Mark Ashton is a British painter, musician, compositer, ex-drummer of an English progressive rock band Rare Bird. Mark Ashton was born 23 June 1949, in Bridge, Kent, England. Soon he moved to Scotland and grew up in the Scottish countryside of Stirlingshire, near Glasgow. At a very young age, he shows a talent for drawing and music, and the passion for music soon predominated. When he came back to England (Herne Bay, Kent) he joined his first band The Vikings as a drummer at 11 years old. The 2nd band Corvettes was voted the best band in Kent, U.K and played in a band which opened for acts such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Yardbirds, at this time he began writing music.