[2] Mark Weiss grew up in a middle-class family in Matawan, New Jersey, where his mother worked in public relations and his father was a door-to-door salesman.
He played an active role in creating the visual imagery of heavy metal and glam rock, as these styles of music began to gain radio airplay, eventually topping the charts and packing stadiums worldwide.
Weiss became tour photographer for numerous artists of the era, including Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Poison, Metallica, Twisted Sister and others.
Upon discovering him through recommendation from Dave "face" Feld, Weiss gave Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne a tape recording and photograph of Wylde.
As a family friend of the Osbournes, and trusted long-time photographer of Ozzy, Weiss recommended the then teen-aged Wylde to take the lead guitarist role recently vacated by Jake E. Lee.