Mark Foggo

Mark Foggo is an English-born ska musician currently based in England, United Kingdom

Beginning his music career in Amsterdam in 1979, Foggo became a prominent figure in Europe's post-2-Tone ska scene, most notably with his band Mark Foggo's Skasters, formed in 1987. Foggo's music, which he describes as "modern, bizarre, non-influenced, up tempo ska", is characterised by his observational and darkly comic lyricism, as well as his manic and boisterous stage personality.

Foggo's most recent studio album, Mad, was released in 2010 on V2 Records, and his band continues to tour Europe extensively. In addition, Foggo has also operated his own all-ska record label and booking agency Skanky'Lil Music since 1990, leading him to be called "the hardest working man in ska" and "a ska missionary" on a "never ending quest of playing and supporting ska music where ever he goes".

Biography Born in Liverpool, Mark Foggo began playing music at age fourteen, inspired by British rhythm and blues groups such as The Animals, whose singer Eric Burdon Foggo cites as an influence. Several years later, Foggo moved to London in hopes of finding work as a guitarist, playing the London pub circuit with a number of different rhythm and blues and punk rock bands for most of the late 1970s. Foggo's passion for ska eventually grew larger until he omitted the punk and New Wave elements from his music entirely, focusing exclusively on ska for his first solo album, 1983's A State of Mind, released on Boni Records.

Discography

Albums

As Mark Foggo & the Secret Meeting Speeding My Life Away (1980, Polydor)

As Mark Foggo A State of Mind (1983, Boni) Weapons + Guitars (1985, EMI-Bovema Holland) Haircut (1995, Skanky'Lil) It's Only a Game (2006, Skanky'Lil) Mad (2010, V2 Records)

With The Babyshakers Shake the Baby (2001, Skanky'Lil)

As Mark Foggo's Skasters Ska Pig (1989, Skank) (1993, Universe; 1996, Skanky'Lil) Couldn't Play Ska (1992, Universe) (1996, Skanky'Lil) St. Valentines Day Massacre (1998, Skanky'Lil) The Missionaries of Ska (2002, Skanky'Lil) You Shot Me (2005, Skanky'Lil) Ska Pig Returns (2019, Jump Up Records) Compilations Lucky to be Alive (1994, Universe) Best of... (2001, Skanky'Lil) Hello Ska People (2006, Phantom) (Japanese release)

Live albums Captain Skarlet (live) (1990, Skank) (1996, Skanky'Lil) "Live at fiesta la mass" (2017, Skanky'Lil Records)

Singles As Mark Foggo & the Secret Meeting "New Shoes" / "It Gets You Down" (1979, Top Hole; 1980, Polydor) "New Shoes" / "Out of Place" (1980, Polydor) "New Shoes" / "Ace of Spades" (1981, Polydor)

As Mark Foggo "Advertising" / "Human Error" (1982) "The Innocence of Youth" / "You Never Asked" (1983, Boni) "Miss Understanding" / "Hold on to Your Hat" (1983, Boni) "Caribbean Island" / "Seems Like Years" (1983, Boni) "Weapons and Guitars" / "Human Error" (1985, EMI) "I Never Promised You Anything" / "Posers" (1985, EMI) "Taking Things too Far" / "Oops I Did it Again" (1985, EMI)

As Mark Foggo's Skasters "Hashish Uit Amsterdam" (1997, Skanky'Lil) "The Day I Met Muhammad Ali" (2010, Skanky'Lil)