Paul Moak is an American producer, engineer, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee.
Deas Vail is the third studio album by the indie rock band Deas Vail, released on October 11, 2011. This was the last record in which original drummer Kelsey Harelson recorded with the band. He played his last show with Deas Vail in Russellville, Arkansas on January 13, 2011. This was also the first album by Deas Vail that Mark Lee Townsend did not produce, and instead was produced by the band and Relient K guitarist Matt Hoopes.
Collapsible Lung is the seventh studio album by American rock band Relient K. To date, it is their only album not to be produced or co-produced by Mark Lee Townsend.
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