Mark Freeland, RIP
I don't know if I can match the wonderful post Val wrote earlier tonight on the passing of musician and artist Mark Freeland, but I would be remiss if I didn't comment.
Mark is definitely one of the most gifted musicians (singer, songwriter and guitarist), artists (mainly painting) and creative forces this city has ever experienced, and few musicians or artists have either spread the amount of joy Freeland did or displayed the joy he felt in performing and creating.
Inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 1987, Freeland is best know for his bands/bands he was a member of: Electroman, Pegasus/Pegasonics, the Fems and Erectronics, as well as his time in the New York City band Our Daughter's Wedding, to name the best known. Nothing was too outrageous, from music and costumes to comments and subject matter, for Freeland, but Mark was in no way a shock artist and frequently added pop culture and humor.
One of my five all-time best/favorite songs created and recorded by a Buffalo/Western New York band is "Girl Power" by Electroman, off the band's "Come" album. But my best memories of Mark go more to he and Electroman playing "Girl Power" live; Freeland would play off the pounding, martial drum and bass first with power chords, then screaming lead guitar, all the while beaming from an ear-to-ear smile, not only showing his joy with playing the song, but with entertaining the audience and seeing them get off on his performance.
Mark gave a lot, took a lot, lived hard and showed us a lot of talent, caring, joy and love. I considered myself basically a professional acquaintance of Mark for many years, enjoying his music most of the time and writing just that, but also not enjoying and writing critically of him (some longtime readers of mine may remember the late 1990s incident at the Showplace Theater, written about elsewhere). But when Mark saw Val and I start dating and realized how seriously I was in love with Val, our relationship thawed to actually saying hello to each other and for him to invite me to join Val in visiting his apartment a few years ago, He was not only a gracious host, but, not surprisingly, a great story teller. I told Val as we left that I should try to see if Mark would agree to an interview some day; sadly, Mark is in a new plain, but he really did tell his story with music and art.
We send our heartfelt condolences and love to Carla and the entire Freeland family, and Mark and his brother Jimbo will be starting a great band for some new fans.
Mark is definitely one of the most gifted musicians (singer, songwriter and guitarist), artists (mainly painting) and creative forces this city has ever experienced, and few musicians or artists have either spread the amount of joy Freeland did or displayed the joy he felt in performing and creating.
Inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 1987, Freeland is best know for his bands/bands he was a member of: Electroman, Pegasus/Pegasonics, the Fems and Erectronics, as well as his time in the New York City band Our Daughter's Wedding, to name the best known. Nothing was too outrageous, from music and costumes to comments and subject matter, for Freeland, but Mark was in no way a shock artist and frequently added pop culture and humor.
One of my five all-time best/favorite songs created and recorded by a Buffalo/Western New York band is "Girl Power" by Electroman, off the band's "Come" album. But my best memories of Mark go more to he and Electroman playing "Girl Power" live; Freeland would play off the pounding, martial drum and bass first with power chords, then screaming lead guitar, all the while beaming from an ear-to-ear smile, not only showing his joy with playing the song, but with entertaining the audience and seeing them get off on his performance.
Mark gave a lot, took a lot, lived hard and showed us a lot of talent, caring, joy and love. I considered myself basically a professional acquaintance of Mark for many years, enjoying his music most of the time and writing just that, but also not enjoying and writing critically of him (some longtime readers of mine may remember the late 1990s incident at the Showplace Theater, written about elsewhere). But when Mark saw Val and I start dating and realized how seriously I was in love with Val, our relationship thawed to actually saying hello to each other and for him to invite me to join Val in visiting his apartment a few years ago, He was not only a gracious host, but, not surprisingly, a great story teller. I told Val as we left that I should try to see if Mark would agree to an interview some day; sadly, Mark is in a new plain, but he really did tell his story with music and art.
We send our heartfelt condolences and love to Carla and the entire Freeland family, and Mark and his brother Jimbo will be starting a great band for some new fans.
posted by Kevin J. Hosey at 11:25 PM
8 Comments:
My dad told me of Mark's death this morning.
I am still in shock.
We only met in passing (and a few random e-mails back and forth). I followed his career from a far (Having spent the 90s outside of Buffalo) and from his very proud mom (who in her own right was an amazing woman).
My heart and love goes out to the Freeland family.
As a former Buffalonian, thanks for posting this, as I check your site before I check the Bflo News, and I rarely do that.
Very sad to hear.
I KNEW MARK SINCE HIGH SCHOOL (FOR ME) '77-'78. GOT TO KNOW HIM THROUGH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, JIMBO. WE WERE BOTH BIG KISS FANS , AND A FRIENDSHIP FOLLOWED. I PLAYED A BUNCH OF INSTRUMENTS, AND FIGURED THAT AS GOOD LOOKING AND FUN AS JIMBO (JIIMY POSITIVE-BLAST FROM THE PAST FOR THE REMAINING ORIGINAL 'FACTOR' FANS OUT THERE)
ANYWAY, SEEN MARK PLAY OUT A MILLION TIMES AND THEY WERE ALL SPECIAL IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER. HE ALWAYS TRIED TO MAKE WHATEVER WAS GOING ON MORE FUN AND HE WAS A SURPRISINGLY GRACIOUS PERSON. VERY SHARING. SO SAD. LOST TOUCH WITH HIM , BUT HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT HIM ALOT LATELY. BEEN LISTENING TO THE LAMB ALOT LATELY, AND IT REMINDED ME OF HANGING AT MCVANS, SITTING ON THE SMELLY, STICKY FLOOR INFRONT OF THE STAGE, IN FRONT OF KENT'S BIG SCOOP CABINETS, CHUCKS CHROME TAMAS(?)
VINCE DOING HIS THING, ALONG WITH STEVE TECASE / TRELAINE.. HE WAS SUCH A SPEARHEAD, A GIANT PUSH OF CREATIVITY THAT SOMEHOW HAD LEAD TO A SCENE WHERE ME AND EVRYONE I KNEW WAS IN A BAND!!UNBELIEVABLE. WISH I WAS A LITTLE MORE SOBER A LITTLE MORE OF THE TIME SO I COULD REMEMBER IT BETTER. ANYWAY.....LETS STAY UP AND PARTY TILL SIX IN THE MORNING, LETS DRINK BEER TILL WE EAT BREAKFAST, LETS SMOKE POT TILL OUR THROATS HAVE CANCER...LET STAY UP AND PARTY JUSQU'A SIX HEURES LA MATIN.
MARK, HAVE FUN WITH JIMBO AND LOOK UP TOM REYNOLDS WHILE YOURE THERE.
I attended Buff State with Jimbo Freeland from 79-83, but I think Jimbo left before we graduated. Being from downstate, he was the first local to show me around. Aside from seeing George at the Masthead, he took me to McVan's quite often to see his brother play. It was definitely disgusting in there, but Pegasus/Pegasonics/Electroman were always great. I was so impressed with Kent Weber's peddles and the fact that his mom came to every show. Mark always put on a great show. I do remember him being a bit of a creep to his brother, though. But he was a true rock star and it was to be expected. Anyway, I wondered what happened to all the Kenmorons that I knew and cared about from so long ago, and was shocked to hear of Mark and Jimbo (as well as Tom Reynold)'s passing. Since I was closer to his brother here is one of my fave memories of Jimbo. One day, a six foot four man in pink rubber cowboy boots, spandex polks dot pants(they were Karen's), and his mother's polyester pants suit top flashes by me. It was Jimbo running quickly through the campus building. He was running away from some guys who he thought were going to beat him up. This was in '79, so they might have. But he still managed to smile and wave at me.
As an aside to Scott, I remember you as well. You were a welder. And a nice guy.
Ma, ma, ma, Mighty Taco forever.
Alyssa Manner
Alyssa,
Thanks for the comments and memories. It is with great sadness that I must tell you that Kent Weber's mother, Pat, died about a week or week and a half ago.
I had the good fortune to work with Mark in NYC between 1983-84. He played with my band "Our Daughters Wedding and shared vocal duties with the late "Chief" Keith Silva. We did some touring and recording during those days but one piece of music still stands out. It was a session that featured some of the best performers in town Mars Williams,(Liquid Soul,Waitresses) Ken Lockie,(Cowboys International,Dominatrix) David Spradley,(P-Funk,Atomic Dog) Jay Burnette(Planet Rock, Afrika Bambatta) but it was Mark's groundbreaking rap that made the electro R&B tune"Love Machine" a classic.
a sample:
"Well give me a jump to let me know I'm alive, My stick shift will put you in overdrive, I've got a digital brain that spells out my name my driveshaft tastes like a candy cane. I've got a video screen instead of a spleen I'm a well oiled overhauled love machine. I've got lady mechanics to grease me up, got gasoline drippin from my lovin up, inside of me I got technology the bionic man is afraid of me cause I'm a Love Machine
"Check me over under my hood cause only you can do me up so good, take a look down at my spark plug and if it's weak just give it a tug,I've got a piston like Sonny Liston and it goes just up and down, The majesty of my love machine has spread from town to town, I got a girl mechanic and she goes into a panic when she rides the love machine that she calls the Titanic, I got batteries on my inside, my ass is made of Naugahyde,I'm the one the love machine with the guts and gears that goes so mean cause I'm a love machine."
It speaks for itself. I also remember a very interesting exchange between Mark and Heavyweight Contender Gerry Cooney outside of Gleason's gym on 33 st. I 'll save that for another day.
Mark was a wild free soul and I hope his mold is not broken because we need more Mark Freelands
scott
our daughters wedding
Mark was a drunk..pure and simple....if drinking was the only way to '"preform" or rehearse...then you are nothing but a drunk....sorry to say it as that's not what his "friends" want to hear...from the 1st day I met him ti the last he never had a moment of clarity just a can of budwiser in his had and a shock value waste case method that was years to late by 1983 -1984 when he came upon NYC....I could see that he was going to check out young
And your point to Mark being a "Drunk" is exactly what ???
By you saying this, I can only assume that you are "not" a drunk.
Doe's that, for one moment, make you a better person ???
The answer is "No" !!!
And if you think, for a second, that the answer is "yes", well that just speaks volumes about the type of human being you really are Mr. Anonymous.
Post a Comment
<< Home