PIPPA RUSSELL INTERVIEW MAXX SILVER - maxxsilvermusic.com

The notoriously camera shy Maxx greets me with a shake of the hand and a quiet hello.   Not what you would expect, given the noise and vibrancy of his dance and pop creations. But that is probably the point, there is a contradiction with Maxx.  Responsible for one of the best, but untrumpeted electronic albums of 2012, the epic "Silverado" (the title track is liquid elixir, combined with a dance beat) he should actually have a lot to say.

So Maxx,  tell us about the release of the new single version of "Sienna Miller".

"Well", says Maxx, "that was not going to be a single, but it was the best selling of my songs last year, even in its 6 and a half minute version, so we made a video travelogue in London to back up the song which has just been released on You Tube in edited format"

I heard you got in some trouble whilst doing the video

"Yeah!  This bloke didn't like me videoing in this part of Soho, I wasn't taking photos of the strippers so don't know why!"

Its a good video, but I have always been puzzled about what the song is about.  I hear that it isn't about the actress Sienna Miller...

"Everything I do is based upon contradictions. I find them inspiring to me. The song itself is about how men judge women by appearances. I am a big fan of Sienna,  as a person and an actress, and her involvement in the song is nothing other than respectful.  I needed a metaphor for the song - to compare something good, or beautiful,  with something that looks beautiful but is dangerous."

Turning to the first of two new albums for 2013 "Shades of Silver" tell us about the evolving style from "Silverado"

"Its grittier than the first album, largely because of the use of different drum machines and beats that are more hip hop influenced. Again it is 12 tracks with some strong dance instrumentals. Again there are some more personal or indie style songs. The music is more changeable, more dynamic.  There are some good tunes, and I am, mostly, very proud of it, which is good as it took 10 months to make it!"

Red Letter Day is fabulous...it exists on the narrow edge between confidence and doubt. The second album sees you grow as an artist.

"Thanks, its  a song of hope in adversity  really, though its not really commercial, it does connect to me in an emotional way and people seem to like it. Its about hoping for good things to happen in your life, its about dreams and wishes versus reality.

That is quite a theme of the album. "Disconnected" deals with the sense of being different from what you want to be in life, the awareness of beautiful things around you, but not being able to engage in it, to be part of it.  "Melt U" is about wanting someone to fall in love with me,
but the reality is that the woman in the song has an icy heart, and I can't seem
to melt it. "

"Feel the Stars" is the albums highlight - a  7 minute trip into space combined with a terrific song, deep bass synth riff and rhythm voiced by the Tennant-ish like tones of Mr Silver. Other highlights are the guitar in "Ways and Means", the bouncy "Disconnected" and similar "Shades of Silver" the song "Scammer Scammer Scammer".  

The subject matter veers from celebration, there is some euphoric music here to a sense of not quite fitting in . The musical style Dance, mainly progressive house- to Electro - Indie.  Instead of confusing think entertaining though - unless its just beats that you want. Its all quite deep for a dance centric album, he prefers to refer to his music  as "Electronic Landscapes"  Actual lovers of something a little different  will appreciate the twists and turns, it makes it so much more beguiling than the average collection of tracks. This is echoed when seeing him live, an enigmatic and spirited performer, not like his quietly spoken self.

Turning to the second album, (now to be released June 2013) "The Maxx Factor".

"This is a remix / unreleased / single versions album with half an hour of dance instrumentals and dubs followed by 4 single versions. This is pretty much already complete. It is really a "best of" and the mixes are sharper or edited in comparison to the original versions. There is even a chill out track "This Must Be The Cure" to complete nearly an our of sometimes quite passionate music"

From this interviewers point of view, this is the collection of tracks that should get Maxx much better known, you can't argue with the quality of these pieces, and there is a new track "Full of Holes" which is a dark drum and bass instrumental that is both dramatic and very tuneful at the same time.

Then at some point, the album " The Madness of Maxx" - what happens when you run out of puns Maxx?

"I think I am running out of them already!   The Madness is unlikely before 2014, unless I sign with a recording company. I will be promoting all the  music before then, hopefully doing a few gigs.  I basically still have some really good songs to release, perhaps the best ones will be on the fourth album. Then I will take a rest and see if I am inspired by a new direction , or different music."

Might we see "Classical Maxx" or "Sing a longa Maxx" then?

"Ha ha  - you will have to wait and see!"

Whatever it is, you would do well to tune into reports of whatever Maxx is up to.  He is a uniquely original artist, and definitely "one to watch" in 2013.

Interview courtesy of "E-Beats Magazine" Copyright 2013. Interview by Pippa Russell