Max 80 one of Newfoundland's best up and coming bands. A few months ago they took some time to talk to Bleach-Online, here's what they had to say!

Bleach- First going off I guess we'll just ask you for a brief history on the band

Max 80- We're mostly from central area, Springdale and surrounding area.

Bleach- You guys have been around since 92, well the two original members anyway, which are Clint and Andy Curtis.

Clint - In 92 we started playin in clubs, 4 or 5 years. When it was me and Andy we were called Maximum 80. We spent time in Nova Scotia, tried to make a go of it but after 9 months realized it more or less wasn't happening. So after 5 years or so feeling kind of burnt out from the club scene. I went up to BC where Armondo was living at the time. Met up with Terry up in BC.

Andy- I used to call em on a regular basis, I was goin to college at the time, more or less used to ask theem "boys when ya comin home, lets get a band on the go again."

Clint- yea we started workin real jobs, then sort of realized what it was all about

Clint- anyway we came back not last may but the may before. We had a different drummer then, just getting things back together, by rights I guess you could say that the new Max 80 has been together since January of 2000.

Bleach- yea...wasn't that when Tony jumped on?

Clint- Yea it really is a different band then what it used to be, the name was shorten, so its like kind of a different name and it's a totally different band. The CD we have comin out in this fall, I think is way better than our earlier stuff,

Andy- definitely the best one I've done, and this is my third.

Bleach- Well so far from what I've heard it sounds good. I've been on your web site for a couple of the Mp3s there. And they sound great.

Clint- they were actually only demos.

Bleach- Outside is a pretty cool tune.

Clint- Cool man...yea were tryin to concentrate more on this band instead of the past. Just like startin over in a lot of ways.

Bleach- so do you have any day jobs right now?

Clint- Nope... Not now...its hard because we spend so much time on the road, and recording actually working on the CD...don't really have time for day jobs exactly.

Clint- none of us really wanted to go back to day jobs after experiencing the high of playin on a regular basis.

Armondo- with the recording we've been doing its been like 7 days a week with maybe a day off every 2 weeks or so. Just 24 7 working on the CD.

Clint- There's just not enough time to get everything done, between gigs, travel, and recording. And now after the release we'll be getting into the business side of it all, such as promo's and photo's and so on and so on. That's not gonna be easy, times runs out.

Bleach- Just not enough time in the day.

Bleach- (Terry & Armondo) so has there been any other bands before Max 80?

Armondo- not really no. I've known the boys since high school, we've played in fun bands like weekend things, but it was never serious. Not like this band. It was kind of better in a way because there wasn't as much pressure to perform. But now I mean we work so hard on what were doing and if one little thing doesn't go right were all like behind the curtain sayin "fuck that, We got to fix that, or whatever the problem might be, ya know?". Well, for years now, I have been writing, playing, and recording demos. I never gave up on it, but I was never really as serious about it as I am now.

Terry- Yea I've been playing and writing for a long time too.

Armondo- yea its really Terry's band.

Bleach- LAUGHS

REST OF BAND LAUGHS

Clint- Tony has been playing for a long time, he's played with a lot of different people, and a few different bands. He grew up with Corey Tetford. Yea its weird how the time goes. I mean when I think about it, I've been playing guitar for 13 years, Wow...that's like a long time.

Bleach- How about musical influences? Are there any particular bands or artists that you guys model your music from? Besides Terry I mean because we all know about Metallica.

Armondo- Not Really...

Clint- There is quite the variety of influences.

Armondo- we each have our favorites but there is also a lot that maybe I like but...say...Terry doesn't or vice-versa. For example I think Stone temple Pilots would be a common ground for all of us. We all like Metallica, we all like Kiss on some levels. But say myself I really enjoy old country, Bob Dylan, Springsteen, Steve Earl. Quite the variety there.

Clint- yea...we all have our favorites but when it comes to the band...like...our music is different from what we all like. I think it's definitely original.

Bleach- Well that's pretty cool then. Should have a real good blend.

Armondo- On the album you're gonna hear a lot of different influences from song to song and sometimes from 2 to 3 influences in one song. We try to mix and match. Like Outside for example its got sort of a disco beat, good strong pulse beat, but it's got a guitar riff, its got a keyboard, and the melodies are a little different. I guess that's more or less what we are trying to do, striding for I guess.

Clint- weird combinations sometimes.

Armondo- Yea as oppose to trying to be the next Pearl Jam or Limp Bizkit, Not that theres anything wrong with those bands, just that a lot of bands try to copy or reproduce it in some way. Like adopting the latest fad. This is cool right now let's do that. We try to stay away from that sort of style. Like last night we did Rage against the Machine and Copperhead Road by Steve Earl and it was the same to us, ya know? We do combine our influences but its still gonna be all us.

Clint-we haven't really found a class to put our originals in exactly. I mean you can call us a rock band, we're not a country band, or a metal band, I guess we're a rock band. Rock tends to enclose more of a variety anyway. It comes pretty natural, I mean the album isn't going to be full of Outsides or Daisy Blue; there is a good variety.

Bleach- so how do you guys feel about music from Eminem with all the controversy?

Terry- I like it; I like what he's tryin to do and the rise he is getting out of people.

Andy- Yea...don't think many people understand that it is for the publicity and the popularity that it gives him, which of course is what's selling is records.

Armondo- I guess it just goes to show that publicity of any kind is good in the music industry.

Bleach-so are you guys currently with a recording label?

Clint- not as of yet, were still independent. That means all the fortunes were making is still ours for a little while longer.

Clint- were waiting for the CD to get done, and once its released. Our plan is to pursue that as much as we can.

Armondo- we've had a few pretty big gigs though. NTV Evening News hour done a couple of segments on the band, that was cool.

Clint- yea this summer past we played at Salmon Festival and down on George St. We've played at a dance in the Grand Falls Stadium, with somewhere around 1200 people. There was a huge light show that was fun.

Bleach- could you tell us a bit about the music scene in Newfoundland, I imagine you get to see a lot of it

Clint- well, it's hard to say, we actually don't get to see very many bands, our weekends are usually tied up with our own gigs. But for a while there was a lot on the go in Newfoundland. But we went away for a while to Nova Scotia and when we came back it seemed like the only two bands left on the go was us and The Catch. But now it seems like new bands are poppin up all over the place.

Bleach- so do you think Newfoundland music is getting away from the basic Great Big Sea stereotype?

Armondo- yea, absolutely, Most of the new bands that are making themselves known are rock bands. And not that there is anything wrong with the traditional folk music, it's just better I think to have variety with the music that Newfoundland has to offer. I mean I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin not Figgy Duff. Although sometimes you will see a Mandolin and some good old strumming and singing but basically we are a heavy guitar and drums band. I guess that stereotype is a lot like watching the news and seeing the wharves and boats in small quiet towns. If you're a tourist that's why your going to come to Newfoundland not to see a big city. But with music I hope that the rest of the world know and realize that we can rock too.

Bleach- so how many gigs do you guys usually have in the run of a month say?

Clint- well some weeks we have up to 4 and 5. Were pretty well always on the go somewhere.

Bleach- back to the album, how are ya comin along with it? Who does most of the writing?

Clint- well the writing is done by all of us. I mean I might write a song and then Terry and Armondo have written some. We've all contributed to it. I'm looking forward to the next album, that's what's on my mind I just want to get this one done.

Armondo- we were expecting it to be out around August. Were working with Big Bully Productions. Lou from The Catch is producing it for us. So I guess hopefully around August month. We just want to make sure the most professional job possible is done with the Album because then, I mean it will make us look good and it will make Big Bully look good, which is what want, and of course for everyone to enjoy the album.

Clint- Yea Big Bully has been really great. Lou Macdonald, he's been a lot of help to us. He worries and works at this just as much as we do. It's like if we had brought this project into St. John's I don't think we would have got half the service or help were getting with Big Bully.

Armondo- yea they're committed just as much as we are, and I don't think that's something that is very popular. And the album, well we're hoping that the listeners well be surprised if not kind of shocked by the content of the CD.

Clint- there's a lot of different influences that come out in our music. Everything from blues, techno, and of course rock. A lot of different takes have been taken on every single track just tryin to get the perfect mix for the song. A lot of work, but we think it is definitely something that will pay off. I think people are going to be impressed with the album.

Armondo- yea there is a great variety. We have stuff with sort of a Smashing Pumpkins kinda of sound then another couple heavy similar to I don't know say Finger Eleven, and then there is other tracks that are bare bone acoustic. A lot of variety.

Bleach- Well that sort of sums up what we wanted to ask, we would like to thank you guys for your time and your patience with this. So Good Luck with the album and your future shows and we'll see you the next time you're in Clarenville.

Max 80- No problem it's nice to see people taking interest in local Newfoundland bands, all the support is really appreciated! Max 80's album is due to be out in late August or early September you'll be able to look for it in stores then and later in the year for the people around Clarenville you'll be able to find it at the Playhouse Lounge.

Bleach would like to thank the band Max 80 and Big Bully Productions.

Interview Conducted by Kirk Ash and Justin Quinton