Mark Read (singer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Daniel Read is a British
singer/songwriter, best known as member of the boy band A1
from 1998 to 2002, and 2009–present.
At the age of 15, Read joined the Songtime Theatre Arts
group, where he received training and gained experience in acting. He subsequently took lead roles in several of their productions, including Guys and Dolls and Aladdin
.
Between the ages of 15 and 18, Read – along with his parents' band – performed onboard several P&O
and Princess
cruise ships. These concerts led took him all around the world, including aboard the liner Canberra
as part of the D-Day 50th Anniversary Fleet in 1994.
In 2009, he performed A1's hit version of the A-ha
song "Take on Me
" at Saint Edmund's Catholic School in Dover, Kent.
, London, by Tim Byrne (manager of UK pop act Steps). At the time, Byrne was looking for suitable members to form a new pop group. It was through this chance encounter that Read went on to receive his first big break, as he would become one of the four members of the chart-topping band a1.
Along with band mates Ben Adams
, Christian Ingebrigtsen
and Paul Marazzi, Read achieved great success across the globe with a1, including 2 UK numbers 1 singles, 8 top ten hits, 3 studio albums and a Brit Award for Best Newcomer in 2001. Their first number 1 came with their cover of the A-Ha
song Take on Me and was soon followed by the self-penned Same Old Brand New You.
It was announced in 2009 that A1 will reform to compete to represent Norway
in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.
.
During this time, he earned the opportunity to collaborate with a number of diverse and well respected writers and artists including Rick Astley
, John Barrowman
, Joe Brown
, Sam Brown, Charlotte Church
, Jarvis Cocker
, Roger Cook
, Jason Donovan
, Rob Davis, Robin Gibb
, The Hollies
, Kenney Jones
, Ronan Keating
, Lee Mead
, Dennis Morgan
, Denny Randell, Graham Stack, Mark Taylor
and several UK X Factor
finalists. In 2009, he made an appearance at St' Edmunds Catholic School, Dover, Kent performing his first number one hit from when he was a member of a1 'take on me'
In March 2009, Read was invited to appear at the Tesco
Mum of the Year Awards, where he performed the self-penned track Greatest Lady In My Life. The song was inspired by his friend's mother and was released as a download single. On June 15, 2009, Read released his debut album, entitled Peace at Last.
Solo
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
singer/songwriter, best known as member of the boy band A1
A1 (band)
A1 are a British-Norwegian boyband. They were originally made up of Mark Read, Ben Adams, Christian Ingebrigtsen and Paul Marazzi. Their first single, "Be the First to Believe", entered the UK singles chart at #6 in early 1999. They had a huge amount of success worldwide and charts with two number...
from 1998 to 2002, and 2009–present.
Background
Read grew up in a very musical family; his father Keith was in The Wild Angels, a rock 'n' roll band. His mother, Pam, played piano and drums as well as being a singer/songwriter. Read began playing piano at the age of 2 and eventually joined the family band on keyboards at the age of 11, where he would regularly perform in pubs, clubs and hotels across the country.At the age of 15, Read joined the Songtime Theatre Arts
Songtime Theatre Arts
Songtime Theatre Arts is a professional part time theatre arts school, operating primarily in the United Kingdom, with branches in the USA. Training is offered in singing, dancing and acting.-vanessa awards:...
group, where he received training and gained experience in acting. He subsequently took lead roles in several of their productions, including Guys and Dolls and Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
.
Between the ages of 15 and 18, Read – along with his parents' band – performed onboard several P&O
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
and Princess
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
cruise ships. These concerts led took him all around the world, including aboard the liner Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
as part of the D-Day 50th Anniversary Fleet in 1994.
In 2009, he performed A1's hit version of the A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
song "Take on Me
Take on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" at Saint Edmund's Catholic School in Dover, Kent.
A1
By the age of 19, Read was spotted at a music venue in Covent GardenCovent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, London, by Tim Byrne (manager of UK pop act Steps). At the time, Byrne was looking for suitable members to form a new pop group. It was through this chance encounter that Read went on to receive his first big break, as he would become one of the four members of the chart-topping band a1.
Along with band mates Ben Adams
Ben Adams
Ben Adams is an English singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the boy band, a1.-Early life:...
, Christian Ingebrigtsen
Christian Ingebrigtsen
Christian Ingebrigtsen is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and musician. He is a member of the British-Norwegian pop group A1.-Biography:...
and Paul Marazzi, Read achieved great success across the globe with a1, including 2 UK numbers 1 singles, 8 top ten hits, 3 studio albums and a Brit Award for Best Newcomer in 2001. Their first number 1 came with their cover of the A-Ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
song Take on Me and was soon followed by the self-penned Same Old Brand New You.
It was announced in 2009 that A1 will reform to compete to represent Norway
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Norway will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 at the Telenor Arena in Oslo, after Alexander Rybak won the 2009 Contest with "Fairytale"....
in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.
Solo career
After A1 disbanded in 2002, Read focused on his songwriting and signed a publishing deal with Metrophonic Music, part of the Universal Music Publishing GroupUniversal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group is a music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group.UMPG owns or administers more than 1 million copyrights. They are one of the largest music publishing businesses in the world with more than 47 offices in 41 countries...
.
During this time, he earned the opportunity to collaborate with a number of diverse and well respected writers and artists including Rick Astley
Rick Astley
Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...
, John Barrowman
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
, Joe Brown
Joe Brown (singer)
Joe Brown, MBE is an English entertainer.He has worked as a rock and roll singer and guitarist for more than five decades. He was a stage and television performer in the late 1950s and a UK recording star in the early 1960s...
, Sam Brown, Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
, Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
, Roger Cook
Roger Cook (songwriter)
Roger Cook is an English songwriter who has written many hits for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.-Early life:Cook was born in Fishponds, Bristol, England...
, Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
, Rob Davis, Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, Kenney Jones
Kenney Jones
Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones is a veteran English rock drummer best known for his work in Small Faces, Faces, and The Who.-Small Faces to the Faces:...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
, Lee Mead
Lee Mead
Lee Stephen Mead is an English musical theatre actor, best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBC reality TV casting show Any Dream Will Do...
, Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name....
, Denny Randell, Graham Stack, Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor (record producer)
Mark Taylor is a Grammy Award winning British record producer and songwriter. Having sold over 50 million records, he has produced and written for artists such as Cher, Enrique Iglesias, Britney Spears, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Kylie Minogue, and Lady Gaga...
and several UK X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
finalists. In 2009, he made an appearance at St' Edmunds Catholic School, Dover, Kent performing his first number one hit from when he was a member of a1 'take on me'
In March 2009, Read was invited to appear at the Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Mum of the Year Awards, where he performed the self-penned track Greatest Lady In My Life. The song was inspired by his friend's mother and was released as a download single. On June 15, 2009, Read released his debut album, entitled Peace at Last.
Discography
With A1- Here We Come (1999)
- The A list (2000)
- Make It GoodMake It Good (album)-Charts:...
(2002) - A1 (U.S. E.P.) (2002)
- The Best of a1The Best of a1The Best of A1 is the first compilation album released by British-Norwegian boyband A1. The album was released exclusively in Asia and the UK. The album contained two discs, the first comprising eighteen audio tracks, and the second of seven live performances...
(2004) - Greatest Hits (2009)
- Waiting For DaylightWaiting for DaylightWaiting for Daylight is the third album and second studio album by the Danish dance/house act Infernal, released in 2000 in Denmark. It was later released as Muzaik in 2001, with a more pop music-oriented sound and a few bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
(2010)
Solo
- Peace at Last (2009)