Mark Hudson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Hudson (born August 23, 1951) is a record producer, musician and songwriter living in Los Angeles, California. He was a member of the Hudson Brothers, and has produced albums for Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Hanson and the Baha Men.
Contents |
[edit] Music
[edit] With Aerosmith
Hudson co-wrote the Grammy award- winning Aerosmith hit "Livin' on the Edge" in 1993, and has since co-written a total of 12 Aerosmith songs. He also co-produced their 2001 album Just Push Play. Hudson, along with Marti Frederiksen, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry, make up what is known as the "Boneyard Boys", the collective group of musicians and songwriters responsible for much of the creative process in Aerosmith.
Hudson secured Steven Tyler to make a guest vocal appearance with Ringo Starr on the album "Vertical Man". The track in question was a remake of Dobie Grey's song "Drift Away". Tyler subsequently asked for his vocal be removed, as his record company had expressed dissatisfaction with his participation for legal reasons.[citation needed] Hudson then asked Tom Petty to replace Tyler but the original version surfaced through advance release cassettes and thus circulates on bootleg copies of the album.[citation needed]
[edit] With Ringo Starr
Hudson co-wrote and produced five albums with Ringo Starr: Vertical Man, I Wanna Be Santa Claus, Ringo Rama, Choose Love and Liverpool 8. In 2003, he formed a record label with Ringo Starr called Pumkinhead Records.
In June 2007, Ringo's attorney, Bruce Grakal, told Beatlefan magazine (issue #141) that the partnership between Hudson and Starr was over, and that they would not work together again. This was, according to Grakal, reportedly due to Hudson pulling out of Starr's All-Starr tour at short notice, in favor of working on the TV show The One: Making A Music Star. Hudson said in an interview with Beatlefan magazine[citation needed] that pulling out of the 2006 All Starr band tour was not the primary reason for the split but rather Starr's insistence in using more synthesized sounds for this next album.
Hudson produced the Ringo Starr live album, Live At Soundstage, the audio of the PBS broadcast that Starr did with the Roundheads at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL in 2005. The album was released in 2007. Hudson expressed disappointment that the Roundheads show in Los Angeles at the El Ray Theater was not issued on CD and DVD as it was also recorded.[citation needed]
After splitting with Hudson, Starr completed Liverpool 8 with Dave Stewart as "re-producer." The album was released in January 2008 on EMI/Capitol Records as part of Starr's new recording deal, having left Koch Records in late 2006.
[edit] Other work
In 1986, he was the in-house bandleader on Fox's short-lived The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers. Ms. Rivers referred to the band as, "Mark Hudson, The Party Boys and The Tramp."
In July 1994 he joined Disney's Hollywood Records, as a songwriter and producer for performers like Alice Cooper and Aerosmith. Disney brought him on board to sharpen production, and identify new acts.
In the UK in 2004 he was recruited by Sharon Osbourne onto her team as vocal coach for the TV show The X Factor. Known as "Weird Beard" for his colourful facial hair and dress, he coached all the under 25s in the first series and the over 25s in the second. In the UK, he is often mistaken for the Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, who has in the past also dyed his beard various colours.
March 5th 2006 saw his first Number 1 in the UK Top 40 singles chart - an original song he had written for Chico Slimani - X Factor contestant. Called "Chico Time", it displaced Madonna from the top of the chart. It has sold over 100,000 copies in the UK.
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars was screened in the UK week commencing May 29th 2006. Mark was recruited again to reprise his coaching role, this time with celebrities who performed in a week long once-a-night version of the show, raising money for their chosen charity. The show was "won" by Lucy Benjamin - actress; runner up was Matt Stevens - England Rugby International. The British public voted for their favourites and the judges - Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell, sat in judgement.
At Hudson's request, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler made a guest appearance on Keith Anderson's single released in July 2006. This was the title track from his debut album, "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll". The single was remixed by Hudson in Nashville, and Tyler's vocal added at Hudson's studio in LA.
In 2006 Hudson again assumed his coaching role on the 3rd series of the X-Factor - this time coaching all the acts on a weekly basis.
Early 2007, Hudson was invited to participate for the third year running at CMW. The Canadian Music Week is the most prestigious event in Canada's music industry calendar, showcasing over 500 bands across 40 venues and inviting industry experts to share their knowledge at seminars. Hudson's seminar panel, included fellow songwriting associates, Nile Rodgers, Glen Ballard and Don Was. He also took the stage for an evening performance "In-the-round" at the CMW Songwriter's Festival 2007, sharing his stories with an appreciative audience.
In the newspaper The Sun dated 14 May 2007, it was reported that Hudson has been sacked as vocal coach for the next series of The X Factor.[1] This is due to alleged comments that angered Simon Cowell, that he made about the winner Leona Lewis not having the 'it' factor needed to connect with an audience.
For the week of July 19, 2007, Hudson was the stand-in DJ on BIG100.3, a Washington-based radio station.[2]
Hudson made his professional solo stage debut in a sold-out, one-man show called "Livin On The Edge"; on Sunday October 28th 2007 at Puck, Doylestown, PA. In it, Mark talked about his often hilarious experiences with rocks’ elite through monologues, funny anecdotes, impersonations and music. [3]
In 2007 he also participated as a counselor at both the NY and Las Vegas (10th Anniversary) "Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps", and in 2008, at the Los Angeles camp. These camps are designed for non-professional musicians to have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in a rock and roll band with some of the music industry's most prestigious talent. Present at the Las Vegas camp with Mark were amongst others, Slash, Roger Daltrey and Joe Walsh.[4]
He is currently selling his original art work prints and a 2008 wall calendar, as part of an ongoing range of merchandise.
Currently, Hudson has been working with Alexander James McLean, a member of close harmony band the Backstreet Boys, on AJ's first solo album which will be released at the end of 2008. He has also written songs with JC Chasez of N Sync recently too.
Mark was asked to perform for U.S.. President Bill Clinton at a fundraising rally supporting Hillary Clinton's nomination campaign which took place at Puck, Doylestown, Pennsylvania on April 13, 2008.
Hudson has several other projects due to be completed in 2008, including a debut solo album release.
[edit] Controversy
According to the Los Angeles Times, in March 1995, Hudson was fired from his job at Walt Disney Corp. after allegations by female employees that he had engaged in sexual harassment. This story was also covered in an issue of Seconds magazine, a trade publication focusing on rock 'n' roll culture,[5] and in the book Disney: The Mouse Betrayed, which documents some of the allegations of harassment from "Unwritten" songwriter/producer and child actress Danielle Brisebois.[6][7]
[edit] Personal life
Hudson's daughter is singer/songwriter Sarah Hudson, and he is the uncle of actress Kate Hudson and actor Oliver Hudson.
[edit] References
- ^ The Factor aXe falls again | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|TV|X Factor
- ^ BIG 100.3 (2007). Photos of the event "Live in Person with Mark Hudson" (English). BIG 100.3. Retrieved on September 1, 2007.
- ^ Legendary songwriter has stories to tell (phillyBurbs.com) | Music
- ^ Rockandrollfantasycamp.Com
- ^ Chuck Philips. "Hollywood Records executive fired amid harassment complaints", Los Angeles Times, March 17, 1995.
- ^ Peter Schweizer, Rochelle Schweizer (1998). Disney: The Mouse Betrayed: greed, corruption, and children at risk, 20. ISBN 0895263874.
- ^ Peter Schweizer, Rochelle Schweizer. "Mickey rocks:Sex, drugs and Satan at Disney", Human Events, January 22, 1999, pp. 4-5. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
[edit] External links
- MarkHudsonMusic.com - Mark Hudson's Official Website
- Pumkinhead Records
- TV.com Mark Hudson bio
- Myspace Mark Hudson
- Myspace The Hudson Brothers
- Livin on the Edge - One Man Show
- Original Art Work
- 2008 Calendar Press Release
