CURRENT EVENTS
March 17, 2007
Video added to the Slavior page---check out the first video from the debut Slavior album. The song is Dove and was shot in Los Angeles while we were doing our shows at the end of January.
February 12, 2007
Slavior's two Los Angeles performances went very well. We had a great time playing these songs live. There was hidef, multi-camera video shot and we will have a multi media presentation ready for when the album is released at the end of March. We are currently setting up shows for April. Check out some Alex Solca live action photos of Slavior on the Slavior page.
January 22, 2007
Slavior is about to start rehearsing for the first two shows that we are playing on Jan. 26th and Jan 27th. Friday Jan. 26th will be at Bill's Place Studios, 12028 Vose St. North Hollywood, CA 91605. This "showcase" starts around 8:00 pm and is open to the public.
The next night, Sat. Jan 27th we will be playing at Paladinos in Reseda. We should hit the stage around 9:00 pm. The live band is being rounded out by Michael T. Ross (Hardline, Angel) on keyboards and bassist Kevin Freeby (Planet X).
Both of these shows will be shot in Hi-Def for later use. This is the very beginning of our live campaign and we are all very excited. Hope to see you at the shows.
January 2, 2007
On January 21st I will be doing an on air interview with Norm and his radio show "Another State of Mind" on 105.3 fm in San Diego. We will play a few cuts from the new Slavior album as well as some other classics. Norm promises me that he has a few surprises from the past.
We are currently searching for a seven string guitar player to play live with us. All serious inquiries please send to www.myspace.com/slaviorband. Los Angeles or San Diego based preferred. You must play 7 string guitar, no exceptions, sorry.
The weekend of Jan. 26-27 2007 will be a busy one for us as we will be playing both nights. Friday night the 26th we will be playing a gig at Bill's Place Studios in North Hollywood. We should start around 9:00pm. The next night we will be playing at Paladino's in Reseda. Not sure of the time, but keep checking back or give them a call. Hope to see all of you at these shows.
Check out www.myspace.com/slaviorband as a new track from the upcoming album Slavior, called Red Road has been added. Couple other updates on shows and interviews as well are posted.
December 8, 2006
Slavior is starting to gear up for some live dates that will start at the end of January 2007. We are currently seeking a guitar player who plays a seven string and sings a bit. A local San Diego bass player, Kevin Freeby will be playing bass with Gregg, Wayne and I. We are all very excited and looking forward to playing. Stay tune for the exact dates and time for the shows.
November 26, 2006
Slavior is preparing to play some live shows toward the end of January 2007. I will keep you posted. Also, even though I have used both these companies products for years, I just recently became an endorsee and part of their family. Check out the links to:
Toca Percussion and Metrophones.
October 17, 2006
Check out Slavior's myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/slaviorband!
October 5, 2006
SLAVIOR news:
SLAVIOR, the new band featuring former FATES WARNING/WARLORD drummer Mark Zonder, has inked a worldwide deal with Inside Out Music for the release of its self-titled debut album, due in early 2007.
A versatile, melodic hard rock/metal act, SLAVIOR's debut album features elements familiar to Zonder's progressive metal past, but also introduces a wide array influences including reggae, hip-hop, and modern rock. Rounded out by MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP guitarist/keyboardist Wayne Findlay and ex-TRIBE OF GYPSIES singer Gregg Analla, SLAVIOR is a band that has been a long time coming for Zonder.
"For a long, long time, I’ve always wanted to put something together that was based on the drum parts," states Zonder. "It is very difficult to take a crazy drum idea and try to apply it to someone else's idea. Most of the time it turns into a mess. If you start with the drum part, and build from there, it seems to work out. With SLAVIOR, the songs are so accessible and groove-oriented, after 15 seconds, anyone should be able to lock into it."
The band had originally inked a deal with Greece's Black Lotus Records, but financial turmoil eventually caused the label to fold, leaving SLAVIOR to re-evaluate matters and come to their initial choice of labels, Inside Out.
"You hear the old saying, 'When one door closes, another opens,' and I think that is the case here," explains Zonder. "Inside Out was always one of our first choices. I've known Jim (Pitulski, Inside Out America President) for 20 years now and to come to his label is certainly something we’re excited about. Even after we inked our deal with Inside Out, we heard from other labels that we were in contact with that congratulated us and said that IO was a classy label. That's always a good thing to hear."
Pitulski comments: "Mark Zonder has been a friend and colleague for many years and I have long admired his incredible skill as a musician. It is with great pleasure and pride that we now welcome Mark and SLAVIOR to the Inside Out family. The release of 'Slavior' represents a unique challenge for Inside Out in that its sound is not necessarily typical of what we've come to be known for as a label. We're looking at this release as an opportunity to push our own boundaries just as SLAVIOR themselves are pushing the boundaries of modern music."
Look for "Slavior" to hit stores in early 2007. To hear and advance track, go to www.myspace.com/insideoutamerica.
June 30, 2006
We have been under going a few changes but things are moving in a very positive direction. We have decided to change the name of the band from TempleWithin to Slavior. We feel that Slavior better represents the style and image of the band.
After being released from our record contract with Black Lotus a few weeks ago, we are in the process of securing a new deal. Details of the release along with the new official Slavior website will be announced shortly. The second half of the year 2006 will be a very exciting one for us.
February 22, 2006
We have finished mixing the album and are very happy with the outcome. Engineer Joe Marlett has really added his touch and brought the sound of the band to a new level. We are currently wrapping up all of the details with the artwork, pics etc... The entire process of recording to mix has been very exciting.
February 1, 2006
Today we start mixing the album with Joe Marlett at Frank and Smokey's Hideaway. As mentioned before, the name of the album is "Slavior" with the complete song list as follows:
Shatter
Altar
Another Planet
Dove
Origin
Red Road
Swept Away
Deeper
Give it Up
Slavior
Renegade
January 10, 2006
An MP3 of Mark's January 9th interview on Dementia Radio has been posted on the TempleWithin page. Take a listen if you missed the live interview!
January 8, 2006
Gregg has been here for about a week doing vocals. Everything is turning out quite well. We have decided on the name of the album: SLAVIOR
Some song titles are:
Red Road
Shatter
Slavior
Origin
Altar
Dove
Another Planet
Swept Away
Deeper
We will be mixing toward the end of January with a May 2006 release on Black Lotus Records.
January 5, 2006
Mark will be interviewed on Dementia Radio on Monday, January 9th at Noon EST! Visit the DR forum to post your questions for Mark...
December 9, 2005
Well it has been awhile and much has been going on. First and foremost, TempleWithin has signed a deal with Black Lotus Records. Details will be announced in the next few days.
We started recording the album and I am very happy with the drum sounds that Joe Marlett (www.joemarlett.com) has gotten. I have learned a few new tricks (I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks) and am amazed at the live, acoustic sound that we got.
Wayne has finished most of the guitars and most of the bass. Gregg will be out to sing in the next couple weeks. The album is scheduled for a May 2006 release.
Since I have been very busy with all of the organization and tracking of the album, I have not had much time to play. I finally got a chance to sit back down at the kit and had the time of my life. I just set up kick, snare, hat and ride cymbal. I have spent so much time the last few months working on parts, then recording them, then revising them, that I forgot what it was like to just play and not think. I already came up with a few ideas for the next album. There is something about just sitting down and playing from what is inside. All the players know what I am talking about.
So that is what has been going on. I will keep you posted as things develop. Hope all have a happy holiday season.
September 22, 2005
Temple Within update: "Things are going well with securing a proper label for the band. We will start recording the album in the middle of October. We have decided to have Joe Marlett (www.joemarlett) engineer and mix the album. Joe's skills will be a very important part of our sound. We are very excited with what he will contribute to the final product. Stay tuned."
August 17, 2005
New audio clip added to the TempleWithin page...check it out!
August 3, 2005
Check out the TempleWithin page for more info on Mark's new band!
July 13, 2005
The recording with Mr. Analla over the past few days went extremely well. It is always sort of weird working with someone in a recording situation for the first time. It was like we had known each other and worked together for years. We knocked out 6 songs with all kinds of interesting vocal parts. It was an absolute pleasure to have Gregg here. Alex Solca and Chris Liebundgut came down to shoot some pictures and check out the music. It was a reunion of old friends and we all had a great time.
We should have some mp3 stuff and photos up on the site very shortly. It is time to start kicking this into high gear.
July 8, 2005
This weekend Gregg Analla will be coming to San Diego to record with Wayne and I. Everything is going very well and we should have a couple mp3's posted here on the site very shortly. Wayne and I have spent the last six months or so putting material together and are very excited about the band.
April 23, 2005
Wayne and I have been hard at work putting together a bunch of cool songs. We are working with vocalist Greg Analla and are really digging what he is doing with our stuff. Greg has brought a modern vocal touch to our sound and we are very excited. Greg used to play in the band Tribe of Gypsies with Roy Z.
We are currently preparing to approach various labels. I will keep you updated as well as posting some mp3 clips in the near future. Stay tuned!!!!
February 5, 2005
Just got back from the Fates video shoot of Simple Human. It was great to see everyone. I think I played the song at least 20 times and the footage looks really good. It was a long day, but it will be worth it.
I have just joined the Toca Company as an endorsee for their percussion line. I am very happy to be a part of this family. I have been using their products for some time, but now it is official.
Things are moving along quite well with Wayne Findlay. We are finishing our demo stuff and will decide on a singer in the next few weeks. There are a few really strong contenders. The songs came out well and we wound up spending a lot of time on a lot of the small details, as you would do with an album. We are both very excited about this and continue to move forward at a quick pace. I am really enjoying getting together with Wayne to work. I will keep you posted.
October 28, 2004
It has been a busy last couple of months. I have spent alot of time studying and practicing with a new teacher. Even though I had spent many hours studying Afro-Cuban music from a couple of great books, there is nothing like having a teacher. We started from the basics and keeping things traditional. I have been playing alot of congas and then incorporating the bell patterns and other configurations to the drum set. This is some very serious 4 way independence. I recommend this very highly as it really can open up your playing and give you the tools to start taking your playing into various directions.
I have also started working with Wayne Findlay, a local San Diego guy, who is the guitar-keyboard player with Michael Schenker. I am pretty sure he has been with Michael for about 5 years or so. Check out www.waynefindlay.com
Wayne is in Europe for a few weeks with Michael, but when he returns we have plans for kicking this into high gear. We have come up with some great ideas so far. I really enjoy and appreciate Wayne's ability to take some of my drum ideas and write to them. He is a true musician. I will keep you posted as we progress.
Keep practicing.........
August 20, 2004
Tour Journal and Pics from Mark's shows with Joacim Cans in Germany and Sweden. Check them out HERE!
July 23, 2004
I just received the new Fates album from Jim and all I can say is that is it great!! You will have to wait until Oct 5th, but it will be worth the wait. Awesome production.
I have been watching the Tour de France over the last few weeks and enjoy seeing the USPS Team with Lance destroy the competition. I try to get my 30 -40 miles in on the bike daily. Great exercise.
I will be leaving to go to Europe and play some gigs with Cans in the next two weeks. Sweden and Germany are the spots. I think DC Cooper's band Silent Force might be playing with us on some of those shows.
Gary Werhkamp will be coming out here to finish up the songs for the Alfa-Dog demo. We have changed direction a bit and things are a bit more heavy and proggy. Decided to hold nothing back. Can't wait to finish these songs up and start recording them.
Practice wise I have been spending alot of time concentrating on my right foot and being able to play 16th note patterns at fast tempos with one foot. Some of this practice stuff wound up in one of the AD songs. I have also spent alot of time analyzing my playing with regards to the feel of my drums. This is a personal thing as no one else hears my playing the way I do. I know all of you musicians know what I mean. It might sound very good, and the listener thinks it is great, but the player knows how the feel is. This goes beyond just playing the parts, but really being able to feel the pulse of your groove and fills.
Remember, practice, practice, practice!!!!
May 24, 2004
I just got back from Sweden playing with Joacim Cans at the 2000 Decibel Festival. Had a great time and the band sounded tight and powerful. Joacim has Stefan from Hammerfall and Danny Gill, a long time L.A. guy that I know from the past who now lives in Sweden, playing guitar. Great combination of players. We played ten songs off of Joacim Cans debut solo album, 'Beyond the Gates" and two Warlord songs, "Child of the Damned" and "Lucifer's Hammer". Joacim is currently setting up some shows in Europe for the beginning of August. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!
May 17, 2004
I am leaving to go to Sweden and play with Joacim Cans at the 2000 Decibel in Sweden. Cans solo album is getting great reviews and I am really looking forward to playing. Looks like we will be playing more shows in August. Check out the album "Beyond the Gates" on Sanctuary Records.
April 28, 2004
Just got back from the Carriage House in CT. Did the new drum tracks for the Fates album and it really is going to be a great album. Very powerful and strong. Next they will be doing guitars, bass, keys and vocals. This should be what all of the Fates fans are waiting for.
April 20, 2004
I went up to L.A. to rehearse with Montrose on Thursday before the Dallas show. We only rehearsed for about an hour and just ran the set. Then off to Dallas.
The gig was a bit funny as it was "festival" style with the drum kit, but it worked out fine. After Rick Derringer finished with his set, it was time for some serious 70's rock. We opened with Rock the Nation, the anthem from my youth, and proceeded to play the first album and a few from the second album. I was actually playing on stage with the band that I had seen a million times before. The highlight songs were Space Station #5 with a long sped up jam that captured the feel of the album quite well. I Got the Fire was also killer. Even though the monitor situation was horrible, the band played great and Johnny sang his ass off. It was the show that I will never forget as I traveled through time that night.
March 28, 2004
Gary Wehrkamp and drummer Joe Nevolo of Shadow Gallery were here last week to record drums for the upcoming Shadow Gallery album. Joe is an awesome player with exceptional skills and great dynamics. Joe, Gary and my family all had a great time.
March 20, 2004
I will be playing with Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips (Bass) and Johnny Lesveque (Vocals) at the Dallas Guitar Show on April 17th. Playing all of the old Montrose tunes. This should be quite exciting as Montrose was my favorite band for many many years. Sort of a dream come true.
March 3, 2004
The April 2004 Modern Drummer just came out and I have an article in it. It is in the "Ask a Pro" section. Also in the next issue or two they will be doing an update which will include my new web site address.
February 2004
Started working on a project with one of my all time favorite musicians. Need to keep it under wraps for now, but I will keep you posted.
December 2003
Started working on the drum parts for the new Fates Warning album. The album should be released later this year.
December 2003
Began shopping my new band ALFA-DOG, comprised of fellow musicians Gary Wehrkamp and DC Cooper. This is a song oriented, commercial style band while still keeping to our progressive roots. I will keep you posted."
December 2003
I recorded drum tracks for Joacim Cans debut solo album. Joacim is the lead singer of the band Hammerfall. I know Joacim from the Warlord album “Rising Out of Ashes” that we did in 2002. Any chance to work with him is a pleasure. The album is on Sanctuary Records and is due out in April. I am also looking forward to the touring that we will be doing during the summer. Check out www.joacimcans.com
November 2003
I recorded drum tracks for Glenn Snelwar’s debut album on Laser’s Edge Records. This is an instrumental album with Michael Manring on bass and Glenn playing guitar and keys. Pretty crazy stuff and a must for the progressive fan. Check out www.glennsnelwar.com.
