Hailing from the Detroit area, Marcus has a long history of successful bands, and previous Indie record deal. He has seen the industry in many different forms, yet still finds more comfort in the hap-hazard beginnings of a local band. Coming from an area that produced such performers as Madonna, The Romantics, Ted Nugent and more recently Kid Rock, The White Stripes, Uncle Kracker and Eminem, he finds himself thinking of the old and new Motown, and how it has influenced him all these years.
Born Mark James Williams in Royal Oak Michigan and raised in Troy, Marcus had an early start in music but never took it seriously until his teenage years. Beginning on piano, and moving quickly onto guitar, Marcus felt he could express himself on virtually any instrument placed in front of him. He took an aggressive approach to writing and playing, often passing entire seasons indoors on his pawn shop guitar and his parent's up-right baby grand.
Nowadays, compositions encompass all instruments intended for each song. Of course, with writing each instrument comes playing each instrument in the studio. Although Marcus truly enjoys collaboration, he contributes the desire to write complete songs to the fact that he hears music as a whole. "More times than most, inspiration comes pretty quick. So as the tune develops in my head, I virtually hear each and every instrument start-to-finish."
A recent move across country has added to that inspiration. "I spent a lot of time in the TampaBay area, but I knew I was way over due for a change." Relocating to Longmont Colorado is one of the best decisions he's made. "I find the Front Range folks to be some of the nicest I've met." And according to Marcus, it's not just the people. He spends a fair amount of time mountain biking and wandering the high country.
Although he's a long way from Motown, and has grown a lot since those days, Marcus reminds us that true stories, wrapped in powerful music, still hits home for everyone. No matter how far away that home may be...