The official Max Webster thread

[TheH]

Too bad Live Magnetic Air isn't on CD!

It is, just OOP and somewhat hard to find. Maybe it will be rereleased by Rock Candy.

[mozo-pg]

It is, just OOP and somewhat hard to find. Maybe it will be rereleased by Rock Candy.

Of course when you have an OOP, you wanted the CD 3X's more!

[Yves]

Man, growing up in the Toronto area I saw that video about 600 times.

Indeed! I guess that goes to show the difference in his popularity between Canada and the USA.

[Mike D]

I'm glad I got a chance to see the Max Machine on the 'Million Vacations' tour in Sydney, Nova Scotia when I was a kid. I could tell they were dismayed at the woefully small turn out, but they rocked it up anyway. They were a great live band. I love the 'Universal Juveniles' album. Even though the line up was changing, as was the band sound, it's still got some great tunes and playing on it.

[mozo-pg]

I'm not a big fan of Universal Juveniles or Million Vacations. Too stripped down, lack of creativity, and no real prog flourishes. Squareheads, Mutiny, and High Classed are the real Max.

[Birdy]

I'm not a big fan of Universal Juveniles or Million Vacations. Too stripped down, lack of creativity, and no real prog flourishes. Squareheads, Mutiny, and High Classed are the real Max.

Agreed. Some good tracks on each but the first 3 are the tops!

[Finch Platte]

Still waiting to hear from someone who might like to do a little trading...nudge, nudge, wink wink.

[Chuck AzEee!]

I received the Max Webster book today. I bought it for myself but decided to give it to a friend. So, I just bought the book again.

Max Webster is my favourite Canadian band (more so than Rush).

Same here Greg. And don't get me wrong, I love Rush, but Max Webster was too awesome!

[JKL2000]

I didn't even know what Max Webster was - I just remembered they had something to do with Rush.

[mozo-pg]

Same here Greg. And don't get me wrong, I love Rush, but Max Webster was too awesome!

Cool Chuck! Happy Holidays.

I'm about half way through Live Magentic Air (Max Webster book). The author is prone to major hyperbole, such as, Max Webster is the best band in the world!! I would say once you get into the book it's much more interesting with lots of research and interviews with people connected with the band.

[ytserush]

Didn't even know there WAS a Max Webster book (Have to look into that.)

I have Live Magnetic Air on CD. Didn't realize it was out of print.

[Nightingalesandbombers]

I'm always blown away by the incredible sound of the power chords during the "Standing in a line with angels" part of "Drive and Desire." Universal Juveniles gets dissed a lot, but I think it's a terrific guitar album, from the killer runs in "In the World of Giants," to the best backward solo ever in "April in Toledo." It's probably impossible to turn this album up too much on your stereo.

Wore out the vinyl on that one. Thank God for cds!

[Trane]

Wore out the vinyl on that one. Thank God for cds!

that's sig-worthy

'except for the god part... what's he got too do with that??

[Pekka]

Kim's guitar sound and McCracken's drums really get me with their recordings, and Universal Juveniles is a great record, the sound was prefect even if it had a kind of Kim Mitchell solo album thing going on, wasn't Terry Watkins out of the band by then, IIRC they included some new talent on keys for that record. Chuckers is a great tune, as is Blue River Liquor Shine, and don't forget their big "Hit' Battle Scar. Seems the die hard fans found "A Million Vacations" a hard one to like, but again, some great songs on that as well, Max always had stellar production on their albums, since High Class in Borrowed Shoes.

They had Dave Stone and Doug Riley playing keys on "Universal Juvelines" and Stone was also in the live line-up for a while. Dave Myles and Dave Stone left before the album release IIRC (from the book, too lazy to check now...) and were replaced by Gregg Chadd (ex-Saga) on keys and Mike Gingrich on a 5-string Alembic bass plus they added a second guitarist, ex-Wireless Steve McMurray. Chadd didn't last long and was replaced by a returning Terry Watkinson, the most underrated (or just unknown) keyboard man in rock. This lineup lasted to 1981 until Kim had enough and went home.

Dave Myles had a great bass sound especially on the last two albums and while some prefer Mike Tilka to me Dave was the best bassist in Max.

[JKL2000]

that's sig-worthy

'except for the god part... what's he got too do with that??

HE developed the Red Book standard.