Mark McCarty shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Mark , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
To me this is a no-brainer..integrity. There are a lot of very intellegent people who would energetically rob you blind-that’s obviously not a good thing. But someone with integrity you can trust. That’s something you can work with.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Mark McCarty and I am the lead guitarist for the band Rat Rod. We are a Philadelphia based hard rock outfit. We are a bit different than much of what’s happening in the music business right now because we are a throw back of sorts. Like us there are a ton of bands out there with 2 guitars a bass, drums and vocalist but unlike us we pride ourselves in being as natural, unaffected, and down to earth as we can be. We are serious about our music but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We like to share with the audience the good time we are having when we are on stage. To that end I will inevitably bring the show to the crowd when I leave the stage and join in with our long time and brand new friends who came to rock out! We are thrilled to tell you we have been working on new music ever since Jeremy Hugo joined a year ago March replacing Mike Smith on vocals. We have a brand new song dropping on 9/26/25 called “The Highway” and we couldn’t be more excited!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest mememory of feeling any sort of power over the situation i was in was when I was in middle school. My homelife growing up wasn’t very good. No father, my mom was an alcoholic, and a reluctant mother who really didn’t see to my younger brother, sister or me as she should have. In my mind I was trapped until I realized 2 things. I could make people smile when I played my guitar and I was good a fixing things like bycycles, minibikes, and lawmowers. I was also really into cars and studied everything I could find about the coolest cars. I had the new found power of knowing I could actually control my own destiny-which as it turned out was correct. I am literally all about Cars, Guitars and Rock n Roll! They became my vocation and avocation and are interchangeable.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
All of the suffereing that I have been through has taught me that it doesn’t last forever. Because of that you need to be tough enough to endure so that you can end up on the other side of the suffering. You’ll then be able to enjoy the good times. It also taught me that life comes in cycles or waves and to ride the wave. Don’t let it put you under or throw you. Meaning that you need to stay as even keeled as possible-neither the good times nor the bad times are forever.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes the public version is just me on 10! I am the same no matter what. When I am on stage it’s just an amplified version of myself. The inner me gets a seat at the table for at least 45 minutes!.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I was born to do what I am doing. There was never a serious consideration of anything other than what I am doing. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: ratrodrocks
- Twitter: ratrodrocks
- Facebook: ratrodrocks
- Youtube: @RatRod
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6G4rlnpZGgMINNPs3C3bvo?si=JDA19KSJRFSzoOuvORntPw
Image Credits
Deb Argento
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
