Mark Holden: From 1970s Pop Icon to Melbourne’s Veteran Musician

Mark Holden rose to national fame in the mid-1970s as a teen pop crooner, famously handing out red carnations on *Countdown*. A failed U.S. single in the late 1970s led him back to Australia, where his dream-inspired song “Lady Soul” reached number four and launched a songwriting career that yielded more than ten Billboard-charting tracks. In the early 1990s he produced albums for David Hasselhoff and worked with Milla Jovovich. From 2003 to 2008 he judged *Australian Idol*. A 2010 thyroid-cancer diagnosis altered his voice, prompting a law degree and 13 years as a barrister before retiring two years ago. At 72, he now records and remixes earlier material.

The Guardian

Holden’s 2026 album *Now and Then and Shirley MacLaine* blends remixed U.S.-era tracks with new songs recorded with “old buddies from Compton” and Melbourne Savage Club members such as Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire. He says his 1970s gold-record sales bought his grandparents’ house, while comparable streaming today would earn about $2,000, underscoring his claim that “music has no financial value any more for people my age.” The title track originated from an off-hand remark by a Royal Hawaiian hotel staff member.

The Guardian

Holden describes the Melbourne Savage Club as “unashamedly a men’s club that welcomes women [as guests]” and calls the policy “healthy.” He argues that music’s health benefits persist at any age, emphasizing its positive impact on spirit and well-being. Regarding royalties, he states that streaming would yield a few thousand dollars for his catalog, reinforcing his assessment of limited financial returns for veteran artists.

The Guardian

The club’s gender policy has been described as contentious, with some observers questioning its male-dominant structure.

The Guardian

The interview took place on a walk along Melbourne’s Elwood foreshore. Holden linked the stroll to “fighting the forces of gravity that try to bring you down,” and used it to recount his career and musical work.

The Guardian

• “a nice little walk” is essential to “fighting the forces of gravity that try to bring you down.” — Mark Holden, 72, Australian musician

The Guardian

• “It was the universe telling me what I should have probably known – that my voice was not a voice that was going to sell records in America,” — Mark Holden

The Guardian

• “That song went to number four. It was a deep, deep gift from the universe, and that kept me going on that path,” — Mark Holden

The Guardian

• “It’s unashamedly a men’s club that welcomes women [as guests]. And I think that’s a healthy thing.” — Mark Holden, member of Melbourne Savage Club

The Guardian

Holden formed an “old man” group at the Savage Club that performs monthly and plans to keep recording, remixing and promoting music’s health benefits for seniors.

The Guardian