Mark Astronaut

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Mark Astronaut
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Birth nameMark Wilkins
Born(1954-08-27)August 27, 1954
Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England
DiedJuly 6, 2022(2022-07-06) (aged 67)
GenresPunk rock
Occupations
Years active1977 - 2022

Mark Wilkins (27 August 1954 to 6 July 2022)[1] known professionally as Mark Astronaut, was an English singer, songwriter, frontman and founder of the British band The Astronauts.[2] [3]

Career

Mark Wilkins was born in North London on 27 August 1954. His father was a vicar who took up a post in Manchester soon after, and the family lived there for 10 years. His father then retrained as a teacher, and the family moved to Welwyn Garden City, where Mark remained for the rest of his life.

In 1976 Mark booked the Sex Pistols to play at the local college, an event which was attended by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto who went on to form the Buzzcocks as well as organise the legendary Lesser Free Trade Hall gigs in Manchester. In 1977, inspired by a local prog rock band called Masque, he formed The Astronauts with two friends. Initially just for their own amusement, The Astronauts were later asked to play at an all day music and poetry event held at The Corn Exchange in Hertford. They went on to support The Soft Boys in London, and Dire Straits in St Abans -- the latter leading to them being talent-spotted by the Potters Bar label Bugle Records -- before eventually joining the Here & Now and Alternative TV free tour of 1978. On this tour they met the bands Zounds and The Mob, and subsequently went on another free tour with those the following year.

In 1979, after attending a Stevenage Rock Against Racism gig in Hitchin, Mark Wilkins met Gordon Walker, a young student who had built his own synthesiser and the pair formed Restricted Hours to run alongside The Astronauts. Again, this was just for their own amusement until Stevenage RAR asked them to record two tracks for a fundraiser EP.

Inspired by The Sex Pistols after watching them perform at a local college,[1] Wilkins formed The Astronauts with a few friends in 1977. The Astronauts was not a band in the conventional sense. Wilkins was the only permanent member of the band, and the rest were transient members, comprising of musicians in and around Welwyn Garden City.

The band started playing at local festivals in Welwyn Garden City and began to gain popularity. By 1979, it was regularly performing at free festivals and rock concerts in London, organised by a UK Record label called "Fuck Off Records". This led to a beneficial colaboration with London punk bands Zounds and the The Mob (British punk band). It released its first Extended play ‘The Astronauts’ later that year.[4]

Despite its popularity among punk rock fans, the band was largely ignored by the UK music media but Wilkins was never fazed by this. He soldered on and in 1981, the band released its debut album 'Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs'. This was followed by 'It’s All Done By Mirrors' in 1983.[2] The band continued to release songs over the years. Its latest album 'When we were Otters' was released in February 2022.[1]

Wilkins formed two other bands, namely 'Restricted hours in 1997'[4] and 'The Otters' in 2004.[5]The members of Restricted Hours were Wilkins, Cowley and Walker. It released one EP called 'Restricted Hours' and disbanded later.

Death

Wilkins died on 6 July 2022 at the age of 67.[6][7]

Discography

The Astronauts Albums

  • Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs (1981)[8]
  • Only Fools & Optimists (1982)[9]
  • It's All Done By Mirrors (1983)[9]
  • The Seedy Side Of (1987)[11]
  • In Defence Of Compassion (1989)[12]
  • Upfront And Sideways (1992 - re-released 2016) [13]
  • You're All Weird (1999)[14]
  • One Wave (2012)[15]
  • It's Got A Garden (2019)[16]
  • When We Were Otters (2022)[17]

Singles & EPs

  • The Astronauts (1979)[18]
  • Pranksters In Revolt (1980)[19]
  • Baby Sings Folk Songs (1994)[20]
  • The Donkey Riding (2010)[21]
  • Typically English Day (2013)[22]
  • Last Of The Summer Meths / Stumbling Into Coherence (2013)[23]
  • When You're Not So High (2021)[24][25]

Compilations

  • Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs / All Done By Mirrors (1989)[26]
  • Survivors (2011)[27]
  • Urban Planning 1979-2013 (2013)[28]

Restricted Hours Singes & EPs

The Otters Singles & EPs

  • Situation Normal (2004)[31]
  • Kidnapped By Spacemen (2006)[32]
  • To Mock A Killingbird (2006)[33]
  • Songs Beginning With The Letter 'H' (2008)[34][35]
  • Melissa's Party (2009)[36]
  • Songs That Begin With The Letter H Part 2 (2009)[34]

Compilations

  • Kidnapped By Spacemen (2007)[32]

Explanatory notes

There is confusion over Mark Wilkins' date of death. Most sources including The Welwyn Hatfield Times and louderthanwar.com[2][37] state that he died on 7 July 2022. However, thehippiesnowwearblack.org.uk[1] reported that he died on 6 July 2022.

Mark's body was found on 7 July, it's likely he died the night before

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Mark Wilkins, founder member and frontman of The Astronauts, dies". The Hippies Now Wear Black. 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mountney, Dan (2022-07-13). "Celebrating the life of Welwyn Garden City punk rock icon Mark Astronaut". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  3. ↑ "The greatest British bands you've never heard of – The Astronauts". The Focus. 2020-04-27. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The Astronauts – Woodhall Community Centre – Welwyn Garden City – 03/08/84 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  5. ↑ "Interview with The Otters". Rogue Magazine. 2007-09-21. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  6. ↑ Mountney, Dan (2022-07-21). "Fundraiser launched for funeral of WGC punk icon Mark Astronaut". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  7. ↑ "Memories of bands and venues from the East Herts area - 1977 - 1992". ne-np.facebook.com (in नेपाली). Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  8. ↑ "Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | Unsung | Reviews | The Astronauts - Peter Pan Hits the Suburbs". Julian Cope presents Head Heritage. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Astronauts – All The Madmen Records – 1983 – 1987 / Blood And Roses – Kamera Records – 1983 / Tribesman – Boa Records – 1979 / Peter Tosh – Intel HIM Diplo Records – 1973 / Crass – Aklam Hall – 1979 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  10. ↑ "The Astronauts – All The Madmen Records – 1986 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  11. ↑ "The Astronauts – The Seedy Side Of…LP – All The Madmen Records 1987 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  12. ↑ Brown, Nathan (2020-03-16). "The Astronauts: In Defence Of Compassion re-released – Album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  13. ↑ Upfront & Sideways, 2016-03-07, retrieved 2022-07-23
  14. ↑ "You're All Weird, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  15. ↑ "One Wave, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  16. ↑ "It's Got a Garden LP". MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  17. ↑ Brown, Nathan (2022-02-23). "Astronauts : When We Were Otters - Album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  18. ↑ "The Astronauts – Woodhall Community Centre – Welwyn Garden City – 03/08/84 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  19. ↑ "The Astronauts – Pranksters In Revolt EP – Bugle Records – 1980 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  20. ↑ "The Astronauts - LPs". www.greynose.eclipse.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  21. ↑ The Donkey Riding - EP, 2010-01-31, retrieved 2022-07-23
  22. ↑ "All The Mad Men". www.allthemadmen.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  23. ↑ "popsike.com - the astronauts". www.popsike.com. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  24. ↑ "WHEN YOU'RE NOT SO HIGH, by THE ASTRONAUTS". anthrax (uk). Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  25. ↑ Brown, Nathan (2021-12-15). "The Astronauts: When You're Not So High - EP review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  26. ↑ "The Astronauts [English art rock band] - The Jukebox Rebel". www.thejukeboxrebel.com. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  27. ↑ "The Astronauts ‎– Survivors". To Diskadiko - Music Store. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  28. ↑ Bangay, Frank (2014-07-28). "The Astronauts". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  29. ↑ "Restricted Hours (The Astronauts) / The Syndicate – Stevenage RAR Records 1979 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  30. ↑ "The Astronauts – Woodhall Community Centre – Welwyn Garden City – 03/08/84 – KILL YOUR PET PUPPY". Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  31. ↑ "My Favourite Thumb, by The Otters". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "Kidnapped By Spacemen, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  33. ↑ "To Mock A Killingbird, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Songs Beginning With The Letter H pt.2: Shitting On Their Own Doorstep, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  35. ↑ I, Panagiotis. "The Otters (The Astronauts) - Songs Beginning with the Letter "H" // E.P. - Sliding Backwards". www.slidingbackwards.com (in Ελληνικά). Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  36. ↑ "Melissa's Party, by The Astronauts". The Astronauts. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  37. ↑ Brown, Nathan (2022-07-08). "RIP: Mark Astronaut passes away". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2022-07-23.

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