Money Mark

Money Mark
Money Mark in March 2007
Background information
Birth name	Mark Ramos-Nishita
Origin	United States
Genres	Hip-hop Jazz
Occupations	Keyboardist Record Producer
Instruments	Keyboard Piano Melodica
Labels	Various
Associated acts	Beastie Boys Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group Banyan Hello Seahorse! Jack Johnson

Mark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".

Career

His first album, the relatively obscure Mark's Keyboard Repair (1995), was made up of keyboard driven pop-funk songs recorded at demo quality. It was followed up by the Third Version EP in 1996 and Push the Button in 1998. Whereas his 1996 EP was similar to his debut, Push the Button was extremely eclectic, combining aspects of rock music and pop with soul, funk and hip hop. This LP was met with good reviews, as was his 2001 follow up Change is Coming which had a tropical yet danceable disco and funk sound.^{[citation needed]}

Money Mark contributed the keyboard phrase that opens and underpins "Where It's At" from Beck's 1996 album, Odelay. He played keyboards on tour for the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet in support of their self-titled album. He has since become a full member of the quintet, appearing on the live EP with Damo Suzuki called Please Heat This Eventually and several other albums, with his debut full-length collaboration with the group being the Quintet's second LP release, The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange. In 1996, Money Mark contributed the song "Use Your Head (Use A Sua Cabeca)" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization. He also contributed songs to Red Hot's Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin and Red Hot + Rhapsody a tribute to George Gershwin. He appeared in the 2004 documentary film Moog with Bruce Haack. In September 2006, Money Mark signed to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records label. Brand New By Tomorrow, his first album with Brushfire, was released in February 2007. In late 2006, he opened for Gnarls Barkley at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. In 2007, Money Mark and The Woodrow Jackson Orchestra recorded a cover version of Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association. Money Mark composed original music for the 2008 documentary film Beautiful Losers. In 2009, he appears as a member of Lord Newborn and The Magic Skulls, a collaboration with Shawn Lee and Tommy Guerrero.

In 2011, he contributed the Mario C. Remix of "Tropicaliá" with Beck and Seu Jorge as well as a version of the song "Tropical Affair" with Thalma de Freitas and João Parahyba for Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.

Solo discography

Money Mark discography

Releases
↙Studio albums	6
↙Live albums	1
↙EPs	5
↙Singles	7

Studio albums

• Mark's Keyboard Repair (1995, Mo' Wax)
• Push the Button (1998, Mo' Wax)
• Change is Coming (2001)
• Father Demo Square (2005, Rush! Production)
• Brand New By Tomorrow (2007, Brushfire Records)
• Stand Up For Your Rice! (2007, Rush! Production)

Live albums

• Mark on the Mike (1998, Toy's Factory)

Extended plays

• Performing Chicken EP (1994, Fido Speaks Music/Love Kit Records)
• Legitimate Pop Songs? - Money Mark Live at Rough Trade (1996, Mo' Wax)
• Third Version EP (1996, Mo' Wax)
• Love Stains: A Demo (2002)
• Demo? Or Demolition? EP (2004, Chocolate Industries)

Singles

• "U Want Me Back" (1992)
• "Insects Are All Around Us" / "Cry" (1995)
• "Cry" (1995)
• "Hand in Your Head" (1998)
• "Maybe I'm Dead" (1998)
• "Burn Away" (2005)
• "Pick Up the Pieces" (2006)

Releases on Mo' Wax

• MW 034 LP Mark's Keyboard Repair LP
• MW 090 Push The Button LP
• MW 090 LP Push The Button LP (One 12", One 10" & One 7")
• MW 032 Insects Are All Around Us / Cry 7"
• MW 036 Cry 12"
• MW 032 P Album Sampler 10"
• MW 043 DJ Third Version 7" (Promo)
• MW 043 MLP Third Version EP 10" (Mini Album)
• MW 044 Legitimate Pop Songs? - Money Mark Live At Rough Trade 7"
• MW 066 Hand In Your Head 12"
• MW 066 DJ Cry (Dust Brothers Remix) / Got My Hand In Your Head (New Mix) 10" (Promo)
• MW 066 DJ2 Hand In Your Head 12" (Promo)
• MW 089 Maybe I'm Dead 12"
• MW 089 DJ Maybe I'm Dead 12" (White Label Promo)
• MW 089 S Maybe I'm Dead 7" (Ltd 7" Shaped Chihuahua)

Collaboration discography

With the Beastie Boys

• Check Your Head (1992)
• Ill Communication (1994)
• Hello Nasty (1998)
• The Mix-Up (2007)

With Banyan

• Banyan (1997)

With the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group

• Please Heat This Eventually (2007)
• Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo (2007)
• Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Lydia Lunch (2007)
• The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange (2007)
• Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) (2007)

With Hello Seahorse!

• Lejos. No tan Lejos (2010)

With Big Sir

• Und Die Scheisse Andert Sich Immer (2006)
• Before Gardens After Gardens (2012)

With the John Butler Trio

• Grand National (2007)

With Joseph D'Anvers

• Kids (2008)

With Yo Gabba Gabba

• Robodancing (2008)

With Kinky

• Those Girls (2009)

With Red Hot Chili Peppers

• I'm With You (2011)

External links

• Money Mark at Allmusic
• "Live from SXSW 2007" on 89.3 The Current