Mark Smith (musician)

Mark Smith
Background information
Birth name	Mark Alexander Smith[1]
Born	25 February 1960(1960-02-25)
Died	2 November 2009(2009-11-02) (aged 49) Battersea, London
Genres	Jazz, funk, folk rock
Occupations	Bassist Record producer
Instruments	Bass guitar, keyboards
Years active	1980–2009
Associated acts	The Waterboys Tony O'Malley

Mark Smith (25 February 1960 — 2 November 2009^[2]) was a British bassist and record producer, who played bass guitar in recordings and performances with The Waterboys, Leo Sayer, Gonzales, Percy Sledge, Terry Reid, Alvin Stardust, Chris Farlowe, Patricia Kaas, Bryan Ferry, Tony O'Malley, Barbara Dickson, Shania Twain, Zoot Sims, Neneh Cherry, Lionel Richie, Ronan Keating, Malcolm McLaren, Charlotte Church, Van Morrison, George Michael, and Javier Álvarez.

Born Mark Alexander Smith,^[1] he also produced records for young and up and coming British bands. Smith was the permanent bassist in The Waterboys in 2009, and an oft-time performer with Tony O'Malley. He had his own music performance outfit, The Futility Orchestra.

Smith was the bass guitarist with The Adam Phillips Band, that included, Adam Phillips, Paul Stacey, Jo Burt, Ash Soan, Mike Gorman, and Melvin Duffy.

The 1970s jazz funk band, Kokomo, was temporarily reformed in May 2008. With Smith were Tony O'Malley, Mel Collins, Neil Hubbard, Adam Phillips, Andy Hamilton, Bernie Holland, Glen Le Fleur, Paddy McHugh, Dyan Birch, and Frank Collins. There were also performances by Eddy Armani and Franke Pharoah.

Mark Smith died suddenly at his Battersea, London home, in November 2009.^[2][3]

Fellow record producer Robin Millar, who met Smith in 1990, and worked with the bassist and keyboard player on several Patricia Kaas recordings said he was one of the "true unsung heroes". Millar added, "Mark was one of the great people and players. He was one of those guys who never pushed himself forward, but was a great all round musician – a real musicians’ musician".^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Musicgoulash.blogspot.com
2. ^ ^{a b} Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed 4 November 2009
3. ^ ^{a b} "Mark Smith dies by Robert Ashton". Musicweek.com. http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storycode=1039089. Retrieved 4 November 2009. 

External links

• Interview. Keef Trouble interviewed Mark Smith
• The Waterboys
• Mark Smith - The Futility Orchestra

Persondata
Name	Smith, Mark
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	25 February 1960
Place of birth
Date of death	2 November 2009
Place of death