Hollywood Beyond

Mark Rogers served as the sole architect of the English project Hollywood Beyond, which announced itself in striking fashion during 1986 through the polished pop single “What’s The Colour Of Money.” That track climbed to number 7 on the UK chart in July, marking the act as one of the standout new arrivals of the year. Rogers spoke confidently of its qualities, declaring, “It’s modern, it’s 86, it’s challenging. It’s ‘pop’ but not ‘pap’. It’s artistic without being intellectual. It’s vibrant without being blasé, it’s unique without being original.” The number drew directly from his upbringing, where reggae and jazz recordings owned by his parents came first, followed by an introduction to rock during his school years. His growing command of music showed itself in teenage proficiency on both classical piano and guitar. Yet momentum proved difficult to sustain after that breakthrough. Among later releases, only the single “No More Tears” managed to reach the Top 50 when it appeared in September 1986. The subsequent debut album If, along with the tracks “After Midnight” and “Save Me,” failed to register any additional chart impact.