Artist description Drums - Michael DavisBass - Phillip RexHammond and Piano - Chris CoppingViolin - Bronwyn HendersonCello - Anita QuayleLap steel and backing vocals - Jon ShannonGuitars and vocals - Mark Hilton

Music Style Pop Rock

Musical Influences Beatles, Miles Davis, Brian Eno, Hendrix, Bach, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Beach Boys, John Mayall, G. Love & Special Sauce, Beastie Boys, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ry Cooder, B.B. King

Similar Artists Supergrass, Beck, Radiohead, The Shadows, Nick Drake, Billy Bragg, John Lennon, Donovan, Zepplin, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop

Artist History * primarily a solo artist, but various band lineups and names are used for different live and recording projects.1994 - 1998 Mark Hilton and the Holy Ghosts (for gigs and the debut CD "Sleep is Calling") 1999 - 2000 mainly performed solo acoustic, or as a duo with Anita Quayle on cello.2000 - Mark Hilton and the Hanoi Sisters for the album launch of "Beauty & Innocence"BIOMark has a colourful musical history. As conductor of his primary school orchestra, and Drum Major of a high school drum & bugle cadet band, he displayed all the cheek required to end up being a singer/songwriter. His musical training started with classical piano, followed by a teenage infatuation with electric guitar noise, then the study of harmonium, tabla and Hindu chanting traditions. He explored songwriting styles in the jazz idiom via the well respected jazz duo “Black Cat”. They did a two year residency in Chloe’s Bar at Young & Jacksons in the heart of Melbourne, as well as regular gigs at The Bleakhouse, The Flower, The Regent and Jazz After Dark at the Victorian Arts Centre. He played guitar and keyboards for local Afro Reggae band Randy & the Jah Roots, and heavy rockers D.N.A. Mark wrote and produced the soundtrack for “The Man in the Blue & White Holden” - first prize at the 1991 St. Kilda Film Festival. Developing further as a valued sideman in bands such as The Philosopher's Stone (I.D./Polygram) and The Naturals who had a No.1 alternative hit with "On the Alert" (Mushroom Records), he then appeared as Lou Reed in the Esplanade “Transformer” Tribute. In 1994 he formed his own band The Holy Ghosts and the debut EP "Sleep is Calling" was released on My Records in 1997. The title track and the cruise-o-matic kitchen-sink retro epic "God Must be Out of His Mind" received great support on local radio stations 3RRR and 3PBS. While writing material for his new album, he played solo or in stripped back lineups, to road test the new songs.Local venues played: The Esplanade Hotel, The Prince of Wales, Revolver Prahran, The Athenaeum 2, Punter’s Club, Clifton Hill Hotel, Royal Derby, Dan O’Connell, Rochester Castle, The Club, Sub Terrain, The Old Colonial, The Maori Chief, The Central Club, The Public Bar, The Cherry Tree, The Terminus, The Armadale, Mechanics Institute, One-C-One, The Old Tin Shed, The Stage, Alphabet City, Batman Park (Not the Casino Party), The Yak Cafe and Cuban Cigar Bar, Mayfields, Monties' Bar, St. Kilda Festival.Lineups: Solo acousticDuo w. Gerry Hale (Uncle Bill / Paul Kelly / Tim Rogers - You Am I)on fiddle, mandolin and vocals.Duo w. Anita Quayle (Crown of Thorns / Chuck Jenkins - Icecream Hands) on cello.Trio w. Anita and Michael Davis (Kerri Simpson / Richard Pleasance) on drums, percussion & vocals.In June 2000 Mark did a residency at Montie's Bar, Fitzroy, with a series of special guests....Maurice Frawley (Working Class Ringos) - Guitar & vocalsGerry Hale (Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers) - Fiddle & mandolinAnita Quayle (Crown of Thorns, Chuck Jenkins) - CelloThe Legendary Country Pickin' Dave Purdon - GuitarTimothy Watson - Tabla & clarinetMatthew Habben (The Disappointments) - Sax & clarinet Kiernan Box (The Black-Eyed Susans) - Keyboards The new album “Beauty & Innocence” was released August 2000. It features.....Upright Bass - Dean Addison (Wilson Diesel, Swinging Sidewalks)Electric Bass - Luke Blackburn (Crystal Set, Trampoline)Drums - Des Hefner (Dead Can Dance, Working Class Ringos)Drums, percussion & vocals - Michael Davis (Kerri Simpson, Richard Pleasance)Violin - David Osborne (Philosopher’s Stone, The Naturals)Piano & Hammond - Chris Copping (Procol Harum)The album launch at The Laundry on August 23rd. 2000 was a hoot, with his new band The Hanoi SistersMichael Davis - drumsPhillip Rex - upright bassBronwyn Henderson - violinAnita Quayle - celloJon Shannon - lap steel, electric guitar, backing vocalsSean Simmons - harmonicaChris Copping - keyboards

Group Members Drums - Michael DavisBass - Phillip RexHammond and Piano - Chris CoppingViolin - Bronwyn HendersonCello - Anita QuayleLap steel and backing vocals - Jon ShannonGuitars and vocals - Mark Hilton

Instruments guitar, lap steel, violin, cello, upright bass, drums, hammond organ, piano, proton modulator.

Albums "Sleep isCalling" and "Beauty & Innocence"

Press Reviews "Beauty & Innocence" is the latest release from inner city Melbourne based singer/songwriter Mark Hilton.A natural storyteller, Hilton's work is a chronicle to the beauty and pathos of everyday life, told through a medium that is both original and melodic.A seasoned performer on the live music circuit, Hilton's sound suffers little from making the transition to the world of recording, and his history of playing with some of this city's better known musicians has paid dividends on this album.INPRESS MAGAZINE WED 18th. OCT 2000.

Location Melbourne, Victoria - Australia

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