# Mark Pirro

Mark Pirro (born July 1, 1970) is an American musician (bass guitar), audio engineer, and record producer based in Dallas, Texas. He is a founding member of Tripping Daisy, an alternative rock band that was active from 1991 to 1999. He is an original and current performing member of The Polyphonic Spree, and also performed with the groups Menkena and Foreign Fires. Pirro is the inventor of the Copperphone, a specialty microphone that he designed and distributes through his company Placid Audio.

## Career

Pirro is a founding member of Tripping Daisy along with vocalist Tim DeLaughter and guitarist and pianist Wes Berggren. The group released its first album Bill in 1992 on the independent label Dragon Street Records. It later signed with Island Records where it released the album I am An Elastic Firecracker in 1995 and Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb in 1998. The group's song I Got A Girl made it to number 6 on Billboard's alternative rock chart. Pirro performed with Tripping Daisy on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993 as well as supported Def Leppard during the North American portion of the Slang World Tour. Pirro played with the group until 1999 after the death of Berggren. Pirro and the remaining members completed the group's fourth album after Berggren's death and released it under its own record label, Good Records.
Pirro went on to join The Polyphonic Spree, a choral symphonic rock band formed by DeLaughter in 2000. The 25 member group includes two keyboardists, a harpist, and a 10-person choir. As part of the group, Pirro has toured with David Bowie, played at a Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, been on the MTV Video Music Awards, and performed Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in front of former Beatles' producer George Martin. Additional appearances including performing with Paul Rodgers and the remaining members of Queen during Queen's 2004 induction ceremony into the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has toured internationally with The Polyphonic Spree throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Uganda. He also appeared with the group in the 2015 film The Big Short, as well as on the soundtrack to the movie.
Pirro is the inventor of the Copperphone, a hand crafted microphone designed and built through his company Placid Audio. The Copperphone uses components from vintage communications equipment as well as a mechanical filtering device to achieve a limited bandwidth frequency response similar to that of AM radio and the nostalgic sound of the early days of recording. He designed the first Copperphone while playing with The Polyphonic Spree, as a way to produce a "telephone" voice effect for lead singer DeLeaughter. The Copperphone has been used by many artists, including Green Day, Queens of the Stone Age, Lou Barlow, Rush, Norah Jones, Jack White, St. Vincent, as well as Grammy Winning producer Jacquire King.
Pirro has been known to use instruments, software and effects from Musicvox, iZotope, FEA Labs, and Waterstone Guitars.

### Discography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2013 | Songs from the Rocky Horror Picture Show: Live in London | Group Member | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2013 | Yes, It's True | Bass Guitar | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2012 | Holidaydream: Sounds of the Holidays, Vol. One | Engineer, Bass Guitar, Tambourine | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2012 | Rubble Guts & BB Eye | Engineer and vocal | Album from the group Preteen Zenith |
| 2010 | Disconnect from Desire | Engineer | School of Seven Bells |
| 2009 | Chlorine Colored Eyes | Noise | The Crash That Took Me |
| 2009 | WeeSee | Engineering and mixing | Children's audio/visual project by Rolyn Barthelman with original score by Polyphonic Spree singer Tim Delaughter |
| 2008 | Nightmare Revisited | Bass | Played on Town Meeting Song as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2008 | Visioneers | Bass, Engineer, Mixer | Soundtrack to movie Visioneers |
| 2007 | Live from Austin TX | Bass, Bass Instrument, Member of Attributed Artist | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2007 | Marry Me | Bass, Main Personnel | St. Vincent |
| 2007 | SXSW Live 2007 | Bass, Vocals | A compilation featuring an original song from The Polyphonic Spree ("When the Fool Becomes King") |
| 2007 | The Fragile Army | Bass, Engineer | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2006 | I Like U | Engineer, Mixing producer | Black Tie Dynasty |
| 2005 | Thumbsucker | Bass, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar, Mixing | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2005 | Murderball | Bass | Played as a member of The Polyphonic Spree on the track Light & Day |
| 2004 | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind | Bass | Played with The Polyphonic Spree on songs It's the Sun and Light & Day |
| 2004 | Together We're Heavy | Bass, Member of Attributed Artist | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2003 | Wig in a Box | Bass, Mixing | A compilation featuring a song from the movie soundtrack performed by The Polyphonic Spree ("Wig in a Box") |
| 2002 | The Beginning Stages of the Polyphonic Spree | Bass, Vocals | Recorded as a group member of The Polyphonic Spree |
| 2002 | We're Birds | Engineer, Producer, Vocals | El Gato |
| 2000 | Tripping Daisy | Bass, Vocals | Recorded as a group member of Tripping Daisy |
| 1998 | Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb | Bass, Vocals, Percussion | Recorded as a group member of Tripping Daisy |
| 1998 | Popaganda | Producer | A compilation featuring an original song from Tripping Daisy ("Cartoon Bikini") |
| 1997 | Come on Feel the Metal | Bass | A compilation featuring a song by Judas Priest performed by Tripping Daisy - ("Electric Eye") |
| 1996 | The Craft | Bass | A movie soundtrack compilation featuring a song by Harry Nilsson performed by Tripping Daisy - ("Jump Into The Fire") |
| 1995 | I Am an Elastic Firecracker | Bass | Recorded as a group member of Tripping Daisy |
| 1995 | Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits | Bass | A compilation featuring a song by Bobby Hart / Danny Janssen performed by Tripping Daisy - ("Friends/Sigmund and the Seamonsters") |
| 1994 | Get It On | Bass | Recorded as a group member of Tripping Daisy |
| 1992 | Bill | Bass | Recorded as a group member of Tripping Daisy |