Meet Mark Baker. The "godfather" of New York City nightlife and international king of clubs sharing the story of his amazing life and deep love for Indonesia as it prepares to open additional locations in Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok.
Who is Mark Baker?
I'm from Brighton, England. I had a very unorthodox childhood - my father died of cancer when I was very young and my mother had to deal with life as best she could. So I joined Chippenfield circus when I was eight. When the circus left town, I went with it. This was the beginning of my career traveling shows. Obviously, an eight, nine, ten year old boy, in an environment that does not always have a healthy face many challenges. The circus was full of fun and danger and all kinds of wonderful and terrible things.
When I finally dragged back the circus, I resumed my studies, but it did not work. I am very mundane compared to other kids my age and was considered disruptive and influential. I had too much information! I started skateboarding at age thirteen and has become one of the top ranked skaters in the world when I was fifteen. I hooked up with a group of guys called the Dog City Boys from Venice, California, including Tony Alva was the type of lead. We toured the world and have acted like rock stars. There were travel parties and groupies. We've done some crazy things in hotel rooms. We were having a lot of time traveling the world and getting paid for it; it was great!
That all began to slow in the early eighties. I returned to England and tried to have a working day; selling insurance, something ridiculous like that! Brighton is a city full of charismatic people, wonderful and dangerous. Do not have a good education and a normal childhood, I would have ended in trouble. So I decided to try out. I met a group of fun, crazy guy from New York, so I went to visit and I never left!
I started working as a waiter in the eighties and in the late eighties, I had opened my own restaurant / club called Metro DC. The mannequin thing just started and Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Elle McPherson were friends and regular customers. Celebrities like Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson, JFK Jr. and other colorful characters have become accustomed. This began my career in New York, which was over twenty five years of owning and operating some of the best clubs in the city. We began to travel abroad for parties and events like Fashion Week, Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival. All these international events were attended by many of the same people who came to our New York clubs and have made the network of that time the fashion, art and entertainment. They were our friends, our band, and we protect their privacy.
This was a great life changing event in your life?
The most life changing was landing at New York event. This makes the difference between downhill and uphill. NYC is an incredible melting pot of madness and genius. You have all the dreamy black sheep in the world there. Some do, some die and some end up just trying to get by. But it is true that if you can make it there, you can do it anywhere.
Another life changer was to make a permanent move from New York to Bali.
Why did you choose Bali?
Bali attracts a certain personality type. You got to be an adventurer, a traveler, a bit of a pirate to end up on these shores. Bali has been a major influence in my life for many years. While I was still a server in New York, I took a trip with my brother Allan, on tour in Southeast Asia on motorcycles; go to Thailand, sneaking into Burma, then Malaysia and finally Indonesia. I had always dreamed of Bali. The second I arrived in Indonesia, especially Bali, I knew I loved it; people, the smiles, the landscape. This has become my annual pilgrimage since 1985. I would come to Bali every August and sit overlooking Ubud Sayan Terrace and rest in blissful silence. For me it was my magic place; my spiritual instead.
I saw Bali go through so many changes, but it remains consistent in one thing; magic, beauty and spirituality is always there. Despite increasing problems of waste and traffic, Bali is still a magical place. I am very conscious of the advantages and disadvantages of doing a business in Bali and the impact it can have on the local community. We, in turn, do our best for the community and the environment. It took 25 years of relationships and friendships without which local Townhouse cooperation would not have been possible. Bali has a way of showing Karmatic side quickly. I understand and learn about the cultures and language daily. I kiss the ground when I arrived here.
What do you fear most in life?
Losing my health or my freedom. With these gifts you can do whatever you want to do.
What do you love most about living in the moment, right now?
Even after a morning, as busy as I had, I love my life! I think my father died so young from cancer, I tried to fill every minute, every hour, every day if possible. I will not be on my deathbed regretting that I did not have enough in life.
Get shot and stabbed. Mostly by fools refused entry to clubs in New York and altercations I had to deal with in the clubs. A guy has been aggressively abused his girlfriend in a club. When I escorted him to his friends jumped me and held me while he shot me in the head. His gun misfired. Pistol whipped me and I need sixty stitches in my head! It was in a beautiful club. Another time, a guy just ran across the room and began to stab me. I have many scars. The violence and horror are part of NYC nightlife and glamor and excitement.
What do you think you accomplished and what you want to do in the future?
I managed to live party. I created this work following my passion. I loved skateboarding and became a world champion. I create environments for networking; 24/7, eat, relax and dance crazy. I left New York at the top.
I brought all here to Bali. Not only the club but the press juice, Club Lounge and the Canvas restaurant. I incorporated all our brands and brought to Bali by creating Townhouse. Now, we bring in Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok. We draw an international mix of unique people in our rooms. It is not for the masses. It is intended for a crowd chic trendy and creative people, smart and fun.
I would like to have children. I would give all the love and attention that I never had my own children. I help them navigate through life with a guiding hand, as opposed to the nightmare scenario rather I went through and so many children go through, without someone to protect and feed them. We did a lot of work with children in New York and I look forward to a greater role in this area here in Indonesia and later throughout Asia, wherever we have places. I want to share the love by giving back.