- 2 months ago
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00:00It's a privilege to be a part of this music scene in Detroit and take that music on the road.
00:05It's just cool to be able to still represent it and still be here.
00:09We're not giving up on this city ever, you know? This is where the magic happens.
00:14Rock, metal, frog, and everything in between.
00:18Welcome to this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.
00:21Don't forget to follow the audio-only Talkin' Rock podcast on all podcast platforms.
00:26And now, it's time for today's conversation. Here's Meltdown.
00:30Man, it's been a couple years since I've seen you guys. Welcome back.
00:34The guys from Max Saturn, good to see you again.
00:37Glad to be back. Thanks for having us. We love you.
00:40You guys played a couple shows recently, correct?
00:43You guys have been out playing some shows here and there. Just smaller venues, though, correct?
00:47Yeah, about 200 to 300 size rooms. And we're definitely having a lot of fun in them.
00:53Yeah. Yeah, we're good to come back.
00:56I'm sorry. Say again, Angelo. I'm sorry.
00:58We just got back from the road. We did about seven or eight shows in the different region.
01:10We went down to Nashville. We did Charlotte. We did the East Coast.
01:14Boston, Brooklyn.
01:16Getting ready to do this region next.
01:20Yeah, St. Andrew's Hall coming up here in just a little bit.
01:22But so I'll just throw this out there at you guys.
01:25How's the state of the band? What's going on?
01:28Well, it's been one hell of a year, year and a half, I'd say.
01:32We've spent a lot of time together.
01:34You know, we've been brought closer as brothers and we've been doing a lot of writing.
01:38We've got a lot of new songs that we're trying out on stage, as well as the songs from Hard to Sell that we still love playing.
01:45And we're just trying to push our sound, push ourselves and push each other to be the best we can be.
01:50And we're excited to bring that back to people.
01:52But it's been quite a year, guys.
01:55Yeah. We've just been, you know, working behind the scenes.
01:59Yeah. Ian, what do you got?
02:00Oh, man. I mean, we've just been writing nonstop, really.
02:06It's been such a terrific period for really being inspired by our audience, really plotting, you know, what we want to come back with,
02:17what kind of, like, direction we want to go come back with.
02:21And we're just super psyched with how it's going so far.
02:26The shows have really given us a really great opportunity to take the temperature on what songs are kind of, you know,
02:38going to be some of our stronger ones and some that we might want to take back into the lab and tinker with a little bit.
02:45But we're just psyched, man.
02:47Mike, you agree?
02:49Yeah, absolutely.
02:50You know, it really helps living with each other.
02:52Yeah.
02:52That's the best part.
02:53I mean, through all this time, we've been able to just live with each other, be best friends,
03:00and write cool songs in the process and go through everything together.
03:04And it's been beautiful.
03:05So to be at this point playing these shows right now, it feels good.
03:09Glad to be here.
03:09It's kind of weird because, you know, there was a time, I think, if I'm not mistaken, correct me if I'm wrong,
03:13were you guys ready to go with something before the pandemic?
03:16Was that right?
03:17Yeah, absolutely.
03:19I was the drummer at the time.
03:22Yeah.
03:22We were ready to go.
03:24And then the pandemic hit and they decided they wanted a new drummer.
03:28And I was distraught and depressed for a while.
03:31But then we picked up Angelo and Mike actually came on at the same point.
03:35So it was kind of a whole change we went through right at the time of the lockdown.
03:40And we spent a year playing together in that way.
03:44And for me to learn to not be a drummer anymore and to sing and dance.
03:48And I got the dancing down before I got the singing down.
03:50But thank God, I forgot the singing part out.
03:53So it's kind of funny because you guys have literally had two.
03:57You guys have had to start from scratch twice now.
04:00Yeah.
04:01Which is kind of crazy to think.
04:03No GMO, no MSG, you know, all scratch stock ingredients, fresh organic stuff.
04:11You know, you cannot fake this.
04:13Yeah.
04:14It's exciting.
04:15I mean, it's an exciting time for us right now.
04:17Like you said, we're playing these 200 size rooms.
04:20People were playing to these crowds that are extremely engaged.
04:24And we get to engage with every single person.
04:28You know, we kind of lost that a little bit in some of the shows when we opened for Dirty Honey and the Struts, obviously at that level.
04:35You know, there's a few people in the back that you can't really make eye contact with.
04:39But on these shows we've been playing, we are connecting with every single person in the club.
04:44And it's an exciting thing for us.
04:46And it really is informing us a lot on the songs that we've been working.
04:50And it's all heading and gearing up towards St. Andrews.
04:55We are, we've got our eyes on that prize and we really want to bring it, you know, that day, November 15th, St. Andrews Hall.
05:01It's my dad's birthday.
05:03There's a lot going on.
05:04We got to kill it.
05:05We got to do it.
05:06So we're excited for that.
05:07And we've got our eyes on that target.
05:09But it's all, it all feels like the first time, but it's also like the first time with all the knowledge that you have.
05:16So we're really excited to take different steps than we did last time when we were kind of at this point.
05:23Yeah.
05:23Well, yeah, you were at this point before.
05:24Now it's time to take that step in a new direction, in a bigger direction, I suppose.
05:28Right.
05:29So you got some stuff.
05:31I was talking with Al Sutton.
05:32First of all, you know, you guys have worked with him for quite a while, haven't you?
05:36Oh my gosh.
05:37Since the start.
05:38That's what I thought.
05:39Yeah.
05:39And I'm just going to say this.
05:41He reaps your guys' praises.
05:42He loves you guys.
05:44He still does.
05:45Just nod to our faces.
05:49But what is it like to work with a guy like that over all these years?
05:53Well, I will say, you know, Al is a big part of it.
05:55But Marlon Young and Herschel Bone, the other two guys, you know, Marlon's definitely in the music world and in the guitar world.
06:03And Herschel, me and Herschel, definitely lock in on the vocals.
06:07And he works with the guys on the backgrounds.
06:09He gets these guys to sound like a 35-piece choir on the background.
06:13It's crazy.
06:13So I would say it's definitely a team effort.
06:17But Al is just so passionate.
06:19And he is so, he's matured so much since we've even started working with him.
06:24And the process that we have with him now, there's so much trust involved and there's such a free communication that he really lets us bring in ideas and see where they lead to.
06:36And, you know, he reaches out to people that he knows and tries to get them involved as well.
06:42I mean, we got a song coming out that we were able to work with Paul Reiser on, legendary Motown string arranger.
06:47So, you know, he's a big advocate for us.
06:49He's put a lot of pieces together.
06:51And we're just thankful that we can be on such a creative level with somebody.
06:56I mean, it's seriously a big part of the whole formula to have the same guys in the band playing together over time.
07:04And then you bring a producer in that's kind of like an extension of the band.
07:08It just takes it to the whole other level.
07:10I mean, he should have a sense of responsibility for the sound because he's definitely played a big part in it.
07:15You know, we love we love it.
07:17We love the sound.
07:18Yeah, that's right.
07:19Marlon and Herschel, you're talking about those guys, obviously schooled musicians.
07:23You know, it's funny because, like, I just celebrated my 30th anniversary here in Detroit.
07:28And it's like when I when I first came here, it was all about the big three.
07:31But then the longer I was here, I'm like, it's all about the music for each of you guys.
07:35When you when you go around to different cities and stuff, how important is it that you're from Detroit?
07:41Ian, I'll start with you.
07:41Oh, man, as a bass player, especially, I mean, it's there's just such a rich history and going around the country and just trying to play my best and keep that that flag held high.
07:57Like, you know, there's a certain responsibility and a certain amount of quality to uphold.
08:04And I take that very, very seriously, man.
08:07And it's it's such a it's a privilege to be a part of this music scene in Detroit and take that music on the road.
08:16Yeah.
08:16Even if you look like you should be in a Cheech and Chong movie.
08:21I'm just giving you a hard time.
08:24Mike, what do you say?
08:25We're so we're so proud of Detroit.
08:27And it's such a cool conversation starter, too, because we are we are repping it as much as we possibly can.
08:33So I think a lot of people have really cool experiences with something that they love from Detroit.
08:40So and we love talking about that.
08:42We were in New Jersey and some dude started talking.
08:46We were getting interviewed and the the host started talking about Rare Earth.
08:51And we got a little tangent on that and we can just go in these wormholes with with people about our big influences that came from you that all held from here.
08:59And it's it's a beautiful thing.
09:01And yeah, we love this city, man.
09:03It's 30 years, though, for you.
09:05That's that's special.
09:06Yeah, it's kind of wild.
09:08Yeah.
09:08But you know what?
09:09Like like as in Detroit, you guys are pretty much a no frills band, just like Detroit.
09:14Trying.
09:15Yeah.
09:16Angelo.
09:16Yeah, I mean, the you know, just the amount of history that has come from here compared to, you know, it seems like anywhere else we go, it's like, you know, when we bring up that we're from Detroit, you know, like Mike said, like everyone's got some kind, you know, some artists that they love that's from Detroit or some kind of, you know, experience going to a concert in Detroit or something, you know, that just seems to set it apart from everywhere else.
09:45You know, even even a music city like Nashville, you know, it's like so many of, you know, our our friends and, you know, other colleagues, musicians that we know, you know, move down Nashville.
09:58And then, you know, it's like there's so there's a there's a lot of Detroit route in that city and in other cities as well.
10:05And it's just cool to be able to still represent it and still be here.
10:09And so, you know, we're we're not giving up on this city ever.
10:13You know, this is this is where it's where the magic happens.
10:17And, you know, we take pride in being able to record here still with Al, you know, just have our whole home base be here, you know?
10:25Yeah.
10:26Like Carson, like Ian said, it's like, you know, there is a certain responsibility.
10:29I think people, you know, Gene Simmons one time told me they wrote a song about Detroit Rock City.
10:34He goes, we were the biggest band to come out of New York, but everybody thought we were from Detroit.
10:37He goes, he goes, he goes, name it name an arena band from New York and you can't do it, but you can name about 10 here in Detroit.
10:43But Carson, what do you what do you think about representing the D?
10:46Well, I think we wouldn't be who we are without where we are always, you know, we're very in tune with with our environment, just all the guys in general.
10:57And I think a real true no frills band has to be affected by where they are, you know?
11:03And I'm just so thankful that it's this city because what can be combined in this city, not only music wise, but style wise, vibe wise, energy wise, hustle wise, what you can combine here, you can only do here.
11:18It's one of one place and it makes us want to be one of one and I, you know, as much as I owe everything to the band and the producers and everything, we owe just as much to the city for making us want to be who we are and want to be a Detroit thing.
11:35And it's that's just who we are in this city is people that are trying to be original and they're trying to hustle, you know, and we are no different.
11:43And the musical influence, I think it's so fortunate for a rock band to be from here because you can you can hit it hard, but you can also make it silky and groovy and danceable.
11:54It doesn't have to be one thing. It can be whatever you want it to be.
11:58So that's my biggest takeaway from it. We all get total freedom in that way.
12:02What did you guys take away from the from touring with Dirty Honey and the Struts?
12:06Because those are two bands that are like right in your guys wheelhouse.
12:09Yeah, I think they definitely pushed us to the next level in terms of performing where we hold ourself on stage, you know, our body language and just, I guess, a confidence level of those guys have been doing it for so long and they have what they do locked down and they are the best at what they do.
12:29And I think it drew a picture for us to like, be the best that we can be in the most ourselves that we can be and really put on that like star studded performance and just take somebody on a trip if they come to see you, especially in some of the venues that we played with them.
12:45I mean, you really got to step it up and just really knock it out.
12:49And we're glad we got those opportunities when we still keep in touch with both of those bands and love them very much.
12:55Yeah, we're, we're forever bonded with those guys.
12:58And they really just taught us how to live life on the road to be able to survive the touring lifestyle.
13:05And we definitely can't hang partying with either of them, but we tried absolute hardest.
13:11That's for sure.
13:12Well, that is a problem whenever I when I see me walking by L studio a lot and sometimes he's there and sometimes I don't walk so straight when I leave.
13:19But, uh, but, uh, Ian and Mike, what do you, what do you guys think about touring with bands like that?
13:25Of course, you know, like touring on the road, you know, they teach you things like, uh, you know, no crapping in the bus and feet first.
13:30Right.
13:30When you sleep, is that how it works?
13:32Those are the rules, right?
13:34Those guys are incredible.
13:36They were such professionals in the regard of how they took care of themselves and then how they also took care of each other.
13:42And their, their team mentality, I thought both of those bands, their team mentality was so strong.
13:49That culture that they had was, was, it was amazing.
13:54And from that, they also had this incredible show.
13:58And I think the, um, the show that they put on night after night that we could watch was so inspiring.
14:06And we took a little bit of that every single night we got to see them because you're giving, yeah, you're giving the audience an experience.
14:13You're, you're playing there.
14:15You're setting up their favorite song or the song that they came there for.
14:20And you're, you're adding even more to that because you have this live visceral, this, this sweat, this, this attitude, this energy, these lights, this whole thing.
14:28Um, it was, it was incredible.
14:31And to see a band that many times, I mean, if you think about it, we've seen the struts probably 50 times.
14:38We've seen Dirty Honey probably like 30 something times, you know, it's like you, you really get familiar with the material and, and it's cool.
14:45And I will always think of John Notto as being one of the incredible guitar players of our time.
14:51Um, he has given me so much inspiration over the years, just watching how, how fearless he can be too, and how he leaves room in every show to channel something and to give the audience something that's right in that moment.
15:05And he taps in most times, pretty much every time.
15:10That's interesting.
15:11No, he is, uh, he is truly an underrated guitar player in this world, you know, in the, in the rock world, I think.
15:15I mean, you know, Dirty Honey, they've, they've had their share of success, but, uh, yeah, he, he definitely should be up there a little bit higher.
15:21I think.
15:22Absolutely.
15:22Yeah.
15:23He's special.
15:23He's, he's one of a kind.
15:25Now, uh, you guys are, uh, I know you, you dropped it.
15:27You got the latest single out right now, but are you guys, you're dropping an EP next year?
15:30Is that right?
15:32Well, we're not exactly sure about an EP or an album.
15:35Obviously that will come, but I think our main focus, especially to start 2026 out is to just put out as many singles as we can a month, every two months, and just get these songs out.
15:47So people can start listening to them and, uh, you know, come to the show with some, with some substance.
15:53So I think it's going to be singles for a while and then we'll see, you know, halfway through the year, I'm sure we could compile them into something, but we just want to get music out for now.
16:01That's our main goal.
16:02And, uh, you, you, you mentioned, uh, 2026, are you guys going to be hopping on any tour or anything or what do you have going on besides dropping singles?
16:09Well, it's in the works.
16:10Everything's kind of in the talks right now, uh, for next year.
16:13And we've, we partnered up with, um, Adam, um, over at Newcastle management.
16:17It's been an incredible, incredible ride with them so far.
16:21Just really, really great people, great team.
16:24And we, we really love them so much and they've already worked so hard for us on getting this, you know, 15 date thing together.
16:31So it's kind of like a symbiotic thing.
16:34You know, they worked hard for us.
16:36Now we're on stage working hard for them and hopefully it's going to set them up and open up more doors for, for 2026.
16:42And I think it already has.
16:43So everybody stay tuned for, for some announcements soon, hopefully for 2026.
16:48And we'll be able to hit more cities than what we're hitting now.
16:51Now, for those people that don't know that management company, their big thing is a trans-Siberian orchestra.
16:56Have you guys ever, any of you seen that show before?
16:58Has anybody in the past?
16:59I grew up going to the past, you know, seeing that show.
17:01Did you see it?
17:02Yeah.
17:03So that was a long time ago.
17:04Have you seen him?
17:05Have you seen him like in the last 10 years?
17:06I, I actually have not.
17:08Yeah.
17:09I mean, that show is incredible.
17:10You talk about, you talk about John Otto, but, uh, Joel Hoekstra, you know, Chris Caffrey.
17:15I mean, the list is endless of great musicians and singers in those bands.
17:19Yeah, and they're, uh, they're actually playing Detroit on my birthday a couple days after Christmas.
17:25So we're planning on going to that show for sure and really getting, uh, integrated with that world.
17:32We actually, like, when we were on tour, uh, with the Struts, they were playing across the street at the arena when we were in Utah.
17:41Like, just by chance and just getting to see, like, the 30 plus beautiful tour buses.
17:49And we're just traveling in the van and we're like, damn, they got 30 tour buses?
17:55Someday.
17:56Like, yeah, but yeah, it's, it's a cool production for sure.
18:00I'm excited to see it.
18:01Yeah.
18:02So, uh, just a rapid digs up here.
18:04St.
18:04Andrews Hall coming up on November 15th.
18:06And, um, I don't know, do you guys take this as like a second chance, a new beginning for Max Jack?
18:13Absolutely.
18:14Absolutely.
18:15We couldn't be more thankful.
18:16We couldn't be more, uh, shaken by just the ride that it's been.
18:21And we couldn't feel more of a responsibility to, like we said, put that next foot forward in, you know, a new direction, in our direction.
18:30And, uh, just to make people happy with, with the art that we're making and inspire people.
18:35I mean, to have a second chance at that, my goodness, come on.
18:39Did, did, did, was there ever a chance that, did it ever go through your mind that, you know, you guys might not play again or was that your mind or was it just always?
18:47Yes.
18:47Yeah.
18:48We thought every thought you could think every thought you could think we thought, uh, but we had each other.
18:53We talked about it and we got each other through it.
18:55And that's why we're so much closer now.
18:57And, uh, I feel like we're able to communicate on a much more direct level, especially with the fans on stage in these last six shows.
19:05It's just felt so good.
19:07So good.
19:07And, and I think, you know, it's really showing how, uh, how grateful all of us are to even be there and be playing in front of anyone.
19:16You know, it really, it really gave us that perspective of, you know, it can, everything you love to do and everything you worked hard to do could, you know, be taken away at any point.
19:26And, you know, we don't take that for granted and we're just so stoked and so grateful to be able to, you know, do this again and be able to be on that St. Andrew's all stage again.
19:38And, you know, we're, we're definitely going to make it worth anyone who, uh, has stuck with us, stuck with us.
19:45Like we're going to make it worth it.
19:46You know, you know, uh, Mikey, and what do you guys think?
19:49Uh, is this a, there's every chance you get to step on stage now, it probably feels a little bit different.
19:54Yeah.
19:55Yeah.
19:56We turn it up.
19:57Yeah.
19:58We, we do.
19:59We know that we have responsibility.
20:00It's special.
20:01We wouldn't, I mean, knowing what that feels like to know that, okay, this might be our last show.
20:10Like you never lose touch of that feeling and you want to make sure that you treat the stage in the holiest of manners, the highest respect.
20:22Because that is a sacred place.
20:24And for us to be able to go and play these new songs that are so purpose-driven and that means so much to us and that, that cured us, that, that brought us together more than anything.
20:38For us to have a stage to do that on, it's, it's special.
20:42I wouldn't, just so grateful for it, really.
20:45How many new songs are you guys playing out in the show?
20:47I saw the other day you guys ended with your latest single.
20:50Oh, by the way, talk about that single because that's gritty.
20:53It's got some cool piano in it.
20:55I only had a chance to do it a couple of times.
20:57I've been pretty busy, but it's like, tell me about that song.
21:00Well, it came together really quick.
21:01I think it was the most natural one to come together and that's why it was recorded and finished pretty much first.
21:07And that's why it's out now.
21:09I mean, it was just so automatic for us to write a song like that.
21:13And then the, you know, you put the lyrics on top of it, talking about, you know, something that applies to us all sticking with something.
21:21If you really want something, you've got to stick with it, no matter what comes.
21:24I mean, come on, who can't resonate with that?
21:26And that's just coming from our experience with life, you know?
21:30So to write from that experience of going through something and trying to help other people and yourself through it by a song.
21:37I mean, that was just, it felt like it came out of us so naturally, right?
21:42Definitely.
21:43And yeah, it's been, you know, a fan favorite at the shows and it's a great set closer, you know, because it's just like the message, you know, is straightforward.
21:55And we really, you know, send it rocking out at the end and it's just a good send off song.
22:02Yeah.
22:02But yeah, we've been doing like about half and half new songs and old songs.
22:08A lot of new songs.
22:08We're trying on a lot of new stuff.
22:10Um, we have like 50 new songs or more at all times.
22:15Um, the sickness we had.
22:17So yeah, just, you know, trying to, trying to figure out which ones are the cream of the crop and which ones are, you know, the next ones to be released and the ones that people are resonating with the most.
22:29Um, so that's, yeah, it's been awesome.
22:31And we haven't heard any complaints about like, you know, you need to play more old songs or whatever.
22:37So people have been really digging the new stuff.
22:39And I mean, most of all, we're digging it, you know, and that's, that's, I think what translates, you know, to the people is that we're having a good time doing it.
22:48The fans are already claiming certain ones as their new favorites too.
22:52Okay.
22:53You know, it's like maybe they stole a set list or saw a set list, you know, but it's like, how do you already know the names of these?
23:00It's crazy.
23:00I love it.
23:01Well, I saw, I saw, uh, somebody, somebody put the whole show on from the October 26th.
23:06They had all the songs on it.
23:07Oh yeah.
23:08Oh, cool.
23:10That was on a, that was on YouTube.
23:12I like that.
23:12I love that.
23:13All right.
23:14Yeah.
23:14So that's a part of it too.
23:16People put stuff on YouTube and people can watch it even if it's not out, you know, a song and they can hear a clip of it through somebody's recording.
23:23And maybe they learn it that way that I love that people did that with Cadillac and diamonds and stuff.
23:28So we love that.
23:29Yeah.
23:29They kind of create the lore too.
23:31And that's, that's always exciting as well.
23:33Like we would have songs that I remember in the past, like we would have songs that weren't even released, but people would know every lyric.
23:39I'm like, how do you know this song?
23:40They're like, oh, we watch your guys' shows on YouTube all the time.
23:43It's cool.
23:44Yeah.
23:44We do live in a different time than when I was your guy's age.
23:46And, you know, you, you know, when I was a kid too, it's like, we're talking about Gene Simmons.
23:50It's like, you thought that guy was from, you know, a different planet, but you know, now, nowadays everything is kind of exposed.
23:55Well, uh, St. Andrews Hall on November 15th, uh, Max Saturn makes their, uh, triumphant return to the Motor City.
24:02And we'll look for some, uh, cool stuff coming up in, uh, 20, 26.
24:05Thank you guys so much for taking some time with me.
24:08Thanks for having us.
24:09Always love coming on with you.
24:10We appreciate you and keep rocking the 30 years.
24:13Come on.
24:14A true legend.
24:16Legend.
24:17Yeah.
24:17Appreciate you meltdown.
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