Some Sunday fodder for you..

Money Mark is the alias of Mark Ramos-Nishita, a keyboardist whose funky, retro-flavored riffs earned him the unofficial title of the fourth Beastie Boy. Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawaiian father and a Chicano mother, Nishita moved to the West Coast when he was six; some years later, he hooked up with the production team and began overdubbing keyboards for the Delicious Vinyl label. While working as a handyman, Nishita accepted a job repairing Beastie Boys' Silverlake, CA, home; soon, he became a pivotal member of the group's Grand Royal posse and performed on both 1992's Check Your Head and 1994's Ill Communication.

Recorded at his home studio, Money Mark's solo debut, Mark's Keyboard Repair -- a loose, infectious collection of fuzzy organ noodling performed on vintage equipment -- appeared in 1995 as a set of three 10" records issued on the Los Angeles-based label Love Kit. Although the small pressing sold out almost instantly, the first record in the series found its way to Britain and the offices of Mo'Wax founder , who quickly flew to L.A. to meet with Nishita; a deal was struck and the instrumental Mark's Keyboard Repair was reissued in late 1995. Mark's next release was the more pop-oriented Push the Button in 1998, containing "Rock in the Rain," here.

What KOTS says: 1998, living in London, this LP blew me away. I had a bit of money (enough to get by and enjoy a few nights out), had some nice speakers (JBLs). 27 years old and doing my own thing away from Leeds. If I made a film or wrote a book about that time, Push The Button along with 4hero's - Page One would be the soundtrack.

Why this track? Well, Money Mark was known for jazz noodling and psych-funk and this track along with "Hand in Your Head" couldn't be further away from that stuff. It's a West Coast slouchy pop ballad, reminiscent of Blur, and I loved how it squelches out into an acid symphony towards the third part of the song. Simple but effective.