Mark Gormley
Encyclopedia
Mark Gormley is a singer-songwriter
from Pensacola, Florida
who achieved internet fame
for his music videos on YouTube
. He mostly performs acoustic rock
consisting of acoustic guitar and vocals.
, Bob Dylan
, Rush
, Jimi Hendrix
, James Taylor
and Boston
. During his time enlisted in the Marines
, Gormley was stationed in Scotland where he recorded a demo for his songs, but he was unable to gain a recording contract on his return to the USA. In 1986, Gormley entered the music studio once again to record two new songs.
music show that plays original and cover videos by local artists. The Uncharted Zone is shown on the Blab Television
cable station and is based in the Gulf Coast of Florida
. Gormley has since recorded a number of music videos for the show.
The low-budget music videos are produced by Phil Thomas Katt, a local musician and former radio DJ. The videos are characterised by their frequent use of green screen
effects, local scenery and, quite often, comedic or dramatic story lines. Katt runs The Uncharted Zone with his co-host and longtime friend Tommy Robinetti. The two can be found introducing each video with quirky commentary and anecdotes about each featured artist.
In addition to the television broadcast, The Uncharted Zone began posting videos on YouTube in 2007. These videos gained popularity during 2009. In a 2010 interview, Phil Thomas Katt explained: “The videos had been on YouTube for a while, and then, last year, things really took off.” Thanks to these YouTube videos, Katt became a cult icon to a growing group of fans and fellow musicians, and Gormley was propelled to internet stardom.
In October 2010, Gormley received the first ever The Uncharted Zone 'Youzie Award'. The award signified Gormley becoming the first artist in The Uncharted Zone's history to have a music video surpass one million views on YouTube.
proclaimed "The internet has a new musical hero in the form of singer-songwriter Mark Gormley". Gormley and his music have been featured on the G4TV television program Attack of the Show!
. "Weird Al" Yankovic
performed an impression
of Gormley during an appearance on the television program Web Soup
. Gormley has been the inspiration for several fan-made videos, including remixes of his songs, cover versions, and parodies of his music videos. The standing posture adopted by Gormley in several of his music videos, known as the "Power Stance", became an internet meme
.
Gormley has been asked to perform by concert bookers and TV shows including the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but he decided to decline the offers. Gormley has avoided the spotlight and is notoriously reclusive
. In an interview conducted by The Uncharted Zone's Michele Carnley, Gormley claimed “I'm just little old me from Pensacola.” When asked about his sudden internet fame, Gormley replied “It's a bit overwhelming. You know, when I did this I just did it for fun. Something to do, something therapeutic.”
found the song "thought-provoking" and noted the profound insights offered by the lyrics. Gormley considers the song his personal favorite.
The "Little Wings" music video includes footage of seagulls
in flight, as Gormley sings in front of ocean scenes. Gormley and his music video for "Little Wings" were featured on the website of Colorado-based newspaper Westword
, who remarked "there's something strangely appealing about Gormley...I have to say that this song is actually pretty great". Videogum
listed the "Little Wings" music video as one of the best viral videos of 2009.
"Gray Days" is one of Gormley's darkest songs, that LimeLife
referred to as a "moving, Zeppelinesque tribute".
The music video for "Stars" shows Gormley performing the song while backed by footage of the night sky and the beaches of Perdido Key, Florida
.
Gormley's breakthrough music video is for "Without You", released in 2008. "Without You" is a love song about heartbreak and loneliness that music website The Daily Swarm described as a "soft metal masterpiece". Alternative culture magazine Coilhouse called the track "an honest, well-crafted song" and noted Gormley's "soulful voice". Pensacola News Journal
described the music video as "a frenetic mix of Gormley, scenic backdrops and a lovely young lady". Media journal BuzzFeed
considered "Without You" to be a contender for 'Video of the Year' and listed it among the 'Most Memorable Amateur Music Videos of the 2000s'. On January 14, 2009, "Without You" was named a viral video by music magazine Blender
and Comedy Central
. On January 16, 2009, "Without You" was the daily featured music video on the website Today's BIG Thing. The music video achieved cult status through word-of-mouth and blog posts. When asked about the success of "Without You", Phil Thomas Katt stated: “It spread like wildfire. I started hearing from folks all over the country. Mark never cared about being a celebrity, but the interest was there.” In January 2011, "Without You" was featured on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest
Performers #6. Commentators on the music video included actor Daniel Baldwin
, comedian Loni Love
, and writers Billy Kimball
and Michael Loftus. Loni Love criticized Gormley's choice of clothing, whereas Michael Loftus commented "you don't expect him to have a golden throat like that".
Gormley's missed opportunites and sudden fame were parodied in the music video for "The Cries in Our Eyes". During the course of the video, Gormley is depicted performing in front of famous landmarks from around the world and being photographed by paparazzi
. According to Missouri newsweekly Riverfront Times
, the music video created "the Mark Gormley tour that could have been".
The music video for "Sing Me Your Song" largely takes place on the Moon
and in space. The video capitalised on Gormley's success by featuring product placement
for the Cheetos
snack food. Music website Video Static described the song as "haunting" and praised the music videos use of product placement. Gormley opted to receive no money from the product placement deal, giving all revenue to The Uncharted Zone to help them during the difficult economy.
Gormley's music video for the song "All We Need" was released on June 27, 2010. It marks the final music video from his debut album. Gormley plans to write and record new songs in the future. A Mark Gormley DVD is also in production.
All tracks written and performed by Mark Gormley
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
from Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
who achieved internet fame
Internet celebrity
An Internet celebrity, cyberstar or online celebrity is someone who has become famous by means of the Internet. Such fame is based less upon raw numbers, as with traditional media...
for his music videos on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. He mostly performs acoustic rock
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
consisting of acoustic guitar and vocals.
Early years
Gormley learned to play the guitar as a teenager and later wrote a number of original compositions in the mid-1970s. His musical influences include Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
. During his time enlisted in the Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, Gormley was stationed in Scotland where he recorded a demo for his songs, but he was unable to gain a recording contract on his return to the USA. In 1986, Gormley entered the music studio once again to record two new songs.
The Uncharted Zone
Having decided to give up pursuing a career as a musician, Gormley didn't release his music to the public until his first music video was filmed in 2006. Gormley was given a platform when his music videos appeared on The Uncharted Zone, a weekly public-access televisionPublic-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
music show that plays original and cover videos by local artists. The Uncharted Zone is shown on the Blab Television
Blab Television
Blab Television is a cable television station located on Cox Cable channel 6 in Pensacola, Florida, USA and MediaCom channel 38 in Santa Rosa county. Since 1984, it is locally owned with Fred Vigodsky as the president. Programming consists entirely of local Information Programs, both 30 and 60...
cable station and is based in the Gulf Coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Gormley has since recorded a number of music videos for the show.
The low-budget music videos are produced by Phil Thomas Katt, a local musician and former radio DJ. The videos are characterised by their frequent use of green screen
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
effects, local scenery and, quite often, comedic or dramatic story lines. Katt runs The Uncharted Zone with his co-host and longtime friend Tommy Robinetti. The two can be found introducing each video with quirky commentary and anecdotes about each featured artist.
In addition to the television broadcast, The Uncharted Zone began posting videos on YouTube in 2007. These videos gained popularity during 2009. In a 2010 interview, Phil Thomas Katt explained: “The videos had been on YouTube for a while, and then, last year, things really took off.” Thanks to these YouTube videos, Katt became a cult icon to a growing group of fans and fellow musicians, and Gormley was propelled to internet stardom.
In October 2010, Gormley received the first ever The Uncharted Zone 'Youzie Award'. The award signified Gormley becoming the first artist in The Uncharted Zone's history to have a music video surpass one million views on YouTube.
Internet fame
Gormley's music videos have reached an audience of millions on YouTube. In an article on Gormley, UK-based newspaper MetroMetro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
proclaimed "The internet has a new musical hero in the form of singer-songwriter Mark Gormley". Gormley and his music have been featured on the G4TV television program Attack of the Show!
Attack of the Show!
Attack of the Show! is an American live television program shown weeknights on G4, G4 Canada and Fuel TV in Australia. The program is hosted by Kevin Pereira and Candace Bailey...
. "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
performed an impression
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
of Gormley during an appearance on the television program Web Soup
Web Soup
Web Soup is a weekly series airing in the U.S. on G4. The show , hosted by Chris Hardwick, comments on the latest in viral videos...
. Gormley has been the inspiration for several fan-made videos, including remixes of his songs, cover versions, and parodies of his music videos. The standing posture adopted by Gormley in several of his music videos, known as the "Power Stance", became an internet meme
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
.
Gormley has been asked to perform by concert bookers and TV shows including the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but he decided to decline the offers. Gormley has avoided the spotlight and is notoriously reclusive
Recluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
. In an interview conducted by The Uncharted Zone's Michele Carnley, Gormley claimed “I'm just little old me from Pensacola.” When asked about his sudden internet fame, Gormley replied “It's a bit overwhelming. You know, when I did this I just did it for fun. Something to do, something therapeutic.”
Music videos
Gormley's debut music video is for the song "Beginnings", which includes still images of scenery in his native Pensacola. The music video features an appearance by model Ashton Shane, who is also a VJ for The Uncharted Zone. WootWOOT
Woot usually refers to the slang term, w00t. Woot may also refer to:* Woot, an e-commerce retailer that offers one deal a day to its consumers* WOOT-LP, a defunct television station in Chambersburg, Tennessee...
found the song "thought-provoking" and noted the profound insights offered by the lyrics. Gormley considers the song his personal favorite.
The "Little Wings" music video includes footage of seagulls
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
in flight, as Gormley sings in front of ocean scenes. Gormley and his music video for "Little Wings" were featured on the website of Colorado-based newspaper Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
, who remarked "there's something strangely appealing about Gormley...I have to say that this song is actually pretty great". Videogum
Stereogum
Stereogum was one of the first MP3 blogs. It was created by Scott Lapatine in January 2002 with a focus on independent and alternative music news, downloads, videos, and gossip. Stereogum has received several awards and citations, including the 2008 Plug Award for best music blog, Blender's...
listed the "Little Wings" music video as one of the best viral videos of 2009.
"Gray Days" is one of Gormley's darkest songs, that LimeLife
LimeLife
LimeLife Inc. is an American privately held digital media company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Investors include U.S. Venture Partners, Rustic Canyon Partners, Core Capital, Monitor Ventures and i-Hatch Ventures.- History :...
referred to as a "moving, Zeppelinesque tribute".
The music video for "Stars" shows Gormley performing the song while backed by footage of the night sky and the beaches of Perdido Key, Florida
Perdido Key, Florida
Perdido Key, Florida is an unincorporated community located in Escambia County, Florida, between Pensacola, Florida and Orange Beach, Alabama. "Perdido" means "lost" in the Spanish language, and Perdido Key is sometimes called "Lost Key" by local residents and businesses.The community is located on...
.
Gormley's breakthrough music video is for "Without You", released in 2008. "Without You" is a love song about heartbreak and loneliness that music website The Daily Swarm described as a "soft metal masterpiece". Alternative culture magazine Coilhouse called the track "an honest, well-crafted song" and noted Gormley's "soulful voice". Pensacola News Journal
Pensacola News Journal
The Pensacola News Journal is a daily morning newspaper serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida. It is Northwest Florida's most widely-read daily....
described the music video as "a frenetic mix of Gormley, scenic backdrops and a lovely young lady". Media journal BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed is a website that combines a technology platform for detecting viral content with an editorial selection process to provide a snapshot of "the viral web in realtime." Cofounded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti , BuzzFeed is located in SoHo, New York.-Homepage content:The BuzzFeed homepage consists...
considered "Without You" to be a contender for 'Video of the Year' and listed it among the 'Most Memorable Amateur Music Videos of the 2000s'. On January 14, 2009, "Without You" was named a viral video by music magazine Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
and Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
. On January 16, 2009, "Without You" was the daily featured music video on the website Today's BIG Thing. The music video achieved cult status through word-of-mouth and blog posts. When asked about the success of "Without You", Phil Thomas Katt stated: “It spread like wildfire. I started hearing from folks all over the country. Mark never cared about being a celebrity, but the interest was there.” In January 2011, "Without You" was featured on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest
The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...
truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... is a cable television series produced by Meetinghouse Productions, Inc. and is airing on truTV...
Performers #6. Commentators on the music video included actor Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
, comedian Loni Love
Loni Love
Loni Love is an American comedian and actress. After quitting her job as an electrical engineer in 2003, Love began to pursue a career in stand up comedy...
, and writers Billy Kimball
Billy Kimball
-Personal life:He was born in New York City and graduated from Harvard College where he was an editor of the Harvard Lampoon. He is currently married to the former Alexandra Manuela Vargas Hamilton and has two daughters.-Career:...
and Michael Loftus. Loni Love criticized Gormley's choice of clothing, whereas Michael Loftus commented "you don't expect him to have a golden throat like that".
Gormley's missed opportunites and sudden fame were parodied in the music video for "The Cries in Our Eyes". During the course of the video, Gormley is depicted performing in front of famous landmarks from around the world and being photographed by paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
. According to Missouri newsweekly Riverfront Times
Riverfront Times
The Riverfront Times is a weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri that consists of local politics, music, arts and dining news in the print edition and daily updates to blogs and photo galleries on its website...
, the music video created "the Mark Gormley tour that could have been".
The music video for "Sing Me Your Song" largely takes place on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and in space. The video capitalised on Gormley's success by featuring product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
for the Cheetos
Cheetos
Cheetos is a brand of cheese-flavored cornmeal snack made by Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Fritos creator Charles Elmer Doolin invented Cheetos in 1948, and began national distribution in the U.S. The initial success of Cheetos was a contributing factor to the merger between The Frito Company...
snack food. Music website Video Static described the song as "haunting" and praised the music videos use of product placement. Gormley opted to receive no money from the product placement deal, giving all revenue to The Uncharted Zone to help them during the difficult economy.
Gormley's music video for the song "All We Need" was released on June 27, 2010. It marks the final music video from his debut album. Gormley plans to write and record new songs in the future. A Mark Gormley DVD is also in production.
Recordings
Mark Gormley's self-titled debut album of original recordings has been released via The Uncharted Zone.Track listing
- "Beginnings" - 4:40
- "Little Wings" - 3:54
- "All We Need" - 7:48
- "Gray Days" - 5:01
- "Sing Me Your Song" - 5:58
- "Stars" - 4:36
- "The Cries in Our Eyes" - 3:58
- "Without You - 3:52
All tracks written and performed by Mark Gormley
External links
- http://www.markgormley.com Mark Gormley fansite
- http://www.myspace.com/markgormley Mark Gormley fansite on MySpace
- http://www.youtube.com/TheUnchartedZone The Uncharted Zone on YouTube