Vanilla Fudge’s Mark Stein On His New Album “There’s A Light,” Long Island, Hear N’ Aid, Led Zeppelin, How To Say “Appice” & More
Mark Stein first came into prominence as a founder of the band Vanilla Fudge, as formed alongside Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert and Vince Martell. Sold-out world tours, hit albums and singles, and a reputation as a group steeped in cutting-edge musicianship has allowed Vanilla Fudge to be one of the most influential acts to rise from the revolutionary 1960s. In addition to his many years within Vanilla Fudge, Stein has also worked extensively alongside Alice Cooper, Dave Mason and the late guitarist Tommy Bolin. Stein has also made guest appearances with Deep Purple, Carl Palmer and Steve Miller, once recorded and sang with Michael Jackson, and was part of the Hear N’ Aid single “Stars.”
There’s A Light is Mark Stein’s first ever solo album. As due out this month via Deko Entertainment, There’s A Light was conceptualized as a thematic collection of 10 songs about what America was, has become, and may or may not face in its future. As explained by Stein in a prepared statement to the media: “This is an album about hope, but at the same time, I had to sing about the dangers of division. As John Lennon once sang, it is time to ‘Come Together.’ I have had some of these songs in the can but didn’t really have the right outlet for them. When I started the newest collection of songs during the early weeks of the pandemic, it dawned on me that I had created an album with a theme. These songs are reflections of what the world is about now, and what we need to do to bring us together again.”
On November 3, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Stein via Zoom, as embedded below. Beyond There’s A Light, we spoke about the early days of Vanilla Fudge, his prior residence in my hometown of Long Beach, taking Led Zeppelin on the road, recording as part of Hear N’ Aid, and whether he ever met any members of Van Halen. More on Stein can be found here, here and here.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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