Producer and composer, Max Graham, is a multi-talented artist who has wowed club goers around the world and gained the respect of his peers with his diverse, but distinctive, blend of dance music. Through incredible skills and his intense work ethic, Max has risen from humble beginnings to become a worldwide recognized name.
With talents across the musical spectrum, Max is probably best known for his DJ skills and has toured nearly 50 countries worldwide. While the press has tried to pigeonhole him, Max’s sound remains undefineable. He has the rare ability to refreshingly combine pure house music with his own favourite tracks from dance music genres such as progressive, techno, trance, disco and beyond. Max’s trademark is a roller coaster ride of funky basslines, energetic rhythms and uplifting melodies. During this ride you are sure to hear a selection of Max's own productions, which include over 20 original tracks and more than 30 remixes.
In 2000, when Max began producing music, he showed potential and promise along with unnervingly solid talent, almost immediately. His first hits Airtight and Tell You propelled Max onto the international scene, but not before he had spent the previous ten years building his skills in the unlikely house music city of Ottawa, Canada. Although Max was born in the UK, he lived in Spain, NYC and LA before settling in Canada in 1989. Starting out as a hiphop/scratch DJ, Max discovered house music in 1994 and was hooked. Within months, he and his friends had set up their own night, which led to the opening of the now legendary Atomic nightclub. Max’s weekly 6-hour sets, at Atomic, were pivotal in Canada’s dance music evolution.
Early highlights of Max’s career include being invited to mix the fourth installment of the legendary Transport mix CD series. The success of Transport and the subsequent world tour, in 2001, led to Max being voted #23 in DJMag’s coveted Top 100 DJs poll, the highest new entry that year.
After touring heavily for two years, Max took some time off in 2003, to reflect on the music scene and his place within it. “Things were mad during those two years, I was being booked to play trance clubs when I don’t play trance… I was feeling disjointed and slightly out of control, flying from gig to gig without taking the time to make sure I was making the right decisions.” Feeling uninspired by the direction the scene was going, Max felt he needed time away to reset and rediscover his passion for music. A trip to Southeast Asia and relocation to Montréal was all that Max needed to regain his creativity and inspiration. He returned to producing in 2004, with a new sound and a fresh outlook on music.
Last year Max enjoyed success, with his smash hit Owner of a Lonely Heart; it was included on more than 10 compilations worldwide. His vocal hit I Know You’re Gone, featuring Jessica Jacobs, was released in late 2005, on his own label, Shinemusic. 2005 saw more compilation signings and remix offers than ever before, including the BodyRockers and Ron Wood’s (Rolling Stones) daughter – Leah. Industry giants Deep Dish took note; they asked Max to remix a track for their own label Yoshitoshi and his reworked original production Crank is due out on Yoshitoshi sometime in 2006. This year also sees Max’s much anticipated (and long overdue) Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1.
Max’s rigorous work ethic and uncompromised love for music has afforded him the time to both tour the world weekly and have a prolific production career. As one of the new breed of DJ’s that transcends the current media created trends, he has secured himself an even brighter future.
