M. Rivers

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Mark Kasprzyk
)

Mark Kasprzyk
Birth nameMark Christopher Kasprzyk[1]
OriginHamilton, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • electric guitar
  • acoustic guitar
Labels
Member ofRedlight King

Mark Christopher Kasprzyk, referred to often as Kaz or M. Rivers, is a Canadian musician whose work has ranged from

hot adult contemporary, alternative rock and mainstream rock radio stations in Canada. He is also an auto sports television personality.[4]

History

Kasprzyk grew up in Binbrook, Ontario near Hamilton. At the age of 8, he began learning judo and became part of the Canadian National Judo Team and was an alternate for the Canadian team in the 2000 Summer Olympics.[5] Being relegated to alternate status for the Olympics inspired him to pursue a career in music. At 16 Kasprzyk began songwriting, and after discovering hip-hop, took up breakdancing.[5] Around this time, Mark produced a demo which made it into the hands of Epic Records (a subsidiary of Sony BMG).[6]

Solo career

Under his stage name Kazzer, Kasprzyk was signed to Epic Records in NYC and released his 2002 debut album Go for Broke in Canada, (Germany), France and

Flatout Ultimate Carnage, as well as its PSP
Port Flatout: Head On.

Kazzer was nominated for a

MTV Campus Invasion tour which on some dates he headlined and on others opened for Gob. He has performed at concerts and festivals in Europe, and opened for The Roots in Chicago, and for a New York Jets
game.

Go for Broke sold 25,000 copies worldwide in 2003. Epic Records went through an executive change and Kazzer found himself without representation, and he moved to

Universal Records
.

Kazzer's second record Broke was mostly recorded at Morph Productions and mixed at EMAC Recording Studios and released on June 28, 2005, featuring the lead single "Ordinary".

Redlight King

Mark formed a new project called

Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks
.

Redlight King's most successful song and second single off Something for the Pain, "Bullet in My Hand", peaked at numbers 3 and 28 on Billboard's

Alternative Songs charts, respectively. Redlight King was also a part of the Rockstar
Energy Drink Uproar Festival 2012.

Redlight King released its second studio album Irons in the Fire on September 10, 2013. On July 9, 2013, they released a single from the album entitled "Born to Rise". The track appears in the end title credits for the 2014 film "Draft Day," starring Kevin Costner.[10]

"Born To Rise" has also been used as the pregame music for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and was the title track for the Feature Film "Draft Day" starring Kevin Costner.

M. Rivers

In 2017, Mark signed with Parts + Labor Records and released "Champion", a single produced by Jimmy Messer (Kelly Clarkson, Kygo, Awolnation). The song was featured on the Redlight King 2020 album Moonshine.

Other media

He has appeared in film and television, including a

Facebook live.[11]

Discography

As Kazzer

Albums

  • Go for Broke (2002) (Epic Records)
  • Broke (2005) (Linus Entertainment)

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
AUT
[12]
 CAN
[13]
2002 "Pedal to the Metal" 71 26 Go for Broke
2005 "Ordinary" — — Broke
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

As Redlight King

Albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[14]
US
Heat.
[15]
 US
Rock
[15]
2011 Something for the Pain
  • Released: June 28, 2011
  • Label: Hollywood
  • Formats: CD, DI
 — 3 50
2013 Irons in the Fire
  • Released: September 10, 2013
  • Label: Hollywood
  • Formats: CD, DI
 152 4 45
2015 Helldriver (EP)
  • Released: June 9, 2015
  • Label: Redlight King Inc.
  • Formats: DI
 — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
CAN
Alt.
[16][17]
CAN
Rock
[18][19]
US
Alt.
[15]
US
Main.
US
Rock
[15]
2011 "Old Man" 13 19 17 26 24 Something for the Pain
"Bullet in My Hand" 35 15 28 3 12
2012 "Comeback" — — — 18 36
2013 "Born to Rise" — 31 — 9 30 Irons in the Fire
2014 "Times Are Hard" — 21 — 10 31
"Devil's Dance" — — — 34 —
2019 "Lift the Curse" — — — — — Moonshine (unreleased)[20]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Music videos

Year Song Director Ref.
2011 "Old Man"
"Bullet in My Hand"
"City Life"
2012 "Comback"
2013 "Born to Rise" Strati Hovartos
2014 "Times Are Hard"

See also

References

  1. ^ "CHAMPION". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. ^ Chesler, Josh (March 11, 2018). "M. Rivers is a Champion of Indie Soul". OC Weekly. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  3. Grantland.com
    . Retrieved 20 October 2013
  4. Canoe.ca
    . Retrieved 21 January 2010
  5. ^
    London Free Press. June 14, 2003. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link
    )
  6. ^ "Rock in self defence; Hamilton-area judo expert Mark Kasprzyk, (Kazzer) is rising fast on the hip-hop scene", The Record, April 22, 2003
  7. ^ Rockingham, Graham (2004) "Hamilton all but shut out at Junos", The Hamilton Spectator, April 5, 2004
  8. ^ "Redlight King". Redlightkingmusic.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  9. ^ Project Rhythm Seed, "Redlight King Samples “Old Man” And Neil Approves…Gasp", April 12, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  10. ^ "Redlight King". Redlightkingmusic.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  11. ^ "MuscleKingz Car Show & Concert | LOUNGE". MuscleKingz Car Show & Concert. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "lescharts.com - Kazzer - Pedal To The Metal". Lescharts.com.
  13. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 17, 2003. p. 50 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ "Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  15. ^ a b c d Peak chart positions in the United States:
  16. ^ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock – June 7, 2011". Canadianrockalt.blogspot.com. June 7, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  17. ^ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock – September 13, 2011". Canadianrockalt.blogspot.com. September 13, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  18. ^ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock – July 5, 2011". Canadianrockalt.blogspot.com. July 5, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  19. ^ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock – January 10, 2012". Canadianrockalt.blogspot.com. January 10, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  20. ^ "Redlight King". Parts + Labor Records. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M._Rivers&oldid=1201931964"