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Michael Marquart

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Michael Marquart
(Mike Marquart)
Background information
Born1957 (age 68–69)[1]
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
  • composer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Years active1980s–present
LabelWindmark
Member ofA Bad Think
Formerly of
Websiteabadthink.com

Michael Marquart (also known as Mike Marquart) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, and founder of the musical project A Bad Think. He founded Windmark Recording recording studios in Virginia Beach and Santa Monica. Marquart's studios have recorded many notable musical artists, including Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar.[2] In 2021, Marquart sold Windmark Recording to Joie Manda.

As a record producer, Marquart has worked closely with many well-known musicians and producers, including Teddy Riley and The Neptunes (an R&B duo consisting of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams).[3] His albums have featured many notable musicians, including Jeremy Stacey, Victor Indrizzo, Fernando Perdomo, Paul Bryan, Greg Leisz, Durga McBroom, and John Philip Shenale.[4]

Early life and career

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Marquart grew up in the town of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where a neighbor taught him to play drums.[5] As a teenager, he began playing drums in his first rock band, Wonderhorse.[6][3] While attending college in Iowa studying music theory,[6] he joined the band Tokyo Rose.[7][8]

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.[9] The following year, he recorded four songs with Canadian supergroup Alias.[10] Wanting to pursue his own original music and spend more time with his family, Marquart moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Windmark Recording

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Marquart co-founded Windmark Recording, a Virginia Beach recording studio, with concert promoter Bill Reid, who later exited the partnership.[11] 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,[11] 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.[7][11][12]

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.[11][2] Windmark's Santa Monica studio recorded many notable musical artists, including Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar.[2] ] In 2021, Marquart sold Windmark Recording to music executive and Encore Recordings founder Joie Manda.[13]

A Bad Think

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In the mid 2000s, Marquart founded the musical project A Bad Think. The project's self-titled debut album was released in 2006,[14] and earned a nomination for Best Rock Album of the Year at the Hollywood Music Awards.[15] Marquart released the second A Bad Think album, Simple Rhymes, in 2009[3] followed by Sara Lee (2010),[16] Medicine (2012),[17] Sleep (2014),[18][19] and Don't Forget Us (2015).[20]

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.[21] The album features Paul Bryan (bass), Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar), Durga McBroom (singer), and John Philip Shenale (composer).[4]

In 2016, Marquart formed the studio duo Myja with singer and guitarist Jacob Bunton, a member of the bands Lynam and Adler, the latter with drummer Steven Adler[22][23]. The duo's self-titled album, Myja, was released by Windmark Recordings on January 12, 2018[22]. Bunton said the two shared an approach to songwriting and to recording organically, described Myja as a studio project that had never played live, and said Marquart was what set it apart from his other bands.[23]

The Savior, released in April 2019,[24] includes the single "Feel Me."[25] In November 2019, the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Immersive Audio Album.[26][24] The release of Lifelike (2021) was accompanied by a 20-minute documentary, Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos.[24][27]

Marquart and Dave Way recorded Lifelike with ambisonic and binaural microphones for an eventual Dolby Atmos mix, and Marquart said he "wanted to be on the front end" of the format[24][28]. Bob Clearmountain mixed the album in stereo and 5.1 surround, while Way and Steve Genewick created a separate Atmos mix.[24][29]

Marquart has frequently collaborated with filmmaker Derrick Borte, who directed the Lifelike documentary[27][30] and many of A Bad Think's music videos[31]. In a 2024 segment of Curate 757, a local arts program from WHRO Public Media, Borte said the two had met almost 15 years earlier, and Marquart recalled "Overstay" as the first video Borte directed for him[32]. A Bad Think's song "Stay On", from Lifelike[33], is used in Borte's 2026 film The Get Out[34].

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.[35] 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..[36] Marquart, Clearmountain, and Way reunited to create, mix and produce the album in Dolby Atmos and stereo.[37][38][35]

On May 10, 2024, Marquart released A Bad Think's album, Cottonwood, in Dolby Atmos on all streaming platforms and ImmersiveAudioAlbum.com.[39] A Bad Think's thirteenth studio album, Watch Your Mind, was released on March 7, 2025. Marquart produced the ten-track album, and Way created its immersive mixes.[40]

Season 14, A Bad Think's fourteenth studio album, was released in April 2026.[41] It is a concept album; Way mixed it in Dolby Atmos, and Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Romanowski[42] mastered the immersive version.[41] Its closing track, "The Last Mile", became the basis for a short film/music video starring Marquart, produced and directed by Borte, with cinematography by Eric Hurt.[41][31] As of October 2026, the video had surpassed 1.1 million views on YouTube.[43]

Discography

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A Bad Think

  • Screwtop Wine (1995)
  • A Bad Think (2006)
  • Simple Rhymes (2009)
  • Sara Lee (2010)
  • Medicine (2012)
  • Sleep (2014)[6]
  • Don't Forget Us (2015)
  • The Tragic End of a Dreamer (2016)
  • The Savior (2019)
  • Lifelike (2021)
  • X (2022)[7]
  • Short St. (2023)[44]
  • Cottonwood (2024)
  • Watch Your Mind (2025)[40]
  • Season 14 (2026)[41]

With Myja

Solo

  • Screwtop Wine (1995)[45]

Personal life

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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.[2] Marquart currently spends half his time living and working in Los Angeles, California, and the other half in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[46]

His home studio in Malibu, California is called "The Barn".[47] 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.[48][49]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Harvey, Steve (June 25, 2014). "Michael Marquart Makes His Windmark". Mix. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dunn, Laura Emily (February 12, 2015). "Samantha Marquart, Studio Manager, Windmark Recording". Women in Business Q&A. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Venable, Malcolm (October 13, 2009). "Low-key musician doesn't need to be a big rock star". Pilot Online. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Song River (April 6, 2017). "Michael Marquart of A Bad Think". Cowgirlz Entertainment. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  5. ↑ Price, Jason (June 20, 2014). "A Bad Think: Michael Marquart on the Creation of His Ambitious New Album!". Icon Vs. Icon. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Interview with the brilliant musician Michael Marquart of A Bad Think". Music Junkie Press. October 4, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Rizzo, Andrea (November 2022). "Closeup With Musician Michael Marquart". CoastalVirginiaMag.com. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Curate 757 – Michael Marquart". PBS. WHRO. March 7, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  9. ↑ "The Michael Marquart Interview". Bluebird Reviews. October 7, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. ↑ Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary), retrieved November 24, 2021
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Marquart – Musician/Producer/Studio Owner". Sennheiser. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ramsey, Colby (April 14, 2015). "Studio Profile: Windmark Recording". Audio Media International. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  13. ↑ Green, Jacob (July 25, 2023). "A Bad Think's New Dolby Atmos Album 'Short Street' Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past". Audioholics. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  14. ↑ A Bad Think by A Bad Think, October 17, 2006, retrieved July 22, 2022
  15. ↑ "EMA 2010 | ". August 12, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ Sara Lee by A Bad Think, October 19, 2010, retrieved July 22, 2022
  17. ↑ Medicine by A Bad Think, June 26, 2012, retrieved July 22, 2022
  18. ↑ "The Michael Marquart Interview". Blue Bird Reviews. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Sleep – interview with Michael Marquart – A Bad Think". Rock Your Lyrics. June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  20. ↑ Don't Forget Us by A Bad Think, April 21, 2015, retrieved July 22, 2022
  21. ↑ Pilato, Giovanni (February 12, 2017). "Diary Of An Eternal Dreamer – In Conversation With Michael Marquart (A Bad Think)". Bluebird Reviews. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  22. 1 2 3 Morton, Ken (January 12, 2018). "MYJA NEW ALBUM OUT TODAY". Highwire Daze. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  23. 1 2 Morton, Ken (February 2, 2018). "The NAMM Show 2018 Interviews: Jacob Bunton of Myja". Highwire Daze. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Flans, Robyn (March 23, 2021). "Michael Marquart Rejuvenated". Mix. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  25. ↑ Radic, Randall (March 22, 2019). "A Bad Think Releases 'Feel Me'". Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  26. ↑ "2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. November 18, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  27. 1 2 Lifelike: The Making of An Album in Dolby Atmos (Official Documentary), retrieved April 22, 2021
  28. ↑ May 20, Jacob Green-; 2021 (May 20, 2021). "Michael Marquart's New Album 'Lifelike' Comes to Life in Dolby Atmos". Audioholics Home Theater, HDTV, Receivers, Speakers, Blu-ray Reviews and News. Retrieved October 23, 2026. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  29. ↑ May 20, Jacob Green-; 2021 (May 20, 2021). "Michael Marquart's New Album 'Lifelike' Comes to Life in Dolby Atmos". Audioholics Home Theater, HDTV, Receivers, Speakers, Blu-ray Reviews and News. Retrieved October 23, 2026. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ↑ read, Ben Jacklin 5 min. "Lifelike Documentary | IAA". Retrieved October 23, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. 1 2 "Season 14". A Bad Think (official website). October 1, 2026. Archived from the original on October 1, 2026.
  32. ↑ Curate 757 | Curate Bonus Material: Michael Marquart & Derrick Borte | Season 8 | Episode 15. Retrieved October 23, 2026 – via www.pbs.org.
  33. ↑ Lifelike by A Bad Think on Apple Music, April 2, 2021, retrieved October 23, 2026
  34. ↑ The Get Out (Motion picture). Directed by Derrick Borte. Vertical. 2026.
  35. 1 2 "A Bad Think offers 11th album Short Street in stereo and immersive formats". clynemedia.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  36. ↑ Marquart, Michael (April 26, 2024). "Working With Dave Way". A Bad Think. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  37. ↑ "A Bad Think's New Dolby Atmos Album 'Short Street' Is A Personal Odyssey Through The Past". Audioholics Home Theater, HDTV, Receivers, Speakers, Blu-ray Reviews and News. July 25, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  38. ↑ read, Jonathan Cornell 07/27/2023 6 min. "A Bad Think – Short St. – Dolby Atmos | IAA". Retrieved August 1, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ↑ read, The IAA Team 05/02/2024 4 min. "Now Available In Dolby Atmos: A Bad Think's Cottonwood | IAA". Retrieved May 10, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. 1 2 read, The IAA Team 7 min. "Out Now In Dolby Atmos: A Bad Think's Watch Your Mind | IAA". Retrieved October 27, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  41. 1 2 3 4 read, The IAA Team 5 min. "Now Available In Dolby Atmos: A Bad Think's Season 14 | IAA". Retrieved October 27, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  42. ↑ Harvey, Steve (April 4, 2022). "Grammy Engineering and Production Award Winners Announced". Mixonline. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  43. ↑ ABadThinkVEVO (May 14, 2026). A Bad Think - EP 12. The Last Mile. Retrieved October 27, 2026 – via YouTube.
  44. ↑ "A Bad Think Gets the Band Back Together for Short Street". Mix. August 10, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  45. ↑ Screwtop Wine by Michael Marquart on Apple Music, May 15, 1995, retrieved October 27, 2026
  46. ↑ Maisey, Jeff (December 14, 2016). "Dreamy New Album from Michael Marquart's A Bad Think". Veer Magazine. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  47. ↑ Daley, Dan (March 6, 2017). "A Look at 4 Personal Studios of Industry Hitmakers". Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  48. ↑ "The Barn Studio". Malibu, California: Nonzero Architecture. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  49. ↑ "nonzero\architecture | Peter Grueneisen FAIA | nz\a Winner at the 33rd NAMM TEC Awards". Retrieved July 22, 2022.
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