Michael Marquart

Last updated

Michael Marquart
(Mike Marquart)
Michael Marquart.jpg
Background information
Born1957 (age 67–68) [1]
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
  • composer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Years active1980s–present
LabelsWindmark
Member ofA Bad Think
Formerly of
Website abadthink.com

Michael Marquart (also known as Mike Marquart) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, and founder of the musical project A Bad Think. He founded Windmark Recording recording studios in Virginia Beach and Santa Monica. Marquart's studios have recorded many notable musical artists, including Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. [2] In 2021, Marquart sold Windmark Recording to Joie Manda.

Contents

As a record producer, Marquart has worked closely with many well-known musicians and producers, including Teddy Riley and The Neptunes (an R&B duo consisting of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams). [3] His albums have featured many notable musicians, including Jeremy Stacey, Victor Indrizzo, Fernando Perdomo, Paul Bryan, Greg Leisz, Durga McBroom, and John Philip Shenale. [4]

Early life and career

Marquart grew up in the town of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where a neighbor taught him to play drums. [5] As a teenager, he began playing drums in his first rock band, Wonderhorse. [6] [3] While attending college in Iowa studying music theory, [6] he joined the band Tokyo Rose. [7] [8]

For a brief period in 1989, he played drums for the A Flock of Seagulls, recording a single with the band and supporting a 3-week tour. [9] The following year, he recorded four songs with Canadian supergroup Alias. [10] Wanting to pursue his own original music and spend more time with his family, Marquart moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Windmark Recording

Marquart co-founded Windmark Recording, a Virginia Beach recording studio, with concert promoter Bill Reid, who later exited the partnership. [11] During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the studio served as an important recording space for The Neptunes production duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, as well as mixing engineer Serban Ghenea, [11] working on projects including Britney Spears' Britney (2001), Justin Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified (2002), and Beyoncé's debut solo single, "Work It Out". In 2005, Marquart sold the Virginia Beach studio to the Neptunes. [7] [11] [12]

In 2015, Marquart bought Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' Flyte Tyme West studio complex in Santa Monica, California to create a new Windmark Recording, with his daughter Samantha managing the studio and his son Mikey helping with operations. [11] [2] Windmark's Santa Monica studio recorded many notable musical artists, including Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. [2] ] In 2021, Marquart sold Windmark Recording to music executive and Encore Recordings founder Joie Manda. [13]

A Bad Think

In the mid 2000s, Marquart founded the musical project A Bad Think. The project's self-titled debut album was released in 2006, [14] and earned a nomination for Best Rock Album of the Year at the Hollywood Music Awards. [15] Marquart released the second A Bad Think album, Simple Rhymes, in 2009 [3] followed by Sara Lee (2010), [16] Medicine (2012), [17] Sleep (2014), [18] [19] and Don't Forget Us (2015). [20]

A Bad Think's seventh studio album, released in 2016, is The Tragic End of a Dreamer, which blends diverse musical genres ranging from ambient to Southern rock, folk, and New Age music. [21] The album features Paul Bryan (bass), Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar), Durga McBroom (singer), and John Philip Shenale (composer). [4]

The Savior, released in April 2019, [22] includes the single "Feel Me." [23] In November 2019, the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Immersive Audio Album. [24] [22] The release of Lifelike (2021) was accompanied by a 20-minute documentary, Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos . [22] [25]

A Bad Think's tenth studio album, X, was released August 19, 2022 in Dolby Atmos. Produced by Dave Way, X was the project's first release mixed by Bob Clearmountain in Dolby Atmos and stereo. [26] In 2023, Marquart collaborated with drummer Matt Chamberlain, bass player Dan Rothchild, guitarist Kirk Hellie, keyboardist Phil Shenale and other musicians to record Short St.. [27] Marquart, Clearmountain, and Way reunited to create, mix and produce the album in Dolby Atmos and stereo. [28] [29] [26]

On May 10, 2024, Marquart released A Bad Think's album, Cottonwood, in Dolby Atmos on all streaming platforms and ImmersiveAudioAlbum.com. [30]

Discography

Personal life

Marquart is married to Winnie Johnson-Marquart. Together, they have a son and a daughter, Samantha, with whom Marquart co-founded Windmark Recording's Santa Monica location in 2015. [2] Marquart currently spends half his time living and working in Los Angeles, California, and the other half in Virginia Beach, Virginia. [32]

His home studio in Malibu, California is called "The Barn". [33] Constructed using wood salvaged from the Hollywood Bowl, originally constructed in the 1920s, The Barn was recognized with the Outstanding Creative Achievement – Studio Design Project award at the 33rd NAMM TEC Awards. [34] [35]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Harvey, Steve (June 25, 2014). "Michael Marquart Makes His Windmark". Mix. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dunn, Laura Emily (February 12, 2015). "Samantha Marquart, Studio Manager, Windmark Recording". Women in Business Q&A. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Venable, Malcolm (October 13, 2009). "Low-key musician doesn't need to be a big rock star". Pilot Online. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Song River (April 6, 2017). "Michael Marquart of A Bad Think". Cowgirlz Entertainment. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  5. ↑ Price, Jason (June 20, 2014). "A Bad Think: Michael Marquart on the Creation of His Ambitious New Album!". Icon Vs. Icon. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Interview with the brilliant musician Michael Marquart of A Bad Think". Music Junkie Press. October 4, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Rizzo, Andrea (November 2022). "Closeup With Musician Michael Marquart". CoastalVirginiaMag.com. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Curate 757 - Michael Marquart". PBS. WHRO. March 7, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  9. ↑ "The Michael Marquart Interview". Bluebird Reviews. October 7, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. ↑ Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary) , retrieved November 24, 2021
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Marquart – Musician/Producer/Studio Owner". Sennheiser. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ramsey, Colby (April 14, 2015). "Studio Profile: Windmark Recording". Audio Media International. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  13. ↑ Green, Jacob (July 25, 2023). "A Bad Think's New Dolby Atmos Album 'Short Street' Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past". Audioholics. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  14. ↑ A Bad Think by A Bad Think, October 17, 2006, retrieved July 22, 2022
  15. ↑ "EMA 2010 | ". August 12, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ Sara Lee by A Bad Think, October 19, 2010, retrieved July 22, 2022
  17. ↑ Medicine by A Bad Think, June 26, 2012, retrieved July 22, 2022
  18. ↑ "The Michael Marquart Interview". Blue Bird Reviews. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Sleep – interview with Michael Marquart – A Bad Think". Rock Your Lyrics. June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  20. ↑ Don't Forget Us by A Bad Think, April 21, 2015, retrieved July 22, 2022
  21. ↑ Pilato, Giovanni (February 12, 2017). "Diary Of An Eternal Dreamer - In Conversation With Michael Marquart (A Bad Think)". Bluebird Reviews. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  22. 1 2 3 Flans, Robyn (March 23, 2021). "Michael Marquart Rejuvenated". Mix. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  23. ↑ Radic, Randall (March 22, 2019). "A Bad Think Releases 'Feel Me'" . Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  24. ↑ "2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. November 18, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  25. ↑ Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary) , retrieved April 22, 2021
  26. 1 2 "A Bad Think offers 11th album Short Street in stereo and immersive formats". clynemedia.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  27. ↑ Marquart, Michael (April 26, 2024). "Working With Dave Way". A Bad Think. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  28. ↑ "A Bad Think's New Dolby Atmos Album 'Short Street' Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past". Audioholics Home Theater, HDTV, Receivers, Speakers, Blu-ray Reviews and News. July 25, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  29. ↑ read, Jonathan Cornell 07/27/2023 6 min. "A Bad Think – Short St. – Dolby Atmos | IAA" . Retrieved August 1, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ↑ read, The IAA Team 05/02/2024 4 min. "Now Available In Dolby Atmos: A Bad Think's Cottonwood | IAA" . Retrieved May 10, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ↑ "A Bad Think Gets the Band Back Together for Short Street". Mix. August 10, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  32. ↑ Maisey, Jeff (December 14, 2016). "Dreamy New Album from Michael Marquart's A Bad Think". Veer Magazine. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  33. ↑ Daley, Dan (March 6, 2017). "A Look at 4 Personal Studios of Industry Hitmakers" . Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  34. ↑ "The Barn Studio". Malibu, California: Nonzero Architecture. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  35. ↑ "nonzero\architecture | Peter Grueneisen FAIA | nz\a Winner At The 33rd NAMM TEC Awards" . Retrieved July 22, 2022.
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