THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Mark Kenington

Mark Kenington -- who has just released his debut album Going Nowhere (Faster Than You) -- is an Auckland-based singer-songwriter who was born in Colchester, England.

By his own admission he grew up listening to Adam and the Ants and ELO.

Moving to New Zealand in 2004, he began to study piano and guitar and an encounter with Mike Chunn had the former Split Enz/Citizen Band man getting Kenington alongside producer Andrew Buckton.

The idea was to make an EP but that grew into an album and Kenington has been picked up by Songbroker to help promote his original material.

Time then for Mark Kenington to see what he makes of a Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire . . . 

The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .

The Wall Pink Floyd was something that really resonated with me emotionally at the time. Listened to it over and over and over.

Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .

Adam Ant as a kid was the first real pop star with a whole act. Later as a teen I listened to a lot of Bowie and was captivated by his slightly otherworldly self.

Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?

Lennon, Nirvana, Madonna, Jacko.

If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .

Ha ha, I’m trying to run away from another career! Something creative, like voice work or acting.

The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .

So hard but…Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb because of the themes in the song and Dave Gilmour’s amazing guitar solos. Queens of The Stoneage's The Vampyre of Time and Memory for a song that carries a message I hear and I love that the song is sparse & slightly quirky. Plus my song Blue Sky because it’s a heartfelt message about what’s real and not real in our lives.

Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home...

No, not really a collector of stuff!

The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .

Antony Kiedis Scar Tissue for the wild ride he portrays, which is sometimes about the music!

If you could get on stage with anyone it would be?

Still living would be Bjork because I’m in awe of her authenticity. Resurrected would be Bowie because for me as a pop/rock star he had it all.

The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .

Fantastic Mr Fox cos it encompasses my sense of quirkiness and humour. Matrix because it’s a crazy kick ass movie with a story that speaks so well to the darker side of where humanity could be heading, which resonates with how I feel in life! It Might Get Loud as a music doco because at heart I’m a dreamy music fan and a sucker for guitar heroes!

The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include...)

Last CD Pearl Jam PJ20 – actually slightly by mistake because I wanted a PJ album but didn’t have my glasses with me! Anyway turned out to be great buy. Last download was Foals’ What Went Down. I only buy albums still.

One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody it’s a class song, so ambitious but it works.

The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, which is so simple but so alluring.

You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .

A half square half round yin-yang style symbol I designed but have never got done (brave I’m not here).

David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where and doing what?

With my wife and kids here, there and everywhere, experiencing life every day trying to be as authentic as possible, writing lots and lots of songs and doing gigs in unusual places!

And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”

Cos it’s my only album…but not ever!