rtbuck
Senior Member
On May 21,1980 I went to see Rush in concert at Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium. Rush put on a spectacular show that is etched in my mind forever as they toured supporting their Permanent Waves album. However this isn't a thread about Rush,who wasn't the only band playing that night at the Aud.Opening the show was Max Webster who I hadn't heard of & they were incredible. I remember being both amazed & a bit confused seeing singer/ guitarist Kim Mitchell kicking ass on guitar while playing in a nightgown. I have since became a huge fan of the band & would love to revisit that show just to see what tunes were played.The only song I knew they played that night was "Beyond the Moon" from the Mutiny Up My Sleeve record & the reason I knew that was because of Kim's introduction.He had a very strange way of introducing songs because when introducing a song he would basically say the first verse of a song for the title.Anyway,the Reason that song stood out was because he introduced the tune by saying something to the effect of "This one's called "Cocaine Colored Computer Cards Coding Cosmic Zipper Skies...". The words "Cocaine Colored Computer Cards" just stood out so strange to me. When I bought 'Mutiny Up My Sleeve' shortly after the show there were those words again on the lyric sheet & the song title was "Beyond the Moon" which is an awesome spacey/progressive/Hard Rock sound with a cool solo at the end. "Beyond the Moon" isn't the only great song on the album Mutiny mixes the Hard Rock edge with a Progressive almost jazz sound especially on "Distressed".The lead off song on the album is one of those feel good type of songs & it's called "Lip Service" but the real highlight of the album is my favorite Max Webster tune "The Party" which deals with getting crazy & wreckless with groupies that are into concert blisters & leather boots. It's a chaotic hard rock tune with an incredible earspliting riff at the end. I found out from Billy Sheehan a few years ago that he actually played uncredited bass on the album as Max Webster was in between bass players at the time.
Max Webster's sound & style is progressive hard rock with some of the strangest lyrics written, by band lyricist Pye Dubois.The band started out in 1973 in Sarnia, Ontario with Kim Mitchell(guitar & vocals),Mike Tilka(bass), Terry Watkinson(Keyboards), Paul Kersey(drums), & Pye Dubois(band lyricist).
Gary McKracken became the regular drummer for the band shortly after the release of their debut album & later Dave Myles took over bass after their sophmore release.The band stayed together until about 1981 & released 5 studio albums(Max Webster,High Class in Borrowed Shoes,Mutiny Up My Sleeve,a Million Vacations,& Universal Juvenilles) & one Live album(Live Magnetic Air). I couldn't tell you what the best album is because every album has some classic songs on them so I would recommend this to give a try & then go for the individual albums(The 'Live Magnetic Air' album is great):
One of the bands main highlights is on the Universal Juvenilles album on a song called "Battlescar" where Max Webster joined forces with Rush
"Paradise Skies" became a classic on Canadian radio
Here's my favorite..."The Party"
After the band split Kim Mitchell became a solo artist & did pretty well in Canada having several hits & FM radio staples including "Go For a Soda","Patio Lanterns", "Lager & Ale","Rocklandwonderland","That's the Hold" "I am a Wild Party", & the beautiful "All We Are" which Mitchell & his longtime bass player Peter Fredette do an amazing job. Mitchell is still touring, recording, & also is a DJ on Q107.1FM. His most recent cd 'Ain't Life Amazing" from 2007 is probably his heaviest & loudest solo album & he does a rocking cover of Spirit's "I Got a Line on You"
Bucky
Max Webster's sound & style is progressive hard rock with some of the strangest lyrics written, by band lyricist Pye Dubois.The band started out in 1973 in Sarnia, Ontario with Kim Mitchell(guitar & vocals),Mike Tilka(bass), Terry Watkinson(Keyboards), Paul Kersey(drums), & Pye Dubois(band lyricist).
Gary McKracken became the regular drummer for the band shortly after the release of their debut album & later Dave Myles took over bass after their sophmore release.The band stayed together until about 1981 & released 5 studio albums(Max Webster,High Class in Borrowed Shoes,Mutiny Up My Sleeve,a Million Vacations,& Universal Juvenilles) & one Live album(Live Magnetic Air). I couldn't tell you what the best album is because every album has some classic songs on them so I would recommend this to give a try & then go for the individual albums(The 'Live Magnetic Air' album is great):
One of the bands main highlights is on the Universal Juvenilles album on a song called "Battlescar" where Max Webster joined forces with Rush
"Paradise Skies" became a classic on Canadian radio
Here's my favorite..."The Party"
After the band split Kim Mitchell became a solo artist & did pretty well in Canada having several hits & FM radio staples including "Go For a Soda","Patio Lanterns", "Lager & Ale","Rocklandwonderland","That's the Hold" "I am a Wild Party", & the beautiful "All We Are" which Mitchell & his longtime bass player Peter Fredette do an amazing job. Mitchell is still touring, recording, & also is a DJ on Q107.1FM. His most recent cd 'Ain't Life Amazing" from 2007 is probably his heaviest & loudest solo album & he does a rocking cover of Spirit's "I Got a Line on You"
Bucky
