Mark’s Paranormal Dysneyland – “Living A Lie”

Mark Spinks is a guitarist from Buderim, Australia, best known for his work in Gravel Samwidge. His solo project, Mark’s Paranormal Dysneyland, is a different beast entirely. He’s traded the guitar for piano here, which already tells you this isn’t going to sound like anything familiar from him.

“Living A Lie” is a protest song, and it’s not shy about that. The track is a direct response to what’s been happening in the United States, the rise of authoritarianism under the Trump administration, and specifically the ICE-related deaths of Rennee Good and Alex Pretti. Heavy subject matter, and the music doesn’t soften it.

The lineup is worth knowing. Gravel Samwidge drummer Alex Morrison and bassist Jason Bright hold down the rhythm, while expatriate American musician Mark Steiner, now living in Norway with his own band, Mark Steiner & His Problems, recorded feedback guitar remotely. That international angle works in the song’s favour. Mark has a personal connection to the subject matter given his American roots, and the collaboration clearly meant something to everyone involved.

A full album called 4 Acre Vineyard arrives later this year on vinyl via Swashbuckling Hobo Records, with Laughing Clowns members Michael Plater and Bob Farrell on board. Worth following Mark’s Paranormal Dysneyland on social media now so you don’t miss it.