Mark Mallman

Mallman graduated from Waukesha South High School in 1991. He studied jazz piano at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1991. In 1995, at age 21, Mallman earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where he studied painting and performance art.

Mark Mallman has earned a reputation as one of the Twin Cities' must-see live acts, complete with his own star on the wall outside First Avenue.[1] He started his career in the late 1990s with the short-lived band, the Odd, a surprisingly popular postmodern joke on 1970s rock histrionics. Days after they topped the City Pages "Best new Band" poll, they broke up, but reunited to record and release one album, Oh My G*d – It's the Odd in 1998, which was co-written and co-produced by Mallman.[2] His solo debut came in 1998 with the release of The Tourist. In 2000, Mallman issued his sophomore effort, How I Lost My Life and Lived to Tell about It, which featured guest spots by Kat Bjelland of Babes in Toyland and Mallman's schoolmate, Davey von Bohlen of The Promise Ring. The Red Bedroom, his third album, was issued in Spring 2002. It was produced by Radiohead producer Paul Q. Kolderie. The Who's Gonna Save You Now? EP and the live effort Live from First Avenue, Minneapolis were released in 2003.

Mr. Serious, Mallman's first self-produced album, followed in 2004. It marked his first album for Badman Recording Company.[3] His energetic performance style, combining the attitudes of punk rockers like Johnny Rotten and Darby Crash over the 70s disco-glam of Elton John, began to gain attention throughout the United States around the time of this record.[4] While he tirelessly performed 150 shows per year,[5] Mallman released Between the Devil and Middle C in 2006, and Invincible Criminal in 2009.[6] Invincible Criminal featured a duet with Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, and violins by Shannon Frid of Cloud Cult.[7] After an extensive amount of touring the United States, he spent the first half of 2012 in Los Angeles writing and recording Double Silhouette, which was released later that year.[8]

On March 25, 2016, Mallman released The End is Not The End.[9] David Bowie's Scary Monsters and Super Creeps helped inspire the direction Mallman took with each of the album's twelve tracks.[10] The theme of life after death and constant rebirth on earth is affirmed throughout the entirety of the album.[11] Mallman created the album after his mother died and he was dealing with depression and anxiety attacks. He says it's "a deliberate meditation on overcoming the roots of despair."[12]

In the wake of his mother's death and a breakup with a longtime girlfriend, Mallman found himself struggling to listen to music that might trigger or amplify his despair, including previous favorites such as Joy Division.[13] In late 2014, in hopes of changing his mood, he compiled a playlist of 50 feel-good songs and decided to listen to nothing but the playlist for the entire winter.[14] He also began journaling, the results of which eventually morphed into a memoir, The Happiness Playlist: The True Story of Healing My Heart With Feel-Good Music.

The book was published in March 2019 by Think Piece Publishing, which promotes mental health advocacy through the arts.[15] It features a foreword by essayist Chuck Klosterman. More memoir than self-help, the book follows Mallman through his day-to-day life in Minneapolis as he recovers from grief with the help of his new soundtrack. Mallman has stressed that the playlist was just one tool — he also sought out therapy, antidepressants, meditation, and ceased consuming alcohol. "Music is not going to cure you but it is gonna make things better," he said.

The Happiness Playlist was well received with an average 4.38 rating on Goodreads.[16] IndieReader called it "an uplifting memoir that earns its wings honestly, with humor and perception."[17] Forward Reviews said Mallman's "prose is fueled by short, declarative sentences and a narrative willingness to be emotionally vulnerable."[18] Jim Walsh, author of The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting, called it "wise, funny, and heartfelt."[19]

Mallman performing at The Cave at Carleton College in 2004.

In 1999 Mallman performed a 26-hour long song titled "Marathon 1". Later, in 2004, Mallman's "Marathon Two" session took place back at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. Seventy-five musicians took turns backing Mallman as he performed one song for over two consecutive days, only breaking to go to the bathroom.[20] On October 10, 2010, he completed "Marathon 3", a 78-hour long song complete with 576 pages of lyrics. During the performance, he injured his left foot. He finished at 10pm on Sunday night by biting into a bouquet of flowers and spitting them over the crowd.[21]

Mayor Chris Coleman declared October 7–10, 2010 "Mark Mallman Days" in St. Paul, Minnesota in honor of his creative achievement. The mayor's proclamation included the statement "Whereas Mark Mallman is totally AWESOME."[22] From September 15 to Sept 22, 2012 he endured "Marathon IV: Road Rogue", an 8-day, 150-hour plus nonstop performance from New York to Los Angeles in the back of a van.[23] Marathon IV: Road Rogue was the first ever intercontinental mobile musical webcast in the history of the Internet.[24] In addition to the pioneering webcast, Mallman also employed a hacked midi brain controller which enabled him to perform music with his brainwaves while he was sleeping.[25]

Mallman started working on video game music in 2001. That led to working on trailers, starting with the 2007 remake of the thriller The Hitcher.[26] Mallman was a professional composer of major motion picture trailers, such as Adventureland, 10,000 BC and Haunting of Molly Hartley from 2006 - 2009. He has also composed music for Living Arrangements (2009).[27] In 2012, he composed the score for the Lion's Gate / Machinima webseries Bite Me.[28] He currently operates his own music composition company, Bermuda Music, in Minneapolis.[29]

Mark Mallman swinging from the 7th Street Entry rafters in 2012.

Solo discography

• The Tourist, 1998
• How I Lost My Life and Lived to Tell about It, 2000
• Mark Mallman and Vermont, (with Vermont) 2001
• The Red Bedroom, 2002
• Mr. Serious, 2004
• Between the Devil and Middle C, 2006
• Invincible Criminal, 2009
• Double Silhouette, 2012
• The End Is Not The End, 2015
• Happiness, 2021.

The Odd discography

• Oh My G*d - It's the Odd, 1998

Ruby Isle discography

• Night Shot, 2008
• Appetite for Destruction, 2010

Mallman's star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

• "Best Male Vocalist Twin Cities" by City Pages (2000)
• Minnesota Music Award for best keyboard/piano player (2004)
• Minnesota Music Award for Rock Band and Rock Record for Mr. Serious (2005)
• "Best Live Artist Twin Cities" by City Pages (2010)
• "Best Music Video Twin Cities" for It's Good To Be Alive by City Pages (2010)

Mallman has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,[30] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.[31] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.[32]

• Mark Mallman official site
• Mark Mallman composer site
• Official YouTube page
• Marathon Song site