Ampage Discography
Champaigne and Caviar 1987
Ampage Champaigne and Caviar 1988
AMPAGE Released 1988 (Iron Works)
Track List:01. Hollywood 02. 20th Century Boy 03. Autobahn 04. D-Day 05. Too Young 06. School Of Hard Knocks 07. Versateller Blues 08. Last call
Band: Mark Mason - vocals and screams Craig Beck - guitars and tribal chants -
Billy Vaughn - Bass and backing yells Mark London - drums and backing vocals
Additional Musicians: Ladden Pierce - bass Happinin Harry - backing vocals Max Wolf - mouth harp (7)
Production:Produced by Mitch Mitchel and Ampage. Executive producer D.T. Richards.
Review:During the eighties a small label named Azra/Iron Works (and their various imprints) released tons of albums, ranging from glam to heavy metal and everything in between - sometimes in insanely limited pressings. Ampage was one of the unknown bands to pass through the quirky label, releasing one self-titled record before vanishing into thin air. The band plays a straight-up brand of hard rock not unlike that of early Motley Crue or Riot, which isn't surprising considering Ampage called Hollywood Blvd home. In fact the song "Hollywood" refers to their hometown with lyrics such as "drinking at the Rainbow Bar & Grill". It was a great way to pay tribute to their roots and a cool opening track. Next up is a faithful remake of one of hard rocks staples, T. Rex's "20th century Boy", and the band managed to capture the feel and urgency of the original. "Autobahn" kicks off with the same sounds that grace the start of Motley Crue's "Kickstart My Heart", a song that came out at least a year later. "Too Young" is arguably the best song on this release, it has great pop-sensibilities with a hypnotizing riff and killer vocals. In fact vocalist Mark Mason has a great rock voice, like a gruff cross between Vince Neil and Kevin DuBrow. Despite being released in 1988 this album sounds more like 1984 when the Sunset Strip had more backbone than hairspray. Perhaps Ampage were just a few years too late to hit the big time, because even though there is some filler here there is also some great simplistic hard rock. I have to give the band extra credits for the album cover which features a woman that looks like Christy Canyon minus the double-D's. You might be able to find this one cheap in some used vinyl store - but you better hurry, according to the group "D-Day" will soon be upon us - "Countdown to Armageddon, in the year 2011".
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, February 2005.
Iron Horse 1997
Ampage Iron Horse 1997
AMPAGE
IRON HORSE
Released 1997 (Higher Source Records/Avispa)
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Track List:
01. Words
02. Downtown Playground
03. Rain
04. Bullet To Gatwick
05. I Needed Someone
06. Bamboozaler
07. Heaven
08. American Red, White And Blues
09. Beast Inside
10. Mona Lisa
11. Gimme Some Truth
Band:
Mark Mason - lead vocals, bass and acoustic guitar
Loren Molinare - guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals
Jason Carroll - guitar and vocals
Mike Kroeger - drums
Tom Mullaney - keyboards and vocals
Additional Musicians:
Earl Slick - guitar (11)
Ron Young - backing vocals
Pam Cox - backing vocals
Jeff Conaway - backing vocals
Production:
Produced, engineered and mixed by Duane Baron and Jeff Klaven.
Review:
Not long ago I reviewed a late-80s album by a little-known band called Ampage, not knowing if anyone would remember them or not (or even care). However I enjoy spinning obscure 80s rock from time to time and to my surprise vocalist Mark Mason saw the review and informed me that he had recorded a couple more albums under the Ampage moniker.
Of course I was curious to hear the newer material, wondering how the band had changed in the ten plus years between the debut and 1997's Iron Horse. With a new group of musicians, including former Little Caesar guitarist Loren Molinare, Mason managed to snag famed producer Duane Baron in an effort to reinvent himself. And reinvent himself he has done successfully, maturing from glam influenced hard rock to blues-based roots rock.
Mellow one moment and straight-ahead rock the next, Iron Horse gracefully slides from one sound to another - occasionally within a single song itself, like on "Downtown Play Ground". "Bullet To Gatwick" and the W.A.S.P.-like "Beast Inside" are the tunes that have the most in common with the days gone by. But as a whole this sounds like an album by a musician who simply felt like experimenting, refusing to be pigeonholed within a single genre. For kicks try singing along to the tongue-twisting chorus of "Bamboozaler" (I finally gave up), or better yet try to stop yourself from singing along to the exceptional "Mona Lisa" which treads into Dogs D'amour territory.
As icing on the cake you have the mid-tempo "Heaven" (co-written by Tommy Shaw) and an appearance by Earl Slick on a great cover of John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth". If I had to choose one band to compare this Ampage album to I would lean towards the London Quireboys, it has that same sort of 70s roots feel.
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, April 2005.
Falling Higher 2001
Ampage Falling Higher 2001
01 Falling Higher Ft. Rick Allen :
02 Plastic People Mason/Molinare 4:34
03 Rain Mason/Shaw 4:18
04 Coming Home Mason/Molinare 3:54
05 If I Knew Then Allen/Mason/Molinare/Ft. Rick Allen 3:49
06 Rollin' Stollin' Ft. Rick Allen :
07 So What Ft. Rick Allen Co-Lead Vocals 4:55
08 Been There Ft. Rick Allen :
09 The Pusherman Axton 5:15
10 Time Flies
:
Album > Information
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Produced By -- Duane Baron.
Production/Engineering/Mixing -- Rick Allen (Track 06).
Main Band -- Mark Mason (Lead/Backing Vocals/Bass/Guitar/Keyboards), Mark London (Drums), Loren Molinare (Guitar).
Track 01/05 -- Rick Allen (Drums).
Track 06 -- Rick Allen (Drums/Percussion).
Track 07 -- Rick Allen (Drums/Percussion/Vocals/Backing Vocals).
Track 08 -- Rick Allen (Drums/Percussion).
Track 07 -- Mark Mason/Rick Allen/John Taylor/John Easdale.
Other Guests -- John Taylor (Duran Duran)/John Easdale (Dramarama)/Gary Busey/Jeff Conway.
UK Chart -- n/a.
US Chart -- n/a.
Package Info
An album by Ampage led by Rick's friend Mark Mason. Rick played drums, percussion and sang lead and backing vocals on this album. He also contributed to the production. On the song 'So What' Rick got his first ever credit as a lead vocalist sharing the vocals with Mark and members of Dramarama/Duran Duran.
Rick played drums with Ampage (billed as The Mark Mason Project) at two club shows in Los Angeles during May/June 2000. The band featured Rick on drums, Mark Mason on vocals and former Dramarama guitarist Mark Englert. Many of the songs on this album were later included on the 2007 album 'Future Days Gone By'. The album was only a very limited release. It did not go into full distribution but may well be available again in the future.
Mark Mason Quote 2010
"There is a great song called ''so what" that is on the falling higher album that features me, rick, John from Dramarama and John Taylor from duran duran all sharing the lead vocals."
Future Days Gone by 2007
Ampage Future Days Gone By 2007
AMPAGE
FUTURE DAYS GONE BY
Released 2007 (Mason Music)
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Track List:
01. Lost & Learned
02. Words
03. Bamboozaler
04. D-Day
05. Plastic People
06. Gimme Some Truth
07. Heaven
08. Coming Home
09. American Red White & Blues
10. If I Knew Then
11. Downtown Playground
12. The Pusherman
13. Rain
14. I Needed Someone
15. The Beast Inside
Band:
Mark Mason - lead vocals, bass and acoustic guitar
Loren Molinare - guitar
Jason Carroll - guitar
Michael Kroeger - drums
Tom Mullaney - keyboards
Additional Musicians:
Mark Englert - guitar (1,12)
Michael Monarch - guitar (12)
Rick Dufay - guitar (12)
Earl Slick - guitar (6)
Michael Sheffington - guitar (12)
Dogboy - drums (4,5,8)
Rick Allen - drums (10)
Randy Meers - drums (12)
Dave Swendig - keyboards and piano (1)
Ron Young - backing vocals (13,14)
Jeff Conaway - backing vocals (4,7,11,13,14)
Pamela Mason - backing vocals (4,7,11,13,14)
Gary Busey - street preacher intro (4)
Production:
Produced by Duane Baron, Jeff Klaven, Mark Mason, Susan Herndon, Rick Allen and Dan McConomy.
Review:
Mark Mason has evolved from a strung-out Sunset Strip rocker to a more mellowed crooner - life will do that to people. He hasn't turned his back on rock however, instead he now travels down a similar road as the London Quireboys. When you've gone through as much (and forgotten as much) as Mark has there is no doubt that one would become introspective, yet he never preaches, he just plays from the heart.
Future Days Gone By is a star-studded album, including current and former members of Little Caesar, Aerosmith, Def Leppard and Cats In Boots. Even actor Gary Busey makes an appearance ranting as only he can at the beginning of "D-Day", a rerecorded version of one of the standout tracks on Ampage's 1988 debut. Squeezing the best out of everyone is famed producer Duane Baron, who helps make this disc a sharp and smooth listen.
The lone new track presented here, "Lost & Learned", is a semi-acoustic number that may go down as one of Mark's best compositions. The rest of the material is gathered from Ampage's Iron Horse and Falling Higher albums, the later of which never got an official release. "Words", "Gimme Some Truth", "The Beast Inside" and the two tracks co-written by Tommy Shaw, "Heaven" and the mellow "Rain" are the stand-out songs here. The only song I personally feel should have been included on this release is the beautiful ballad "Mona Lisa" which appeared on 1997's Iron Horse, but for some reason it is absent.
Love or hate his new musical direction you have to admire Mark Mason for turning his life around and getting back in the saddle. He may never reach the heights that every musician dreams about, but I think at this stage of his career he is satisfied to bring smiles to a few curious listeners. Fans of the Dogs D'amour/Tyla and the London Quireboys/Spike should love this album.
www.ampage.com - www.cdbaby.com
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, November 2007.
Ironman Sam 2009
Ironman Sam 8:04
Album Notes
photo by Bruce Mulder
lead vocals,bass, guitar- Mark Mason
lead guitar- Mark Inglert
backing vocals- Pamela Mason
drums- Rick Allen
music and lyrics- Mark Mason & Rick Allen
engineered, mixed, mastered- Duane Baron
This song was written and recorded by Ampage singer Mark Mason and Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen as an 8 minute mile running song based on the beats per minute
Don't Shoot The Wounded 2010
Ampage
Don't Shoot The Wounded
Released 2010 (Mason Music)
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Track List
1) Another la la la la Day in L.A.
2) As Freedom Rings
3) Excuse Me
4) Take Me Home
5) Better Days
6) Nobody Gets Out Alive
7) Pussycat
8) Wings To Fly
9) Ironman Sam (Radio Version)
Band and Additional Musicians:
Mark Mason - Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Harp
Michael Kroeger - Drums
Rick Allen - Drums (9)
Mark London - Drums (7)
Mark Inglert - Guitar
Sean Lewis - Guitar (7)
Pamela Mason - Backing Vocals
Raven Lauren - Backing Vocals
Hook - Harp (7)
Production -
Produced and Engineered by Mark Mason
Mixed and Mastered by Mark Mason and Susan Herndon
Recorded at "The Mason Ranch Studio"
Bridge of Souls 2016
Bridge of Souls
© Copyright - Ampage / Ampage (888295424202)
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Ampage co-founder and drummer Michael Kroeger passed away within months of recording this last album. The band has dedicated this album to him.
Tracks
1. Plain White Rapper / Mason
2. Don't Fear the Reaper / Buck Dharma" Roeser,
3. Shotgun Suicide / Mason
4. 100 Years All New People /Mason
5. Get Through / Pearce
6. Excuse Me / Mason
7. Bring It (Soul Surfer) / Mason
8. Too Young / Mason
9. Never Know / Pearce
10. D-Day (2047) Mason
Band:
Mark Mason lead vocals / Guitar
Mark Pearce Lead Guitar / Vocals
Bill Stokem - Bass
Michael Kroeger Drums / Vocals
Production - Produced and Engineered by Mark Mason Mixed and Mastered by Mark Mason and Duane Baron Recorded at "The Mason Ranch Studio"
# Rock 2018
# Rock
Written by Mark Mason, this is the first song in history to use acronyms for lyrics. This song also introduces drummer Jason Fish to the band after the death drummer and Ampage co-founder Michael Kroeger
Band:
Mark Mason - lead vocals / Guitar
Mark Pearce Lead Guitar / Vocals
Bill Stokem - Bass
Jason Fish- Drums / Vocals
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
Production - Produced and Engineered by Mark Mason Mixed and Mastered by Mark Mason and Duane Baron Recorded at "The Mason Ranch Studio"
Rolling Dogs of Thunder 2018
Rolling Dogs Of Thunder
Executive Producer Cameron Cutler
This is a song written by Mason about a fictitious motorcycle club. While shooting the music video for this song Ampage drummer was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash.
Rolling Dogs of Thunder ( Roll Dot ) is a motorcycle riding club started on September 17th 2014 by members of the rock band AMPAGE who love riding there Harley's as much as playing concerts and recording albums.
The name of the club came from a song written by lead vocalist Mark Mason and recorded by the band. It quickly became a REAL riding club with chapters on the Mendocino Coast of Northern California, Lexington North Carolina, Myrtle Beach South Carolina and Sydney Austrailia.
Band:
Mark Mason - lead vocals / Guitar
Mark Pearce Lead Guitar / Vocals
Bill Stokem - Bass
Jason Fish- Drums / Vocals
Production - Produced and Engineered by Mark Mason Mixed and Mastered by Mark Mason and Duane Baron Recorded at "The Mason Ranch Studio"
Season In Hell 2021
Season In Hell 2021
Season In Hell
1. Living in a Virtual World (5:03) Mason
2. Sky is Falling (5:14) Mason
3. Crank It Up Loud (4:02) Mason
4. The Blvd (4:45) Mason
5. Burn It Down (3:54) Mason
6. We All Ride On (4:22) Mason
7. Coconut (3:19) Nilsson
8. #Rock (4:39) Mason
9. Rolling Dogs of Thunder (5:00) Mason
10. The Long Goodbye (4:51) Stokem/Mason
11. Rock Paper Gun (4:15) Mason
12. Ironman Sam 4:17) Mason/Allen
Band -
Mark Mason – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Mark Pearce – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Bill Stokem – Bass
Jason Fish – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Produced by Mark Mason and Duane Baron
Executive producer Cameron Cutler
Mixed and Mastered by Duane Baron
Album Cover and Artwork by Mark London/Bruce Mulder
Photos by – Dave Blass, Tammy Greene, Cruella
Recorded at - Maceland Studios in Point Arena California
Publishing - Mason Music / BMI
This Album is Dedicated in loving memory to -Terrill and Don Smith, Bruce Mulder, Jana Hunter, Al Mason, Mark Hollywood Hatten, Janet Jendrejack, Vanilla Sky and Jai Rasta
Also dedicated to ALL the souls lost during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Official Motion Picture Soundtrack
Falling Higher The Story of Ampage
Tracklist:
1.01 - Ampage - Sky is Falling (3:46)
1.02 - Ampage - Bamboozler (2:31)
1.03 - Ampage - If I Knew Then (3:49)
1.04 - Ampage - Words (3:28)
1.05 - Ampage - We All Ride On (4:25)
1.06 - Ampage - Heaven (3:41)
1.07 - Ampage - Iron Man Sam (4:10)
1.08 - Ampage - Coming Home (4:01)
1.09 - Ampage - Hollywood (2:43)
1.10 - Ampage - D Day (4:00)
1.11 - Ampage - Hundred Years All New People (4:04)
1.12 - Ampage - Last Call for Alcohol (3:18)
1.13 - Ampage - Rolling Dogs of Thunder (5:03)
1.14 - Ampage - Autobahn (2:46)
1.15 - Ampage - I Needed Someone (3:33)
1.16 - Ampage - Lost and Learned (5:29)
1.17 - Ampage - The Boulevard (4:49)
1.18 - Ampage - School of Hard Knocks (2:51)
1.19 - Ampage - Shotgun Suicide (4:23)
1.20 - Ampage - Plastic People (4:33)
1.21 - Ampage - Rain (4:19)
1.22 - Ampage - Plain White Rapper (3:40)
1.23 - Ampage - American Red White and Blues (3:17)
1.24 - Ampage - Too Young (3:45)
1.25 - Ampage - Beast Inside (3:16)