 |
Mark London (born 30 January 1940) is a Canadian-born British soundtrack composer, songwriter and music producer. He is perhaps best known as composer of the song "To Sir with Love".
| |
Mark London (born 30 January 1940) is a Canadian-born British soundtrack composer, songwriter and music producer. He is perhaps best known as composer of the song "To Sir with Love".
Mark London was born in Montreal, Quebec, and initially worked as a comedian following a move to London. He first achieved prominence in 1967 as the composer of the melody to "To Sir With Love", the title song from James Clavell's movie of the same name, starring Sidney Poitier, Judy Geeson and Lulu. [1] The song, co-written with lyricist Don Black, was recorded by Lulu and released as a single in the US, [2] becoming the Billboard Year-End Top Single for 1967.
Also in 1967, London was the composer, with Mike Leander, of the soundtrack to the movie Privilege , starring Paul Jones. [3] London also acted in the film. [4] The other soundtrack credit during this period was the score for Maximilian Schell's First Love (1970). [5]
London maintained a longstanding association with Lulu, as both a songwriter and producer. With Don Black, London co-wrote "Best of Both Worlds", Lulu's follow-up single to "To Sir With Love", which was also recorded by Scott Walker. [6] London also produced Lulu's 1978 album, Don't Take Love For Granted . London was married Lulu's longtime manager, Marion Massey. London also co-write the soundtrack for seven series of animation films, for children 1 to 6 years old. He also co-wrote the music for Channel One, the first cable news network in the United Kingdom, for five years.
London was also involved with the management and production associated with other bands, in particular Cartoone, in which Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant had a financial interest, [7] and Stone the Crows. With respect to Stone the Crows, London co-managed the band with Grant, who was his best friend, who had also named Stone the Crows. [7] Stone the Crows signed a management contract with Grant and London in 1969. [8] Mark London produced Stone the Crows' eponymous first album, released in 1970, and is credited as a co-writer of "I Saw America", which occupied an entire side of the album. [9] Grant is credited as executive producer. [10] London also produced the three follow-up albums by Stone the Crows, released between 1970 and 1972, [11] [12] [13] with Grant credited as executive producer. [13]
Stone the Crows broke up in 1973, shortly after the accidental onstage electrocution death of guitarist Les Harvey. Mark London and Peter Grant then offered to help lead singer Maggie Bell record a solo album. She subsequently recorded two for Atlantic Records, one produced by Felix Pappalardi and the other produced by Felix Cavaliere. Neither has yet been released. [14] London later participated in Maggie Bell's Suicide Sal album (1975), as a background vocalist. [15] The album was released on Swan Song Records, a record label established by Grant for Led Zeppelin and other acts, and where London was responsible for band security. [7] In 1976, London produced McKendree Spring's Too Young To Feel This Old album. [16]
In the 1980s and 1990s, London continued as a soundtrack composer. He composed the soundtracks to the short Act V (1981), the comedy horror film, Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), the television short Mr. Men, Little Misses (1991) and the television series Junglies (1992). [5]
John Richard Baldwin, better known by his stage name John Paul Jones, is an English musician, composer and record producer who was the bassist and keyboardist for the rock band Led Zeppelin. Prior to forming the band with Jimmy Page in 1968, he was a session musician and arranger. After the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, Led Zeppelin disbanded, and Jones developed a solo career. He has collaborated with musicians across a variety of genres, including the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl and Josh Homme and Alain Johannes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 as a member of Led Zeppelin.
James Patrick Page is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Prolific in creating guitar riffs, Page’s style involves various alternative guitar tunings and melodic solos, coupled with aggressive, distorted guitar tones. It is also characterized by his folk and eastern-influenced acoustic work. He is notable for occasionally playing his guitar with a cello bow to create a droning sound texture to the music.
Adam Fredric Duritz is an American singer, best known as the frontman for the rock band Counting Crows, of which he is a founding member and principal composer. Since its founding in 1991, Counting Crows has sold over 20 million records, released seven studio albums that have been certified gold or platinum, and been nominated for two Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.
Death Wish II: The Original Soundtrack - Music by Jimmy Page is a soundtrack album by Jimmy Page, released by Swan Song Records on 15 February 1982, to accompany the film Death Wish II.
Michael Peter Hayes, known as Mickie Most, was an English record producer behind scores of hit singles for acts such as the Animals, Herman's Hermits, the Nashville Teens, Donovan, Lulu, Suzi Quatro, Hot Chocolate, Arrows, Racey and the Jeff Beck Group, often issued on his own RAK Records label.
Angelo Daniel Badalamenti was an American composer and arranger best known for his work in composing for films. He is best known for his acclaimed collaborations with director David Lynch, notably the scores for Blue Velvet (1986), the Twin Peaks television series, The Straight Story (1999), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
David Allan Stewart is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for Eurythmics, his successful professional partnership with Annie Lennox. Sometimes credited as David A. Stewart, he won Best British Producer at the 1986, 1987 and 1990 Brit Awards. Stewart was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Outside of Eurythmics, Stewart has written and produced songs for artists such as Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Mick Jagger and Tom Petty.
Edwin H. Kramer is a South African-born recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, the Kinks, Kiss, John Mellencamp, and Carlos Santana, as well as records for other well-known artists in various genres.
Kevin Shirley, also known as The Caveman, is a South African–born music producer, engineer and audio mixer for many artists, including Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, Silverchair, Journey, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Joe Bonamassa, Beth Hart, Dream Theater, Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel, Joanne Shaw Taylor, The Springbok Nude Girls, All Night Radio, Steve Louw & Big Sky, HIM, Mr. Big, and Europe.
Donald Blackstone known by pen name Don Black is an English lyricist. His works have included numerous musicals, movie, television themes and hit songs. He has provided lyrics for John Barry, Charles Strouse, Matt Monro, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones, Hoyt Curtin, Lulu, Jule Styne, Henry Mancini, Meat Loaf, Michael Jackson, Elmer Bernstein, Michel Legrand, Hayley Westenra, A. R. Rahman, Marvin Hamlisch and Debbie Wiseman.
Charles Samuel "Chuck" Loeb was an American jazz guitarist and a member of the groups Steps Ahead, Metro and Fourplay.
"Feeling Good" is a song written by English composers Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd. It was first performed on stage in 1964 by Cy Grant on the UK tour.
Margaret Bell is a Scottish rock vocalist. She came to fame as co-lead vocalist of the blues-rock group Stone the Crows, and was described as the UK's closest counterpart to American singer Janis Joplin. Bell was also prominently featured as a guest vocalist on the song "Every Picture Tells a Story" (1971) by Rod Stewart.
Stone the Crows were a Scottish blues rock band formed in Glasgow in late 1969. They are remembered for the onstage electrocution of guitarist and founding member Les Harvey.
Gregory Allen Kurstin is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs that hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" was the fourth and final US Top 40 hit for Lulu.
Don't Take Love for Granted is an album released in late 1978 by Lulu on Elton John's label, The Rocket Record Company.
Paul De Villiers is a sound engineer and record producer whose credits include Mr. Mister's best-selling 1985 album Welcome to the Real World and Yes's 1987 album Big Generator, which reached number 15 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Dapo Torimiro is a Nigerian songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and singer. Born in Lagos, he has worked in the music industry in the US for several years writing and producing music for artists' album projects, touring with numerous artists, as well as scoring various television and film projects. He is based in Los Angeles.
Kimmie Rhodes is an American singer-songwriter. She has recorded and released a total of sixteen solo CDs, written and produced three musicals and published a novella/cookbook, served as an associate producer for a documentary, They Called Us Outlaws presented by the Country Music Hall of Fame and produced radio documentary/music programming for her show Radio Dreams, which focused on the history of American roots music and artists. She has also appeared in multiple films and a theatre production, Is There Life After Lubbock? Her songs have appeared on multiple television and film soundtracks. She has established and released her own records on her label, Sunbird Music for over 25 years. Kimmie's promotional tours created a solid fan base in the U.K., Ireland and Europe. She has headlined with her band at festivals throughout the world and has appeared on many European and American TV and radio broadcasts and at Willie Nelson's Farm Aid concerts and July 4 Picnics. Together with Willie Nelson she recorded two of her originals for his album Just One Love and a duet CD, "Picture in a Frame". She lives and records in Austin and tours internationally with her son and producer/multi-instrumentalist, Gabriel Rhodes.
