MR MAX’S MESSAGE
by T Max
Happy New Year to all my friends. Now that The Noise has settled into its online-only identity, I, T Max (publisher of The Noise) will add something new for 2017. I will start using this column, MR. MAX’S MESSAGE, to let you know what I am up to. I’ll also include info about the people who are nearest and dearest to my heart – my talented friends.
First a little history… Not every knows that The Noise started in September 1981 as an independent media source committed to covering the Greater Boston area’s music scene. Since then we’ve expanded to include all of New England. But there was another motivation for the founders of the magazine. In each issue one page was devoted to The Machines, Teddy Virgin (RIP), Bobby Combs (whereabouts unknown), and me, T Max, because our blood sweat and tears were on every page – we did everything.
I knew how to do layout (we’re talking old fashioned cut and paste). When layout was complete, the master sheets would go to Teddy Virgin. Teddy printed up the early issues at his work. He’d print 1,000 copies of page one on Monday. On Tuesday he’d do page two… until Friday when five pages, 1,000 copies of each would be ready for the next step. And that step was made into a fun collating pizza party. The pages would get stapled together. When the pizza was done, there would be 1,000 copies of The Noise waiting to be delivered to the clubs and music related businesses around Boston.
In the first issue, on the front page, I wrote a short introduction (using the name Clark K, editor). I also penned the first story (using my own name) about the opening of a new club in Alston – Streets, managed by Digney Fignus. In the story I basically dropped the name of every musician I knew who attended the opening night of the club. Other contributors in that first issue included Dave McGrath from the band Metropolis (writing about 2 Million B.C. and Last Sacrifice) and Bev Bond from Zodio Doze writing a column called Who Are the Girls (about the female players in the scene). I penned two other stories in the first issue: Nash the Slash (a one-man band from Canada* who looked like the Invisible Man) and The Gluons (from New Bedford). Topping off the issue was the first gossip column by the Flange sisters, Rita and Lolita. No one knew the identity of these two gals who weren’t afraid to speak their minds. Okay, I wrote that column too, but kept it a secret until now. Because I no longer write the column. A.J. Wachtel took the place of Rita & Lolita in 2016.
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Jumping to the present – I recently finished my latest full-length recording project, Hole In My Shoe, recorded with Greg Dann at Rockpile Recording. I’ll be getting it to the local radio stations, so please request it. You can buy a CD directly from me ($12 to T Maxwell, 40R Highland Ave #219, Salem MA 01970) or listen and buy digital tracks at https://tmax2.bandcamp.com. This is the 16th release on Dove Records, and my most developed solo album ever. Follow me on www.facebook.com/tee.max.3 if you really want to get to know my creative side.
Next month I promise to talk more about my talented friends…
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* Yes, Nash the Slash was from Canada – what was he doing in The Noise? This was what I thought would be the installment of a columns titled “Visitor” – an act visiting the Boston area, but I quickly found out the idea was unnecessary, there was so much happening by Boston-based musicians.