Mark Pickerel is best known as the original drummer for the Screaming Trees

Screaming Trees

Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period...

, a rock group from Ellensburg, WA, that formed in 1985

1985 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...

. Other members of the band included the versatile singer Mark Lanegan

Mark Lanegan

Mark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...

 and the Conner brothers. Pickerel played on the band's extended play

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...

 and first five albums and left the group in 1992 and was replaced by Barrett Martin

Barrett Martin

Barrett Martin , is an American drummer, upright bassist, composer, producer, writer, and Zen artist. He was the drummer for the Seattle, Washington groups Skin Yard and Screaming Trees, as well as the supergroups Mad Season and Tuatara...

.

History

Pickerel continued to record tracks in the late 1980s with Nirvana

Nirvana (band)

Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...

 members Krist Novoselic

Krist Novoselic

Krist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...

, Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...

 and Lanegan. The group with the working title "The Jury" aka "Lithium" recorded a cover of Leadbelly

Leadbelly

Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....

's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" which ended up on Lanegan's first solo album, The Winding Sheet

The Winding Sheet

The Winding Sheet is an album by American musician Mark Lanegan that was released in 1990. It was Lanegan's first solo work, and is notable in its departure from the characteristic sound of Screaming Trees, the band he fronted from 1985 until 2000...

 (1990). Two other tracks from the session, "Grey Goose" and "Ain't It a Shame" are on the Nirvana box set "With the Lights Out."

In 1989, Pickerel met Robert Roth

Robert Roth (Musician)

Robert Roth is best known as a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of 90's Sub Pop and Capitol Records band Truly. The band have recently have reunited with all original members to play in shows in Seattle, London and Azkena Rock Festival 2008 alongside Ray Davies, the Sex Pistols, Dinosaur Jr...

 and the two decided to record some songs together. Mark recruited Hiro Yamamoto

Hiro Yamamoto

Hiro Yamamoto is an American bassist who was a founding member of grunge band Soundgarden, along with Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell in 1984...

, former Soundgarden

Soundgarden

Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...

 bassist

Bassist

A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...

 to join the group they called Truly

Truly

Truly is an American rock band formed in the wake of the grunge era. It featured former Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, one-time Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel, and singer Robert Roth...

. The group recorded their first EP in 1990. Records released by Truly include Heart and Lungs (1991), Leslie's Coughing Up Blood (1993), Fast Stories... from Kid Coma

Fast Stories... from Kid Coma

Fast Stories... from Kid Coma is the 1995 debut album of the grunge band Truly. "Hot Summer 1991" was featured in the 1997 compilation album Subject to Change: Artists for a Hate-Free America.-Track listing:# "Blue Flame Ford" - 6:18...

 (1995), Feeling You Up

Feeling You Up

Feeling You Up was recorded from 1995–1997 and released November 1997 on 12" vinyl and CD. "It's On Your Face" was used in its entirety in Francis Ford Coppola's TV series First Wave episode 16 "The Undesirables".-Track listing:...

 (1997), and Twilight Curtains

Twilight Curtains

Twilight Curtains is a rarities compilation album by Truly released only in the UK on May 22, 2000.-Track listing:# "Twilight Curtains" - 4:41# "Leatherette Tears II" - 3:31# "Aliens on Alcohol" - 4:51# "Wait Til' the Night" - 4:52...

 (2000), which features rare and unreleased tracks.

Pickerel also played drums, guitar, and sang lead vocals in The Dark Fantastic

The Dark Fantastic

The Dark Fantastic was an American band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1997. They began as a solo project of Mark Pickerel while he was still a member of Truly. Following the disbanding of Truly, Pickerel turned his project into a band, enlisting guitarist Jesse Roberts and bassist Mike Elkins...

, a project that he formed after Truly's hiatus. The group, which also featured Jesse Roberts on guitar and Mike Elkins

Mike Elkins

Michael David Elkins is a former quarterback in the National Football League and the World League of American Football . In the NFL, Elkins played for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Oilers. In the WLAF, he played for the Sacramento Surge. Elkins attended Wake Forest...

 on bass, released two albums on the independent Up Records

Up Records

Up Records is a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen.Some of the label's best known artists are 764-Hero, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Tad.Chris Takino died of leukemia in 2000...

 label: 1999

1999 in music

-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....

's The Dark Fantastic and 2001

2001 in music

See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....

's Goodbye Crooked Scar before disbanding.

Recently, Pickerel has fronted a new project, Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands. The new outfit's debut release Snake in the Radio

Snake in the Radio

Snake in the Radio is the debut release from Mark Pickerel's group known as Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands.- Album information :The album which was recorded between September 2004 and November 2005, involved collaborations with several artists, including Johnny Sangster of Dear John Letters'...

, which has a rock-country feel was released on 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...

 May 2006.

He has worked with various groups and musicians including Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile is an American singer and songwriter.-Early life:At age eight, Carlile performed a rendition of the country music song "Tennessee Flat Top Box" with her mother. She began to play the guitar and write songs at fifteen. At sixteen, she began to perform as a backup singer for an Elvis...

, The Dusty 45s, Jana McCall

Jana McCall

Jana McCall is an American singer-songwriter.She played bass guitar in the short lived all-girl band Dickless. After Dickless she worked briefly with Mark Pickerel and has since released two solo albums; the eponymous Jana McCall and Slumber...

, and Neko Case

Neko Case

Neko Case is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and her contributions as a member of the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers....

.

Pickerel owns and operates his own vintage memorabilia and record shop, Damaged Goods, in Seattle since January 2010.

Discography

Solo

• Snake in the Radio
  Snake in the Radio
  Snake in the Radio is the debut release from Mark Pickerel's group known as Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands.- Album information :The album which was recorded between September 2004 and November 2005, involved collaborations with several artists, including Johnny Sangster of Dear John Letters'...
  
   (2006)
• Cody's Dream (2008)

Screaming Trees

• Other Worlds (1985)
• Clairvoyance (1986)
• Even If and Especially When (1987)
• Invisible Lantern
  Invisible Lantern
  Invisible Lantern is the third full-length album by Seattle grunge band Screaming Trees, released in 1988.-Track listing:# "Ivy" – 3:16# "Walk Through to This Side" – 2:32# "Lines & Circles" – 3:45# "She Knows" – 2:15# "Shadow Song" – 4:15...
  
   (1988)
• Beat Happening/Screaming Trees (1988)
• Buzz Factory
  Buzz Factory
  Buzz Factory was the 4th full length album by Seattle band Screaming Trees and their final record released through SST Records released in 1989. The LP was also available on translucent purple vinyl...
  
   (1989)
• Change Has Come
  Change Has Come
  Change Has Come was the only recording the Screaming Trees released through Sub Pop. Released in 1990 the Screaming Trees then moved on to a major label, Epic Records, for their next three albums - Uncle Anesthesia, Sweet Oblivion, and Dust, as well as the Something About Today EP...
  
   (1990)
• Something About Today
  Something About Today
  Something About Today was the major label debut by the Screaming Trees for Epic Records. It would be followed up by their first full album for the label, Uncle Anesthesia, in 1991...
  
   (1990)
• Uncle Anesthesia
  Uncle Anesthesia
  Uncle Anesthesia is the Screaming Trees' fifth album and first full-length album release on Epic Records, released on January 29, 1991. It includes two of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, 1990's Something About Today EP, including the song that would give the LP its title...
  
   (1991)

Truly

• Heart and Lungs
  Heart and Lungs
  Heart and Lungs is an EP by the American Alternative Rock band Truly. "Heart and Lungs" was featured in the 1992 film Singles.- Track listing :# "Heart and Lungs" - 4:20# "The Color is Magic" - 4:26# "Truly Drowning" - 4:47...
  
   EP (1991)
• Fast Stories... from Kid Coma
  Fast Stories... from Kid Coma
  Fast Stories... from Kid Coma is the 1995 debut album of the grunge band Truly. "Hot Summer 1991" was featured in the 1997 compilation album Subject to Change: Artists for a Hate-Free America.-Track listing:# "Blue Flame Ford" - 6:18...
  
   (1995)
• Feeling You Up
  Feeling You Up
  Feeling You Up was recorded from 1995–1997 and released November 1997 on 12" vinyl and CD. "It's On Your Face" was used in its entirety in Francis Ford Coppola's TV series First Wave episode 16 "The Undesirables".-Track listing:...
  
   (1997)
• Subject to Change: Artists for a Hate-Free America
  Subject to Change: Artists for a Hate-Free America
  Subject to Change is a compilation album released in 1997 and the first by Airforce Records. It features artists from the Pacific Northwest interwoven with spoken word prose from Alyssa Burrows. There are 20 tracks available on the CD from 19 different artists...
  
   (1997) compilation
• Twilight Curtains
  Twilight Curtains
  Twilight Curtains is a rarities compilation album by Truly released only in the UK on May 22, 2000.-Track listing:# "Twilight Curtains" - 4:41# "Leatherette Tears II" - 3:31# "Aliens on Alcohol" - 4:51# "Wait Til' the Night" - 4:52...
  
   (2000)

The Dark Fantastic

• The Dark Fantastic (1999)
• Goodbye Crooked Scar (2001)

Mark Lanegan

• The Winding Sheet
  The Winding Sheet
  The Winding Sheet is an album by American musician Mark Lanegan that was released in 1990. It was Lanegan's first solo work, and is notable in its departure from the characteristic sound of Screaming Trees, the band he fronted from 1985 until 2000...
  
   (1990)
• Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
  Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
  Whiskey for the Holy Ghost is the second solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. The album builds upon the roots music foundation that Lanegan had established with his debut The Winding Sheet...
  
   (1994)
• I'll Take Care of You
  I'll Take Care of You
  I'll Take Care of You is the fourth solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. This album consists of cover songs.It features Lanegan's interpretation of songs from a wide variety of songwriters, including Tim Rose, Tim Hardin, Booker T. Jones, and Buck Owens...
  
   (1999)

Nirvana

• With the Lights Out
  With the Lights Out
  With the Lights Out is a box set, containing three CDs and one DVD, of previously rare or unreleased material, including b-sides, demos, rough rehearsal recordings and live recordings, from the American rock band Nirvana. It was released in November 2004...
  
   (2004)
• Sliver: The Best of the Box (2005)

External links

• Interview with Mark Pickerel on Amazon Wire, May 2008