MAXmas

Christmas albums can often be a fairly staid affair, usually a little too willing to play it safe and mostly too reverent to have much fun. The new “Madison Area Christmas Compilation” (nicknamed “M.A.XMas”), however, isn’t afraid to grab Santa by his jollies and roast his chestnuts on an open fire. With bands running the gamut from rap to punk to metal, they’re fully embracing a hard rock holiday where nothing is sacred.

Madison rockers Jeremy Gehler and Jon Kussow of Kuhler Music (whose title is a mashup of their names) were hanging out talking about the Ringo Starr Christmas Album Gehler had just obtained (a kitsch purchase that he’s brave to admit in the first place!) when they realized that the Madison needs one too and definitely in 2010.

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Butch Vig

A Wisconsin native who made his name producing records for bands that would come to define the alternative movement in the 90’s with Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins and then came to know rock success as the drummer and producer of multi-platinum artist, Garbage, Butch Vig is known as a sonic virtuoso who makes some of the best sounding rock music around. Playing in Madison bands through the 70’s and 80’s and founding Smart Studios, Butch has as of late relocated to the sunnier climes of California and started a family, but that hasn’t slowed him down. After recently producing records by The Subways and Against Me! his latest project is GREEN DAY’s newest album, 21st Century Breakdown.

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VO5

To call VO5 a band may be slightly misleading; born four years ago, the nine-member collective is comprised of playwrights, engineers, film-makers, a firefighter and a doctor with musical resumes from Cherry Pop Burlesque to Swim Team and the Merkins. More than dance floor sequins and day-glo flares, VO5’s nostalgia is dipped in twenty-first century irony, their cheesy chic a release valve from reality. Strong with the power of the boogie, amateur ornithologist and band guitarist John Feith says, the band “simply aims to make people dance.”  Vocalist Kelly Murphy says, “Come down to a show and see for yourself.”

MAXIMUM INK: How did the band name come about?
Kelly : We are called VO5 because the world wasn’t quite ready for Nanopussy. 
John: We do still own www.nanopussy.us (try it, type it in…) if anybody is interested in renting that name for a high fee, along with www.boobatron.com
Kelly: The name also serves to call attention to our full, lustrous heads of hair. 

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Max Ward

It has been 15 years since Max Ward’s own voice fell silent, but his passion lives on thru those he taught, befriended, and whose lives he touched.  Max did not live or teach by the boundaries of a certain genre, age, or musical taste and it showed by the diverse and talented performers that are grateful to have worked with him. Some of the names and groups on his roster include Willy Porter, Bradley Fish, Bob Westfall, Juli Hinds (Magic 98), Common Faces (Asa), Reptile Palace Orchestra (Anna), Rok Sally and Mission Blue (Dan and Mike), Jerry Pero (Bounty Hunter Music), and more. From the spoken word, to gospel, to country, to hard rock, Max found a way to connect to all people and improve their potential and performance.

When asked about Max, Willy Porter said, “He was easily one of the greatest teachers I have ever come across in any discipline. He was able to focus immediately on what I was doing well, and help me find more range, depth of tone and dynamic range without straining physically. He talked about how the character of the singer’s voice defines the meaning of the lyric and thus the song— simple stuff, yet infinitely Zen. He taught me things I’ll work on for the rest of my life. I miss him very much.”  Willy’s comments are a true testament to Max’s ability to hold the line on the classical and technical elements of singing, but harvest the unique character within each voice.

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Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo

Prepare for the next wave of dizzying rattle of drums and intoxicating hum of blues guitars.

A mystical hoodoo spell drifts among Midwest bars and clubs; one of funk, blues and rock and roll. AARON WILLIAMS AND THE HOODOO, born of the Madison blues scene, plan to keep it that way with shows around Wisconsin (including a stop at Maximum Ink’s 13th anniversary party March 20) and the rest of the Midwest.

“We like to say that we lack subtleness,” says Williams, of the band’s blues-rock music.  “I think it’s the idea of just going balls to the wall. A lot of bands out there are a little more laid back, especially in our field of music, and we really go at it from start to end of our shows and we keep up that high energy.”

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