Artist of the Day: Charlie Mars

Though you may not have ever heard of this Mississippi-born rocker, he's been around for quite some time having toured with bands like R.E.M., Dave Matthews Band, Mindy Smith, and the Old 97's back in the '90s. While attending Southern Methodist University, Mars kick started his career, sold his car, and recorded Broken Arrow (1996) which eventually sold 40,000 copies. He toured the Southeast college scene with over 150 dates and with two more albums under his belt, it looked like he was on his way to making it. Instead, he fell into drugs and alcohol and headed over to Sweden for a rehab that would turn his carrer around. Sleeping on houseboats and playing for lunch crowds at tiny restaurants on the water, Mars wrote songs for what would be his biggest album yet,Charlie Mars (2004). Soon after, he was summoned to NYC where V2 records would sign him to their roster and give Mars everything he wanted out of his career: critical acclaim, a wider audience, national radio play, videos and much more. But soon the music business overshadowed the actual music and when V2 folded, he had to start over once again. 

Moving to Austin, he landed back on solid ground and wrote Like A Bird, Like A Plane. Consider this to be a new debut because it's unlike anything he's done before. He has strayed away from traditional rock and is digging his hands deep into a more sensual, snaky, make you want to hippy dance around your living room style. His new video for the first single off the album debuted on EW.com on Tuesday. "Listen to the Darkside" features "Weeds" star, Mary Louise Parker, appropriately so because the lyrics are inviting her to come over and get high and listen to "The Dark Side of the Moon." You can watch his new video here.  http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/04/charlie-mars-ma.html

But beware, this song WILL get stuck in your head. 

Who's Who: Charlie Mars 

Formed: 1996 in Oxford, Miss.

Label: Rockingham Records

Latest Release: Like A Bird, Like A Plane (2008)

On The Web: www.charliemars.com

-Kristen Lee

Currently listening to "Listen to the Darkside" by Charlie Mars

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