Mark Pontius

Pontius was born on January 3, 1985, in Orlando, Florida to Harriet and Lawrence Lee "Larry" Pontius.{{Cite web|url=https://knightnews.com/2011/09/interview-with-mark-pontius-of-foster-the-people/|title=Interview with Mark Pontius of Foster the People|last=Harper|first=Sarah|website=KnightNews.com|date=September 28, 2011|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}} Growing up, Pontius drummed in garage bands and community groups.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJeM7qlU9q0|title=Mark and Rebecca Pontius on "The Bubble" with the Clyde Brothers|date=2012|people=Clyde Brothers (interviewer); Mark and Rebecca Pontius (interviewee)|type=Podcast|publisher=Clyde Brothers|access-date=December 5, 2019|via=youtube.com}} Pontius graduated from Lyman High School in Longwood, Florida in 2003.{{Cite web|url=http://lymanhighschool.net/longwood-fl/alumni/5709275/mark-pontius.html|title=Mark Pontius - Lyman High School - Longwood, FL|website=lymanhighschool.net|access-date=2019-12-04}}

After graduating high school, Pontius moved to Los Angeles to study cinematography. He attended and graduated from film school but pursued a career in music after graduation. In 2004 and 2005, Pontius appeared on the GSN game show Extreme Dodgeball,{{cite web |title=Foster the People Fast Facts |url=https://fosterthepeoplefans.webs.com/ftpfacts.htm}} competing for the Silent But Deadly Mimes in one season and the Reef Sharks in the second season.

After moving to Los Angeles, Pontius joined the indie pop band Malbec which was fronted by Pablo Signori and included music producer Speakerbomb.{{Cite web|url=https://rickyleepotts.com/2009/01/artist-interview-1-on-1-with-malbec.html|title=Artist Interview: 1-on-1 with Malbec|last=Potts|first=Ricky|date=January 28, 2009|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-ca-foster-the-people-20110626-story.html|title=Foster the People: Pumped up, indeed|last=Martens|first=Todd|date=June 26, 2011|website=Los Angeles Times}}

Besides being the band's drummer, Pontius also directed and edited all of their music videos. Pontius left the band in December 2009 and subsequently formed Foster the People. Malbec disbanded the following year.{{Cite web|url=https://buzzbands.la/2014/03/18/ears-wide-open-beginners/|title=Ears Wide Open: Beginners|first=Kevin|last=Bronson|date=2014-03-18|website=buzzbands.la|language=en|access-date=2019-12-05}}

Around the fall of 2009, Mark Foster recorded the song "Pumped Up Kicks" at his workplace and it was released as an early single for the band.{{cite web|url=http://archive.seattleweekly.com/home/915112-129/interview|title=Foster the People's Mark Foster on|work=Seattle Weekly}} In May 2010, the band was signed to Columbia Records imprint Startime International for a multi-album deal due to the song's increasing success. "Pumped Up Kicks" was officially re-released as the band's first single on September 14, 2010;{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Steve|date=October 3, 2011|title=The dark meaning of Foster the People's lyrics in Pumped Up Kicks|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/10/03/dark-meaning-of-bubble-gum-pumped-up-kicks-is-tough-to-chew/|access-date=|work=Chicago Tribune}} it was labeled as a "sleeper hit" and eventually peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 starting with the week of September 10, 2011.{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|date=|title=Chart History – Hot 100|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/foster-the-people/chart-history/hsi/|access-date=November 10, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in February 2012.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-19|title=Foster The People|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/foster-people/10594|access-date=2020-11-11|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}

On May 23, 2011, the band's first studio album, Torches, was released and earned the band their second Grammy Award nomination, one for Best Alternative Music Album.{{cite web|last=Garrad|first=Susie|date=27 October 2017|title=How an entire hipster generation fell for Foster The People and their irresistible debut Torches|url=https://hhhhappy.com/how-foster-the-people-tricked-an-entire-generation-with-torches/|access-date=|website=HappyMag.tv}} It also peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200. Three years later, the band released their second album, Supermodel on March 14, 2014. It is currently their highest peaking studio album on the Billboard 200 at number three.{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-foster-the-people-supermodel-story.html|title=Foster the People goes political with 'Supermodel'|last=Martens|first=Todd|website=Los Angeles Times|date=March 29, 2014}} On July 21, 2017, Foster the People released its third album, Sacred Hearts Club, an album influenced by the global issues of the current times, which featured the single "Sit Next to Me."{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/foster-the-people-interview-sacred-hearts-club-mark-isom-how-to-listen-stream-buy-tour-dates-a7852416.html|title=Foster the People interview: 'This record had its own pressure'|work=The Independent|date=July 21, 2017}}

In 2017 and 2018, Pontius worked with Gabe Simon under the name Mr Gabriel. The two produced a series of tracks together, including "Holy Water," a song produced at Pontius' Tennessee studio, Fat Horse Ranch, which includes archival drums and bass performed by his late father.{{Cite news|date=2013-06-05|title=Obituary for LARRY PONTIUS (Aged 73)|pages=B5|work=The Orlando Sentinel|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37916804/obituary-for-larry-pontius-aged-73/|access-date=2020-11-11}}{{Cite web|last=Bound|first=Chris|date=April 23, 2018|title=INTERVIEW: Gabe Simon discusses his new project Mr. Gabriel|url=https://www.mysticsons.com/article/interview-gabe-simon-discusses-his-new-project-mr-gabriel#.X6jsdS-faf0|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Mystic Sons}}

He left the band in 2021 to focus on his family.{{cite web|url= https://www.nme.com/news/music/foster-the-people-drummer-mark-pontius-exits-band-after-over-a-decade-3070340|title=Foster the People drummer Mark Pontius exits band after over a decade|first=Alex|last=Gallagher|work=NME|date=2021-10-14|accessdate=2021-10-14}}

Pontius has one daughter.{{Cite instagram |user=carolinewalkup |postid=BxY47DdnBxm |title=I became a mom just around a month ago when she entered the world fast and furiously, like a spring storm. We’ve been quietly celebrating life with her, absorbing all the love and learning we can. Our eyes have been opened (sorta 😴) and our hearts are full. Sunday Lane Pontius (our Sunny!), thank you for choosing me to be your mom. |date=13 May 2019}} He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.{{Cite web|url=http://www.good-saint.com/10/post/2016/01/mark-pontius-of-foster-the-people.html|title=Mark Pontius of Foster the People|website=GOOD SAINT|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-0611-young-innis-loft-20160606-snap-story.html|title=An open, industrial loft in DTLA gets a cozy makeover|date=2016-06-11|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}

;With Malbec

• Malbec EP (2006)
• Keep It A Secret EP (2007)
• Dawn of Our Age (2008)
• Answering Machine EPs (2008–2009); 5 EP project

; As Delivery (solo project)

• Takes My Time (2010)

; With Foster the People

{{Main|Foster the People discography}}

• Torches (2011)
• Supermodel (2014)
• Sacred Hearts Club (2017)

; As Suitnop (solo project)

• Phage One EP (2022)
• Phage Two EP (2022)
• "Five Windows" (2024)
• Safe (2024)

;With Mr. Gabriel

• "Holy Water" (2017)
• "Starlight" (2017) with Jai Wolf
• "Help Me Out" (2017)
• "Millennial Falcon" (2018)
• "Tambourine" (2018)
• "Civilized" {{small|(unreleased)}}

• With Mark Foster, Stephan Altman, and Peter Barbee: "When You Find Love" (2015) for Little Boy; co-artist
• With Elephant Castle: "I’m a Loser" and "Life in Outer Space" (2020); drums credit
• Original music for the podcast Awakening OD by Jessa Reed (2020)

• {{IMDb name|5365475}} (as musician)
• {{IMDb name|1665378}} (as filmmaker)
• {{Discogs artist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pontius, Mark}}

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American drummers

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:American alternative rock drummers

Category:American male drummers

Category:Musicians from Orlando, Florida

Category:Drummers from Florida