Mark White (bassist)

Last updated
Mark White
MarkWhite.jpg
White playing with Spin Doctors in 2017
Background information
Born (1962-07-07) July 7, 1962 (age 62)
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentBass guitar
Years active1988–present

Mark White (born July 7, 1962) is an American bass player, best known as the former bassist for the rock band Spin Doctors. He has collaborated with many musical groups, including America's Got Talent finalists The Robotix, [1] The Heavy Pets, [2] Eight53, and the Free World Jazz Ensemble. As a songwriter and bass player, he also has been an active teacher in several high-profile rock and jazz schools, such as the Rockin' Robin Music Center [3] in Houston, Texas. White has also been an outspoken advocate for atheist rights, and was a keynote speaker at the American Atheists National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2014.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Early life

Mark White was born on July 7, 1962, in the New York City borough of the Bronx to Joan and Earnest White. [4] He spent his early years in the New York City area, eventually settling with his family in Queens [5] where he eventually made a name for himself in New York underground music circles. His first bass guitar was a right-handed Epiphone. [6]

Early career

After being in a series of bands, White met up with Aaron Comess and participated in a group called Spade in 1988. [7] This band was a mixture of funk and punk, highlighting White's fast, finger-plucking bass style and Comess's traditional jazz education from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.

White quit Spade after a few months, but was asked to audition for a new opening in Trucking Company, a band originally started by John Popper. When Popper left to pursue his other band, Blues Traveler, Chris Barron (lead vocals) and Eric Schenkman (guitar, backing vocals) decided to continue Trucking Company with the addition of Aaron Comess, with whom they had studied at the New School.

Spin Doctors

White playing with Spin Doctors in 2017 2017BassMarkWhite.jpg
White playing with Spin Doctors in 2017

After White's audition and hiring, Trucking Company solidified into a much different style, in part because of White's eclectic musical background. [8] Schenkman came up with the name, Spin Doctors [9] to represent their new combined sound.

Spin Doctors recorded their first album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite in 1991, scoring two major hits with "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 7 and No. 17, respectively. During the promotional tour of their second album, Turn It Upside Down , Schenkman left the band and was subsequently replaced by a string of session guitarists. White quit the Spin Doctors in 1999 and the bass tracks on the band's fourth album, Here Comes the Bride were completed by Comess. Soon after, the band stopped touring because Barron suffered from vocal fold paresis. In 2001, Barron and Schenkman put aside their differences for a one-time show [10] at the historic venue the Wetlands before it closed permanently. White joined them for this reunion, which gradually turned into an unofficial reunion tour. [11] This marked the beginning of the band's reformation. The reunited Spin Doctors went on to release the albums Nice Talking to Me in 2005 [12] and If the River Was Whiskey [13] in 2013 through RuffNation Records. [14]

In 2022, White was fired by the band over his refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. [15]

Political activism and community involvement

White has been an outspoken activist for the New Atheism movement, which promotes countering Christianity actively instead of just tolerating it. [16] He has been a guest on atheist podcast Dogma Debate, and the Minnesota Atheists Radio Show, [17] sharing his personal journey away from Christianity. He was also invited to be a keynote speaker for the American Atheists National Convention in 2014. [18]

Current musical and other artistic endeavors

White collaborated with artist Hersey and released an album titled "Neon Masquerade" in 2019. White also teaches private lessons out of the Rockin' Robin music center in Houston, Texas. [19] He also plays bass for a variety of bands and genres. In October 2014 he had a stint with the piano rock grunge band Eight53. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spin Doctors</span> American alternative rock band

Spin Doctors are an American alternative rock band from New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 7 and No. 17, respectively.

<i>Pocket Full of Kryptonite</i> 1991 studio album by Spin Doctors

Pocket Full of Kryptonite is the debut studio album by the American rock band Spin Doctors, released in August 1991. The album initially sold a respectable 60,000 copies in late 1991 due to its growing hardcore fanbase, before several radio stations started playing the single "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" in mid-1992. The combined strength of the single along with the follow-up "Two Princes" led to the album's peak at Nos. 1 and 3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and Billboard 200 albums charts, respectively. It is currently the band's best selling album, and was certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Shepherd</span> American musician

Hunter Benedict Shepherd is an American musician best known as the bassist of rock band Soundgarden. Shepherd has won two Grammy Awards as a member of Soundgarden.

<i>Up for Grabs...Live</i> 1991 live album by Spin Doctors

Up for Grabs...Live is the first live album by American rock band Spin Doctors, released in 1991. It is also their first release.

<i>Homebelly Groove...Live</i> 1992 live album by Spin Doctors

Homebelly Groove...Live is the second live album, and third release overall, by American jam band Spin Doctors, released in 1992.

<i>Turn It Upside Down</i> 1994 studio album by Spin Doctors

Turn It Upside Down is the second studio album and fourth release overall by American rock band Spin Doctors, released in 1994. It is the follow-up album to their successful RIAA 5× Platinum album Pocket Full of Kryptonite. Though not as commercially or critically successful as their debut album, Turn It Upside Down was certified Platinum in the US. It also yielded three minor hit singles—"Cleopatra's Cat", "Mary Jane" and "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast"—in the UK, with lead single "Cleopatra's Cat" making the top 30. "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast" was also a minor US hit, peaking at No. 42.

<i>Youve Got to Believe in Something</i> 1996 studio album by Spin Doctors

You've Got to Believe in Something is the third studio album by American rock band Spin Doctors, released in 1996. It is their first album without founding guitarist Eric Schenkman who had left the band during the tour to support their previous studio effort. Schenkman was replaced by Anthony Krizan who co-wrote the album with the rest of the group. "She Used to Be Mine" was released as the first single. An excerpt from the song "If Wishes Were Horses" was used as the theme song for the sitcom Spin City in seasons 2 and 3.

<i>Here Comes the Bride</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Spin Doctors

Here Comes the Bride is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Spin Doctors, released in 1999.

<i>Hallowed Ground</i> (Violent Femmes album) 1984 studio album by Violent Femmes

Hallowed Ground is the second studio album by Violent Femmes, released on May 14, 1984. Like the band's first album, the songs were mostly written by singer/guitarist/lyricist Gordon Gano when he was in high school. "Country Death Song", for example, written by Gano during his high school classes, was inspired by the tradition of folk songs about "terrible, horrific stories". A departure from the straightforward rock style of their debut, Hallowed Ground was considerably divisive amongst fans and critics, with many at the time incorrectly thinking Gano's Christian lyrics were ironic.

<i>Nice Talking to Me</i> 2005 studio album by Spin Doctors

Nice Talking to Me is the fifth studio album by American rock band Spin Doctors. It was released on September 13, 2005, and features the original four members of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James LoMenzo</span> American bass guitarist (b. 1959)

James LoMenzo is an American musician, currently the bassist for thrash metal band Megadeth. LoMenzo was a member of White Lion, performing with them from 1984 to 1991. He was later the bassist for Black Label Society, Slash's Snakepit, David Lee Roth and John Fogerty. LoMenzo was the bassist for Megadeth from 2006 to 2010, and rejoined the band as a touring member in August 2021, before becoming a permanent member again in June 2022. Outside music, he is known for being a contestant on the 21st season of the reality television series The Amazing Race.

<i>1st Born Second</i> 2001 studio album by Bilal

1st Born Second is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bilal, released on July 27, 2001, by Interscope Records. Bilal recorded the album at Electric Lady Studios in New York with a host of record producers, including Aaron Comess, Dr. Dre, Mike City, Megahertz, Raphael Saadiq, and J Dilla. It was a critical success and charted at number 31 on the U.S. Billboard 200, eventually selling 319,000 copies. According to AllMusic biographer Andy Kellman, the album was an "exemplary" release of the retro-inspired neo soul genre, although Bilal's subsequent work would become increasingly distinctive and modern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Princes</span> 1992 single by Spin Doctors

"Two Princes" is a song by American rock group Spin Doctors, released in 1992 by Epic Records as the second single from the group's debut album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite (1991). The song peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Cash Box Top 100. Outside of the US, it topped the charts in Iceland and Sweden, and peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. The group filmed two different music videos for "Two Princes"; one of them was in black-and-white. One of the videos was directed by Richard Murray and premiered in February 1992.

<i>Just Go Ahead Now: A Retrospective</i> 2000 compilation album by Spin Doctors

Just Go Ahead Now: A Retrospective is the first official compilation album by American jam band Spin Doctors, released in October 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Barron</span> American singer, songwriter (born 1968)

Chris Barron is an American singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of Spin Doctors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Stoermer</span> American musician

Mark August Stoermer is an American musician. He is best known as the bassist for the rock band the Killers, with whom he has recorded six studio albums.

<i>If the River Was Whiskey</i> 2013 studio album by Spin Doctors

If the River Was Whiskey is the sixth studio album by American rock band Spin Doctors. The album was released on April 30, 2013, by Ruf Records.

Logan Gladden is an American drummer, singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with his parents and sister and currently resides in Nashville, TN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band (rock and pop)</span> Musical ensemble which performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre

A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. Another common formation is a vocalist who does not play an instrument, electric guitarist, bass guitarist, and a drummer. Sometimes, in addition to electric guitars, electric bass, and drums, also a keyboardist plays.

<i>Live at Bradleys</i> 2001 live album by Kenny Barron Trio

Live at Bradley's is a live album by pianist Kenny Barron recorded in New York in 1996 and first released on the French EmArcy label in Europe in 2001 then on Sunnyside Records in the US in 2002.

References

  1. ↑ Anonymous. The Robotix Rock the Nation.. Southlake Style. (Southlake, TX) Dec. 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ Sweeney, Dan. At Home With the Heavy Pets. Sun Sentinel. (Palm Beach, FL) March 17, 2011.
  3. ↑ Ruggiero, Bob. Spin Doctors' Houstonian Bassist Talks Grooves, Kryptonite. Houston Press. (Houston, TX) May 26, 2011.
  4. ↑ Gorges, Stephanie. Happy Birthday Panama City News Herald. (Panama City, FL) July 7, 2007.
  5. ↑ Heinze, Daniel. Band/Members:So Who Are the Band Members Really? More Than Meets the Ear: The Spin Doctors Archive. (Leipzig, GER)
  6. ↑ Mark White of the Spin Doctors Talks the Low End. Bass Guitar Magazine. (Warwickshire, ENG) March 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ Luke, George. "Spin Doctors." Buckley, Peter, ed. The Rough Guide to Rock: 3rd Edition. Rough Guides Online Publishing. 2003.
  8. ↑ Masley, Ed. Hippie Mistake: Spin Doctor Bassist Mark White Says His Band Is Misunderstood Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Pittsburgh, PA) June 4, 1993.
  9. ↑ Heinze, Daniel. How Did the Band Come Together? Band History. More Than Meets the Ear: The Spin Doctors Archive. (Leipzig, GER)
  10. ↑ Grossberg, Josh. The Return of the Spin Doctors! EOnline.com. Sept. 7, 2001.
  11. ↑ St. John, Warren. That 90's Band Tries Again. New York Times. (New York, NY) Sept. 25, 2005.
  12. ↑ Jarnow, Jesse Spin Doctors - Nice Talking to Me Paste Magazine. Jan. 18, 2006. Accessed Sept. 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ Rendflesh, Alysha. Spin Doctors: If The River Was Whiskey Review. Blues Rock Review. May 9, 2013. Accessed Sept. 11, 2014.
  14. ↑ Spin Doctors Discography. AllNation Music. Accessed Sept. 25, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Mark White Comments on Split with Spin Doctors". Jambands. 2 February 2022.
  16. ↑ Wolf, Gary. The Church of the Non-Believers Wired Magazine. Issue 14:11. Nov. 2006. Accessed Sept. 21, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Spin Doctors' Mark White on Atheists Talk #266, May 4th, 2014 - Minnesota Atheists ~ Positive Atheism in Action Since 1991". mnatheists.org. Archived from the original on 2014-10-19.
  18. ↑ Mehta, Hermant. Barbara Hillary, First African-American Woman to Reach North Pole, Will Speak at Atheist Convention Patheos.com. Aug. 20, 2013. Accessed Sept. 14, 2014.
  19. ↑ Ruggiero, Bob. Spin Doctors' Houstonian Bassist Talks Grooves, Kryptonite. Houston Press. (Houston, TX) May 26, 2011.
  20. ↑ Mark White (Spin Doctors) to Record With Portland Band Eight53 Eight53.com. Sept. 25, 2014. Accessed Sept. 25, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.