But he was pleased as I was do the interview, as he was taking some rest after the show....
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Hello Max...Thanks for the show tonight... |
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Hello... Oh, you've enjoyed it?
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Sure, I really enjoyed the interaction between between all of you.
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There was a lot of things we had never done.
I had never done them before, that's why I've some notes here (on the table).
But that was the first time for me. Anyway it should be better tomorrow...
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When and why did you start to play the piano? |
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Why? Well I just liked the piano?
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Did you hear someone play? |
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Mmmm, I can't remember what happened. I just liked music and my teacher at school asked my mother to buy me a piano. So that was it, then I had a piano.
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Did you ever play another instrument? |
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No, just the piano. I'd like to have played bass. But no, I have never played anything else.
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What are your main influences?... |
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On piano? Old jazz players really. People like Errol Garner, Albert Hammons a Boogie-player, Bill Evans... Oh I love Keith Jarrett, you know, there's so many...
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Your playing is always recognisable on every record that you've played on. What do you think is the reason for that? I can always say: Oh that Max playing on it... |
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Can you? People tell that to me, but I don't know. Even I can't recognise myself !
Seriously, One time somebody played me something, I said :"Who is that playing?"'cause I sort of thought he's similar to me. And they told me : "it's you" and I had seriously not realized. So I don't really know what I do.
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It's just you, the way you are... |
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Maybe...
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Ok, now we come to Snowy, when did you meet him? |
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I've crossed path with Snowy a lot of times. We've been on maybe somebody else's record. He's been asked to play, and I've been asked to play but it's only recently we've played together.
I like Snowy, I like his playing, we seem to get on OK, so... all the musicians in the band I think get on Ok, and that's quite important to Snowy.
Apart from, you know, being sympathetic, when you play, between all the musicians, there's a quite nice atmosphere.
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What is the difference in playing with Snowy, compared to playing with people like, let's say Jeff Beck, Or Mick Taylor? Does he tell you what to play?.
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No, none of them tell me what to play. Mick Taylor or Jeff Beck never say anything. I just play something to fit in with them, that's it.
But they are all different guitarists... They are all good, I think...
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On the «Live Flames» album, you are credited on two songs, «Wintersong» and «Whiteflames Blues», which both have your melodic touch. How were these songs created? |
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Well, I think «Wintersong» is just an improvisation. There's a melody that Snowy played me which I just used as a starting point. You know I like to have a melody to play around or improvise with. So how «Wintersong» started, and everyday it is different. It all depends on if the sound is good or on how I am feeling, it will be different every night.
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And «Whiteflames Blues»? |
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I don't know, that just came about, you know...
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So will you have a part in the writing of the next «White Flames» album? |
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Not really, It just happen then, it's not necessary.
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On your website www.maxmiddleton.com, It is said that you are about to work on a new solo album... |
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Yes, maybe in a couple of weeks, I want to go to France to do it.
I have got no ideas what to play but I'll go down there, just play and find some ideas. I did one record, I think about a year ago, my first record of mine ( «Land of Secrets»). I'll try another one, I don't know what to do either. Anyway We'll see...
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Well thank you Max. |