Mark Balderas
Encyclopedia
Mark Henry Balderas, born September 10, 1959 in Encino, California, was the keyboard player for the rock band Human Drama
from 1986 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 2005.
in Woodland Hills, California, where he played varsity American football
. He went on to earn a Associate of Arts degree at Pierce College
in Woodland Hills, California, in 1980, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree at California State University
, Northridge
, in 1982, majoring in Radio-Television-Film.
with the band Newsbreak in 1983. The following year, he joined The Spectres. While playing with The Spectres in 1986, he auditioned for New Orleans, Louisiana
, based Human Drama
and became their keyboard player soon after. Human Drama contributed a song, "Wave of Darkness", to the 1987 collection Scream: The Compilation on Geffen Records
.
A record deal with RCA Records
in 1988 led to the EP "Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death
" recorded in Wales
and the LP Feel
, both produced by Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds.
In mid-1990, after recording the single "This Tangled Web" from the critically acclaimed album The World Inside
on Triple X Records
, Balderas left the group to team up with keyboard player James Osborn to start recording a collection of traditional Christmas songs which they arranged and produced using keyboard orchestration. Their waltz version of the classic "What Child is This" was released in 1995 on the compilation Excelsis Vol.1: A Dark Noel on Projekt Records. In 1991, Balderas joined up with Human Drama guitarist Michael Ciravolo’s new band The Congregation.
In 1993, with the release of Human Drama
’s fourth album Pinups on Triple X Records
, Balderas returned, this time for good. In 1994, Human Drama
released the EP Human Drama
on Projekt Records
which included the first of five instrumentals songs, "Solitude I", written by Balderas. He also re-arranged "The Waiting Hour" from Feel with piano, strings and flute. The following year, Human Drama released Songs of Betrayal
where Balderas added the remaining four instrumental songs "Solitude II-V". In 1996, Human Drama released Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later
, a live, career-spanning retrospective released both on Hollow Hills/Triple X Records and the Mexican Opcion Sonica label. In 1997, Balderas recorded piano on Michael Aston
's Gene Loves Jezebel
album Love Lies Bleeding on Triple X Records. He then co-wrote, with Johnny Indovina
, the popular "A Single White Rose" for the next Human Drama album Solemn Sun Setting
in 1998 on Triple X Records
and in 2000, Human Drama released The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World
on Triple X Records
. In 2002, Human Drama released their final album, Cause and Effect, both on Projekt Records
and, in Latin America
, Noise Kontrol Records.
Human Drama continued to perform live throughout America
and Mexico
until January 2005.
In 2008, Human Drama re-released "Feel" on Triple X-Hollow Hills Records with 6 bonus tracks.
Human Drama
Human Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
from 1986 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 2005.
Early life
Balderas was raised in West Hills, California, by Elisa Balderas, a housewife, and Henry Balderas, a manufacturer's representative in the electronics industry. He attended El Camino Real High SchoolEl Camino Real High School
El Camino Real Charter High School is a public secondary school located in the Woodland Hills district of the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California...
in Woodland Hills, California, where he played varsity American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He went on to earn a Associate of Arts degree at Pierce College
Los Angeles Pierce College
Los Angeles Pierce College, also known as Pierce College, Pierce, is a community college that serves more than 23,000 students in the northern Chalk Hills of Woodland Hills, a community within the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California.The college began with 70 students...
in Woodland Hills, California, in 1980, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree at California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
, Northridge
Northridge
Northridge is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Northridge, Los Angeles, California, a community in California's San Fernando Valley** California State University, Northridge** The Northridge earthquake of 1994...
, in 1982, majoring in Radio-Television-Film.
Musical career
Balderas started playing keyboards in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with the band Newsbreak in 1983. The following year, he joined The Spectres. While playing with The Spectres in 1986, he auditioned for New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, based Human Drama
Human Drama
Human Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
and became their keyboard player soon after. Human Drama contributed a song, "Wave of Darkness", to the 1987 collection Scream: The Compilation on Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
.
A record deal with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1988 led to the EP "Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death
Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death
Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death by Human Drama was released by RCA Records in 1988.-Track listing:# "Old Man"# "Nothing I Judge"# "I Bleed for You"# "The Waiting Hour"...
" recorded in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the LP Feel
Feel
- Music :*"Feel" , a 2006 single by Kumi Koda*"Feel" , a 2002 single by Robbie Williams*"Feel", the final track from Stereophonics' 2004 album Language. Sex. Violence...
, both produced by Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds.
In mid-1990, after recording the single "This Tangled Web" from the critically acclaimed album The World Inside
The World Inside (album)
The World Inside is an album by Human Drama, released by Triple X in 1992. The album landed three videos, "Look into a Strangers Eyes", "Fascination and Fear" and "My Skin", onto Billboard's Top 40 Indie Video chart.-Track listing:...
on Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
, Balderas left the group to team up with keyboard player James Osborn to start recording a collection of traditional Christmas songs which they arranged and produced using keyboard orchestration. Their waltz version of the classic "What Child is This" was released in 1995 on the compilation Excelsis Vol.1: A Dark Noel on Projekt Records. In 1991, Balderas joined up with Human Drama guitarist Michael Ciravolo’s new band The Congregation.
In 1993, with the release of Human Drama
Human Drama
Human Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
’s fourth album Pinups on Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
, Balderas returned, this time for good. In 1994, Human Drama
Human Drama
Human Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
released the EP Human Drama
Human Drama (album)
-Track listing:# "It Is Fear"# "Breathe"# "Tired"# "Sad I Cry"# "Remember Well"# "Solitude "# "White River"# "The Waiting Hour "- External links :*...
on Projekt Records
Projekt Records
This is the article for the record label. You might be looking for Pro-jekt, ProjeKct, Project Pitchfork, or Projekt RevolutionProjekt is a Brooklyn, New York-based independent record label specializing in gothic rock, ambient, ethereal, darkwave, shoegaze, dream-pop, and dark cabaret created by...
which included the first of five instrumentals songs, "Solitude I", written by Balderas. He also re-arranged "The Waiting Hour" from Feel with piano, strings and flute. The following year, Human Drama released Songs of Betrayal
Songs of Betrayal
-Track listing:# "E. 2nd St."# "Another Fifty Miles"# "This Forgotten Love " [1992]# "Solitude I"# "Forever"# "It Is Fear"# "Where Our Weakness Lies"# "Solitude II"# "Let the Darkness In"# "As Love Comes Tumbling"# "I Wonder Why"...
where Balderas added the remaining four instrumental songs "Solitude II-V". In 1996, Human Drama released Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later
Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later
Human Drama Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later was released by Triple X in 1996.-Track listing:# "Death Of An Angel" # "Wave Of Darkness"# "Who By Fire" # "A Million Years" # "Through My Eyes" # "Dying In A Moment Of Splendor"...
, a live, career-spanning retrospective released both on Hollow Hills/Triple X Records and the Mexican Opcion Sonica label. In 1997, Balderas recorded piano on Michael Aston
Michael Aston
Michael Aston, born August 22, 1957, is the founder and current leader of the U.S. version of Gene Loves Jezebel.In 1989 he left Gene Loves Jezebel due to his unhappiness with the direction of the band and strained relations with his twin brother, Jay. Moving to California, Michael started The...
's Gene Loves Jezebel
Gene Loves Jezebel
Gene Loves Jezebel are a gothic rock band from the early 1980s, now two separate bands of the same name, founded by identical twin brothers, Michael and Jay Aston .-Early years: 1980-1989:...
album Love Lies Bleeding on Triple X Records. He then co-wrote, with Johnny Indovina
Johnny Indovina
Johnny Indovina is a singer, songwriter and producer. Indovina fronted the Underground/Goth band Human Drama from 1985 to 2005. As the primary songwriter, he produced eight albums, two EPs and a "Best of" collection...
, the popular "A Single White Rose" for the next Human Drama album Solemn Sun Setting
Solemn Sun Setting
-Track listing:# "My Denial" # "The Ways And Wounds " # "A Single White Rose" # "Somewhere" # "Love's Way" # "To Love Her" # "A Simple Glance" # "The Truth About Gina" # "Lost" # "I Cannot Believe" # "Goodbye" # "The Great Pretender"...
in 1998 on Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
and in 2000, Human Drama released The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World
The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World
Human Drama The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World was released by Triple X in 2000.-Track listing:# "Death Of An Angel" # "I Could Be A Killer" # "This Tangled Web" # "Fascination And Fear" # "Fading Away" # "A Million Years"...
on Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
. In 2002, Human Drama released their final album, Cause and Effect, both on Projekt Records
Projekt Records
This is the article for the record label. You might be looking for Pro-jekt, ProjeKct, Project Pitchfork, or Projekt RevolutionProjekt is a Brooklyn, New York-based independent record label specializing in gothic rock, ambient, ethereal, darkwave, shoegaze, dream-pop, and dark cabaret created by...
and, in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Noise Kontrol Records.
Human Drama continued to perform live throughout America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
until January 2005.
In 2008, Human Drama re-released "Feel" on Triple X-Hollow Hills Records with 6 bonus tracks.