Kazzer

Mark Christopher Kasprzyk , referred to often as Kaz, Kazzer or M. Rivers, is a Canadian musician whose work has ranged from rap rock to alternative rock. He is the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Redlight King, best known for their song "Bullet in My Hand", which was aired regularly on MuchMusic and MTV Europe, played on contemporary hit radio, hot adult contemporary, alternative rock and mainstream rock radio stations in Canada. He is also an auto sports television personality.

History Kasprzyk grew up in Binbrook, Ontario near Hamilton. At the age of 8, he began learning judo and became part of the Canadian National Judo Team and was an alternate for the Canadian team in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Being relegated to alternate status for the Olympics inspired him to pursue a career in music. At 16 Kasprzyk began songwriting, and after discovering hip-hop, took up breakdancing.

Solo career Under his stage name Kazzer, Kasprzyk was signed to Epic Records and released his 2002 debut album Go for Broke in Canada, (Germany), France and Scandinavia. The energetic lead single, "Pedal to the Metal", was co-written with Brian West, Grammy-nominated producer for the likes of Nelly Furtado. The song was featured on the soundtracks of the 2003 remake of The Italian Job, He has toured Canada repeatedly including a 2003 MTV Campus Invasion tour which on some dates he headlined and on others opened for Gob. He has performed at concerts and festivals in Europe, and opened for The Roots in Chicago, and for a New York Jets game.

Go for Broke sold 25,000 copies worldwide in 2003. Epic Records went through an executive change and Kazzer found himself without representation, and he moved to Linus Entertainment, a leading Canadian independent record label distributed by Universal Records.

Kazzer's second record Broke was mostly recorded at Morph Productions and mixed at EMAC Recording Studios and released on June 28, 2005, featuring the lead single "Ordinary".

Redlight King Mark formed a new project called Redlight King in 2009 with longtime collaborator Julian Tomarin, and signed to Hollywood Records. Kasprzyk made news in 2011 for his success in securing permission from Neil Young to allow him to sample Young's 1972 song, "Old Man". The sample is included in the song "Old Man" (originally titled "Hardworking Hands") on his debut album Something for the Pain, released on June 28, 2011. Old Man peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Alternative Songs and Number 26 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.

Redlight King's most successful song and second single off Something for the Pain, "Bullet in My Hand", peaked at numbers 3 and 28 on Billboard'''s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Alternative Songs charts, respectively. Redlight King was also a part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival 2012.

Redlight King released its second studio album Irons in the Fire on September 10, 2013. On July 9, 2013, they released a single from the album entitled "Born to Rise". The track appears in the end title credits for the 2014 film "Draft Day," starring Kevin Costner.

"Born To Rise" has also been used as the pregame music for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and was the title track for the Feature Film "Draft Day" starring Kevin Costner.

M. Rivers In 2017, Mark signed with Parts + Labor Records and released "Champion", a single produced by Jimmy Messer (Kelly Clarkson, Kygo, Awolnation). The song was featured on the Redlight King 2020 album Moonshine.

Other media He has appeared in film and television, including a cameo appearance as a redneck in the 2004 MuchMusic comedy road movie Going the Distance. He was also one of many collaborators on Sports Car Revolution, aired on the US-based specialty television channel Speed Channel in 2005 and 2006. He has owned a 1962 Ford Thunderbird, a 1949 Mercury and a 1930 Ford Model A. Mark currently hosts a live streaming show called "MuscleKingz Lounge" on Facebook live.

Discography

As Kazzer

AlbumsGo for Broke (2002) (Epic Records)Broke'' (2005) (Linus Entertainment)

Singles Year Song Peak chart positions AlbumAUT CAN 2002 "Pedal to the Metal" 71 26Go for Broke 2005 "Ordinary" — —Broke "—" denotes a release that did not chart.

As Redlight King

Albums Year Album details Peak chart positions US USHeat. USRock CANRock USAlt. "—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Music videos Year Song Director Ref. 2011 "Old Man" "Bullet in My Hand" "City Life" 2012 "Comeback" 2013 "Born to Rise" Strati Hovartos 2014 "Times Are Hard"