HISTORY & FACTS
Influences | Early Days | Bands | Studios & Producers
Mark Cross
EARLY INFLUENCES
Listening to all the great drummers as a young kid, Mark quickly touched soil developing his own style and mainly points out Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Pierre Moerlen, Gene Krupa, ian Paice, Phil Collins and John Bonham to be some of his early mentors.
In the 70´s, besides the Classic Rock and Progressive Rock Bands, the Jazz Rock scene was also at its peak, which truly fascinated him. Growing older he knew that not only the technical skills were needed, but also the look and attitude.
Mick Tucker (The Sweet), Keith Moon (The Who) and Peter Criss (Kiss) came into play.
However Mark always mentions, that 1972´s Deep Purple´s “Made in Japan” was the key and trigger to it all to become a drummer.
The Beatles, Zeppelin, the Stones, Hendrix, Santana, the Sweet, Queen, Kiss, Genesis and Rush did the trick and were just the right kind of magic!
Spending hours in front of the record player consuming the content of lyrics and artwork of Vinyl Records and winding back and forth Cassettes had become a daily routine!
Magic!
THE EARLY DAYS
In the late 70´s Mark was captivated by Rush, Neil Peart changed his thoughts of just being a simple beat keeper. The professor, there had been no other, Neil´s playing and writing was just magical of finest quality that covered every corner!
Of course other drummers like Phil Collins, Brian Downey, Cozy Powell, Nicko McBrain, Stewart Copeland, Alex Van Halen and the fascinating Simon Philips also greatly influenced Mark´s playing. Jamming along to their music had become Mark´s football game in his basement, that closed his second educational chapter in drumming.
But what was it with showbiz? It was all about Kiss and Van Halen, no, not so much the make up and dress code, which by all means looked stunning enough, it was so cool. David Lee Roth´s attitude, the kicks, oh, he was a bright one and knew how to party, and then there was Eddie!
Every note he hit was just what everyone fancied, hoping to find a guitar player exactly like Ed. That was a tough one.
Born to an English father and German mother, Mark grew up in 3 countries and speaks fluent English, German, Greek and some French. Over the past 39 years he has been working as a professional musician with known Bands and Artists worldwide, who gave him a great reputation in the international Music industry as a Drummer, Songwriter and Producer.
Bands and artists in his roster are German power metal legends HELLOWEEN and METALIUM, Deep Purple’s frontman IAN GILLAN and JOE LYNN TURNER, DOOGIE WHITE, KINGDOM COME and HARDLINE, NWOBHM pioneers SARACEN and TANK, Greek rockers FIREWIND and OUTLOUD, Bass player MARCO MENDOZA (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, Dead Daisies), Irish outfit GOD´S ARMY, the mighty SCORPIONS, UK rockers TAINTED NATION, THE VIVALDI METAL PROJECT and many more …. Today Mark works and records at his Studio “The Drum Dungeon” and recently founded his own label “CMP-Records”, which he launched in 2024. Get in touch, talk about your project and hire him to record the drums for your music or your shows and tour.
Get in touch, talk about your project and hire Mark Cross to record the drums for your music or your shows and tour!
THE 80´s AND 90´s
In the early eighties Mark explored local Pubs and Bands on the Athens circuit. It was the time when the US Airbases were still active in the North and South of Athens and the districts looked like the Sunset strip. It was paradise.
Bands were playing everywhere with young Cross in the middle of it. Performing High School and Pub gigs in 1983/84, someone noticed young Cross and walked him straight into the biggest Studio in town offering him the seat behind the Drums to show him how to become “the real deal”, a pro, how to record and work with a Producer.
An accomplishment and definitely the third educational chapter at the highest level. A new journey began and he soon started to make a name on the local scene and became a busy Studio and live Musician in Greece between 1989 – 1994.
Being a session great brings money, but he also tried own bands like MAGNA CARTA in 1989 and BAD HABIT in 1992, only that Greece was a very limited market and rock Bands had absolutely no future and standing there.
The American Air Bases were shut down in the mid 80´s and the active rock scene started to fade soon after and Greek Pop and Folk Music took over.
Not really Mark´s cup of tea and he soon decided to leave the country and build a career around himself.
Today in 2025, Mark is working on his new project “Ocean´s Eye”.
Only 24 years later he revived the old “Bad Habit” tapes and had them baked and digitised at Abbey Road Studios in London. The remaining members of the band decided to finally complete the production and release it.
With Joe Stump´s Tower of Babel Mark completed producing the new album “Days of Thunder”, which will be released on Silver Lining Music on July 4, and plans to tour in 2026.
BANDS & ARTISTS
Joe Stump´s TOWER OF BABEL est. 2017
TOB released their first album “Lake of fire” as Tower of Babel in 2017, six years later Mark took the new production under his wings as drummer, co writer and producer and recorded & mixed their new album “DAYS OF THUNDER” in 2023/24, which will be released on Silver Lining Music on July 4, 2025.
OCEAN´s EYE est. 2019
In 2019 Mark´s “Best of collaborations …. live project” was announced in the press and sadly froze with the pandemic in 2020!
Mark used the time ever since to write new Music and sees a possible Studio Album and shows in the nearest future.
VIVALDI METAL PROJECT 2017 – 2019
Italian Keyboardist, Mastermind and Producer Maestro “Mistheria” started this phenomenal Production in 2016. Mark and Mistheria had been working on the first Tower Of Babel album in 2015 and Mark marked to be one of the first drummers to record on VMP´s “The Four Seasons” album featuring on track 13 “Grande Madre”. The “Four Seasons” was released by Pride & Joy Music in 2017.
Upon its release Mark took the position as their touring drummer in 2018, followed by the release of the limited edition DVD and CD “The Four Seasons Live In Concert” on November 29, 2019.
In 2021 VMP released their second studio album “Epiclassica”, another epic all star production. Mark features on track 11 “The Absolution”.
VIvaldi Metal Project Official
GOD´s ARMY 2005-2021
With three albums in the pocket, the power trio God´s Army originally started out in 2005 and released their debut CD “God´s Army AD” in 2014 on Massacre, NWOBHM with a progressive conceptional touch on their second album at its finest! In 2018 they released their second album “Demoncracy”, on CD and black & green vinyl on ROAR, featuring the video clip “Free Your Mind” and lyric video “Before The Fall”.
In 2021 God´s Army released their third album “Warriors of the wasteland” digital and physical, on CD and also on a black and red limited Vinyl edition.
The first single and video clip of the album was the highly acclaimed “Kindred Spirits”.
Their catalog can be purchased here.
God’s Army Official | God’s Army on Bandcamp |
God’s Army on CMP Records Ltd.
SCORPIONS 2014
Early 2014 Mark was approached by the SCORPIONS and asked to play their Russian classical shows in February, which sadly never happened, and Mark was hired on April 4th, 2014 to step in for their drummer James Kottack and play their show at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bahrain.
What a ride! RIP James….
TAINTED NATION 2011 – 2016
Tainted Nation was a remarkable British rock band consisting of five talented English and Swedish Musicians, Pete Newdeck – vocals (Midnite City, Killers, Steve Grimmet) , Ian Nash – Guitar (Grim Reaper, Steve Grimmet), Mark Cross – Drums, Pontus Egberg – Bass and vocals (Poodles, Treat, King Diamond) and Joel Peters – Guitar and vocals (Bootyard Bandits, Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons). They released two remarkable CD´s, “F.E.A.R. (Fight enemies and rulers)” in 2014 on Massacre and “On the Outside” in 2016 on Pride and Joy Music.
The band toured Europe, but mainly performed in the UK and released two video clips of the first album “Dare You” and “ Loser” and of the second album the lyric video “Fight”.
The remaining CD catalog can be purchased here.
FROM FIREWIND TO OUTLOUD 2005 – 2011
After five years with Firewind, non stop touring, he recorded on 3 Studio albums “Allegiance”, “Premonition” and “Days of Defiance”, the live DVD and CD “Live Premonition” and 4 singles, “Falling to pieces”, “Breaking the silence”, Mercenary man” and “World on fire”,
Mark left the band in 2010 and focused on Outloud, a band founded with his former Firewind band mate Bob Katsionis. They released the successful CD “We´ll rock you to hell….” on Frontiers in 1999, featuring the hit single and video clip of “We run” and “Tonite”.
They released their second album “Love Catastrophe” in 2011 on Metal Heaven Records and a 5 acoustic track single “More Catastrophe” in Japan as a Christmas EP in 2011.
“Waiting for your love” was the only single and video clip from the album.
FROM METALIUM TO HELLOWEEN 1999-2003
In 1999 Mark recorded Nightfall´s “Diva Futura” at the Impuls Studios in Hamburg, and their Producer Jay P Genkel introduced him to German Power Metallers Metalium, who recorded their first album “Millenium Chapter I” at the same time in Studio B. It was officially announced that Mark had joined Metalium on January 1st, 2000. He recorded their second album “State of triumph Chapter II” which was supported by the European Festival and Headline Tour in 2000 and 2001.
In September 2001 he was offered to join German metal pioneers Helloween. Eager to start working right away, the band decided to take a long break after their Dark Ride World Tour, and started working on a new album after the summer in 2002.
With new songs in the pocket and the pre production done late September, the band took off to “Mi Sueno Studios” in Tenerife ES to track drums for the album “Rabbit don´t come easy”. Mark unfortunately landed only two tracks on the album, “Listen to the flies” and “Don´t stop being crazy” due to illness.
He was diagnosed just a few days after the recording sessions started with the malicious virus Mononucleosis, which completely wrecked his immune system and forced him to postpone the recordings for one month.
Mikkey Dee had been asked to step in and record five more songs, so the band could work until Mark´s recovery.
Sadly this never happened and even after heavy treatments, Mark collapsed once more a few weeks later during a second attempt trying to finish the recordings of the album. It was then decided that Dee had to come back and record the remaining songs of the album, which also unfortunately led to the termination of Mark´s contract with Helloween in January 2003.
He fully recovered 9 months later receiving the “clean bill” by his doctors in September 2003.
Nightfall Official | Metaliumofficial Official | Helloween Official
GILLAN, RAKINTZIS and BAD HABIT (1992 – 1993)
A very interesting time and rather unusual collaboration to say the least.
Mark was a very busy studio musician since 1988 working and recording in the Greek rock Music industry. He had formed in 1991 Glam/AOR rockers Bad Habit in Athens with American singer Vance Reese and the best guitar player one could find, Manos Manouselis aka MP Mansell. They were recording their first album, when Michael Rakintzis (former Scraptown singer who Mark had worked with in 1986) approached him talking about his new album to feature Ian Gillan.
Mark suggested that Bad Habit´s camp was the right addition for the recordings of this project, and as well a formidable touring line up.
That being said, they recorded one album, played a few major Stadium shows in Greece and disbanded, and so did Bad Habit until 2024, when the old reels were baked and digitised at Abbey Road Studios.
Mark, Vance and MP decided to remix some of the old songs and complete the recordings with a few overdubs and re record 4 unfinished tracks.
Sadly their original Bass player Alex Douglas, sadly passed on January 2, 2012. Never forgotten….. RIP old friend!
A release has been scheduled for 2025/26.
MAGNA CARTA – ANNA VISSI (1989 – 1992)
Probably Greece´s only progressive rock metal outfit with Canadian/Greek vocalist John Patelis and virtuoso guitarist Pete Lallis. John had a tremendous vocal range that would remind one of Geoff Tate or Geddy Lee.
Since everyone in the band were huge fans of both, Queensryche and Rush, the concept matched perfectly, only that their Record Label decided last minute that they wanted all vocals to be in Greek language and forced the band to re write all lyrics and re record all vocals.
Mark never agreed, supported or understood the idea behind all this and left the band before the album was released and focused on a two year stadium tour with local pop/rock Mega Star Anna Vissi.
The early days – SESSION WORK IN GREECE (1984 – 1992)
As it should happen someone noticed him at a local Pub gig in 1984 and introduced him to the Sierra Studios in the winter of 1984. Their top engineer and producer Akis Golfidis and his student Kostas Kalimeris (Black Rock Studios Santorini) showed him all tricks how to become a pro studio drummer. Serving coffee at first and observing recording session of bands like Socrates and other greats at the time helped Mark develop fast to an uprising studio musician and somewhat engineer.
His first feature on drums was on Dimitri Papadimitriou´s album, the soundtrack “Time of growing” early 1985 featuring the remarkable voice of Julie Massino.
Mark became one of Greece´s wanted session drummers, appeared on multiple TV shows and commercials with local stars, and recorded and toured with artists like Scraptown, Spitfire, Christo Dantis, Vassilis Papakonstantinou, Antonis Tourkogiorgis (Socrates), Giannis Giokarinis, Giannis Koutras, Costas Haritodiplomenos and Vassilsi Dertilis.
PRODUCERS & STUDIOS
Chris Tsangaredes – The Dump, Kenley UK & The Ecology Rooms, Dover UK (Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, Bruce Dickinson, Helloween, Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Moore)
Charly Bauerfeind - Mi Sueño studio, Teneriffe ES (Helloween, Blind Guardian, Halford, Molly Hatchet, Saxon)
Frederik Nordström - Studio Fredman, Västra Frölunda SE (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Firewind, Dream Evil)
Kip Winger – Nashville, USA (Winger, Alice Cooper, George Gakis)
George Aspiotis – Aspiotis Studio, Athens GR (Spitfire, Joe Stump´s Tower of Babel)
Tommy Hansen – Jailhouse Studio, Horsens DK (Helloween, Pretty Maids, Outloud)
Kostas Kalimeris – Black Rock Studios, Santorini GR (Spitfire, Scraptown, Sharp Ties, Bonamassa)
Akis Golfidis – Sierra Studios, Athens GR (Socrates, Dimitri Papadimitriou, Scraptown)
Paul Lani – Los Angeles, USA (Megadeth, Robbie Williams, Vanishing Signs, Beyonce, Prince)
Schroedey – Absurd Studios, Hamburg DE (Rezident Ex, Holy Moses)
Jay P. Genkel – Impuls Studios, Hamburg DE (Metalium, Nightfall, Therion, Black Moon Secret, Lacrimosa, Canterra)
Mistheria – Sierra Studios, Athens GR (Vivaldi Metal Project)
