Mark N is one of the under-appreciated renegade figures in Australian electronic music. Immensely hard-working and driven, he has more notoriety overseas than locally, having toured extensively through North America and Europe first with his now defunct trio Nasenbluten, and later solo as Overcast and as a fierce DJ. Growing up and running things from Newcastle, a city two hours drive north of Sydney once famous for its now-closed steel works, he has enormous pride in his roots. His ‘take no shit’ attitude and deadpan, self-deprecating humour have been responsible (together with Aaron Lubinski and Dave Melo) for Nasenbluten’s noisy, grating and harsh music, which has been released on labels all over the world, including Industrial Strength. Becoming frustrated with putting music out on other people’s labels, Mark set up Bloody Fist Records - a name that still gets him strange cold calls from telemarketers. Bloody Fist steadfastly refused to release music from anyone outside of the Newcastle region. His later solo productions as Overcast are for the most part dark, menacing relentless drum’n’bass, but also explore cut ups and other tempos, whilst his highly technical DJs skills, including wins at the DMC and ITF championships, have irritated many in the local hip hop community who see him, rightly, as an outsider and a threat. Original Nasenbluten records trade for ridiculous figures on eBay, and every release from his Bloody Fist label is a collectable. Mark ceremonially closed down Bloody Fist on its 10th anniversary and moved interstate. He vows to return to Newcastle to retire, and when he does maybe the Newcastle mayor will present him with the keys to the city.
faRfe (FR)[ Photographer ]
