Marc Mac, also known as Mark Anthony Clair, is a British DJ, broadcaster, producer, promoter, label owner in the UK

electronic dance music Electronic dance music (EDM), also referred to as dance music or club music, is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres originally made for nightclubs, raves, and List of electronic dance music festivals, festivals. It is generally ...

scene who was influential in shaping dance music of the 1990s. Mac was instrumental in creating several new genres of music including Hardcore Breakbeat,

UK Hardcore Happy hardcore, also known as 4-beat or happycore, is a subgenre of hardcore dance music or " hard dance". It emerged both from the UK breakbeat hardcore rave scene, and Belgian, German and Dutch hardcore techno scenes in the early 1990s ...

Darkcore Darkcore (also referred to as darkside hardcore) is a music genre, music subgenre of breakbeat hardcore in the UK rave scene, that emerged from late 1992. It is recognised as being one of the direct precursors of the genre now known as drum and ...

Jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

Drum and bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast Break (music)#Breakbeat (element of music), breakbeats (typically 165–185 Tempo, beats per minute) with heavy Bass (music) ...

Downtempo Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...

Broken Beat Broken beat (sometimes referred to as "bruk") is an electronic dance music genre that emerged in the late 1990s and is characterized by syncopated beats and frenetic, choppy rhythms, often alongside female vocals and elements inspired by 1970s ja ...

and

Nu Jazz Nu jazz (also spelt nü jazz or known as jazztronica, or future jazz) is a genre of jazz and electronic music. The music blends jazz elements with other musical styles, such as funk, electronic music, and free improvisation. Nu jazz typically ve ...

. He is one half of the group

4hero 4hero (sometimes referred to as 4 Hero or 4-Hero) are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. 4hero are known for being pioneers of breakbeat hardcore, jungle/drum ...

, founded in partnership with collaborator Dego (also known as Dennis McFarlane), and a co-founder of

Reinforced Records Reinforced Records is a British breakbeat hardcore, jungle, and drum and bass record label, first founded in 1989 by 4hero and based in Dollis Hill, London. Reinforced is one of the groundbreaking record labels of the genre.Reynolds, S. (1998) ...

. Mac's other solo projects include The Visioneers (jazz/hip-hop), Nu Era (

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

), and Nature's Plan (afro-latin).

Early life and family

Marc Mac was born and raised in London, England. He attended school in

Harlesden Harlesden is a district in the London Borough of Brent, north-west London. Located north of the Grand Union Canal and Wormwood Scrubs, the Harrow Road flows through the centre of the area which goes eastwards to Central London and west towar ...

, a neighbourhood in North West London known for its Caribbean culture, often dubbed as London's reggae capital, with many records shops and music record companies including Starlight Records,

Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded by Jamaican Duke Reid, Lee Gopthal and Chris Blackwell in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. Th ...

, Champion Records and Jet Star. Mac's family emigrated to England from Jamaica and are part of the

Windrush generation British African-Caribbean people or British Afro-Caribbean people are an ethnic group in the United Kingdom. They are British citizens or residents of recent Caribbean heritage who further trace much of their ancestry to West and Central Africa. ...

Caribbean-British legacy. His parents were active in the community creating programming to support and advocate for local youth and their families. His family was instrumental in founding the Black Parents Movement and

Black Cultural Archives Black Cultural Archives (BCA) is an archive and heritage centre in Brixton, London, devoted to the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. Also known as BCA, it was founded in 1981, by educationalist and historian Len G ...

in collaboration with other community members. Mac and his siblings grew up listening to

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

Johnny Clarke Johnny Clarke (born 12 January 1955) is a Jamaican reggae musician, best known for his recordings with producer Bunny Lee in the 1970s. Biography Clarke grew up in the Kingston ghetto of Whitfield Town and attended Jamaica College.Two Sevens Clash,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

, Jim Reeves gospel records and more. Mac has family in the United States and, as such, had access to the early

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

of New York City and listened to

Roxanne Shanté Lolita Shante Gooden (born November 9, 1969), better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. She first gained attention in 1984 through the Roxanne Wars, and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film ''Roxanne Roxanne'' ...

, early

Big Daddy Kane Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American Rapping, rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influe ...

, a label called Cold Chillin,

Public Enemy Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...

, Zulu Nation as well as the underground musical sounds coming from Detroit and Chicago.

Sound engineering and music production

Sound systems

Mac started his career in music in sound system culture. Around 1985 or 1986 Marc Mac and his friends created several sound systems, one called Solar Zone, and the other, Midnight Lovers. The local community organising Mac's family was involved with afforded him the opportunity to practice and play in the professional context of a large concert hall in

Alperton Alperton () is an area of north-west London, England, within the London Borough of Brent. It forms the southern part of the town of Wembley and is west north-west of Charing Cross, on the border with the London Borough of Ealing. It includes a ...

near

Wembley Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in the London Borou ...

. Solar Zone eventually gathered enough of a fan base to sell tickets and perform in blues clubs (then-illegal clubs, often found in suburban neighbourhoods). Like the Jamaican sound engineer/producer

King Tubby Osbourne Ruddock (28 January 1941 – 6 February 1989), better known as King Tubby, was a Jamaican sound engineer who influenced the development of dub music in the 1960s and 1970s. Tubby's studio work, in which as a mixing engineer he achiev ...

, Mac experiments with aspects of diy

sound production Sound production may refer to: *Audio engineering *Creation of sound through speech, using a musical instrument, etc. *Record production *Sound design Sound design is the art and practice of creating auditory elements of media. It involves specifyi ...

. Experiments with building speakers led to Mac creating fully fledged mobile sound system rigs for radio and carnivals.

Pirate Radio

In 1989, Mac and collaborator Dego founded the pirate radio station Strong Island Radio. Strong Island Radio was based in Dollis Hill where Mac and Dego attended college. Strong Island Radio pre-dates the founding of both 4hero and Reinforced Records. The name, Strong Island, was inspired by the station with the same name broadcast from Long Island, New York. Mac and Iain Bardouille also played on the station Girls FM in the midnight slot.

Reinforced Records

In 1989, Mac and Gus Lawrence founded the record label

. The label featured a diverse selection of sounds including breakbeat hardcore, jungle, drum & bass and featured a roster of superstars including

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is an English music producer, DJ, and actor. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musi ...

Doc Scott Scott McIlroy (born 1971, Coventry, England), better known as Doc Scott or Nasty Habits, is a British drum and bass DJ and producer. Biography He originally started to DJ at clubs and raves such as Amnesia House and The Eclipse in 1989/1990, ...

, DJ Randall, Nookie, Tek9,

Grooverider Raymond Bingham (born 16 April 1967 in Streatham, London, England), better known as Grooverider, is a British drum and bass DJ. He and DJ partner Fabio are regarded as "originators" of the scene.

Kemistry & Storm Kemistry & Storm were an English drum and bass DJ and recording duo, composed of Kemistry (Valerie Olukemi A "Kemi" Olusanya) and Storm (Jayne Conneely). They were active in the 1990s. Along with Goldie, they founded the Metalheadz label in 1994. ...

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces both lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-drag ratio, which compares the bene ...

(aka

Roni Size Ryan Owen Granville Williams (born 29 October 1969), better known by his stage name Roni Size, is an English DJ and record producer. He came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and frontman of Roni Size & Reprazent, a drum and bass collective. ...

, Krust and Die),

A Guy Called Gerald Gerald Rydel Simpson (born 1967), better known as A Guy Called Gerald, is a British record producer and musician. He was an early member of the electronic group 808 State, contributing to their debut LP '' Newbuild'' (1988) and hit single " ...

Peshay Paul Pesce (born 18 December 1970), better known as Peshay, is a British drum and bass and electronic music producer and DJ. Early life Peshay is of British and Italian heritage. His first introduction to music was at an early age through h ...

J Majik J Majik (born James Spratling, Northwood, England) is a drum and bass DJ and producer. He has been active since his early teens in the early 1990s. Biography He released his first track in 1992 (as DJ Dextrous) on the Planet Earth record la ...

Photek Rupert Parkes (born 6 September 1971), known as Photek, is a Los Angeles-based British electronic music DJ/record producer, and TV and film score composer. Photek was born and raised in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. Photek has contributed music ...

, Manix and Tom & Jerry. Reinforced Records has supported new musical genres and emerging artists, pioneering the sounds of 90's British dance music scene through mentorship, networking opportunities, collaboration and music production.

4hero

In 1989, Mac, Dego, Iain Bardouille, and Reinforced co-founder Gus Lawrence founded rotating musical collective,

. Today 4hero consists of Mac and Dego. 4hero's sound experimentations resulted in pioneering new music genres in the UK rave scene including jungle, drum 'n' bass, breakbeat hardcore, broken beat and nu jazz. The earliest 4hero releases were produced with Mac and Gus Lawrence. As 4hero developed, Mac invited Dego and Ian to join the production collective for the album release "In Rough Territory". The earliest 4hero productions were influenced by heavy sub bass, bleeps, Detroit sounds and UK hip hop. The first 4hero album included rap. Mac recalled that "At the time we didn't rave much, as we generally were playing out with the soundsystem from 1986 through 1990. hey were athouse parties around North West London, Notting Hill carnival, youth local centres etc. Music wise, we were mainly playing soul, boogie, electro, house, 2-step soul". Mac and Dego met the Phildelphia-based American producer and DJ,

King Britt King Britt (born 1968) is an American record producer, composer, performer, educator, and DJ and record producer from Philadelphia. Britt is known for his eclectic mix of electronic, house, disco, techno, rave, experimental music, and other gen ...

, who was visiting London in 1989. At this time, King Britt was working as a buyer for

Tower Records Tower Records is an international retail franchising, franchise and online music store that was formerly based in Sacramento, California, United States. From 1960 until 2006, Tower operated retail stores in the United States, which closed when ...

. After arranging the meeting with 4hero’s manager, Britt met the group in 4hero's Dollis Hill studio, King Britt was consequently introduced to Goldie, who happened to visit the studio at the same time. Britt and Mac would later collaborate on several musical productions. Britt would also separately interview Mac and Goldie for his project, Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music, a University of California San Diego course. The Blacktronika archive is freely available and is an audio-visual resource honouring and preserving the legacies of electronic music creators of colour. In 2010, Irish presenter and DJ

Annie Mac Annie Macmanus (born 18 July 1978), known professionally as Annie Mac, is an Irish DJ, broadcaster and writer. She hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1, including BBC Switch and ''Future Sounds''. She also DJed in various locations, includ ...

named 4hero as "iconic producers of UK dance and electronic soul", with 4hero's remix of ''

Nuyorican Soul Nuyorican Soul is an American music group from New York City, New York. It was formed by Little Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. In 1996, the group released " Runaway". The single reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs cha ...

: I Am the Black Gold of the Sun'' listed in her top ten electronic music tracks of all time. In 2011, music journalist Richard Vine listed the same single as one of the top "50 key events in the history of dance music". In 2023 award-winning German composer Ada Morghe's single "Lost" was remixed by 4hero (Mac and Dego). Morghe referred to 4hero as the "pioneers of drum 'n Bass".

Collaborations

In 1989, through their work as Reinforced Records, Mac and Dego were introduced to

by his partner DJ Kemistry at the dance music club, Astoria. Goldie was first involved at Reinforced Records as A&R staff, then later started collaborating with the duo in their studio. In 2002, Mac, in partnership with Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick of the acid jazz band,

Incognito Incognito is an English adjective meaning "in disguise", "having taken steps to conceal one's identity". Incognito may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''Incognito'', a 1915 film featuring Rae Berger * ''Incognito'' (1937 film), a Dan ...

, produced and arranged ''Speak Your Peace'' by

Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul music, soul, Folk music, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was ...

. Mac has multiple independent projects and collaborations exploring a variety of musical genres outside of the group 4hero including Brazilika, Visioneers, and All Power to the People.

Aliases

Alternate Mac aliases and name variations include Manix, M. 'Tomcat', M. Mac, M. Mack, Marc, Marc 'Manix' Mac, Marc4hero, Marc Mac (4 Hero), Marc Mac (Nu Era), Marc Mac 4Hero, Marc Marc, Marcmac, Mark Mac, Mark Mak, Markmac, Markman, Marky Mak and Mary Mac.

Discography

Albums (listed most recent to older): * ''Marc Mac presents Visioneers'' – Def Radio - Omniverse - 2024 (6 versions) * ''The Invisible Soldiers'' - Omniverse Recordings - 2020 (2 versions) * ''Blue Tape Instrumentals'' - Omniverse - 2019 - (LP, Album, Ltd, Mixed) * ''Red Tape Instrumentals'' - Omniverse - 2019 (LP, Album, Limited Edition, Mixed) * ''All Power To The People'' - Omnniverse - 2019 (LP, Ltd) * ''Generation-X'' - Omniverse - 2016 (LP, Album, Ltd) * ''Extend The Knowledge'' - Omniverse - 2016 (LP, Album, Ltd'', Marble Black/Grey'') * ''Message From Soulville'' - Omniverse - 2013 (2 versions) * ''T.R.A.C. Prodcued by Marc Mac'' - The Network - BBE - 2011 (15×File, MP3'', 320 kbps'') * ''Beats From The Network (BFTN)'' - Omniverse - 2009 - (15×File, MP3'', 320 kbps'') * ''It`s Right To Be Civil'' - Omniverse - 2006 (3 versions) * ''Marc Mac Presents Visioneers'' - Dirty Old Hip Hop - BBE - 2006 (5 versions) * ''How About A Game of Chess?'' - ABB Soul - 2005 (3 versions) Singles and EPs * ''Ike's Mood I'' - Omniverse Recordings - (7", Single, Ltd) * ''Ja-Pan-Ah'' - Omniverse Recordings - 2023 (12", EP) * ''Br-Azil-Ah EP'' - Omniverse - 2022 (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP) * ''Ja-Maye-Ka EP'' - Omniverse - 2021 (12", EP) * ''Ah-Free-Ka EP'' - Co-operation Recordings - 2019 (2 versions) * ''Marc Mac Presents Visioneers'' - Apache / Shaft in Africa (Addis) - BBe - 2011 (7", Ltd) * ''Marc Mac presents Visioneers'' - Dirty Old Remix EP - BBE - 2007 (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP) * ''Headspin'' - Twisted Funk - 2007 (12") * ''Dilinja / Marc Mac Dominator (remix) Untitled'' - Not On Label - 2003 (Acetate, 10") * ''Mark Mac* + Swift*'' – Shadow Boxin / Feels Good - Integral Recordings - 1997 ( 2 versions) Compilations * ''The Power Tapes (Expanded)'' - Omniverse - 2020 - (3 versions) * ''Vintage Bruk'' - Omniverse - 2019 (9×File, FLAC, Album, Comp, Stereo) * ''Extend The Knowledge / It`s Right To Be Civil'' - Omniverse - 2011 (2×CD, Comp, Ltd) DJ Mixes * ''Forgotten Treasures Mix #13'' - MusicIsMySanctuary.com - 2013 (File, MP3, Mixed'', 320'') * ''Hipology'' - 101 Apparel - 2012 (2 versions) * ''4hero / Marc Mac'' – Brazilika (An Eclectic Brazilian DJ-Mix From Marc Mac) - Far Out Recordings - 2006 (CD, Mixed)

References

External links

Marc Mac

Discogs
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mac, Marc Living people Black British artists Black British DJs English drum and bass musicians English people of Jamaican descent English record producers English electronic dance music DJs Musicians from London Reinforced Records artists Year of birth missing (living people)