Gary Marks and Mark Needham

Mark Needham is one of the most accomplished and influential record producers, mixers, and engineers of the modern era, renowned for crafting sonically distinctive recordings that have shaped the careers of some of the world's biggest artists. With a career spanning more than three decades, Needham has earned a reputation for seamlessly blending artistic vision with commercial impact, helping create numerous Platinum and multi-Platinum releases across rock, alternative, pop, indie, and contemporary music.

His extensive list of collaborators includes iconic artists such as The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Dolly Parton, Chris Isaak, The B-52s, Blondie, Lindsey Buckingham, Walk The Moon, Neon Trees, M83, and My Chemical Romance, among many others, building a discography that spans multiple generations of major-label rock and pop.

Mark Needham's Collaboration with Gary Marks

Needham's involvement with Gary Marks came about because the bulk of A Whisper Can Change the World was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Jim Scott, who had only three free days available before a scheduling conflict with the band Matchbox Twenty. Needham picked up the two remaining songs, a connection that continued three years later when he mixed all the tracks on From Here.

Marks remembers one mixing conversation well. It was a track early on in their relationship when Needham was zeroing in on each of the tracks of a song from A Whisper Can Change the World. As he heard each track he turned to Marks and said, "Is that you singing?" Marks said yes. "Good. Cool voice." The next track Needham said, "Who's playing keyboard?" Marks said, "I am." Needham said, "Nice playing, good parts." This went on a while—who is singing all the harmony parts? Who's playing acoustic guitar? Marks said he was, and Needham approved. Then came the last track, "Who is playing the tambourine parts?" Marks said, "I am." Needham said, "They sound like crap." Then he called out to his assistant, "Will, bring me the tambourine." Needham played four bars of tambourine and printed it across the entire track. "Better," Needham nodded. Marks laughed, "Yeah, better." Their friendship grew from there.