Mister Vague is the handle for Mark Earnest, a musician whose tunes go from a murmur to a meltdown. The music blends Laurel Canyon folk and ‘80s post-punk for a bittersweet brew that helps Mister Vague stand out among a sea of sensitive singer-songwriters.

In fact, Mister Vague is described wryly as an “insensitive singer/songwriter” on tour posters hanging up at the brightly lit coffeehouses and dark corner bars all around the West coast where he plays.

Earnest is from Reno , Nevada , and first used the Mister Vague moniker for his open-mic appearances in the early 2000s. In 2003, he decided to find like-minded musicians to flesh the songs out and kept a recurring cast of characters together for studio and live work.

The first two Mister Vague releases on Seattle-based Unsmashable Records – “Square One” in 2004 and “File Under: Trial” in 2006 – sold out their first pressings. That success led to Midwest label Slothtrop Records offering to re-release and re-master “Trial” in late 2006. This new version was played on 100-plus radio stations in the U.S. and Canada and earned some brisk sales on iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster.

Mister Vague also contributed a cover of Neil Young’s “Bandit” to the “More Barn” charity CD for the Bridge School that Slothtrop released in 2007.

Mister Vague’s third album, “Allergic To Everything,” was also released in 2007. “Allergic” was produced by Alan Sparhawk from the indie-pop band Low (Sub Pop) and his trusty studio partner Eric Swanson at their Sacred Heart Studios in Duluth , Minn. It also received some nifty reviews on blogs around the world, plus radio airplay on about 120 stations.

This is all while Mister Vague continues his touring ways around the West. Earnest has made a name for himself (even if it’s not his real name) in such rock-centric towns as San Francisco , Sacramento , Seattle , Portland , Los Angeles , Boise and Salt Lake City . And, of course, Bakersfield .

Plus there’s writing and recording, including two new EPs due in early 2009, as Mister Vague continues his pursuit (with helpers) of musical diversity in the name of adventure.

Find out more here:
www.myspace.com/mistervague

Write us a note here: mistervague1@sbcglobal.net