About Strider

Mark "Aragorn" Reader

Mark started his musical career with his first public performance at the age of 12, and has never stopped since. His first major band was called Judy Teen and received front page news in the Liverpool Echo when they where mobbed at the Liverpool show by screaming young fans, and needed a police escort out of the place! Since then, Mark has been in loads of bands including " Conquest ", Cadenza " and top rock band " Wicked Elf " in the late 70's to " Strike " in the early 80's who toured Europe, including the usual Army bases in Germany, and of course the fabulous " Strider " in the late 80's till now.

In 83 Mark joined Equity and started working in Television and Films for a few years as a small part actor, he was then offered the part of “Arnold” in the Antics Roadshow, and lead singer / story teller in " Body Talk " with Bill Le Sage and Alec Dankworth for BBC television. Durring this time, Mark worked with many top London actors and session musicians, and learned so much from them that he decided it was time to go it alone. After spending many hours stuck in traffic jams on the M1 motorway, it was decided that it was time to set up a recording studio in Liverpool.
Buying equipment from a recording studio which had unfortunately gone into liquidation, Tonewood Productions was set up as a production company to supply music to BBC television.

Not long after, Mark was paying a visit to local agent Tony West. At the time Tony was on the phone, and after the phone call asked Mark if he new any good 3 piece rock bands as a Pub in Warrington called " Smithy's ", was desperate to find one for a rock night the following week. Mark said that he would do the gig, only problem, he didn't have a band !!
After numerous phone calls and visits, time was running out. With only a few days to go, Mark was in Amadeus Studios with Billy Kinsley and met a drummer called Clive Knowles." Do you play rock music, and what are you doing on Thursday ? " asked Mark." Yes I do and I'm available ", was the reply.

Next was a trip to visit friend, guitarist and mechanic Eddy Harrison. Whilst chatting away and putting the world to rights, Eddy sugested that his brother-in-law Mike was into rock music and was a bass player, so after a few phone calls and a one hour rehersal, the band was ready to rock, the rest is history !!
Mark is a multi-instrumentalist and session musician, who has worked for BBC TV as well as composing music and working as Musical Director for: - Bitsa, Words and Pictures, We are the Champions, Disney Australia and the Postman Pat live show.

He played as a Cossack guitarist/singer in BBC TV series " Bread ", worked with John Thaw and Glenda Jackson in the film " Bussines as usual ", played a punk called Peter in " Emmerdale " had several parts in " Brookside " ( including the biker at Rod Corkhills 18th ), made many appearences in " Coronation St " and other TV too numorous to mention.

He played the Empire Theatre as Lead Guitarist for top 60’s legend PJ Proby, and in 2004, 2005 and 2007 the Musical " Twopence to Cross the Mersey ".

Mark is currently the King of Gondor, married to Arwen and when he's not fighting Orcs, plays and sings with Strider.