Mark Durante
Encyclopedia
Mark Durante is a pedal steel guitarist who is currently based in Chicago
.
Durante began playing guitar in 1968 after being inspired by the fretwork of Jimi Hendrix
, Frank Zappa
and Merle Travis
. Ten years later, Durante founded a rock combo he named "Public Enemy". Durante's band bears no relationship to the hip-hop musicians of the same name.
In the early 1980s, Durante played guitar with The Aliens and the punk band The Next Big Thing. In the late 1980s, he played with The Slammin' Watusis
who recorded two albums for Epic Records
. Although a third album was produced by Rick Nielsen
of Cheap Trick
, it was not released because Watusis were dropped by their record label.
Durante then played guitar with Revolting Cocks
on their 1990 U.S. tour and their 1991 European tour. During that tour, RevCo recorded the live tracks for their Beers, Steers and Queers Remixes EP
, on which Durante provided guitar.
In 1992, Durante joined another Wax Trax
industrial rock
combo, KMFDM
. In addition to playing guitar, Durante helped write all but two of the tracks on the album, Angst. Durante toured with KMFDM and provided guitar and some songwriting on the subsequent albums Nihil
and Xtort
. Allmusic describes the albums on which Durante contributed as KMFDM's "best-known and strongest releases." He also contributed to the KMFDM side project Excessive Force
, appearing on the 1993 album Gentle Death
.
Since 1995, Durante has played steel guitar
as a member of the insurgent country band The Waco Brothers
. Originally intended to be a side project, Durante and the Waco Brothers have recorded eight albums for Chicago's Bloodshot Records
label. Their latest album, Waco Express: Live & Kickin' at Schuba's Tavern, is a concert recording which Ken Tucker
, the pop music critic for NPR
's Fresh Air
and Editor-at-Large at Entertainment Weekly
, described as "country as it should be written and played, with a long memory for roadhouse honky-tonks rather than TV-ready music videos." In 1997, Durante played guitar on Jon Langford's "Skull Orchard" album.
In 2004, Durante released a solo CD entitled Welcome to Earth under the nom de rock of durantula.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Durante began playing guitar in 1968 after being inspired by the fretwork of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
and Merle Travis
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
. Ten years later, Durante founded a rock combo he named "Public Enemy". Durante's band bears no relationship to the hip-hop musicians of the same name.
In the early 1980s, Durante played guitar with The Aliens and the punk band The Next Big Thing. In the late 1980s, he played with The Slammin' Watusis
Slammin' Watusis
Slammin' Watusis was a punk rock and heavy metal group, that released two albums, a self-titled debut album in 1988 and Kings of Noise in 1989. Both albums were released by Epic Records....
who recorded two albums for Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
. Although a third album was produced by Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
of Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, it was not released because Watusis were dropped by their record label.
Durante then played guitar with Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, is an American–Belgian industrial rock band and sometime supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc Van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.-History:...
on their 1990 U.S. tour and their 1991 European tour. During that tour, RevCo recorded the live tracks for their Beers, Steers and Queers Remixes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, on which Durante provided guitar.
In 1992, Durante joined another Wax Trax
Wax Trax! Records
Wax Trax! Records was an independent record label in the United States. Wax Trax! began as a record shop in Denver, Colorado opened by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher. They sold the store in 1978 and, in November of that year, opened a new one under the same name at 2449 North Lincoln Avenue in...
industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
combo, KMFDM
KMFDM
KMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
. In addition to playing guitar, Durante helped write all but two of the tracks on the album, Angst. Durante toured with KMFDM and provided guitar and some songwriting on the subsequent albums Nihil
Nihil
Nihil is the eighth album by the German industrial rock band KMFDM, released in 1995. It was recorded in Seattle, Washington. It sold over 120,000 copies....
and Xtort
Xtort
Xtort, sometimes written XTOЯT, is the ninth studio album by industrial rock group KMFDM. It was released June 25, 1996 on Wax Trax!/TVT...
. Allmusic describes the albums on which Durante contributed as KMFDM's "best-known and strongest releases." He also contributed to the KMFDM side project Excessive Force
Excessive Force
Excessive Force is a musical side project started in 1991 by Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM and Buzz McCoy of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult.-History:...
, appearing on the 1993 album Gentle Death
Gentle Death
Gentle Death is a 1993 album by Excessive Force, a KMFDM side project. On November 6, 2007 this album was re-released with remastered audio as well as the Blitzkrieg single as bonus tracks.-Track listing:-Personnel:...
.
Since 1995, Durante has played steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
as a member of the insurgent country band The Waco Brothers
The Waco Brothers
The Waco Brothers are an alternative country band in Chicago, Illinois, formed by Jon Langford of the Mekons. The group grew out of Langford's wish to play more country-influenced music as the Mekons concentrated more on a punk sound. They were originally put together simply for local Chicago...
. Originally intended to be a side project, Durante and the Waco Brothers have recorded eight albums for Chicago's Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
label. Their latest album, Waco Express: Live & Kickin' at Schuba's Tavern, is a concert recording which Ken Tucker
Ken Tucker
Ken Tucker was an English footballer who played as a left winger....
, the pop music critic for NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's Fresh Air
Fresh Air
Fresh Air is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States. The show is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its longtime host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to 450 stations and claimed 4.5 million listeners. The show...
and Editor-at-Large at Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, described as "country as it should be written and played, with a long memory for roadhouse honky-tonks rather than TV-ready music videos." In 1997, Durante played guitar on Jon Langford's "Skull Orchard" album.
In 2004, Durante released a solo CD entitled Welcome to Earth under the nom de rock of durantula.