13 Facts About Chris Mars

Chris Mars was born on April 26,1961 and is an American painter and musician.

Chris Mars was the drummer for the seminal Minneapolis-based alternative rock band the Replacements from 1979 to 1990; he later joined the informal supergroup Golden Smog before beginning a solo career.

Chris Mars sometimes transformed into an alter ego named Pappy the Clown while on tour; he painted his face when inebriated and spooked the band and road crew.

Chris Mars appeared on only a few songs on the Replacements' final album, All Shook Down ; he left before the subsequent tour, unhappy with Westerberg's increasing control of the band.

Chris Mars's first solo album, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, was a revelation for fans and critics used to his fairly limited role in the Replacements.

Chris Mars wrote every track and played drums, guitar, and keyboards in addition to handling all lead and backing vocals.

Chris Mars released one more album, Anonymous Botch, before fully turning his creative attention to his visual-art career.

Chris Mars self-published a fifth album, Note to Self, in 2017.

Chris Mars announced the news on Twitter and later on his Facebook page.

Chris Mars's painting style, examples of which grace all of his album covers, is marked by nightmarish landscapes and grotesque, distorted figures.

Chris Mars created a 13-minute animated film about his work titled The Severed Stream.

Chris Mars has had solo exhibitions at Billy Shire Fine Arts, the Erie Art Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Steensland Museum, the Coker Bell Gallery, and the Mesa Arts Center.

Chris Mars attended Central High School in Minneapolis but did not graduate.