Human interest Local Peak performance from 100 Mile musician
Peak performance from 100 Mile musician
| Human interest |
By LeRae Haynes
Mark Klausmayer from Williams Lake and Ian Newbery from 100 Mile House have taken music from a childhood interest to a successful, ever-evolving creative adventure. They make up half of the popular, Vancouver-based melodic rock group called Danny Echo.
Mark is songwriter/lead guitar/producer, Ian does keyboards, guitar, and percussion and also writes for the group, and they are joined by Dan Newton on lead vocals and guitar and Hayato Kubo on drums.
They've been playing shows in and around the Lower Mainland for about 3 years and have recently released their self-titled, debut CD. Since its release they have had regular air play on CBC, on The Peak (Vancouver) and in Nanaimo and Bellingham, Washington.
A few months ago CBC Radio 3 selected their song ‘Tomorrow Today’ as track of the day, and one of their tunes placed in MTV’s Real World Road Rules Challenge show.
Danny Echo recently recorded a radio version of ‘Tomorrow Today’ with producer Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powter, Kelly Rowland, The Dudes) and legendary mixer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Franz Ferdinand).
Mark lived in Williams Lake from the time he was a baby until he was 13 years old. He lived on Signal Point Road and said he enjoyed living across the road from the lake—ice skating and water skiing---and attended Crescent Heights Elementary School on the hill behind McDonald’s. He started playing guitar when he was eight years old, performing with his sister at family weddings and events.
“When I started high school, my family had moved to the Lower Mainland and my cousin Ian from 100 Mile would come to visit on breaks from school and the two would write songs together,” he said.
He started several small bands while in high school, continued with guitar lessons, and said that a highlight performance for him was at a high school talent show, when he assembled a 12-piece band that included students and teachers, and played tunes from ‘The Commitments’ sound track.
He met Dan Newton his first year of university, and they have played together ever since. As the ‘Ryecatchers’ they spent 6 months in a couple of locations in the UK, enjoying ‘rock star’ status.
“A highlight for me playing music is when the audience really participates in your music, and when the band really connects with each other,” he said.
The core group of four musicians brings an astounding range of diverse talent to the group, enriching both their stage performances and their recordings.
‘Tomorrow Today’ is currently on regular rotation on The Rush throughout the Cariboo, and is currently available for free download on their website at: “ Probably the biggest thing we have on the go is the Peak Performance Project---a seven-year, $5.29 million contest open to all musicians in British Columbia,” Mark explained. “The project was created by 100.5 The Peak and Music BC to develop BC-based emerging artists.
“We have the honour of being selected as one of the top 20 finalists. The winner receives $150,000 to go towards their music career, and 2nd and 3rd place win $75,000 and $50,000 respectively. Part of the criteria that determines the winner is an online vote. We're trying to get as many of our friends, family, and fans to vote as possible,” he said.
You can vote for the band at
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