Mark Foggo is an English-born ska musician who began playing music at age 14. Born October 30, 1950, in Liverpool, England, Foggo moved to London in hopes of finding work as a guitarist before relocating to Amsterdam in 1979. He discovered ska music and formed his punk-ska band, The Secret Meeting, independently releasing the single "New Shoes" in 1979. The band signed with Polydor Records, which re-released the single in 1980 alongside their debut LP, Speeding My Life Away (1980). Foggo focused exclusively on ska for his debut solo album, A State of Mind (1983), and released the album Weapons + Guitars (1985) on EMI Records. He formed Mark Foggo's Skasters in 1987, releasing their debut album, Ska Pig, in 1989, which achieved success in the Netherlands and Germany. His other solo releases include the albums Haircut (1995) and Mad (2010), and the album Shake the Baby (2001) with his rockabilly side project, The Babyshakers. Foggo also established the ska record label Skanky'Lil Music in 1990, and toured Europe with saxophonist Paul Berding participating as the sole constant member of his group.
