Max Middleton
Encyclopedia
David Maxwell "Max" Middleton (born 4 August 1946, Amersham
, Buckinghamshire, England). He is an English composer and keyboardist and was originally a docker
on the Liverpool
docks. Middleton is known for his work on the Fender Rhodes Electric piano
, the Minimoog
synthesiser and his percussive playing style of the Hohner
Clavinet
. He started on his professional music career by playing keyboards for Jeff Beck
and is best known for his work on Beck's Blow by Blow
.
during 1970, he played keyboards on the third Jeff Beck Group
album Rough and Ready
and the fourth Jeff Beck Group
also known as "Orange album", in a line-up with Chaman, vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench
and drummer Cozy Powell
. He went on to record Blow by Blow
and Wired with Jeff Beck before moving on to record and tour with Nazareth
, Hummingbird, Streetwalkers
, Chris Rea
, Kate Bush
, Annette Peacock
, Rolling Stones
guitarist Mick Taylor
and singer-songwriter John Martyn.
Middleton worked with Beck in the Jeff Beck Group line-up with vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench
, Clive Chaman
and drummer Cozy Powell
. He stayed with Beck as the power trio
Beck, Bogert & Appice
began to emerge as an established act before leaving to join Tench in Hummingbird during 1976. Hummingbird released two successful albums with Middleton as keyboard player We Can't Go On Meeting Like This (1976), and Diamond Nights (1977), both produced by Ian "Sammy" Samwell. He record Blow By Blow (1975) and Wired (1976). By this time Middleton had become a sought after session musician
, playing on albums such as the soundtrack to the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
(1978) and Nazareth's
most successful album, Hair of the Dog
(1975).
In 1979, he played keyboards on Morrissey Mullen
's Cape Wrath
and released Another Sleeper in the same year, an instrumental album with guitarist Robert Ahwai. This classic jazz-funk album was released along with Cape Wrath, on Fusion Harvest/EMI Records, the duo is supported by Richard Bailey, Kuma Harada, Darryl Lee Que, Steve Gregory, Bud Beadle, George Chisholm, Trevor Barber, Chris Rainbow and some backing vocalists.
In 1980 Middleton played was involved with the arrangements and played keyboards for Kate Bush
's Never For Ever
, which had album and single success.
In the '80's he was also involved with Chris Rea playing on On the Beach
, Dancing with Strangers
, The Road to Hell
, Auberge
and others.
He produced Dick Morrissey
's Souliloquy
(1988) on which he played keyboards.
Middleton is credited as co writer of "The Loner" from Gary Moore
's Wild Frontier
(1987).
Middleton released the smooth jazz
album Land of Secrets (2003) and became a member of Snowy White & The White Flames in 2005. In 2009 and 2010 he played with Mick Taylor
band.
In November 2010 Middleton released the album One Thousand Sails.
Amersham
Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
, Buckinghamshire, England). He is an English composer and keyboardist and was originally a docker
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
on the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
docks. Middleton is known for his work on the Fender Rhodes Electric piano
Electric piano
An electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
, the Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
synthesiser and his percussive playing style of the Hohner
Hohner
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
Clavinet
Clavinet
A Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
. He started on his professional music career by playing keyboards for Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
and is best known for his work on Beck's Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone...
.
Biography
After being introduced to Beck by bassist Clive ChamanClive Chaman
Clive Chaman was born in Trinidad and is a UK-based bass guitarist and session musician.After appearing on Ram John Holder's 1969 London Blues album, Chaman became a member of the second Jeff Beck Group in 1971 until they disbanded in 1973 when he joined Cozy Powell's band Hammer...
during 1970, he played keyboards on the third Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group were an English rock band formed in London in January 1967 by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck. Their innovative approach to heavy sounding blues and R&B was a major influence on popular music.- The first Jeff Beck Group :...
album Rough and Ready
Rough and Ready (album)
For other uses see Rough and Ready Rough and Ready is the third album by The Jeff Beck Group and the first of two by the second Jeff Beck Group. Released in 1971, it featured more of a jazz, soul and R&B edge to counter Beck's lead guitar. Beck contributed more tracks on Rough and Ready than he...
and the fourth Jeff Beck Group
Jeff Beck Group (album)
Jeff Beck Group is the fourth studio album by The Jeff Beck Group and the second album with the line up of Jeff Beck, Bobby Tench, Clive Chaman, Max Middleton and Cozy Powell...
also known as "Orange album", in a line-up with Chaman, vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
Robert Tench , also known as Bob Tench, Bobby Tench and Bobby Gass is a British vocalist and guitarist. Originally a bass player he began singing with Gass influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles...
and drummer Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
. He went on to record Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone...
and Wired with Jeff Beck before moving on to record and tour with Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Hummingbird, Streetwalkers
Streetwalkers
Streetwalkers were an English rock band formed in late 1973 by two former members of Family, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney...
, Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
, Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
, Annette Peacock
Annette Peacock
- Biography :Annette Peacock began composing at the age of four. Her mother was a violist in the San Diego and Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestras....
, Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
guitarist Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
and singer-songwriter John Martyn.
Middleton worked with Beck in the Jeff Beck Group line-up with vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
Robert Tench , also known as Bob Tench, Bobby Tench and Bobby Gass is a British vocalist and guitarist. Originally a bass player he began singing with Gass influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles...
, Clive Chaman
Clive Chaman
Clive Chaman was born in Trinidad and is a UK-based bass guitarist and session musician.After appearing on Ram John Holder's 1969 London Blues album, Chaman became a member of the second Jeff Beck Group in 1971 until they disbanded in 1973 when he joined Cozy Powell's band Hammer...
and drummer Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
. He stayed with Beck as the power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
Beck, Bogert & Appice
Beck, Bogert & Appice
Beck, Bogert & Appice was a hard rock supergroup and power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck and evolving from The Jeff Beck Group. the line up included bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice who were both previously in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus....
began to emerge as an established act before leaving to join Tench in Hummingbird during 1976. Hummingbird released two successful albums with Middleton as keyboard player We Can't Go On Meeting Like This (1976), and Diamond Nights (1977), both produced by Ian "Sammy" Samwell. He record Blow By Blow (1975) and Wired (1976). By this time Middleton had become a sought after session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, playing on albums such as the soundtrack to the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (OST)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a multi-platinum double album produced by George Martin, featuring covers of songs by The Beatles. It was released in July 1978, as the soundtrack to the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which starred the Bee Gees, Peter Frampton and Steve...
(1978) and Nazareth's
Nazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
most successful album, Hair of the Dog
Hair of the Dog
-Bonus track information:The remastered editions include both "Guilty" and "Love Hurts" plus the following bonus tracks:* Some editions include also "Holy Roller" and "Holy Roller "...
(1975).
In 1979, he played keyboards on Morrissey Mullen
Morrissey - Mullen
Morrissey Mullen was a British jazz-funk/fusion group of the 1970s and 1980s.Considered one of the most popular jazz groups in London, the band was led by Dick Morrissey on tenor and soprano saxes and flute, and Jim Mullen on guitar, who joined forces in 1975, their playing together for sixteen ...
's Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath (album)
Cape Wrath was the second album recorded by British jazz-fusion duo Morrissey - Mullen, although it was the first they recorded in the United Kingdom...
and released Another Sleeper in the same year, an instrumental album with guitarist Robert Ahwai. This classic jazz-funk album was released along with Cape Wrath, on Fusion Harvest/EMI Records, the duo is supported by Richard Bailey, Kuma Harada, Darryl Lee Que, Steve Gregory, Bud Beadle, George Chisholm, Trevor Barber, Chris Rainbow and some backing vocalists.
In 1980 Middleton played was involved with the arrangements and played keyboards for Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
's Never For Ever
Never for Ever
- Personnel :* Ian Bairnson: Guitar, Bass vocals* Brian Bath: Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Background Vocals* Andrew Bryant: Vocals, Background Vocals* Kevin Burke: Violin...
, which had album and single success.
In the '80's he was also involved with Chris Rea playing on On the Beach
On the Beach (Chris Rea album)
-Track listing:All songs by Chris Rea.# "On the Beach"# "Little Blonde Plaits"# "Giverny"# "Lucky Day"# "Just Passing Through"# "It's All Gone"# "Hello Friend"# "Two Roads"# "Light of Hope"# "Auf Immer und Ewig"# "Freeway"# "Bless Them All"...
, Dancing with Strangers
Dancing with Strangers
-Track listing:All songs by Chris Rea.# "Joys of Christmas" - 5:15# "I Can't Dance to That" - 4:19# "Windy Town" - 4:25# "Gonna Buy a Hat" - 4:25# "Curse of the Traveller" - 6:26# "Let's Dance" - 4:07# "Que Sera" - 5:23# "Josie's Tune" - 2:19...
, The Road to Hell
The Road to Hell
The Road to Hell is a 1989 album by Chris Rea, and is one of Rea's most famous albums. The second part of the two part title track, "The Road to Hell ," is also one of Rea's most famous songs...
, Auberge
Auberge
Auberge is an album by Chris Rea, released in 1991. The album as well as the title song was mostly notable for the association of the Caterham Super Seven that he owned, in which he called it the "Blue Seven". That car appeared on the album cover, illustrated in oil by renowned motoring artist...
and others.
He produced Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
's Souliloquy
Souliloquy
Souliloquy is an album recorded by Dick Morrissey in 1986. It was his second solo album for Coda.- Track listing :#"Clouds" #"East Sunrise" #"Lord Mayo"...
(1988) on which he played keyboards.
Middleton is credited as co writer of "The Loner" from Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
's Wild Frontier
Wild Frontier
Wild Frontier is a 1987 album by Gary Moore. His first studio album after a trip back to his native Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1985, this album has several songs about Ireland and even the music itself is steeped in Celtic roots. The title track was intended to be sung by Phil Lynott, however...
(1987).
Middleton released the smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
album Land of Secrets (2003) and became a member of Snowy White & The White Flames in 2005. In 2009 and 2010 he played with Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
band.
In November 2010 Middleton released the album One Thousand Sails.
External links
- Eder, Bruce [ Max Middleton] Biography. Allmusic.com
- Laney, Erokan. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, But He Likes It. Synthesis
- Stringer, Bruce. (2000) "Max to the Max!". The Jeff Beck Bulletin #8
- Stringer, Bruce. (2002) "An Interview With Max Middleton". The Jeff Beck Bulletin #10
- Max Middleton Snowy White Fanclub.
- RL-2 Current record label http://www.rl-2.com