Bio
Mark Pistel has a career in music spanning over 3 decades, as a producer, engineer, mixer, re-mixer, recording artist and performer.
Mark’s career started in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1980’s, plugging into the area's punk and post punk scene, landing eventually in the popular Bay Area dark disco band Until December who had national alternative radio success with the band's self titled single and a later guest vocal appearance by San Francisco disco legend Sylvester.
From the ashes of Until December came Consolidated in 1988, and Mark's first foray into the studio as the band's recording engineer and mixer. Consolidated's politically charged, industrial/ hip hop sound gave them notable international success. Mark was honing his skills both in the studio and on stage and became a first call re-mixer in the 90's. Mark also produced and co-wrote Michael Franti's early 90's project Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. Upon the split of Consolidated in 1997, Mark joined his long time collaborator Jack Dangers in Meat Beat Manifesto, contributing to several of the band's albums (Subliminal Sandwich, Actual Sounds And Voices, RUOK?, At The Center) and becoming a mainstay in MBM's touring lineup.
During this period Mark also started his own studio (Room 5) and began producing, recording and mixing many local, national and international acts, including Michael Franti, Grace Jones, Chuck Prophet, Rykarda Parasol, Therapy?, Machines of Loving Grace, The Beloved, Los Mocosos, Titan, Grotus, Plastilina Mosh and many more.
After a chance meeting Andrew Butler, Mark was asked to join DFA's neo- disco/house music group, Hercules and Love Affair, which culminated in him co-producing much of the band's 2nd LP Blue Songs and performing with the band on worldwide tours from 2009 to 2015. Since then, Mark has continued recording, mixing and mastering many Bay Area local and international artists.
2023 Mark currently collaborates and releases music on the Emergency Hearts label from Texas. He produced and remixed Mark Stewart, Lee Scratch Perry, Eric Random, Stephen Mallinder, Scott Crow, Angelo Moore, Rykarda Parasol and also put out his solo work, Electronic Dub Collective 2 & 3 in addition collaborations with P.D.F. (Pistel Drukman Farmer) and R43L with Mark Pistel.