Mark Lipsitz passed away at 62, leaving behind a huge impact on the music world.
Way back in 1986, Bar/None Records started out in Hoboken, thanks to Tom Prendergast, and later, Glenn Morrow brought Mark into the mix to handle marketing in 2001. Over time, Mark did all sorts of jobs at the label—helping musicians, picking new bands, and guiding people through the wild world of music. The label ended up working with all kinds of artists like Alex Chilton, the Feelies, Ezra Furman, Tindersticks, the Front Bottoms, Diners, Pardoner, and a bunch of others.
Honestly, fans always feel it’s special when someone in the business cares this much.
Bar/None Records shared on Instagram, “Mark was a fierce artist advocate and championed the music he discovered, pushing everyone he knew to be the best musician and the best person they could be.” They also wrote, “The music industry is losing a coach, an ambassador, and an ally. But Mark created friendships and networks of people that would never thrive as they do without his influence. The work he leaves behind will enrich us all forever.”
Before Bar/None, Mark worked at Razor & Tie with acts like Continental Drifters and Dar Williams, plus he did time at Seed Records and Important Relativity, always getting involved and lifting up the artists he worked with. Sometimes, people say the music biz is tough, but Mark made it feel like a real community.
Rocky O’Reilly once said in The Hudson Reporter, “One phrase I heard from Mark early on, and many times after, was ‘proactivity breeds proactivity.’ I wouldn’t be doing any of this if Bar/None hadn’t picked our demo from a box and called me up full of passion, joy, and belief.” That’s the kind of thing people remember forever.
Mark also found Ivy, the indie-pop group with Adam Schlesinger, Andy Chase, and Dominique Durand, and really helped them get noticed. He got Fountains of Wayne signed to Atlantic, and even after Schlesinger passed away, Mark made sure Ivy’s lost music saw the light again.
