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Plays: 4221
Views: 8714 |
Formed: 1962
Official Site:
iSound Site: www.isound.com/christopher_max
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Christopher Max has often been compared to some of the greatest artists in modern rock history, yet he delivers his music with a style and impact that is profoundly original.
Leaving all comparisons aside, it is worth noting that he has actually worked with many #1 |
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Christopher Max has often been compared to some of the greatest artists in modern rock history, yet he delivers his music with a style and impact that is profoundly original.
Leaving all comparisons aside, it is worth noting that he has actually worked with many #1 Rock and Pop recording artists, either as a session vocalist, a songwriter, a producer and/or musician, constantly being sought after for his formidible musical prowess.
This A-level list of #1 performers that Christopher Max has worked with includes:
*) Slash (Guns and Roses, and Velvet Revolver)
*) Simon LeBon and John Taylor (Duran Duran)
*) Michael Jackson
*) Prince
*) Lenny Kravitz
*) Whitney Houston
*) Diana Ross (Workin' Overtime CD w/Nile Rodgers)
*) Steve Winwood (Japan tour)
*) Martika ("A Magical Place"-duet with her on the "Martika's Kitchen" CD)
In his own words:
"My music is like a living, throbbing, intense, color-filled, deep light-experience that I can actually feel, and almost see and touch from the inside. And it often, usually on a daily basis explodes into my mind in random formations, anywhere from high-voltage Rock and Roll songs to Acoustic Pop ballads and deep Classical movements, and many times I literally do not know where they came from."
Born May 1st, 1962 in Hollywood, California, Christopher's musical heritage is apparantly just as profound as his musical creations.
His father, is none other than world-renowned singer-songwriter and record producer Gene McDaniels, having spent a good deal of time on the Pop music charts in the early 1960's, as well as writing the number one hit "Feel like making love" that such great artists as D'Angelo have recorded (check his current "Voodoo" CD) and many others keep recording to this day.
..."My Dad was and always will be a tremendous inspiration to me"... Christopher says. "He got me my 1st real drumkit when I was 9 years old, and put me on his recording sessions in L.A. singing back-ups when I was only 11. Most Dads wouldn't dare risk that, but he did."
After leaving home-(Seattle Washington, of fabled Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain folklore where he grew up with his mother Wanda and brother London from age 7)-at the tender age of 16, Christopher spent a year studying at Berklee college of music in Boston, where his brother London (a great genius of a guitarist himself) was enrolled at the time.
After reaching near-virtuoso status as a young drummer, Christopher went on to study piano, electric bass, and then later the electric and acoustic guitar, which would eventually become his primary instrument next to his unmistakably beautiful, strong and passionate singing voice.
Moving from Boston back to Hollywood in the early 80's where his father Gene was living at the time, he formed the group "Carerra" (Warner Bros.), later changing the band's name to "World Citizenz" (Manhattan/Capitol) with his older brother London McDaniel, and former band mate Phil Roy.
After the group's break-up in 1987, Christopher had a chance run-in with Super Producer Nile Rodgers on L.A.'s chic (no pun intended) Melrose avenue.
"Aside from being one of the major reasons that I moved to New York City, Nile Rodgers was already one of my greatest musical heroes, having produced some of the biggest selling records in music history, and I had the great fortune to have him produce my debut album with me for EMI while I was simultaneously signed as a songwriter to Sony Music Publishing."
At this stage in his career, Christopher was making what he would term "Electro-Funk-Pop", characteristic of the late 80's-early 90's music scene, performing for millions of television viewers upon the release of his 1st album.
..."I did it as a way to get on the charts, and it worked. But it slowly dawned on me that I had sacrificed the Rocker and deep music composer in myself to satisfy the commercial powers that be at the record label at the time"...he quotes.
When the realization that his true musical integrity had been submerged in the fleeting interests of the R and B music industry, having a flair for churning out one copycat artist after another with no real concern for career longevity or musical originality, Christopher did next what to him came most naturally.
"I grew my hair, moved to Woodstock and started writing heavy duty Psychedelic Rock music, much more in line with the influences that I grew up listening to as a kid like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, and incorporating the production skills I had learned from working with Nile Rodgers."
With Woodstock being what he now considers his spiritual home, Christopher has remained 100% faithful to his singing, his songwriting, his guitar playing and to his deep Rock and Roll roots to this day, and continues to write, record and rehearse continuously with his new, ready-for-touring band (TheMaxGroup-see band member info), but currently resides in the great European city of Amsterdam, land of the infamous "Red Light District" and the ever present psychedelic "coffee" shop.
"Amsterdam's a truly great and inspiring environment for me to hang out in as far as writing songs goes, as also Woodstock, NYC and London, England are", Christopher says. "But my reasons for coming here are personal. It wasn't a career move".
No stranger to the ongoing drama of life, Christopher Max has taken the good with the bad in every circumstance, and has made it all work to his personal musical advantage, whilst unceasingly helping to keep the flame of the 1960's Peace/Love movement alive, which are both the defining marks of a spiritual Freedom Fighter and a true musical genius.
Christopher Max.
Peace, Love, and Rock and Roll.
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