Birth name Michael Marlin Labels AMP Music Production Genres Alternative rock Years active 2009 – present Role Singer-songwriter | Instruments Vocals, guitar Name Mike Marlin Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter Website Official website | |
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Born 17 February 1961 (age 63) ( 1961-02-17 ) Albums Man on the Ground, Grand Reveal, Nearly Man Similar People Baz Warne, Shane MacGowan and The, Then Jerico, Dave Greenfield, Jean‑Jacques Burnel Profiles | ||
This Town - Mike Marlin
Education and Businesses
Mike Marlin is a British singer-songwriter. He was born on 17 February 1961 in Wimbledon, London. He went to Oxford University where he read physics at Magdalen College. He dropped out in his final year and never graduated. During this time he played bass in a number of student bands.
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Businesses
After leaving Oxford, he dropped out of music to focus on technology. Initially he worked as a computer programmer and then as the founder of a series of technology businesses. He is married and has 4 children. He lives in Bedfordshire. Throughout the 80s and 90s he continued to write and record songs, but these were never commercially released.
Music Career
At the age of 48 he withdrew from business. He started a small record label, AMP Music Productions. He recorded his first album 'Nearly Man' with producer James Durrant. The album was finished in December 2009. Marlin recruited a band in 2010 ("The Whethermen") and played a series of gigs in small venues throughout the UK. He recorded a session for Selector Radio that aired on the 12 November 2010. In December 2010 he supported "From The Jam" on their UK tour.
Marlin's first single was a cover of the Bee Gees disco hit "Stayin' Alive" from the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. It was released on 21 October 2010 to mixed reviews and is not on his debut album "Nearly Man", which was released on 14 February 2011. Two singles were taken from this album: "Play That Game" (released 4 January 2011) and "No Place Like Home" (released 23 May 2011). These were critically well received and achieved significant airplay on independent radio, regional radio and BBC 6 Music. The video for "Play That Game" attracted considerable attention and featured an office being destroyed.
In January 2011 he was chosen for HMV's Next Big Thing and as part of this event played at the Jazz Cafe in London on 9 February 2011.
In March 2011, Marlin supported The Stranglers on their 17 date UK "Black & Blue" tour. In April 2011, Marlin supported Big Country on their 18 date UK tour.
In February 2012 Mike released his second album Man on The Ground and went on to support The Stranglers around the UK and Europe on their Spring tour.
Marlin's voice is often compared to David Bowie. He sings in a baritone and plays a custom Babicz guitar. He writes traditional rock songs. He cites David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Elbow and The National as influences.
Mike Marlin's third album "Grand Reveal" was released 8 April 2013. Songs include The Murderer and Skull Beneath the Skin.
Mike Marlin's fourth album "The Secret of My Success" was released on the 8th May 2016. The release was accompanied by a limited edition box set containing book of artwork by Colin Brown, the Scottish Collage artist and double LP. The latest incarnation of his backing band is The Melomaniacs, a trio consisting of Paul Silver on keys and Kim Murray on guitar.