'Didn't have change and I lost my damn brains, so I started humming In A Gadda Da Vida'
Among all the anniversaries and such over the last few days, one that struck a particular chord with me was the birthday of a particular favourite muso of mine, Kim Mitchell. As so many of us here in the UK, I became aware of Kim as the leader of Canadian Prog Monsters Max Webster, Unique for their brand of brilliantly quirky music, and given a personal thumbs up from me by the media/press/fan confusion over their name.
Supporting Rush on their Hemispheres dates in May '79, they ran around the stage with bags over their heads screaming 'who is this Max Webster?'. Why they never transcended the gulf from support act to top of the pile is a mystery to me. Mebbe too quirky for their own good. Mebbe at the time (in the UK at least) the NWOBHM was stamping over everything.
Hearing Kim suffered a heart problem earlier this year, it brought home to me how much I love and appreciate his music. From the early Max albums right through a stellar solo career, he's always had his eye on the ball and created what he has wanted to. Alongside lyricist and shining light Pye Dubois, he's crafted some wonderful music. And boy can he play that geetar!
If I get the chance I will get myself over to Canada and get to see him live as a solo artist, as he's never made it over here in the intervening 34 years.... Max didn't come over much either, the Hemispheres shows opening for Rush, a TOTP appearance of Paradise Skies (remember seeing it alongside the Tubes and Judas Priest - what an episode!) and 2 Marquee shows. Then in 1981 they opened for Black Sabbath in Leeds???!
But let's go back to Max Webster. Die hard fans love the early stuff, and I play High Class In Borrowed Shoes a lot, but for me my desert island disc has always been Universal Juveniles. From the sleeve with a charging Kim resplendent in a banana yellow catsuit to the genius Rush collaboration 'Battlescar', it ticks all my boxes.
Obscure, funny, deft and musically stunning, from 'In The World Of Giants' to 'Blue Liquor River Shine' it glows and stands up proudly. The track 'Battlescar' is the one they should be remembered for, a fantastic collaboration of two bands, with 2 drummers, in fact two of everything and a great enigmatic widescreen epic by anyone's estimation.
By 1981 they had sadly run their course, 'A Million Vacations' failing to capture a bigger audience.
Solo, Kim released a 4 track self-titled EP and then the brilliant 'Akimbo Alogo', featuring his biggest hit 'Go For Soda'. A massive hit in Canada, it was the following elpees 'Shakin' Like A Human Being' and 'Rockland' that proved to be the biggest commercial successes of his career.
Kim has kept active, love 'Kimosabe', with some tunes that have a strong personal resonance including Stickin My Heart and Blow Me A Kiss. Great times. Usually with sideman Peter Fredette, Kim has produced some fantastic songs, both personal and widescreen. Strange his biggest hit in terms of sales is the country styled 'Easy To Tame'.
For me, Kim and Max (almost like two people not a musician and a group) will always make me smile and have the back catalogue to show their genius. Rock Candy have done a sterling job with Max and Kim reissues too, even though I'm still very attached to the vinyl editions from back in the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment