- Mark Cross (musician)
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This article is about the musician. For the novelist, see Archibald Thomas Pechey. For the Sussex village, see Mark Cross, East Sussex.
Mark Cross Born 2 August 1965 Origin London, England Instruments Drums Associated acts Ian Gillan, Nightfall, Metalium, Helloween, The Supremacy, Kingdom Come, At Vance, Winter's Bane, Firewind, Saracen, Tainted Nation, Outloud Website mcross.com 
Mark Cross
Mark Cross2Mark Cross (born 2 August 1965, London) is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer. He was born to an English father and German mother, raised in Germany and later moved to Greece. Cross has played in many bands in his career and is based in London, England, England Mark grew up in 3 countries and speaks fluent English, German, Greek and some French. Over the past 25 years he has been working as a professional Musician with known bands and artists, who gave him great reputation in the international music industry as a musician and drummer.
Bands in his roster such as legendary German Power metallers Helloween and Metalium, Deep Purple’s frontman Ian Gillan, gold sellers Kingdom Come, British classic rockers SARACEN, Greek Metallers Firewind, melodic Rock outfit Outloud, Whitesnake’s and Thin Lizzy’s Bass player Marco Mendoza and NWOBHM pioneers Tank and working with known Producers such as Chris Tsangaredes, Charly Bauerfeind, Frederik Nordstrom, Kip Winger and Tommy Hansen have left a great mark in his career.
In 2002, Cross was forced to leave his position in Helloween when he was diagnosed with mononucleosis, a severe virus that affected his immune system and ability to play, but has since fully recovered. In the end he recorded only two tracks with Helloween, both of which eventually featured on their Rabbit Don't Come Easy album in 2003.
After recovering nearly one year later in 2005 he featured as a session and touring musician for At Vance and also appeared on the British rock band Saracen's latest album, Vox in Excelso and Winter's Bane's comeback album, Redivivus.
With Firewind he released Allegiance in July 2006, and toured with them extensively throughout the world in 2006 and 2007 playing more than 150 shows. With their album The Premonition released in April 2008, he and Firewind started their world tour in Europe in April - May followed by thirty concerts in North America with Swedish metallers Arch Enemy. For the summer they announced various festivals and their headline tour in Europe starting on 15 September in the UK. On 13 January 2010 Cross announced that he and Firewind had split. While Cross was not pictured in any of the album artwork or the line up for Firewind's latest album Days of Defiance, he was credited in the liner notes for performing all drums on the album.
In 2009 Cross and his former band mate Bob Katsionis from Firewind launched and released a new band and album Outloud "We'll rock you to hell..." by Frontiers Records and gained superb press feedback. On July 27th this year Outloud's second album «Love Catastrophe» was released by AOR Heaven across Europe which once more gained tremendous reviews from the world press. In June they opened a show for Twisted Sister in Athens, Greece and will play 4 more shows in Greece in November/December this year! More dates are planned to be launched in February 2012 in other Europian countries.
Also in October 2010 Cross announced UK band Tainted Nation with main song writer Pete Newdeck on vocals (drummer of Eden's Curse, ex Killerrs, Grim Reaper), Ian Nash on Guitar (Steve Grimmet band) and Pontus Egberg on Bass (The Poodles). TN have currently finished mixing their debut album, but no label or release date details have been announced yet. They will tour the UK in October and December 2011.
In the meantime Mark is also busy on the road with NWOBHM veterans Tank and will soon be in the studio recording with them a new album! Featuring original members Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans on guitar, Doogie White on vocals and Chris Dale on Bass.
Cross has been known to use Paiste cymbals, Tama Drums, Vic Firth drumsticks, Evans drumheads and cymbals in the shape of Iron Crosses made by [Factory Metal Percussion].
In his free time Mark gives private and online drum lessons and workshops all over the world.
Contents
Bands currently featuring Mark Cross
Bands to have featured Mark Cross
- Ian Gillan
- Nightfall
- Metalium
- Helloween
- The Supremacy
- Kingdom Come
- At Vance
- Winter's Bane
- Saracen
- Firewind
References
External links
Categories:- Firewind members
- 1965 births
- Living people
- English heavy metal drummers
- English people of German descent
- Musicians from London
- People from Hamburg
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