John Mars began his recording career in 1972 with his original rock and roll band, The Martians, which included his cousin Chris Robinson on tenor & alto saxophones. He moved on to the jazz trio of Broomer, Mars & Smith in 1973.
During a break in his regular role as percussionist, Mars created a rock outlet for his vocal attributes in 1979 called Brian's Children (a snide little aside in reference to the dearly departed Rolling Stones member Brian Jones) featuring future Bopcats and Royal Crowns drummer Teddy Fury.
With a visit to Grant Avenue studios in Hamilton, Ontario under the engineering scrutiny of a very green Daniel Lanois, the Brantford area band released a single, "Cut Her Hair", on Mars' Ugly Dog Records.
The single received plenty of rotation across Canada and parts of New York State.
In the mid-1980's Mars hooked up with legendary Toronto-based pianist Stuart Broomer to form a jazz duo who were especially successful on public and college radio, and their concert tours (Universities and community theatre) took them through Ontario, Quebec, Michigan and New York.
In 1986 the jazz duo split up, so after brief Ontario tours with guitarist David Essig, Mars revived an abbreviated version of Brian's Children with a new line-up called 'The Children' and they released a second single - "(This Time) Take Me All The Way" in 1986.
By 1992 Mars had gone solo and released a cassette-only album called 'Hay Waggon Inn'.
In the mid-90's Mars met the talented young guitaist Mike Ardelli and the two soon started an ad hoc group called the Natural Born Lovers, playing rockabilly/roots material.
With their mutual pal Glenn Kimberley (The Tin Eddies) sitting in on drums, they began to play a series of University concerts when Ardelli's life was cut short by a brain tumor at age 24. Mars's confidante, Jack de Keyzer, encouraged him to soldier on.
With encouragement, production and songwriting assists from de Keyzer, Mars released his debut CD 'Whasup?' in October 1999 with additional help from guitarist Gord Lewis (Teenage Head), keyboardist Michael Fonfara (Lou Reed, Rhinoceros, Downchild), drummer Mark French (Blue Rodeo), bassist Shane Scott (Jack de Keyzer Band), saxophonist Chris Robinson, trumpet/trombonist Brigham Phillips, and backing vocalist Gayle Ackroyd.
With notes from John Mars
Singles
with BRIAN'S CHILDREN
1979 Cut Her Hair/Oh Yeah (Ugly Dog)
1986 (This Time) Take Me All The Way/Sixty Seconds (Ugly Dog)
Albums
1992 Hay Waggon Inn [cassette] (Ugly Dog)
1999 Whasup? (Blue Star)
with STUART BROOMER & JOHN MARS
1983 Annihilated Surprise (Ugly Dog)
1999 Annihilated Surprise [vinyl re-issue] (Ugly Dog)
with THE CHILDREN
1989 Electric Playground [cassette] (Ugly Dog)
Video
Compilation Tracks
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