BIOGRAPHY

Turn it up. Burn it down. Neon Arrival has landed.

Over a decade after quietly stepping away from music, Mark Spurbeck never expected to be back in a band—let alone launching a project that feels like the most personal and passionate work of his life. But in 2023, he sat down in front of a new instrument—a keyboard—and started writing.

“I hadn’t played guitar in years,” Mark says. “Music was just something I used to do. The keyboard gave me a new language—it wasn’t tied to the pressure or expectations of the past. Suddenly, I couldn’t stop writing.”

That spark led to nearly 100 songs in a year. Dozens of those demos he sent to longtime collaborator and friend, Derek Harlow. “I sent him a bunch of songs just to see what he thought,” Mark laughs. “After 20 or 30 songs I must have had one that was good enough to catch his interest in maybe doing something together.”

That something is Neon Arrival—a bold, emotionally rich acoustic-rock duo whose debut single “Burn the Ships” is already turning heads. Equal parts stadium anthem and open mic showcase, the track is a polished, genre-bending statement of intent.

Produced by Max Greene (who also provides drums on the track) of Helvig Productions, the single showcases the duo’s signature blend of ’90s alt-rock warmth, singer-songwriter honesty, and live-show energy that harkens back to their roots.

“We wanted something that could live on multiple genre playlists,” Derek says. “Burn the Ships has this versatility—it could be interpreted in so many different ways depending on the arrangement. That openness really speaks to how we’re approaching the whole project.”

Mark adds: “The phrase burn the ships is something I say to my powerlifting clients—it means you’re all in, no turning back. When writing this song it became a perfect metaphor for a relationship where you have to fully commit. That tension shows up a lot in our songs.”

A new chapter in a long history
Fans of the mid-2000s indie scene might recognize Mark and Derek from their earlier project, Leaving Neon, a high-energy pop-rock band that earned regional acclaim with its 2009 EP All Those Things You Thought You Wanted and continued with 2014 full-length Seeing Lights.

While the band shared songwriting duties, it was really Harlow who led the charge. He wrote all of Seeing Lights and played every instrument on the album except for the song “Sway,” which he co-wrote with Mark.

“Leaving Neon started as a collab that really turned into Derek’s creative vision,” Mark reflects. “I remain extremely proud of the work we did as Leaving Neon. Derek was in top superstar form and we were tight. Then life got ‘lifey‘ and that chapter was done.”

Fast forward more than a decade….

“Once I sat down at the piano, I wanted to sink my teeth back into songwriting and find my own voice again. It had been maybe 12 years since I wrote a song. This time, I wondered: Can I actually sing? Can I stop caring so much about what people think? Can I be vulnerable with my voice and somehow convince people I’ve always done this? I took voice lessons, hit open mics and that’s where things started to take off with Derek.”

Now, the dynamic is evolving. Both bring ideas to the table, creating a fresh mix of perspectives and styles. “”We get together twice a week now,” Derek confirms. “It’s a real collaboration and fun to work on harmonies and a new creative conversation between us.”

More than nostalgia — a reinvention
“The biggest difference now is life,” Mark explains. “Back then, we sang about the future, doubts and insecurities. Now, we write from experience—a song about a specific day, a hard choice, a real conversation. Hopefully there’s a sense of life lived behind it.”

Derek agrees: “Writing music at this stage is grounding. We’re not forcing it or trying to fit in a box or direction—we’re having fun and just pumping out stuff that excites us.”

With Mark stepping into the frontman role and leading the lyrical direction, and Derek anchoring arrangements with his melodic instincts and keen sense of pacing and harmony, the duo operates at full creative power. Their sound draws from alt-rock giants like Goo Goo Dolls, Collective Soul, and Matchbox 20, while embracing the energy and joy of classic performers like KISS, Prince, or more relatable like Guster.

A sound in motion
Currently, their live show is a two-man acoustic performance, but fans can expect the full band treatment soon. “We’ve got drums and bass on the record,” Derek says. “Our goal is to bring that same depth live. We’re slowly building that sound.”

With over 25 original songs in rotation and more being written, a debut album is already taking shape. “There’s a lot we want to say,” Mark notes. “We’re figuring out how to bring it all to life, one song at a time.”

While the music speaks for itself, the name says a lot too. Neon Arrival isn’t just a throwback to Leaving Neon—it’s a mirror, a continuation, and a statement. “There’s something poetic about the symmetry,” Mark says. “Back then we were ‘leaving’ something. Now we’re arriving.”

Derek reflects: “We’ve always had a creative connection. It’s rare to find someone you create with over decades. This project feels like a return to that foundation—but with the wisdom of who we’ve become.”

Turn it up—and burn it down. Neon has arrived.