Marco was born into a solid middle-class victorian north-german home in 1944. His early memories are of growing up around lots of women whilst the men were away working in offices, and the majestic boom of the standing clock announcing the hour. Marco wanted to play the piano, but his family could not afford lessons, fortunately his loving aunt let him practice on her guitar and from the age of 12 this became his favourite pastime. His repertoire of 'volkslieder' was added to by his bigger brother's boisterous boy-scout songs and later, when he became a sailor, the songs of Paul Anka, Burl Ives and Elvis Presley.
By the age of sixteen, Marco had formed his own skiffle band, performing American folksongs like Jesse James, Blues classics such as St James Infirmary and Lonnie Donnegan titles. He spent his high-school years as a banjo player in a Trad Jazz combo, which he carried over into two years service in the German Navy, which allowed him to avoid scrubbing decks in favour of entertaining the troops.
Theatre studies in Vienna and Berlin over the next two years brought Marco in touch with the anarchic / surrealistic / romantic ballads and chansons of central europe and then the radically politicised songwriters of late '60's Berlin such as Wolf Biermann, as well as Brecht and Weill from an earlier period. In true hippy fashion, Marco dropped out and drifted across Europe into Turkey and Morocco, absorbing world music influences and learning the songs of Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens.
Settling down in Zurich with a South African wife produced twin daughters and a prolific period of songwriting and profitable busking. Marco's restless spirit took the whole family off travelling once again, eventually building a 35ft sailing vessel, in which they spent 7 glorious and rigorous years, mostly in the Caribbean.
The next phase brought Marco to settle in Leamington Spa, UK, playing and writing in various groups and developing political and environmental themes. This 'eco-thirst' led him to move to 'Tinker's Bubble for 18 months before settling in Glastonbury in 1999 with his wife and teenage stepdaughter regularly playing music and hosting sauna sessions. With Three albums under his belt a new band was formed Marco and the Mermaids who performed their debut at The Assembly Rooms on April 9th this year. It was well received if a little traumatic for the performers.
Currently Marco is working on a new album, mostly band versions of the songs from the Firebird album, with additional vocals, plus a new track Heatwave in Avalon. The band will be performing at this years Glastonbury Festival at various Cafe stages.
CDs Firebird and Bowerbird are available from FOPP in Bristol, Gothic Image here in Glastonbury and, of course, from Marco himself.
Marco was born into a solid middle-class victorian north-german home in 1944. His early memories are of growing up around lots of women whilst the men were away working in offices, and the majestic boom of the standing clock announcing the hour. Marco wanted to play the piano, but his family could not afford lessons, fortunately his loving aunt let him practice on her guitar and from the age of 12 this became his favourite pastime. His repertoire of 'volkslieder' was added to by his bigger brother's boisterous boy-scout songs and later, when he became a sailor, the songs of Paul Anka, Burl Ives and Elvis Presley.
Settling down in Zurich with a South African wife produced twin daughters and a prolific period of songwriting and profitable busking. 
Currently