Mark Stanley (born November 7, 1968) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer based in Maryland, USA. A multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer, his primary instrument is guitar, on which he touches a wide mix of styles, including jazz, psychedelia, post-punk, art rock, avant-pop, and avant progressive rock.
Stanley has been working with members of The Muffins since his first recording, "Disconcerto" by Chainsaw Jazz (1993). He has performed live with The Muffins, 9353, Chainsaw Jazz, Clutch, Kristeen Young, Spookey Ruben, and Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stonage, Perfect Circle, Failure). Stanley was a founding member of the band Handsome (band) with Peter Mengede (Helmet). He is the songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for the band Spy Machines (Jean Paul Gaster, Mike Dillon, and Hank Upton) and co-fronts the band Farquhar with Mark Smoot. He has recorded under the pseudonyms Johnny Foodstamps, Pig Manikin, and Levitating Pam.
Stanley studied at Berklee College of Music before graduating from NYU with a degree in Jazz Studies. His private teachers include Wayne Krantz, Hal Galper, Bruce Arnold, Charlie Banacos and Paul Bollenback.
Mark Stanley is the 1st cousin once removed of Owsley Stanley, the great grandson of Augustus Owsley Stanley, great great-grandson of Pierce Crosby, and Otto Hilgard Tittmann and is the great great-grandnephew of William Owsley.
Stanley has released eighteen recordings as a bandleader:
His band Farquhar has made three records distributed on Cuneiform Records