My Motto is: Be Happy!

The Mark-story so far

Hello everybody. I'm Mark and even though I'm not the oldest member of a1, I feel a bit like the dad of the band 'cause I like to be organised and look out for the rest of the guys! But I'm also really friendly and energetic too!

Here is a little about me and my life:

I was born November 7, 1978 in a place called Kingston in north-east England.

I grew up with my mum and dad and my two older brothers, Colin and Gary.

Despite the success I think Im still the same as ever all though I've chilled out a lot over the last year. I'm only hyper when it counts.

One of my earliest childhood memories is actually the first time I cooked a meal. Spaghetti Bolognese! I was a very observative kid, and I watched how my mum made Spaghetti Bolognese. And one day, without her knowing, I made Spaghetti Bolognese all on my own. And I did a pretty good job!

I got quite a Disney facination. I really dont know why, but I just like the storys and the music. I have seen every single Disney movies ever made. I think Its very important to be young at heart.

I come from a very musical family, and I've been playing piano since I was two years old, but I still can't master the kazoo. I'd like to learn the guitar soon. My folks is the ones who made me wanna be a pop star and a performer, and because they're performers, I grew up listening to them and performing with them. At the age of 11, I joined my parents' band and we'd do all kinds of covers from the '60s until the present - I learnt what people do and what they don't like. When I was 12, we started playing on cruise ships that went everywhere!
When I was 15, I performed in front of 20,000 people in Rumania. I represented England in a song festival there and I won the contest as Best Young Newcomer. It was great fun and a brilliant learning experience for me!

All the while, I was juggling school as well. Everyone at school knew me as the Piano Man. They were always asking me to play the new chart songs for them and they always told me that one day I'd make it big!
I've been incredibly lucky 'cause everything's been perfect in my life. But I'm still trying to improve and be the best I can be!

It's a funny story how I joined a1! My brother's in a band too and when I went to one of their gigs, I was the one who was approached by a manager! I was getting really in to the music, and the guy who sat next to me, who turned out to be our manager Tim Byrne notised me and asked me if I could sing and write songs and whether I'd be interested in joining a band like a1. I felt really guilty because my brother's band were looking for their break, but my manager didn't want to split them up.

My best a1 memory so far was winning the BRIT Award, that was such a great thing: being up there with some of the greatest artists of all time, and being one of the lucky few who went home with a BRIT.

My number one musical heroes is the Beatles, and Elton John. Being this successful, we get to meet other stars all the time. But to me it was very, very special to meet Elton John that I actually met at the BRITS. I had a quick chat with him, and that was great. And I was impressed I still went away as a fan, and that's the most important thing when you meet your idol. I hope to acheve getting to be as big as the Beatles, like legends.

My wish for the future is first of all that a1 will survive many years and acheive wonderful things like being Number One on all the radio charts with our new material and I'd like to see a1 broadening out to new audiens - that'd be great.

One of my best personal moments so far was buying a house and a car, and 2001 has been a nice and quiet year, even though we've been busy in the studio and in Asia.

Being this popular and as busy as we are we dont really get to do what other people do in daily life because we always have such a tight program, but the stuff that we do get to do makes up for that ten-fold because we absolutely love what we do.

I do believe in love and i believe that everybody has a soulmate out there. Mine would be someone I can get along with, someone I can talk to for a long time - you've got to be a friend before you become lovers.

On a Saturday night off, you would probably find me at home watching a movie or at the cinema because we never get time to watch movies.

On a Sunday morning it would be nice to stay in bed till 1pm, but I like to enjoy the day, so I'd be up and out. I might go the gym, or something like that.

My top three albums would be any Beatles album and Paul McCartney solo album, any John Lennon solo album, any Elton John album and any Elvis album too!

"Play That Funky Music," by Wild Cherry always makes me get down.                                                                               

"Let's Get It On," by Marvin Gaye get me in the mood.                                                                                                                       

For some strange reason, the song I always sing in the shower is Billy Joel's "River of Dreams."