Born and raised in Queens, New York, US, Malin was surrounded by the burgeoning punk and hardcore scene, fronting the hardcore act, Heart Attack, in his teens before moving to D Generation in 1990. The band quickly became one of New York's popular acts on the punk scene, standing out with their glam-punk appearance and sound. They released three successful albums before disbanding in 1999, having toured across the US and Europe and becoming household names.
Malin moved from these punk origins towards a new sound influenced by his love for Neil Young, Tom Waits, Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen, impressing Ryan Adams in the process. Adams offered to produce Malin's debut, with the pair recording his 2001 debut album, "The FIne Art of Self Destruction" in only six days. The single, "Queen of the Underworld" was a success in the UK, with Malin having to wait two years before his album saw release in the US.
His follow-up, "The Heat," arrived in 2004, after which Malin embarked on extensive touring in both the UK and the US. His next record, "Glitter in the Gutter" saw guest appearances from Bruce Springsteen and Jakob Dylan, released in March 2007 on Adeline Records. A live recorded album, "Mercury Retrogade," followed in 2008, capturing the intensity of a live performance.
The same year, Malin recorded a collection of imaginative covers with "On Your Sleeve," tackling songs by the Bad Brains, the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, amongst others. Expanding his sound through the creation of his band, St. Mark's Social, Malin brought forth a new record in 2010, titled "Love It To Life." Since the release, Malin reunited with members from D Generation in 2011, embarking on a number of tour dates, reigniting passion in the band.