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The Great Shakes
Max illuminates on being a substandard thespian and the boredom of Homebase carparks.
What motivates you to make music?
The Beatles, the fairer sex, tea, horrendous music
What three aspects or parts of your latest release (single or album) are you most proud of?
The strength of the songs. If our songs worked out, I reckon they’d bench press at least 150kilos. There’s a lot I think we’re collectively proud of. The direction, the production and the manner in which we recorded the tracks. Russ Keffert or ‘The Junk Scientist’ is quite the producer. He’s also quite the acrobat.
If time and money were no issue, how long do you think it would take you to make the perfect album?
Fifteen days, one hour, three minutes and one second
What do you enjoy doing away from music?
I enjoy partying at the most expensive clubs that play the most expensive music, sell the most expensive drinks and I always get a taxi home. Back in the real world I enjoy the lost art of reading literature and have also been become rather gripped to ‘Waking The Dead’.
Which song or piece of music other than your own draws the strongest emotional response from you?
Any Rufus Wainwright. ‘Go or Go Ahead’ is an astonishing piece of music. Infact anything from the ‘Want One’ record.
Outside of recording and playing music, which part of the musician’s life do you find the most dull?
Sitting in a Homebase car park for hours and hours looking after a van load of equipment and waiting for soundcheck is pretty dull. Having said that, my mate just got off tour and had all his gear transported and then setup onstage for him. Such luxuries.
Which instrument do you wish you could play and why?
I’d love to be able to play the piano because it’s the piano. I wish I’d been forced to have lessons.
Apart from music are there any other art forms you relate to?
I was a fairly substandard thespian. Both my parents and my sister are brilliantly brilliant at art, my sister particularly so. It’s embarrassing how incompetent I am at drawing, painting etc. I can barely write my own name.
What role do you believe music plays in the world and how do you help to fulfill it?
There’s possibly not a role music doesn’t play. It’s become so ubiquitous, especially at this moment in time with the digitalisation of music and because it’s everywhere music doesn’t seem to have that special status it once had. There’s no doubt music’s cheapened. Anyone can program a beat, layer it to death and call it music.
With the rise of the internet fans are able to become closer to and know more about their artists. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
There’s not the mystique around bands and artists that there once was. Nothing’s allowed to the imagination.
How do you think music will be distributed, exchanged or sold in 5 years time?
To be honest I think it’ll be quite similar to what it is now. There’s always going to be a demand for the physical format. There certainly is whilst I’m about. I must make up a good 50% of vinyls sold in the UK. There’s no romance when it comes to buying music. There’s no romance in buying anything anymore. The internet’s great and evidently it’s grown to be a vast necessity but it’s made us a touch lazy. I quite enjoy leaving my house once in a while.
If you could rename your band, what would it be?
The Smiths? The Killers is a great band name. Surprised it hadn’t been used before.
Looking back on the last century, which decade had the best music?
I would say the sixties because of a small band called The Beatles, but there was also a lot of rubbish. The nineties did produce Blur though.
In 10 years time, what will you be doing?
Something far, far away.
Please leave us with your favourite lyric, line of poetry, quote or phrase.
‘I never really understood the criticism of Ringo’s drumming’ - George Martin
And
‘I think quotes are very dangerous things’ - Kate Bush
Check out the band over at their myspace page www.myspace.com/thegreatshakesmusic
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