The Music of Mark Sylvis
“Pain will never be the same again.”
This was Negative Blue's first and last full-length album. It was recorded entirely in our own studio (Beer City), entirely by us, entirely on my Dell XPS 12 laptop, over an eight month span. It was then mixed and mastered by an actual professional, Dan Patel at Zen7 studios. We released it with a big party in June of 2008. We played the album live in its entirety, in the very room that we recorded it. It was fun, despite Mark not showing up to the show. lol.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Thomas Smith. Except the cello parts on Dust in the Attic and Crash. Those were performed by David Landau of Brothers Landau. Mandolin and trumpet on this record are played by Mark Sylvis. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Always destructive. This world is not for me.”
After Almost Gone's dissolution, a million things happened. Somehow, I ended up in Mark's band. These three tracks were recorded in four, 8-hour sessions in mid-2005, at Love Juice Labratories' Riverside, CA location.
This was my first experience tracking drums in a real studio environment.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Thomas Smith. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“It's not how you play the game, It's how you win.”
This was recorded in several sessions, at a studio well-known with bands in the LA area in the 2000s: Love Juice Labratories. I'm pretty sure this was recorded in the summer of 2004. This is (in my opinion) the bands pinnacle, in terms of production, song-writing, and musicianship. I have an undying nostalgia for the early stuff, but it would be difficult to argue that this isn't Almost Gone's most polished product as a group. This would be Almost Gone's last album.
You will notice that some of the songs from The Outcome and the Order EP ended up on this collection.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Chris Toyer. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Always destructive. You're the same as me.”
These songs were finished sometime in 2003 and there was a line-up change: this is Almost Gone's first recording with David Friedman on bass guitar, after Joe Lofaro's departure.
This recording was never officially "released." And by that I mean, it never got proper cover art and duplicating. It was mostly distributed among the friend group by way of CDR and many of these songs would later by re-recorded anyway for Virgin Element.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Chris Toyer. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Because it's me against the world.”
This couldn't have been later than 2002. This is the first Almost Gone recording to be recorded digitally.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, Joe Lofaro, and Chris Toyer. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Now that we have lost, what were we fighting for?”
I want to say this album was finished by our senior year in high school. Around 2000 or 2001. This wasn't a one-day affair, but was recorded at the same studio as Slick, and also on analog tape. I attended one of the session days for this album and took a lot of photos that I probably won't be able to find.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, Joe Lofaro, and Chris Toyer in the same studio, with the same engineer, as their first. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Today is a blind date with everyone I knew.”
I am pretty sure this was released in 1998, when Mark and the rest of Almost Gone were in 10th grade. This album shaped my high school years. It's rough around the edges but I wouldn't change a sound on this record.
This album was recorded in one 8-hour studio session, on analog tape.
This album was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, Joe Lofaro, and Chris Toyer. All songs written by Mark Sylvis.
“Remember this: You are so much more, and I am less.”
This is a recording direct from the mixing board at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood, CA. This was recorded on April 6th, 2003.
One thing I remember about this show, was that Mark was using one of Mike's guitars for one reason or another, and, in a fit of rock, Mark tossed it during the last song. You can hear Mike mention this on the microphone before the end of the last track.
This show was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Chris Toyer. All songs written by Mark Sylvis. Field recording by Thomas Smith.
“Think about you so much, makes you famous.”
This is a recording of a live, acoustic performance at Beer City Studios, on March 31st, 2007.
This show was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Thomas Smith. Accordian by Mike Wendland. Auxilliary percussion by Thomas Smith. All songs written by Mark Sylvis. Recording engineered by Thomas Smith.
“Only the lonely have really lived.”
This is a recording of a live performance at Beer City Studios, on February 27th, 2007.
The crowd response this night was especially intense. Super close friends, in super close quarters. Listen to everyone singing along when "Deeper Still" starts. Listen to every one anticipating the pause on "Lay and Love." So much fun.
This show was performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, David Friedman, and Thomas Smith. All songs written by Mark Sylvis. Recording engineered by Thomas Smith.
A compilation of the rare or theretofor unreleased recordings of Mark Sylvis that we put together in 2010 after his death.
There's a lot to be said about this collection. Lots of eras, bands, and musicians represented. That's why it had its own whole site of liner notes (which will be back up soon after some modernization).
“I look at the past and it frowns at me, so I smile back at it.”
This is the demo recording of the last song Negative Blue wrote as a band. Mark came in with a song idea and some lyrics, and a couple hours later this is where left it.
This was recorded with only one microphone, since it was originally only made so that we could remember the changes we made to the song during this practice.
It begins with Mark going over the changes we made in our last takes that day, and you can hear him giving direction during the performance.
This recording is performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, and Thomas Smith. Contrary Action was written by Mark Sylvis.
“Wait. This trip is a disaster.”
After some digging, David Friedman found some more of Mark's bedroom cassette recordings. David reports that these two songs were recorded by Mark himself in 2002, so that he could then give the tapes to David as a way for him to learn the songs.
Disappointed You you might recognize from the Almost Gone Live at the Knitting Factory recording, but No Distraction has always been one of those songs that nobody could find a recording of. Until now.
These recordings are performed by Mark Sylvis, and recorded by Mark himself.
“Cops: they're fucking up.”
Before ever getting in to a studio to record Slick Talkin' Fool, Almost Gone demo'd some of their original songs using a 4-track Tascam cassette machine in Mike's mom's living room. I finally found this old tape in 2018, after years of looking for it. I celebrated it's 20th birthday by playing it for the first time in years to digitize it.
These recordings are performed by Mark Sylvis, Mike Wendland, Joe Lafaro, and Chris Toyer.