Mark Steiner
Interview by Ashlee Elfman

Mark Steiner is a man dedicated to making brilliant noir music in the grand Melbourne tradition. Mark’s old band Piker Ryan was named after a thug who belonged to The Whyos, a gang of vicious scoundrels who prowled the 5 points in New York in the 1800’s. The historical Piker Ryan was found with the following list in his pocket:
Punching $2
Both eyes blacked $4
Nose and jaw broke $10
Jacked out (knocked out with a Blackjack) $15
Ear chewed off $15
Leg or arm broke $19
Shot in the leg $25
Stab $25
"Doing the big job" (murder) $100 and up

The historical Piker Ryan’s legacy of debauchery and danger was blurred into the dark, eccentric sounds of the band Piker Ryan, though there is always a sophisticated quality that Mark Steiner just can’t shake, and I say that in a most flattering way. In fact the sophistication of his music adds an even more sinister edge to his songs. One can’t help but imagine Mr. Steiner sipping on brandy while wearing a black smoking jacket riddled in cigarette holes.
Mark Steiner now puts out solo efforts that are dripping in intensity, loneliness, and dark melody. His lyrics cut to the quick of the truth and will leave those in search of honest, beautiful music wanting more.
Mr. Steiner recently contributed a track for Stagger Records’ recent tribute album dedicated to the songs of the genius and legendary Rowland S. Howard. The compilation of Rowland S. Howard covers is comprised of such artists as Mick Harvey, The Drones, The Kamikaze Trio & Spencer P. Jones, Dead Brothers and Bellmer Dolls, just to name a few.
As I sit here listening to Mark Steiner’s provocative, emotional song “aSHAMEd”, all I can think is that Mr. Steiner has everything to be proud of.

 

Mark, how the hell are you?

Tired, beat, depressed… Hehe. That’s what I get for living in Norway. The days are short, it’s cold and gray, and I wonder what the hell I’m doing there… I’m actually considering moving to Portugal, where I was recently on a solo mini tour. What an inspirational country! They understand my music, I think. The Portuguese have a word, “saudade,” which cannot be translated into any other language. It describes a sensation of joy found in loss, sorrow and longing. What a beautiful, humanistic word! But yes, I’ll be in Oslo for some time now.

So if I understand correctly, you spend your time between Oslo, Norway and New York. Why Oslo? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Oslo is an interesting city, in the sense that it has a bit of an identity crisis. It doesn’t seem to know if it’s an international cultural center or a small fishing village. The Norwegian music scene is small, yet interesting, at least. I have personally gotten to know many great musicians and bands, like Madrugada and Serena Maneesh, to name a couple which are worth mentioning. Probably the best part of being in Oslo is the easy access to visiting international acts. Hell, I even had dinner with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds once, after they played a gig! That would have NEVER happened to me in New York!

How long was Piker Ryan around for? Any chance you'll put the band back together?

Piker Ryan recently DID get back together, and did a mini European tour with Alice Texas. We played Paris, Berlin, Krefeld (Germany), Oslo, and even did a few gigs in Reykjavik, Iceland. Now, originally, we were called “Piker Ryan’s Folly,” Piker Ryan’s Folly was started in New York by myself and a Belgian guitarist named Phil “The Tremelo King,” back in 1997, but after a recent falling out with him during the planning of this European tour, we abbreviated the name to simply “Piker Ryan.” Chris “The Butcher” Mele and his brother “Pick-Pocket” Pete are still in the fold, and we had a few guest musicians along the way. We are now looking at doing some dates in the U.S. this spring, and another European tour in the fall, with a new release of some recordings.

Your solo endeavors are…dare I say classic? Classic in the sense that I think they transcend any trends that seem to date things. How would you describe your own music?

Hehe. Classic, eh? Well, that is certainly a compliment to me. I guess that I consider my music “lounge-noir” with maybe some “swamp-rock” thrown in. But I’m not concerned with trying to develop a “new” sound in music. It’s all been done before, at this point, as far as I am concerned. The question is how to apply these reoccuring “classic” sounds in a slightly new way. It’s tough, when I get feedback like “oh, that sounds like Nick Cave or Tindersticks,” but then again, I love those artists, so I cannot say that I haven’t been influenced!

I know (and share) your love for Aussie musicians like Rowland S. Howard, Crime and the City Solution and The Birthday Party. What do you think makes those musicians so unique? What is it about Melbourne?

Well, I’m not too sure about Melbourne. It seems more like the interesting artists from Melbourne who fled first to London, like The Birthday Party, and then to Berlin, during the 1980’s. Now Berlin… THAT is where music was really at! I’m sure that it had to do with the sense isolation created by the Berlin Wall. You had crooners like Nick Cave and Simon Bonney (of Crime & the City Solution) and Blixa Bargeld sharing musicians like Mick Harvey and the Howard brothers, and then bands like These Immortal Souls coming out of the fold, or projects with people like Lydia Lunch. And there were plenty of others involved too. What a scene, what a time that must have been. Just watch the Wim Wenders film, “Wings of Desire” (1987), and you’ll see what I mean.

What's your creative process like? A lot of your solo songs seem to deal with very personal experiences, would you say that your songs are mostly narrative?

Yeah, my songs are either EXTREMELY personal, or written in the third person, but the latter is an approach I use more often with Piker Ryan. My solo material, or perhaps all of my songs, seem to be a way for me to exorcise my demons, so to speak. Yeah, the lyrics are often melancholy, or about the pain in love, whether it’s been lost, or just whether it’s an ongoing struggle. Real love involves pain, to some level. Yeah, I write about “saudade.”

The song that has had the most impact on your life is…

“Eat ‘Em Up Jack” with Piker Ryan’s Folly, our one “hit” song? Haha. No, That’s a tough question. There is always a new song making some sort of impact on my life, whether it’s mine or someone else’s. These days I’ve got “Oh My Love” by Sophia in my head. Hmm… maybe “Six Bells Chime” by Crime & the City Solution, ‘cause when I saw “Wings of Desire” for the first time, that was what I wanted to be doing.

What part of the world most appreciates your music? Where do you feel most welcome when you tour?

I have seemed to develop a tendency to play rather “obscure” places, like Reykjavik, Iceland, and Portugal, so I feel very welcome in both places. But I have to say yet again that Portugal is a truly, inspirational, magical place. I think that I could live in Lisbon. Not only because I found my muse there, but because it’s a really cool, slightly run-down international city with a healthy rhythm, kind of like if one crossed New York City in the eighties with Rome or whatever. I’m hoping to play there again in April.

Could you give us a little account of what it's like to be an honest, hard-working musician these days?

Honest? Me? Well, ok. It’s tough, being a truly independent artist. But I do my music because I want to, not because I have any expectations to hit it “big,” make money, or become “famous.” Life is short, one does what what can to make the most out of it.

Loneliness and desperation are often the focal points for some of the best songs. Would you say that life would be better if these things were eradicated, or are they things that fuel the artist?

If loneliness and desperation were eradicated, we’d still have plenty of other problems which would make life worse in themselves. Most people, even if only deep down inside, can understand the feelings you described. That’s what makes life worth living, worth struggling for. To find love and satisfaction, and nothing ever comes easy, believe me.

Are there any current plans for Stagger Home Records (Mark’s label for his own projects)? Any releases we can be looking forward to?

Stagger Home Records will be releasing “Broken Man,” my solo CD, sometime in 2007… It’s been a long, uphill battle to get done, but it’ll happen.

Photos by John Hughes

What are your live shows like? I've seen pictures of you with wild hair, singing your heart out, it looks like a grand old time. Any chance you'll be touring soon?

I love performing, it’s a real kick for me. Singing live with Piker Ryan is more freeing in a theatrical sense, while playing my solo stuff with a guitar is more intimate, more “me.” I’m hoping to tour as much as possible in 2007… Looks like maybe Paris, Berin, Copenghagen, Prague, Portugal, and then maybe a tour with Piker Ryan in the fall.

Are there any stories you'd like to share with our readers?

Oh, there are tons… I mentioned the Nick Cave story, dinner at a French restaurant in Oslo, closed to the public, with he and Jim Sclavunos, Warren Ellis and Marty Casey. That was weird, even my friends Madrugada were there… I recently hung out with Kid Congo Powers all day in Lisbon, in the rain… that was fun. And I don’t know, I keep bumping into musicians I respect, and sometimes we make friends. The world is a small place, and if the world of music is hence tiny, then the world of “lounge-noir” is microscopic! Maybe I’ll write a book one day, but would anybody read it?

Where can we buy your records! Direct us!

The best way for now is to check out my website, www.StaggerHome.com and send me an email.

 

Mark Steiner Myspace
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