As premiered on the Friday November 12 episode of the LeBrain Train, here’s the new video for “Thirsty and Miserable” by Max the Axe — a Blag Flag cover via Lemmy Kilmister. From the new EP Oktoberfest Cheer.
Oktoberfest Cheer
This Is Max the Axe, on the LeBrain Train
Max the Axe went off the rails of the LeBrain Train, and we were hanging on for the ride!
This wide ranging interview with all four Max the Axe band members included the following subjects:
- How they got their nicknames (fan question from Jeff Taylor and Tee Bone)
- Drinking
- Recording on 1″ analog tape vs. digitally
- Trying to make a record during the pandemic
- Gigs (or lack thereof)
- Cover tunes
- A 40 year-old tune that sounds current today
- New track “Iron Cross”
- New track “Droid” (which neither Meat nor Dave heard of before tonight)
- Remixes of “Scales of Justice” and “Randy” for a new release
- Lyrics, storytelling and getting political
- LeBrain’s Cinco De-Listo Top Five Max the Axe songs
- Meat’s “retirement” & future of the band
Thank you to Harrison the Mad Metal Man who helped me helm this car crash that you just can’t look away from!
NEXT WEEK:
Harrison and Uncle Meat back to discuss key albums of the year 1981! This is both a sequel to a show I did least year with Superdekes, and also a sister show to Scotch On the Rocks’ own special on the year 1981 featuring Deke and Muc. I was unable to participate in that show myself, but still wanted to celebrate four decades of great albums from that year. Join us next week!
Max the Axe brings the Oktoberfest Cheer on tonight’s LeBrain Train
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Harrison
Episode 87 – Max the Axe band interview
Hear ye, hear ye! One band has consistently rocked us all since before the start of the pandemic. That band is Max the Axe, and tonight we will have 3/4 of the group with us.
They are:
- Mike Koutis/Max the Axe – lead guitar
- Eric Litwiller/Uncle Meat – lead vocals
- Dave Haslam/Dr. Dave – lead drums
This will be their first-ever interview together, and Harrison the Mad Metal Man will be with me to quiz the band on the new EP Oktoberfest Cheer. The current crisis had a huge impact on its making and eventual release, and Max is eager to tell the story. The EP certainly brought a lot of joy as we crawled through the second year of this pandemic.
On a serious note: Please give this a “share” on your social media and help the guys out. It’s no secret that views have been down, but every time we do an interview show, we sell a CD or two to a viewer. You can help by sharing this show and maybe some of your friends will watch too. I guarantee a great night and some great tunes!
VIDEO: Max the Axe – Oktoberfest Cheer (2021)
Today is the last day for Oktoberfest…but “Oktoberfest Cheer” goes on and on!
From the new EP Oktoberbest Cheer, written by Mike Koutis, here is the video for “Oktoberfest Cheer”. Have a schnitzel on a bun and a frosty cold one, and get your copy at Encore Records in Kitchener, or by dropping us a line here.
- Mike Koutis – guitar
- Eric Litwiller – lead vocals
- Mike Mitchell – bass
- Dr. Dave Haslam – drums
- Accordion by Catherine Thompson
Notes: Since Eric deleted the only rehearsal footage of “Oktoberfest Cheer”, I was forced to use the video for “Randy” live at the Boathouse somewhat ham-fistedly. However this works perfect with the punky off-the-rails nature of the song. Speeding things up and slowing things down hides a multitude of sins in the edit, and the Keystone Cops flavour of the high-speed footage lends a comedic profile to the video. Which is necessary for any song that contains lyrics like “don’t crush my smokes, don’t spill my beer.”
VIDEO: Misty Weekend (with Max the Axe )
A visual supplement to Record Store Tales #944: Mosquito Song
Playing around with faster editing to suit the musical track: “Thirsty and Miserable”, the new Black Flag cover by Max the Axe, from the Oktoberfest Cheer EP. Enjoy a good look at some wild (and probably poisonous) mushrooms! Cameo by Classic Loki.
VIDEO: Max the Axe – “Pygmy Blowdart” – vertical video performance !
“Pygmy Blowdart” (2021 Koutis)
- Mike Koutis – Guitar
- Eric Litwiller – Lead Vocals
- Mike Mitchell – Bass
- Dr. Dave Haslam – Drums
From the brand new EP Oktoberfest Cheer.
VIDEO: Last Summer Weekend at the Lake 2021 / Max the Axe – “Pygmy Blowdart”
Now that the new Max the Axe EP, Oktoberfest Cheer, has been released, I am happy to present to you their new never-before-heard original “Pygmy Blowdart”. Lead singer Eric Litwiller stressed to me (more than once) “I did not write the lyrics”.
Video footage was taken the last weekend of August, but held on to until I could use some fresh new Max music. Check out “Pygmy Blowdart” and let Max and Meat know what you think of this new tune in the comments below!
Available at Encore Records.
Hiatus Continues, Progress Made
One “plumbing disaster” has been fixed. A second, more containable leak, remains to be repaired.
I wasn’t thrilled when the emergency plumbers showed up complaining that it was a Friday night, but we take what we get.
I no longer have water on my floor. There was a main drainage pipe with a crack in it. They had to come at it from two directions: from the bathroom wall, and the kitchen cabinets. I have a huge hole in the wall now, some cabinets that need repair, and some tile and carpet to replace. And a secondary kitchen leak. At least we’re not dealing with water on the floor anymore.
Since I’ve been unable to commit any time to the kind of interviews I’m used to doing, Superdekes is taking over the Greg Fraser (Storm Force) interview for his new show Scotch On the Rocks. Link below. I am confident this show will be bigger than the LeBrain Train ever was. I’ll be hanging out with Deke as sidekick for the evening. Scotch on the Rocks is the next step of evolution for the live stream community. Out with the old, in with the Scotch!
As for the health stuff, what can we do? Keep going. Keep going. Keep going.
I’ve managed to get some of my crap in order, and I have mailed out the first four copies of the new Max the Axe CD Oktoberfest Cheer. I have one copy for sale remaining, and a couple review CDs for those interested. Please contact me for details.
I received a cool box of music from Aaron as well as managed to crack the seal on the new Metallica box set. Combing through the CDs, I have determined that all the single B-sides from the Metallica album made it into the box set. As for Aaron’s box, I’ve been wanting that Indiana Jones soundtrack for a long time. Maybe one day I’ll even return to writing and get to review it.
Mike
Morning Dashcam
Nothing major, but watch where you’re going bud.
Music: “Pygmy Blowdart” by Max the Axe from the new Oktoberfest Cheer EP.
REVIEW: Max the Axe – Oktoberfest Cheer (2021 EP)
MAX THE AXE – Oktoberfest Cheer (2021 EP)
Pandemics suck, but last year Max the Axe began working on a remedy. Three new songs — one cover, two originals — and a new EP called Oktoberfest Cheer! With this year’s Bavarian festival just around the corner, Max is ready to rock your beerhallen. It’s the second release with the same lineup: Mike Koutis (Max the Axe) – lead guitar, Eric Litwiller (Uncle Meat) – lead vocals, Mike Mitchell – lead bass and Dr. Dave Haslam — lead drums. It’s a much more punk rock affair than the last album Status Electric. Perhaps it’s even a concept record about intoxication!
Opening with the original “Pygmy Blow Dart”, Max sounds like Queens of the Stone Age jonesing for a smoke. Litwiller is in full Homme mode with the groove of the Axe behind him. “I think I’m going downtown, looking for some dope.” Ah, the quaint pre-legalization setting! By the end, the band is in a singalong, looking for some smoke. “Round and round, and round and round…” Hey guys…check the local dispensary! There’s one on every corner now. Great bass solo in the middle, right before Max rips on the six string. Fans of the last album will love it.
The Black Flag cover “Thirsty and Miserable” is outstanding, full-on punkfied Max. Definitely some influence from Lemmy’s version of “Thirsty and Miserable” too. This track kicks and Litwiller sounds legit. They could play it two or three times in a row and you wouldn’t get bored.
Finally the punk-inflected EP ends with the title track “Oktoberfest Cheer!”, a song destined to be a seasonal hit. Feather in cap, beer on tap…October is here so raise up that beer! You can picture the festhallen going mad for this October anthem. This is the clear hit, frantic and haggard as it may be. Adorned with festive accordion, it’s punk rock unlike any other. You can play it year after year…or in August. Don’t crush my smokes, don’t spill my beer!
The great thing about this EP is that it’s under 10 minutes in true punk fashion and perfect for repeat plays.
Kitchener knows.
5/5 stars
mikeladano.com 