Mark Ronson

Mark Ronson is a sought-after turntablist who's worked with such diverse artists as Macy Gray, Jay-Z, and comedian Jimmy Fallon.

The stepson of guitarist Mick Jones of Foreigner, Ronson spent the first eight years of his life growing up in England.

Having played guitar and drums from an early age, it wasn't until moving to New York City with his mother that Ronson discovered DJ culture.

At age 16, already a fan of such popular hip-hop artists as Run-D.M.C.

and the Beastie Boys, Ronson began listening to the various hip-hop mixtapes released every few months by DJs.

Inspired, Ronson confiscated his father's record collection and began trying his hand at mixing.

The young DJ with the diverse taste soon caught the ears and eyes of various socialites and New York celebrities, including fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who featured Ronson along with other sons and daughters of celebrities in a 1997 fashion campaign.

A year later, hip-hop mogul Sean "P.

Diddy" Combs hired Ronson to DJ his fabled 29th birthday bash.

These and other high-profile gigs boosted Ronson's "hip quotient" and helped promote his more serious-minded music career.

Fusing his eclectic turntable skills with his knowledge of musical instruments and songwriting, Ronson eventually embarked on his first solo project.

Featuring such diverse guest artists as dancehall rapper Sean Paul, hip-hop artist Mos Def, Jack White of the White Stripes, and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Ronson's debut album, Here Comes the Fuzz, bowed for Elektra in 2003.

After releasing his debut album, Ronson kept busy producing tracks for a number of artists, including Amy Winehouse, whose 2006 album Back to Black earned critical praise in large part for Ronson's throwback, Motown-influenced production.

His own sophomore effort, a collection of cover songs called Version, dropped in 2007.

In 2010, Ronson began performing under the moniker Mark Ronson and the Business Intl and released his third studio album, Record Collection, featuring the single "Bang Bang Bang." ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

Mark Ronson loves taking long-distance flights because he can watch romantic movies and relax.

(BANG) -

Mark Ronson cries at chick flicks.

The 'Bike Song' artist - who grew up splitting his time between New York and London - said he enjoys taking trans-Atlantic flights because it means he can properly relax and watch something he doesn't have to concentrate too hard on.

Explaining why he enjoys long flights, he said "It's seven hours where no one can touch you and no one can reach you. It's such decompression for me. I love watching those c****y Sandra Bullock movies. There was a study recently that said the altitude when you're flying makes you more sensitive, emotionally.

"It must be true because I always cry during those movies when I'm on the plane."

Mark added that he loves the solitary nature of travelling on the plane, and the fact nobody can email or call him.

The 'Stop Me' hitmaker also revealed he recently got rid of his Blackberry mobile communication device so he didn't have to have his life invaded by e-mail.

He added: "Empires were governed where it would take five days to send a letter to the generals at war.

"The world does not end if you don't answer an e-mail in three minutes about whether you're going to wear a plaid shirt on a TV show."

Mark Ronson may quit performing onstage in the next five years, hinting he may focus on being a producer.

(BANG) -

Mark Ronson may quit performing onstage in the next five years.

'The Bike Song' hitmaker said he thinks he's getting too old to keep performing for too much longer and has hinted he will concentrate on producing records above other endeavours in the future.

He said: "I do try to focus on the music and not get caught up in all the other s**t, but... Well, I'm 35. I'm probably in the last five years of performing onstage.

"That's the ideal. To do well enough that you just don't worry about dipping out of the game for a year and having everyone forget you."

He also used Beatles producer George Martin as an example he'd like to live up to.

He added: "I mean George Martin wasn't going around peddling his latest brand of polo shirt. He stayed in the studio and that's why he has a brilliant legacy of music."

Mark - who admits he can be a little neurotic - also said he doesn't feel like he was born to perform onstage.

He added: "I get nervous before I go on stage because I'm not a born performer. I only started playing guitar three years ago and I only started singing, like, yesterday. I do think I throw obstacles in my own

path, and ratchet up the neurosis that way. But there are worse problems to have, I think."

Mark Ronson says he is ready to marry his French actress girlfriend Josephine De La Baume.

(BANG) -

Mark Ronson wants to marry his girlfriend Josephine De La Baume.

The 'Bang, Bang, Bang' hitmaker - who has previously dated British model Daisy Lowe - is ready to spend the rest of his life with the French actress because he wants to "share" everything with her.

He said: "It's not the thought of the wedding - though that's nice.

"It's just the idea of marrying someone you really, really love that you just want to share that with."

The 35-year-old record producer insists he is a good boyfriend, but struggles with the demands of dating a fiery French woman.

He told Grazia magazine: "I think I'm fairly romantic. But then having a French girlfriend automatically sets the bar to a whole new level.

"I'm certainly not perfect. Nobody is. In every great relationship you have two people that really care about each other and, inevitably, they can wind each other up in ways that no one else is capable of.

"That's what love is. I'm not saying it has to be either making love or breaking dishes across the kitchen, but, yeah, I think I'm a pretty good boyfriend."