“Isn’t he the dude who used to sing for Flat Stanley?” “No, bru, I’m sure he was in One Day Remains.”
“I may be a rocker, but I’m first and foremost a musician…
A year ago, this was normally the kind of argument that people would have when they’d see Mark Haze performing with his band, 12th Avenue – yet now, after his participation in this year’s edition of Idols, the Top 15 contestant is a pretty well-known name to many South Africans. Chatting to Mark, I ask how he’s adapted to the almost instant fame and fan recognition. “Pretty well, so far. Without the fans, you’re nothing. So I know and live by that. The fact that people want to speak to me confirms that I’m doing something right,” Mark says.Nonetheless, it must feel strange that he’s been in the music game for a decade now, but is only really getting a lot of attention after his Idols experience. “Not at all,” Mark states. “I knew what I was signing up for – bands need to work really hard to get recognition.
There are times when you find yourself in the right place at the right time, but most comes down to having the right team and straight-up hard work. I have the team and the business know-how, so all I need is the exposure and insight from the best in the biz. From then on, it’s all about delivering the goods, being an artist, and hoping that fans will relate to me.”With all the good attention, Mark has also found himself dealing with the whacky to the just plain indecent. “Many…oh so many! From marriage requests to band requests to hilarious things, like, “Please come sit in my room, so I can stare at you ‘til I fall asleep”. It comes with the territory, though,” Mark laughs, before adding that a grown man has also requested for him to sign his ass.
Elitists or snobs?
As expected, Mark’s appearance on Idols has brought the wrath and criticism of the rock elitists, who feel that entering the competition isn’t really rock ‘n’ roll. “You call them elitists, I call them snobs,” Mark smiles. “Don’t get me wrong – not all rock enthusiasts are like this. There are just a few out there who feel that if you don’t play rock, you suck. I may be a rocker, but I’m first and foremost a musician, and that means I love and appreciate all forms of music. People need to realise that just because they don’t like a certain style, that doesn’t make it bad.”Perhaps, this is intertwined with the general misconception that professional musicians are still earning millions of dollars from album sales? “The general public tend to think that we just sit around, get wasted, do a show here and there, and live off the royalties,” Mark laughs. “It’s so much harder than you think! This is a full-time job. In the old days, record labels would take care of everything, which could possibly leave the artist in a bit of a rut should taste change. With the invent of the digital age, artists have to not only perform, but also get involved in the business end of the music.”
The future for Mark and 12
AThe one topic that we cannot avoid is the future of 12th Avenue should Mark win Idols. Many have predicted that the band will end, if Mark is crowned the winner. Mark, however, denies this, and says, “12th Avenue will always go on. I started the band and have no intention of stopping it. The great thing about this band is that we’ve become brothers. They support me in this.”Finally, I have to ask Mark if he plans on becoming a “Bieber” or a “Daughtry”, if he wins the competition. “Daughtry from a musical perspective, but Bieber has more ladies screaming for him and he has way better hair,” Mark jokes. “I reckon I have some thinking to do (laughs). Seriously, though, I wouldn’t necessarily follow any particular artist’s route. I like to think that I have something unique to offer.” Keep it real, Mark, because, remember, Louis Gossett, Jr. is watching you…
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