"Mark Stoermer"
"Mark Stoermer"
Mark Stoermer (born June 28, 1977) is an American musician, producer and songwriter best known for being the bassist for alternative rock band The Killers. In 2011 he released his debut solo album Another Life.
Mark Stoermer was born in Texas to an Australian father and an American mother, they moved to Las Vegas when Stoermer was three years old. His father was a big band style musician. Stoermer graduated from Chaparral High School in 1995, where he played trumpet in the Jazz ensemble. His early musical influences included Hip-hop bands such as Public Enemy and N.W.A. and later rock bands such as Nirvana, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Stoermer began playing lead guitar for a number of local bands including Habit Rouge and The Negative Ponies. It was while playing with The Negative Ponies that he met Dave Keuning and Brandon Flowers who were performing as an early incarnation of The Killers. He was a fan of the band’s unique sound and was often present at the band’s gigs. In September 2002 he was offered the opportunity to become the band’s permanent bass player, he accepted and completed the band’s line up along with Ronnie Vannucci Jr… Before The Killers got signed, Stoermer worked as a medical courier. Stoermer also studied Philosophy at UNLV and took music classes while in the marching band there.
Mark was featured on the cover of Bass Guitar Magazine in June 2009 and has been interviewed by other major bass guitar publications including Bass Player Magazine.
Stoermer has co-written many Killers songs including “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”, “Smile Like You Mean It”, “Somebody Told Me”, “Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll”, “On Top”, “When You Were Young”, “Bones”, “Read My Mind”, “Bling (Confession of a King)”, “Human”, “Spaceman” and “A Dustland Fairytale”.
Mark Stoermer mainly plays with a pick. He says “I love the punch and grit of a pick… I do a lot of unconscious palm muting. I love how you can instantly get that clunky tone with shorter notes. It’s a great sound”.
He also aims to make the bass a “half percussion instrument and half melodic instrument”. Stoermer feels that “You can add to a song’s melodic side without taking away from the vocals. That’s my favorite kind of bass playing. “His signature bass sound, featured in songs including “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”, “Somebody Told Me”, “Move Away”, “Forget About What I Said”, and “Joy Ride” has influenced many other bands and even a genre of music in bass-driven New Wave/Synth Rock.
Mark Stoermer cites influences such as Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Entwistle of The Who, and Paul McCartney. He also lists as influences The Cure, U2, and New Order.