Mark Hudson (born August 23, 1951) is a record producer, musician and songwriter based in both Los Angeles and New York City. After first rising to prominence as a performer, songwriter and TV personality in the 1970s as a member of the Hudson Brothers trio, Hudson achieved independent success as record producer and songwriter - working with a broad variety of artists including Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Hanson and the Baha Men.
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Music
With Aerosmith
Hudson co-wrote the Grammy award-winning Aerosmith hit "Livin' on the Edge" in 1993, and has since co-written a total of 12 Aerosmith songs. He also co-produced their 2001 album Just Push Play. Hudson, along with Marti Frederiksen, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry, make up what is known as the "Boneyard Boys", the collective group of musicians and songwriters responsible for contributing to Aerosmith's creative process.
With Ringo Starr
For ten years starting in 1998, Hudson was the primary driving force as producer and composer behind the revival of Ringo Starr as a recording artist.
Hudson produced or co-produced nine albums for Starr. Five critically-acclaimed studio albums: Vertical Man (1998), I Wanna Be Santa Claus (1999), Ringo Rama (2003), Choose Love (2005) and Liverpool 8 (2008). Three live albums: VH1 Storytellers (1998), Ringo Starr and Friends (2006) and Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage (2007). The 2008 compilation album Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection which included remixes of thirteen tracks originally produced by Hudson and Starr, was nominated for Best Surround Sound Album in the 51st annual Grammys awards for the year 2007-2008.
The nine albums co-produced by Hudson featured a total of 82 different songs. 17 of the 82 songs were cover versions of various classics and oldies. The other 65 songs were specially-composed new songs. Underscoring the primacy of his role in the creation of the albums, Hudson was credited as co-writer of 64 of the 65 new songs.
Hudson secured Steven Tyler as guest vocalist on a remake of Dobie Grey's song "Drift Away" for the album Vertical Man. Shortly prior to release, Tyler's record label demanded that his vocal be removed, and he was replaced by Tom Petty on the officially-released album. However the version of the recording featuring Tyler had been circulated on advance promotional discs and found its way on to bootlegs.[1]
In June 2007, Starr's attorney, Bruce Grakal, told Beatlefan magazine (issue #141) that the partnership between Hudson and Starr was over, and that they would not work together again. Grakal, claimed that the split occurred because Hudson had asked to withdraw from appearing in one of Starr's concert tours - allegedly at short notice. Hudson had been offered a major role on a network TV show The One: Making A Music Star which conflicted with the Starr tour. Hudson said in an interview with Beatlefan magazine[citation needed] that withdrawing from the 2006 All-Starr band tour was not the primary reason for the split and cited Starr's preference for using more synthesized sounds for his next album.
Prior to the split with Starr, Hudson had co-written and recorded all 12 songs heard on the final version of the Liverpool 8 album. After the split, Starr had the tracks remixed by Dave Stewart who was credited as "re-producer." The album was released in January 2008 on EMI/Capitol Records as part of Starr's new recording deal, having left Koch Records in late 2006.
In 2003, Hudson formed a jointly-owned record company with Ringo Starr called Pumkinhead Records intended to release recordings by other artists. Distribution for the label was set up via EMI.[2] The label released an album titled Fake Songs by Liam Lynch, the creator of MTV's sock-puppet show Sifl and Olly.
Other work
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In 1985, he co-starrd with Geena Davis in the TV show SARA, playing her next-door neighbor Stuart Webber.
In 1986, he was the in-house bandleader on Fox's short-lived The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers. Ms. Rivers referred to the band as, "Mark Hudson, The Party Boys and The Tramp."
In July 1994 he joined Disney's Hollywood Records, as a songwriter and producer for performers such as Alice Cooper and Aerosmith. Disney brought him on board to sharpen production, and identify new acts.
In 2004, he was recruited by Sharon Osbourne to join her team as vocal coach for the UK TV show The X Factor. Nicknamed "Weird Beard" because of his colourful facial hair and flamboyant clothing, he coached all the under-25s in the first series and the over-25s in the second.
March 5 2006 saw his first Number 1 in the UK Top 40 singles chart - an original song he had written for Chico Slimani - X Factor contestant. Called "Chico Time", it displaced Madonna from the top of the chart. It has sold over 100,000 copies in the UK.
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars was screened in the UK week commencing May 29 2006. Hudson was recruited to reprise his coaching role, this time with celebrities who performed in a week long once-a-night version of the show, raising money for their chosen charity. The show was won by Lucy Benjamin - actress; runner up was Matt Stevens - England Rugby International. The British public voted for their favourites and the judges - Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell, sat in judgement.
At Hudson's request, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler made a guest appearance on Keith Anderson's single released in July 2006. This was the title track from his debut album, "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll". The single was remixed by Hudson in Nashville, and Tyler's vocal added at Hudson's studio in LA.
In 2006 Hudson again assumed his coaching role on the 3rd series of the X-Factor - this time coaching all the acts on a weekly basis.
Early 2007, Hudson was invited to participate for the third year running at CMW. The Canadian Music Week is the most prestigious event in Canada's music industry calendar, showcasing over 500 bands across 40 venues and inviting industry experts to share their knowledge at seminars. Hudson's seminar panel, included fellow songwriting associates, Nile Rodgers, Glen Ballard and Don Was. He also took the stage for an evening performance "In-the-round" at the CMW Songwriter's Festival 2007.
In the tabloid newspaper The Sun dated 14 May 2007, it was reported that Hudson would not be re-engaged as vocal coach for the following series of The X Factor.[3] According to the tabloid report (that did not cite any sources), this was allegedly due to comments Hudson made on the show about the winner Leona Lewis not having the 'it' factor needed to connect with an audience. The paper claimed that these comments angered Simon Cowell.
For the week of July 19, 2007, Hudson was the stand-in DJ on BIG100.3, a Washington-based radio station.[4]
Hudson made his professional solo stage debut in a sold-out, one-man show called "Livin On The Edge"; on Sunday October 28 2007 at Puck, Doylestown, PA. In it, Hudson conveyed his experiences with rock music's elite using humorous anecdotes, impersonations and music. [5]
In 2007 he participated as a counselor at both the NY and Las Vegas (10th Anniversary) "Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp", and in 2008, at the Los Angeles camp. The camps are an opportunity for non-professional music enthusiasts to perform with professional musicians. [6]
Hudson is currently selling his original art work prints as part of an ongoing range of merchandise.
Hudson has been working with Alexander James McLean, a member of former boy-band the Backstreet Boys, on AJ's first solo album. Hudson has also written songs with JC Chasez of N Sync.
Mark was asked to perform for U.S. President Bill Clinton at a fundraising rally supporting Hillary Clinton's nomination campaign which took place at Puck, Doylestown, Pennsylvania on April 13, 2008.
Hudson has several other projects due to be completed in 2009. In March 2009, he presented a soft launch of his first solo album at a convention of Beatles fans in New Jersey, where he also previewed music videos for the songs "Happy" and "All The Tea In China", the latter of which also featured his brother Brett Hudson.
Personal life
Hudson was married to British dancer Wendy Gotelee. Gotelee and Hudson had one child - singer/songwriter Sarah Hudson. Hudson's elder brother Bill Hudson fathered two children during his marriage to actress Goldie Hawn, making Mark Hudson the uncle of actress Kate Hudson and actor Oliver Hudson.
Controversy
According to a story published in the Los Angeles Times, in March 1995, Hudson was dismissed from his job at Walt Disney Corp. because of unproven allegations by female employees that he had engaged in sexual harassment. This story was repeated in an issue of Seconds magazine, a trade publication focusing on rock 'n' roll culture,[7]. An anti-Disney tract published by conservative publishers Regnery Publishing Disney: The Mouse Betrayed cited unproven allegations against Hudson by child actress-turned singer Danielle Brisebois as evidence of the author's contention that Disney was morally corrupt.[8][9] None of the allegations referenced in the news stories or the anti-Disney book were under oath or penalty of perjury. No civil or criminal charges of any kind relating to any of the allegations were ever filed against Hudson by any individual or company.
References
- ^ Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium (Chesterfield, MI: 44.1 Productions, 2000), 554.
- ^ [1]
- ^ The Factor aXe falls again | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|TV|X Factor
- ^ BIG 100.3 (2007). "Photos of the event "Live in Person with Mark Hudson"". BIG 100.3. http://www.wbig.com/pages/markhudson.html. Retrieved on September 1, 2007.
- ^ Legendary songwriter has stories to tell (phillyBurbs.com) | Music
- ^ Rockandrollfantasycamp.Com
- ^ Chuck Philips (March 17, 1995). "Hollywood Records executive fired amid harassment complaints". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/6275162.html?dids=6275162:6275162&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+17%2C+1995&author=Philips%2C+Chuck&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Hollywood+Records+executive+fired+amid+harassment+complaints.
- ^ Peter Schweizer, Rochelle Schweizer (1998). Disney: The Mouse Betrayed: greed, corruption, and children at risk. p. 20. ISBN 0895263874.
- ^ Peter Schweizer, Rochelle Schweizer (January 22, 1999). "Mickey rocks:Sex, drugs and Satan at Disney". Human Events. pp. 4-5. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_199901/ai_n8835278/pg_1. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
External links
- MarkHudsonMusic.com - Mark Hudson's Official Website
- Pumkinhead Records
- TV.com Mark Hudson bio
- Myspace Mark Hudson
- Myspace The Hudson Brothers
- Livin on the Edge - One Man Show
- Original Art Work
- 2008 Calendar Press Release
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