Michael Marquart#Windmark Recording

Marquart grew up in the town of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where a neighbor taught him to play drums.{{cite web|last=Price|first=Jason|title=A Bad Think: Michael Marquart on the Creation of His Ambitious New Album!|url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2014/06/20/a-bad-think-michael-marquart-discusses-the-creation-of-his-new-album-and-more/|website=Icon Vs. Icon|date=June 20, 2014|access-date=January 30, 2025}} As a teenager, he began playing drums in his first rock band, Wonderhorse.{{cite web |title=Interview with the brilliant musician Michael Marquart of A Bad Think |url=https://musicjunkiepress.com/music/interview-with-the-brilliant-musician-michael-marquart-of-a-bad-think/ |website=Music Junkie Press |date=October 4, 2014 |access-date=June 22, 2019}} While attending college in Iowa studying music theory, he joined the band Tokyo Rose.{{cite web|last=Rizzo|first=Andrea|title=Closeup With Musician Michael Marquart|url=https://coastalvirginiamag.com/article/closeup-with-musician-michael-marquart/|website=CoastalVirginiaMag.com|date=November 2022|access-date=30 January 2025}}{{Cite web|title=Curate 757 - Michael Marquart|url=https://www.pbs.org/video/michael-marquart-rvddh1/|website=PBS|date=March 7, 2024|publisher=WHRO|access-date=January 30, 2025}}

For a brief period in 1989, he played drums for the A Flock of Seagulls, recording a single with the band and supporting a 3-week tour.{{cite web |title=The Michael Marquart Interview |url=https://www.bluebirdreviews.com/interviews/552-the-michael-marquart-interview|website=Bluebird Reviews|date=October 7, 2014|access-date=January 30, 2025}} The following year, he recorded four songs with Canadian supergroup Alias.{{Citation|title=Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSs12zhzHFs|language=en|access-date=2021-11-24}} Wanting to pursue his own original music and spend more time with his family, Marquart moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Marquart co-founded Windmark Recording, a Virginia Beach recording studio, with concert promoter Bill Reid, who later exited the partnership.{{cite web|title=Michael Marquart – Musician/Producer/Studio Owner|url=https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us/stories/pro-talk/michael-marquart|website=Sennheiser|access-date=30 January 2025}} During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the studio served as an important recording space for The Neptunes production duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, as well as mixing engineer Serban Ghenea,{{cite web|title=Michael Marquart – Musician/Producer/Studio Owner|url=https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us/stories/pro-talk/michael-marquart|website=Sennheiser|access-date=30 January 2025}} working on projects including Britney Spears' Britney (2001), Justin Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified (2002), and Beyoncé's debut solo single, "Work It Out". In 2005, Marquart sold the Virginia Beach studio to the Neptunes.{{cite web|last=Rizzo|first=Andrea|title=Closeup With Musician Michael Marquart|url=https://coastalvirginiamag.com/article/closeup-with-musician-michael-marquart/|website=CoastalVirginiaMag.com|date=November 2022|access-date=30 January 2025}}{{cite web|title=Michael Marquart – Musician/Producer/Studio Owner|url=https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us/stories/pro-talk/michael-marquart|website=Sennheiser|access-date=30 January 2025}}{{cite web|last=Ramsey|first=Colby|title=Studio Profile: Windmark Recording|url=https://audiomediainternational.com/studio-profile-windmark-recording/|website=Audio Media International|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=January 30, 2025}}

In 2015, Marquart bought Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' Flyte Tyme West studio complex in Santa Monica, California to create a new Windmark Recording, with his daughter Samantha managing the studio and his son Mikey helping with operations.{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-in-business-qa-sama_b_6669802) |title=Samantha Marquart, Studio Manager, Windmark Recording |work=Women in Business Q&A |last=Dunn |first=Laura Emily |date=February 12, 2015 |accessdate=June 22, 2019}} Windmark's Santa Monica studio recorded many notable musical artists, including Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. ^] In 2021, Marquart sold Windmark Recording to music executive and Encore Recordings founder Joie Manda.{{cite web|last=Green|first=Jacob|title=A Bad Think’s New Dolby Atmos Album ‘Short Street’ Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past|url=https://www.audioholics.com/music-reviews/short-street|website=Audioholics|date=July 25, 2023|access-date=January 31, 2025}}

In the mid 2000s, Marquart founded the musical project A Bad Think. The project's self-titled debut album was released in 2006,{{Citation |title=A Bad Think by A Bad Think |date=2006-10-17 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-bad-think/172611037 |language=en-US |access-date=2022-07-22}} and earned a nomination for Best Rock Album of the Year at the Hollywood Music Awards.{{Cite web |date=2014-08-12 |title=EMA 2010 {{!}} . |url=http://www.eworldmusicawards.com/node/15 |access-date=2022-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812193822/http://www.eworldmusicawards.com/node/15 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 }} Marquart released the second A Bad Think album, Simple Rhymes, in 2009 followed by Sara Lee (2010),{{Citation |title=Sara Lee by A Bad Think |date=2010-10-19 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/sara-lee/395431440 |language=en-US |access-date=2022-07-22}} Medicine (2012),{{Citation |title=Medicine by A Bad Think |date=2012-06-26 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/medicine/527759549 |language=en-US |access-date=2022-07-22}} Sleep (2014),{{cite web |title=The Michael Marquart Interview |url=https://www.bluebirdreviews.com/interviews/552-the-michael-marquart-interview |work=Blue Bird Reviews |accessdate=June 22, 2019}}{{cite web |date=June 18, 2014 |title=Sleep – interview with Michael Marquart – A Bad Think |url=https://rockyourlyrics.com/sleep-interview-with-michael-marquart-a-bad-think/ |work=Rock Your Lyrics |accessdate=June 22, 2019}} and Don't Forget Us (2015).{{Citation |title=Don't Forget Us by A Bad Think |date=2015-04-21 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dont-forget-us/971447430 |language=en-US |access-date=2022-07-22}}

A Bad Think's seventh studio album, released in 2016, is The Tragic End of a Dreamer, which blends diverse musical genres ranging from ambient to Southern rock, folk, and New Age music.{{cite web |last=Pilato|first=Giovanni|title=Diary Of An Eternal Dreamer - In Conversation With Michael Marquart (A Bad Think) |url=https://bluebirdreviews.com/interviews/767-diary-of-an-eternal-dreamer-in-conversation-with-michael-marquart-a-bad-think|website=Bluebird Reviews|date=February 12, 2017|access-date=January 30, 2025}} The album features Paul Bryan (bass), Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar), Durga McBroom (singer), and John Philip Shenale (composer).

The Savior, released in April 2019,{{cite web|last=Flans|first=Robyn|title=Michael Marquart Rejuvenated|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/profiles/michael-marquart-rejuvenated|website=Mix|date=March 23, 2021|access-date=January 30, 2025}} includes the single "Feel Me."{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@doctorradic/premiere-a-bad-think-releases-feel-me-4c505b6abc11 |title=A Bad Think Releases 'Feel Me' |last=Radic |first=Randall |date=March 22, 2019 |accessdate=June 22, 2019}} In November 2019, the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Immersive Audio Album.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2020-grammy-awards-complete-nominees-list|title=2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List|date=2019-11-18|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}} The release of Lifelike (2021) was accompanied by a 20-minute documentary, Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos.{{Citation|title=Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSs12zhzHFs|language=en|access-date=2021-04-22}}

A Bad Think's tenth studio album, X, was released August 19, 2022 in Dolby Atmos. Produced by Dave Way, X was the project's first release mixed by Bob Clearmountain in Dolby Atmos and stereo. In 2023, Marquart collaborated with drummer Matt Chamberlain, bass player Dan Rothchild, guitarist Kirk Hellie, keyboardist Phil Shenale and other musicians to record Short St.. {{cite web|last=Marquart|first=Michael|title=Working With Dave Way|url=https://www.abadthink.com/news/working-with-dave-way|website=A Bad Think|date=April 26, 2024|access-date=January 31, 2025}} Marquart, Clearmountain, and Way reunited to create, mix and produce the album in Dolby Atmos and stereo.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-25 |title=A Bad Think’s New Dolby Atmos Album ‘Short Street’ Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past |url=https://www.audioholics.com/music-reviews/short-street |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Audioholics Home Theater, HDTV, Receivers, Speakers, Blu-ray Reviews and News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=read |first=Jonathan Cornell 07/27/2023 6 min |title=A Bad Think – Short St. – Dolby Atmos {{!}} IAA |url=https://immersiveaudioalbum.com/a-bad-think-short-street-dolby-atmos/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=A Bad Think offers 11th album Short Street in stereo and immersive formats |url=https://clynemedia.com/ABT_ShortStreet/Announcement/ABadThink_ShortSt_Announcement_ProAudio.html |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=clynemedia.com}}

On May 10, 2024, Marquart released A Bad Think's album, Cottonwood, in Dolby Atmos on all streaming platforms and ImmersiveAudioAlbum.com.{{Cite web |last=read |first=The IAA Team 05/02/2024 4 min |title=Now Available In Dolby Atmos: A Bad Think’s Cottonwood {{!}} IAA |url=https://immersiveaudioalbum.com/now-available-in-dolby-atmos-a-bad-thinks-cottonwood/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |language=en}}

• Screwtop Wine (1995)
• A Bad Think (2006)
• Simple Rhymes (2009)
• Sara Lee (2010)
• Medicine (2012)
• Sleep (2014)
• Don't Forget Us (2015)
• The Tragic End of a Dreamer (2016)
• The Savior (2019)
• Lifelike (2021)
• X (2022)
• Short St. (2023){{cite web|title=A Bad Think Gets the Band Back Together for Short Street|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/a-bad-think-gets-the-band-back-together-for-short-street|website=Mix|date=August 10, 2023|access-date=January 30, 2025}}
• Cottonwood (2024)

Marquart is married to Winnie Johnson-Marquart. Together, they have a son and a daughter, Samantha, with whom Marquart co-founded Windmark Recording's Santa Monica location in 2015. Marquart currently spends half his time living and working in Los Angeles, California, and the other half in Virginia Beach, Virginia.{{cite web |last=Maisey |first=Jeff |date=December 14, 2016 |title=Dreamy New Album from Michael Marquart's A Bad Think |url=https://veermag.com/2016/12/dreamy-new-album-from-michael-marquarts-a-bad-think/ |work=Veer Magazine |accessdate=June 22, 2019}}

His home studio in Malibu, California is called "The Barn".{{cite web |last=Daley |first=Dan |date=March 6, 2017 |title=A Look at 4 Personal Studios of Industry Hitmakers |url=https://reverb.com/ca/news/look-at-4-personal-studios-industry-hitmakers |accessdate=June 22, 2019}} Constructed using wood salvaged from the Hollywood Bowl, originally constructed in the 1920s, The Barn was recognized with the Outstanding Creative Achievement – Studio Design Project award at the 33rd NAMM TEC Awards.{{cite web |title=The Barn Studio |url=https://www.nonzeroarch.com/portfolio_page/the-barn-studio/ |publisher=Nonzero Architecture |location=Malibu, California |accessdate=June 22, 2019}}{{Cite web |title=nonzero\architecture {{!}} Peter Grueneisen FAIA {{!}} nz\a Winner At The 33rd NAMM TEC Awards |url=https://www.nonzeroarch.com/news/nza-winner-at-the-33rd-namm-tec-awards/ |access-date=2022-07-22 |language=en}}

• Winnie Johnson-Marquart

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web |url=https://www.abadthink.com/ |title=A Bad Think official website}}
• {{cite web |url=https://www.windmarkrecordings.com/ |title=Windmark Recording official website}}
• [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/michael-marquart Michael Marquart Interview] at NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

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Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:American multi-instrumentalists

Category:American rock guitarists

Category:Living people

Category:Record producers from Wisconsin

Category:A Flock of Seagulls members