Mark Stone (musician)
Encyclopedia
Mark Stone was the bass guitar
player in a band called Mammoth from 1972–1974. Mammoth also featured Eddie Van Halen
(lead vocals and guitar) and Alex Van Halen
(drums). In early 1974 vocalist David Lee Roth
joined the band, who shortly thereafter changed their name to Van Halen. By around mid 1974, the group felt that Stone's commitment to school outweighed his interests in pursuing music professionally, and decided to look for another bass player. Michael Anthony, from the Pasadena-area band Snake
, was chosen as Stone's replacement. Stone remained on good terms with his former bandmates, and attended Eddie Van Halen's marriage to Valerie Bertinelli in 1981.
Though Stone has never been credited with any songwriting for Van Halen, recordings of early Van Halen originals dating to circa 1974 have surfaced which purportedly feature Stone on bass. Over the years there has been increasing fan interest in the early history of Van Halen, and Stone's tenure with the group. During the transitional period after the joining of David Lee Roth, with Stone playing bass, the band relied predominantly on cover songs for their live set, but were also in the early phase of writing and performing original compositions. It is not known to what degree Stone was involved in the composition of these early Van Halen originals, although he is said to have played on the band's first demo recordings that were given to Michael Anthony to learn for his formal audition with the group.
Stone is still currently living in Pasadena
. He appeared in the DVD "Van Halen Story- The Early Years", released in 2003 by E1 Entertainment.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player in a band called Mammoth from 1972–1974. Mammoth also featured Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
(lead vocals and guitar) and Alex Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
(drums). In early 1974 vocalist David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
joined the band, who shortly thereafter changed their name to Van Halen. By around mid 1974, the group felt that Stone's commitment to school outweighed his interests in pursuing music professionally, and decided to look for another bass player. Michael Anthony, from the Pasadena-area band Snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, was chosen as Stone's replacement. Stone remained on good terms with his former bandmates, and attended Eddie Van Halen's marriage to Valerie Bertinelli in 1981.
Though Stone has never been credited with any songwriting for Van Halen, recordings of early Van Halen originals dating to circa 1974 have surfaced which purportedly feature Stone on bass. Over the years there has been increasing fan interest in the early history of Van Halen, and Stone's tenure with the group. During the transitional period after the joining of David Lee Roth, with Stone playing bass, the band relied predominantly on cover songs for their live set, but were also in the early phase of writing and performing original compositions. It is not known to what degree Stone was involved in the composition of these early Van Halen originals, although he is said to have played on the band's first demo recordings that were given to Michael Anthony to learn for his formal audition with the group.
Stone is still currently living in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He appeared in the DVD "Van Halen Story- The Early Years", released in 2003 by E1 Entertainment.