Mark Eitzel (born January 30, 1959) is a musician, best known as a songwriter and lead singer of the San Francisco band American Music Club.

History

Eitzel was born in Columbus, OH, but spent most of his formative years in a military family traveling to different areas of the world, including the United Kingdom. After dabbling in Born-Again Christianity as a teenager, he got involved in alcohol.

His first band was formed while he was back in Columbus, called The Naked Skinnies. They disbanded within three years, and, in 1982, Eitzel formed American Music Club. The band performed and created albums for twelve years, never very stable as a group. At one point, Eitzel also sang with San Francisco's Toiling Midgets, and often recorded solo work while involved in the band.

American Music Club called it quits for good in 1993, and Eitzel focused on his solo career, offering up 60 Watt Silver Lining as a compilation of songs he had recorded over the years in 1996. Following this, he released West in 1997 with help from R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. He quickly followed up with Caught In A Trap And I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby, which was a different type of album for Eitzel, and assisted by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew.

Eitzel released more music in 2001, beginning with a more electronic turn in The Invisible Man. This was followed by two covers projects in 2002: Music for Courage and Confidence, which was material written by other songwriters, and The Ugly American, an album which included reinterpretations of American Music Club songs.

American Music Club reformed in 2003, and released an album along with touring the United States and Europe. Eitzel released new solo material in 2005, Candy Ass.

Discography

• Songs of Love (CD) - Diablo Records - 1991
• ''60 Watt Silver Lining (CD) - Warner Brothers - 1996
• ''Words and Music (CD) - 1997
• West (CD) - Warner Brothers - 1997
• Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby (CD) - Matador Records - 1998
• The Invisible Man (CD) - Matador Records - 2001
• Music for Courage and Confidence (CD) - New West Records - 2002
• The Ugly American (CD) - Thirsty Ear Recordings - 2002
• Candy Ass (CD) - Cooking Vinyl - 2005

External links

• Official site.
• American Music Club
• Allmusic entry

1959 births | Bisexual musicians | American rock singers | American male singers | American singer-songwriters | Living people