Mark McLarney
Drums
Percussion
Vocals
Mark’s musical background dates all the way back to elementary school, where he played clarinet, and then high school when he graduated to saxophone. “Trouble was,” Mark says, “I played in several concert bands in those days and was more fascinated by the drums than the sax. We’d be in the middle of playing a concert and I would constantly be turning around to see what the drummer was doing, instead of focusing on the sheet music in front of me!”
Mark’s eventual decision to pick up the drums on his own was cemented at a rock concert he attended one summer. “I was seventeen,” Mark recalls, “and I was at a Mike + The Mechanics concert with a friend of mine. I just remember watching the drummer all night, and finally turning to Greg and saying, ‘that’s not that hard, you know…I could probably do that.’ Greg was a guitar player at the time and said, ‘well then, get yourself a set of drums so we can jam!’ And that was it! The next week I went out and rented a drumkit, enrolled in some lessons, and the rest is history.”
Perhaps the two words most easily applied to Mark’s style of drumming are rhythm and groove. He does not prefer to be known for any kind of showy technical ability, but instead for being able to mesh well with the other members of the band and play drum parts that perfectly complement each song. Mark has a strong sense of “the pocket” – in other words, of playing in such a way that the groove is solid, has a great feel, and makes listeners want to get up a dance. “It’s all about the songs themselves,” Mark explains. “I have never wanted to be one of those drummers that overpowers the music with lots of flashy playing. Nothing is more powerful to me than a solid backbeat that suddenly packs the dance floor.” No slouch in the chops department, however, Mark will often throw brief flashes of colourful fills into his playing before dropping back and guiding the rest of the band with his powerful and dynamic timekeeping.
Mark’s influences are quite diverse, and span a broad range of musical styles and tastes, including rock, R&B, soul, jazz and country. Growing up, Mark was originally inspired to play by the likes of Neil Peart (Rush), Phil Collins (Genesis), Stewart Copeland (The Police) and Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), as well as session greats Manu Katché and Omar Hakim. These days, Mark can be found listening to everything from prog-metal bands like Tool and Porcupine Tree, to Stevie Wonder and Dixie Chicks. “A great song is a great song,” Mark says, “regardless of what musical category it falls into.”
Be sure to come out and check out Mark with the Dawgs at one of their upcoming live shows!
Percussion
Vocals
Mark’s musical background dates all the way back to elementary school, where he played clarinet, and then high school when he graduated to saxophone. “Trouble was,” Mark says, “I played in several concert bands in those days and was more fascinated by the drums than the sax. We’d be in the middle of playing a concert and I would constantly be turning around to see what the drummer was doing, instead of focusing on the sheet music in front of me!”
Mark’s eventual decision to pick up the drums on his own was cemented at a rock concert he attended one summer. “I was seventeen,” Mark recalls, “and I was at a Mike + The Mechanics concert with a friend of mine. I just remember watching the drummer all night, and finally turning to Greg and saying, ‘that’s not that hard, you know…I could probably do that.’ Greg was a guitar player at the time and said, ‘well then, get yourself a set of drums so we can jam!’ And that was it! The next week I went out and rented a drumkit, enrolled in some lessons, and the rest is history.”
Perhaps the two words most easily applied to Mark’s style of drumming are rhythm and groove. He does not prefer to be known for any kind of showy technical ability, but instead for being able to mesh well with the other members of the band and play drum parts that perfectly complement each song. Mark has a strong sense of “the pocket” – in other words, of playing in such a way that the groove is solid, has a great feel, and makes listeners want to get up a dance. “It’s all about the songs themselves,” Mark explains. “I have never wanted to be one of those drummers that overpowers the music with lots of flashy playing. Nothing is more powerful to me than a solid backbeat that suddenly packs the dance floor.” No slouch in the chops department, however, Mark will often throw brief flashes of colourful fills into his playing before dropping back and guiding the rest of the band with his powerful and dynamic timekeeping.
Mark’s influences are quite diverse, and span a broad range of musical styles and tastes, including rock, R&B, soul, jazz and country. Growing up, Mark was originally inspired to play by the likes of Neil Peart (Rush), Phil Collins (Genesis), Stewart Copeland (The Police) and Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), as well as session greats Manu Katché and Omar Hakim. These days, Mark can be found listening to everything from prog-metal bands like Tool and Porcupine Tree, to Stevie Wonder and Dixie Chicks. “A great song is a great song,” Mark says, “regardless of what musical category it falls into.”
Be sure to come out and check out Mark with the Dawgs at one of their upcoming live shows!