Wikipedia

Marc Mac

(Redirected from Draft:Marc Mac)

Mark Anthony Clair, known as Marc Mac, is a British DJ, broadcaster, producer, promoter and label owner in the UK electronic dance music scene who was influential in shaping dance music of the 1990s.[1][2] Mac was instrumental in creating several new genres of music including hardcore breakbeat,[3] UK hardcore, darkcore, jungle, drum and bass, downtempo, broken beat and nu jazz.[4][5][6][7] He is one half of the group 4hero, founded in partnership with collaborator Dego (Dennis McFarlane), and a co-founder of Reinforced Records.[8][9][2] Mac's other solo projects include The Visioneers (jazz/hip-hop), Nu Era (techno), and Nature's Plan (Afro-Latin).[10]

Marc Mac
Mac in 2014
Mac in 2014
Background information
BornLondon, England
Genres
Occupations
Years active1989–present
Labels
Member of
Websitemarc4hero.bandcamp.com

Early life

edit

Marc Mac was born and raised in London and attended school in Harlesden.[11] His family emigrated to England from Jamaica and are part of the Windrush generation Caribbean-British legacy.[12] His parents were active in the community creating programming to support and advocate for local youth and their families. His family was instrumental in founding the Black Parents Movement and Black Cultural Archives in collaboration with other community members.[13]

Among the works Mac and his siblings grew up listening to were those by Bob Marley, Johnny Clarke, Two Sevens Clash, Elvis Presley, Elton John, and the gospel records of Jim Reeves;[11] while visiting family in the United States, he would listen to underground music from Detroit and Chicago, the early hip-hop of New York City and works by Big Daddy Kane, and works by Roxanne Shanté, Public Enemy, Zulu Nation, and the label Cold Chillin.[14][11]

Because we're living in a country where – people don't like to say it – there is institutional racism. When we signed to a major label, when you're going global, it's going to be harder for us, with our faces on the cover of magazines. We always wanted to be faceless because we had that knowledge. All the early records on Reinforced were faceless; people didn't know we were Black until we turned up at the rave. We're driving through parts of England and people are maybe seeing Black people for the first time. We were always aware that showing our face might be problematic. That's how it was – it's not like we've gone past it, we're having similar problems but in a different way.

Marc Mac speaking with Kwame Safo in October of 2020 about the origins of Jungle music[1]

Mac's early works were "faceless" in an effort to circumvent institutional racism.[1] Following in the foosteps of his family and Harlesden community context, Mac steeped his musical practice in anti-oppression practices advocating for equal rights and the protection and continuation of Black cultural legacies.[15][16][17] His productions pay tribute to past musical greats, Black visionaries from the Civil Rights movement, Black Panthers, Afrofuturists, and the early days of hip-hop, electro, folk and jazz.[18]

Sound engineering and music production

edit

Sound systems

edit

Mac started his career in music in sound system culture. Around 1985 or 1986 he and his friends created sound systems called Solar Zone and Midnight Lovers. His family's involvement in organising the local anti-oppression community afforded him the opportunity to practice and play in the professional context of a large concert hall in Alperton near Wembley.[11][19] Solar Zone eventually gathered enough of a fan base to sell tickets and perform in blues clubs (then-illegal clubs, often found in suburban neighbourhoods). Like the Jamaican sound engineer/producer King Tubby, Mac experiments with aspects of DIY sound production.[20][21][22] Experiments with building speakers led him to create fully fledged mobile sound system rigs for radio and carnivals.[11]

Pirate radio

edit

In 1989, before 4hero and Reinforced Records had started, Mac and Dego founded a pirate radio station called Strong Island Radio,[23] based in Dollis Hill where they attended college.[24] Its name came from the station with the same name broadcast from Long Island, New York. Mac and Iain Bardouille also played on the Girls FM station in the midnight slot.[25]

Reinforced Records

edit

In 1989, Mac and Gus Lawrence founded Reinforced Records,[25][26] which featured a diverse selection of sounds including breakbeat hardcore, jungle, drum & bass, and a roster including Goldie, Doc Scott, DJ Randall, Nookie, Tek9, Grooverider, Kemistry & Storm, Wings (aka Roni Size, Krust and Die), A Guy Called Gerald, Peshay, J Majik, Photek, 4hero, Manix and Tom & Jerry.[27][28] Reinforced Records has supported new musical genres and emerging artists, pioneering the sounds of 90's British dance music scene through mentorship, networking opportunities, collaboration and music production.[29] The Dollis Hill studio that Mac and his Reinforced Records collaborators established had an atmosphere and function similar in spirit to the community centres that they frequented as youth.[30]

4hero

edit
Main article: 4hero

In 1989, Mac, Dego, Iain Bardouille, and Reinforced co-founder Gus Lawrence founded a rotating musical collective called 4hero, which later included only Mac and Dego.[24] 4hero's sound experimentations resulted in pioneering new music genres in the UK rave scene including jungle, drum 'n' bass, breakbeat hardcore, broken beat and nu jazz.[24][31][32]

The earliest 4hero releases were produced by Mac and Gus Lawrence. As 4hero developed, Mac invited Dego and Iain to join the production collective for the album "In Rough Territory". The earliest 4hero productions were influenced by heavy sub bass, bleeps, Detroit sounds and UK hip hop, and their first album included rap.[33] The collective spent its early years playing soul, boogie, electro, house, and 2-step soul.[34]

Mac and Dego met the Phildelphia-based American producer and DJ King Britt who was visiting London in 1989 and was working as a buyer for Tower Records. Britt arranged to meet the group in 4hero's Dollis Hill studio, and was also introduced to Goldie, who happened to visit the studio at the same time.[29] Britt and Mac later collaborated on several musical productions. Britt separately interviewed Mac and Goldie for Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music, a course at the University of California, San Diego. The Blacktronika archive is a freely available audio-visual resource honouring and preserving the legacies of electronic music creators of colour.[35]

In 2010, Annie Mac, an Irish presenter and DJ, called 4hero "iconic producers of UK dance and electronic soul", and listed their remix of Nuyorican Soul: I Am the Black Gold of the Sun in her top ten electronic music tracks of all time.[36] In 2011, music journalist Richard Vine listed the same single among "50 key events in the history of dance music".[37] In 2023, 4hero (Mac and Dego) remixed "Lost" by Ada Morghe, an award-winning German composer, who referred to 4hero as "pioneers of drum 'n Bass".[38]

Collaborations

edit

In 1989, through their work as Reinforced Records, Mac and Dego were introduced to Goldie by his partner DJ Kemistry at the dance music club, Astoria.[39] Goldie was first involved at Reinforced Records as A&R staff, then later started collaborating with the duo in their studio.[40][41]

In 2002, Mac, in partnership with Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick of the acid jazz band, Incognito, produced and arranged Speak Your Peace by Terry Callier.[42]

Mac has multiple independent projects and collaborations exploring a variety of musical genres outside of the group 4hero including Brazilika, Visioneers, and All Power to the People.[43][10]

Discography

edit

Albums (listed most recent to older):

  • Marc Mac presents Visioneers – Def Radio - Omniverse - 2024 (6 versions)
  • The Invisible Soldiers - Omniverse Recordings - 2020 (2 versions)
  • Blue Tape Instrumentals - Omniverse - 2019 - (LP, Album, Ltd, Mixed)
  • Red Tape Instrumentals - Omniverse - 2019 (LP, Album, Limited Edition, Mixed)
  • All Power To The People - Omnniverse - 2019 (LP, Ltd)
  • Generation-X - Omniverse - 2016 (LP, Album, Ltd)
  • Extend The Knowledge - Omniverse - 2016 (LP, Album, Ltd, Marble Black/Grey)
  • Message From Soulville - Omniverse - 2013 (2 versions)
  • T.R.A.C. Prodcued by Marc Mac - The Network - BBE - 2011 (15×File, MP3, 320 kbps)
  • Beats From The Network (BFTN) - Omniverse - 2009 - (15×File, MP3, 320 kbps)
  • It`s Right To Be Civil - Omniverse - 2006 (3 versions)
  • Marc Mac Presents Visioneers - Dirty Old Hip Hop - BBE - 2006 (5 versions)
  • How About A Game of Chess? - ABB Soul - 2005 (3 versions)

Singles and EPs

  • Ike's Mood I - Omniverse Recordings - (7", Single, Ltd)
  • Ja-Pan-Ah - Omniverse Recordings - 2023 (12", EP)
  • Br-Azil-Ah EP - Omniverse - 2022 (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP)
  • Ja-Maye-Ka EP - Omniverse - 2021 (12", EP)
  • Ah-Free-Ka EP - Co-operation Recordings - 2019 (2 versions)
  • Marc Mac Presents Visioneers - Apache / Shaft in Africa (Addis) - BBe - 2011 (7", Ltd)
  • Marc Mac presents Visioneers - Dirty Old Remix EP - BBE - 2007 (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP)
  • Headspin - Twisted Funk - 2007 (12")
  • Dilinja / Marc Mac Dominator (remix) Untitled - Not On Label - 2003 (Acetate, 10")
  • Mark Mac* + Swift* – Shadow Boxin / Feels Good - Integral Recordings - 1997 ( 2 versions)

Compilations

  • The Power Tapes (Expanded) - Omniverse - 2020 - (3 versions)
  • Vintage Bruk - Omniverse - 2019 (9×File, FLAC, Album, Comp, Stereo)
  • Extend The Knowledge / It`s Right To Be Civil - Omniverse - 2011 (2×CD, Comp, Ltd)

DJ Mixes

  • Forgotten Treasures Mix #13 - MusicIsMySanctuary.com - 2013 (File, MP3, Mixed, 320)
  • Hipology - 101 Apparel - 2012 (2 versions)
  • 4hero / Marc Mac – Brazilika (An Eclectic Brazilian DJ-Mix From Marc Mac) - Far Out Recordings - 2006 (CD, Mixed)

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "The gentrification of jungle". Mixmag. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b Burgess, John (19 January 2007). "4hero, Play With the Changes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  3. ^ "The Samplers and Breakbeats Behind '90s Jungle/Drum & Bass". reverb.com. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  4. ^ Chapman, Dale (29 April 2025). "Hermeneutics of Suspicion: Paranoia and the Technological Sublime in Drum and Bass Music". Echo. 5 (2) (published 2003).
  5. ^ Kalia, Ammar (19 August 2019). "We Out Here festival review – a new jazz generation is born". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Solid Gold: How 4Hero's 'Two Pages' predicted the future of d&b". DJ Mag. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  7. ^ "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Residency, Sherelle". BBC. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  8. ^ Muggs, Joe; Stevens, Brian David (2020). Bass, Mids, Tops: An Oral History of Sound System Culture. Strange Attractor Press. ISBN 978-1907222771.
  9. ^ Hermes, Will (22 November 1998). "Dance Music Enlists A New Sound: Voices". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Marc Mac". Discogs. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Marc Mac (4Hero) – Windrush Stories". UK Podcasts. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  12. ^ "DJ Flight wins Outstanding Contribution at DJ Mag's Best of British awards 2022". DJ Mag. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Black Cultural Archives". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  14. ^ "AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK 'MARC MAC'". Jungle Drum and Bass. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2025.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Stories, Windrush (22 October 2021). "Marc Mac (4Hero) – Windrush Stories – Podcast". Podtail. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  16. ^ Safo, Kwame; Wheeler, Seb (23 October 2020). "The gentrification of jungle:Kwame Safo talks to Marc Mac, Bryan Gee, DJ Flight and Junior Tomlin about the futuristic Black art form and why its Black roots should never be forgotten". Mixmag.net. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  17. ^ History, Gear (27 July 2020). "The Samplers and Breakbeats Behind '90s Jungle/Drum & Bass". reverb.com. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. ^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & (1 January 2007). "4Hero". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 13 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Krohn, Philipp (2015). Sound of the cities eine popmusikalische Entdeckungsreise (in German). Internet Archive. Berlin Rogner & Bernhard. pp. 363–365. ISBN 978395403-0910.
  20. ^ "Encyclopedia of Invisibility — King Tubby". www.encyclopediaofinvisibility.com. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  21. ^ Records, Enki's (27 January 2021). "King Tubby: Biography of the Legendary Sound Engineer & Producer". Enki's Music Records. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  22. ^ Stars don't stand still in the sky : music and myth. Internet Archive. New York : New York University Press. 1999. ISBN 978-0-8147-4726-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) CS1 maint: publisher ___location (link)
  23. ^ "4 Hero - The Evolution of Music | The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  24. ^ a b c Shapiro, Peter (1999). The Rough Guide to Drum 'n' bass. Rough Guides. pp. 71–75. ISBN 9781858284330.
  25. ^ a b "Reinforced Records". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  26. ^ updated, Jim McCauley Contributions from Joe Foley last (23 March 2017). "14 of the best record label logos". Creative Bloq. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  27. ^ UK, Drum and Bass. "Reinforced Records Drum and Bass Label Profile | Drum & Bass UK". Drum and Bass UK. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  28. ^ "The History of Rock Music. 4 Hero: biography, discography, reviews, best albums, ratings". www.scaruffi.com. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  29. ^ a b "In Conversation with King Britt — Coloring Lessons". coloringlessons.com. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  30. ^ Stories, Windrush (22 October 2021). "Marc Mac (4Hero) – Windrush Stories – Podcast". Podtail. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  31. ^ Britt, King; Rodgers, Tara (April 2022). "'We Cross Examine with Old Sonic DNA': King Britt and Tara Rodgers in conversation on Blacktronika, music technology and pedagogy". Organised Sound. 27 (1): 55–58. doi:10.1017/S1355771822000231. ISSN 1355-7718.
  32. ^ History, Gear (27 July 2020). "The Samplers and Breakbeats Behind '90s Jungle/Drum & Bass". reverb.com. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  33. ^ Steven, Colin, ed. (2020). Knowledge Magazine 25 Year Anniversary. Velocity Press. ISBN 9781913231019.
  34. ^ "Rewind: 4hero - Mr. Kirk's Nightmare · Single Review ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  35. ^ "In Conversation with King Britt — Coloring Lessons". coloringlessons.com. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  36. ^ Stevens, Jenny; Stevens, Interview by Jenny (22 October 2014). "Annie Mac's top 10 electronic tracks". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  37. ^ Vine, Richard (14 June 2011). "4hero remix Nuyorican Soul's I Am the Black Gold of the Sun". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  38. ^ Braithwaite, Andrew (20 June 2023). "Q&A: Ada Morghe talks new 4hero remix, love for jazz & more". Music Talkers - Latest Music News & Artist Exposure. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  39. ^ "Goldie The Alchemist - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  40. ^ "Mentors: How 4Hero Programmed Goldie's Software". Telekom Electronic Beats. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  41. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (Virgin Encyclopedias of Popular Music). Virgin Publishing. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-7535-0252-5.
  42. ^ All music guide to soul : the definitive guide to R&B and soul. Internet Archive. San Francisco, CA : Backbeat Books ; Berkeley, CA : Distributed to the book trade in the U.S. and Canada by Publishers Group West ; Milwaukee, WI : Distributed to the music trade in the U.S. and Canada by Hal Leonard Pub. 2003. ISBN 978-0-87930-744-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  43. ^ Bellini, Lara. "BBC - Music - Review of Various Artists - Brazilika". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marc_Mac&oldid=1307683304"