Mark Spicoluk

Mark Spicoluk is a Canadian content creator, yoga instructor, musician, podcaster, and entrepreneur.

He is best known as co-creator and yoga teacher for the lifestyle brand Boho Beautiful, his time as bass player with Avril Lavigne, and as the vocalist and bassist for the punk rock band Closet Monster.

In 2014, Mark and Juliana Spicoluk (née Semenova, born May 16, 1990 in Siberia Russia, raised in Ukraine) started a YouTube channel known as Boho Beautiful, when Mark became injured while snowboarding and decided to take up yoga for his recovery.

The channel has content that focuses on the tranquility of the mind and body.

Topics include yoga, fitness, pilates, guided meditation, a vegan diet, and self-awareness.

Spicoluk sang and played lead guitar in his first band, Public Display, formed with high school friends in 1995 under the name Special Ed.

The band played shows all over Ontario, releasing a self-titled CD in 1996.

Spicoluk founded and played bass for the band Closet Monster from 1997 until their last show in December 2005, and established the indie punk rock label Underground Operations in 1995.

After the band parted ways in 1997, Spicoluk joined Sum 41 to play bass before leaving to form Closet Monster with another former Sum 41 member Jon Marshall.

Spicoluk was the bassist and vocalist for the political punk band Closet Monster during its entire existence from 1997 to 2005.

Over the course of 7 albums and countless tours of North America and Europe, Spicoluk also co-wrote every song and co-produced every release.

Closet Monster's lyrics focused on political and social issues such as human rights violations, gender equality, anti-capitalism, and strongly supported animal rights.

In the winter of 2002 Spicoluk began playing bass for Avril Lavigne and helped prepare the launch of her first album "Let Go."

Early in 2002, Spicoluk was hired to play bass in Avril Lavigne's band as well as help prepare the launch of her first album, Let Go.

Appearing on TV shows such as Good Morning America, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, and in stadiums all around the world.

He was also featured in the videos for the songs "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi".

Spicoluk later left the band to focus on Closet Monster and Underground Operations.

Spicoluk founded Underground Operations to put out releases by his own bands, in hopes that one day they could also release other bands they knew.

Originally called Underground Monkey Operations, the label released albums by Public Display and Closet Monster before becoming Underground Operations in 2002.

Originally releasing albums by Toronto bands Hostage Life, Bombs Over Providence, and Marilyn's Vitamins, as well as the first of many records by Protest the Hero.

From 2007 until 2012 he was an A&R Representative, eventually becoming Head of A&R for Universal Music Canada as well as a personal A&R for Gene Simmons at Simmons Records.

He has production credits on albums by Protest the Hero, Abandon All Ships and many others.

Most recently Spicoluk has co-founded a new entertainment business service company called Cloud Empire.

By 2007 the label had released albums by The Brat Attack, Dead Letter Dept., I Hate Sally, and These Silhouettes.

Spicoluk appeared for two seasons on MuchMusic's reality show Disband from 2009 to 2011, and then judged on YTV's The Next Star for its last three seasons.

Spicoluk is a vegan, and has publicly supported and worked with several animals rights groups in Toronto, including Toronto Pig Save, Peta2 and Mercy for Animals.

He has also appeared in a public service announcement for Finding Fido, and has hosted parties for Fuck Cancer, a Montreal-based organization devoted to cancer research.

The band reunited for one show in 2009 at Wakestock festival in Wasaga Beach, Ontario.

From 2012 to 2015 he appeared as a judge on YTV's The Next Star.

He is also known as the founder of the indie record label Underground Operations, and his production credits on albums by artists such as Protest the Hero, Abandon All Ships, Stereos and DVBBS.

Along with his musical and business accomplishments, he is also a strong animal rights and social justice advocate.

Boho Beautiful held a tour in 2017, during which the Spicoluks taught yoga classes and met with the channel's community across North America.

In 2017, Mark and Juliana Spicoluk also published their first book, The Happy Healthy Plant-Based Eating Guide.

In 2020, Boho Beautiful published its second book.

Boho Beautiful also has content about veganism and meditation topics.

Boho Beautiful had over 2 million subscribers on YouTube and was the third-most followed channel in the yoga category.

Their videos have been mentioned in Prevention magazine, Vogue Australia, Cosmopolitan, The South African, Men's Journal, Shape Magazine, and AsiaOne.

Spicoluk is currently the co-host of the podcast stars+destruct.

with his wife Juliana Spicoluk.

The podcast has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from over 4000 listeners on Spotify, and has had guests such as Teal Swan, Chris Williamson, actor Adrien Grenier, Ricki Lake, Vandana Shiva, Aubrey Marcus, Mei-Lan, film-maker Kip Anderson, & Shunyamurti.