Boostive at Santa Cruz Music Festival 2018.

BadBadNotGood live at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz. 

I met Mark London in 2016 when I interviewed his band Mark London and the Supergreens for local newspaper Santa Cruz Good Times. Although the Supergreens would eventually part ways, Mark continues to pursue a solo career in soul music. 

When brainstorming a location for Mark’s album photoshoot, Ford Ord’s abandoned army barracks seemed like a fitting place. The derelict military base in Marina, CA is in total disrepair - crumbling cement blocks, moldy wooden barracks littered with trash and graffiti, downed power lines - all situated on a hill with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. 

This lonely place perched on the edge of paradise inspires striking parallels with the thematic elements of Mark’s upcoming album. Featuring content inspired by his difficult adolescence, including a short-lived stint in the military, struggles with mental health, homelessness, and other hardships, Mark’s music is inspired by his dark past but holds hope for a better tomorrow.