THE HISTORY PAGE...AH YES...
Some Highlights:
'78-'87 timeframe:
This is my earliest musical period. In '85 my brother Doug and I released the first of many tapes and even a CD as a project band called Mosaic. I was also involved in some bands early on. The main one was called "The Squids" With John Rubinelli on Guitar, Chris Long on Bass, Mike Culbertson on keyboards, myself on sax and a rotating cast of other musicians joining in, especially on drums or percussion. We played shows at an Italian restaurant and at bars in the Phoenix area when I was 16 and way before I was legally able to drink. I always had to play and immediately leave, while the rest of the guys stayed in the bar and got drunk. I was about 10 years younger than any of them...
'88-'93 timeframe:
In the fall of '87 I enrolled at Pomona College in Claremont, Ca. where I started out as a music major. I soon got disenchanted with the music program and switched majors to philosophy, graduating in '91 with a BA. During that time I met Chris Chambreau who would eventually play in several bands with me at Pomona, and then up in Seattle after we both ended up moving there. So, in '91 I moved from LA to Seattle, had several projects and bands, and started thinking about starting this label (the web wasn't around yet). I opened my little home studio, Frumunda Musick, and even made a compilation, "It Came Frumunda", in '93, shortly before I decided that Seattle was so saturated with bands that it was impossible to stick out, that I could stand a break from the rain, and that all my favorite bands were from Austin. So...since I was still pretty young and all...why not DO IT...? I did. I left Seattle at the very end of '93, arriving in Austin shortly after the beginning of '94. Between graduation in '91 and moving at the end of '93, I had been in 7 bands: Drunken Immortals, Motor Virus, Pure Grain Alcohol, Leisure Seizure, Splatterdaddies, the Non-Prophets and Creepy Stick, which featured an as yet unknown, Chris Ballew, who would later have a highly successful musical career with his band The Presidents of the United States of America.
Bands and Projects while in Texas by year, 1994-2012:
Eat Fact-1994-1996.
Stan Johnson, B. Jim Porter, G. Woody, G. Max Brody, D.
We made a few demo tapes, and played local shows. It was noise-rock. Stan and I had been in the Drunken Immortals and Splatterdaddies, and then moved down to Texas together back at the very end of ’93. We hooked up with Woody the very first night in Austin at the old Emos on 6th St. Soon, Woody introduced us to Jim. After Woody ripped us off for some very badly needed money, we dumped him. But the band lived on for a few years playing some pretty out there parties and dives. At one point we all lived in a warehouse space, and then shared a fair sized house with 7 roomates and 7 dogs...!
Euripides Pants-1994-1997
Rey Washam, D. Tim Cole, Trumpet, Vox. Bret Engle, G. Dale Scott, B. Max Brody, Sax, Clar, Flt.
A very unlikely sound for such a grouping of musicians generally associated with heavy rock or punk music, Euripides Pants paid homage to Herb Alpert, Esquivel and Lounge stylings of the 60's. We recorded a demo, played a ton of shows in Austin as well as Houston and Dallas, then recorded an album for Sweatbox Records with the world famous team of Paul Leary and Stuart Sullivan producing, over at the world famous Arlyn Studio in Austin. It nearly made me feel world famous. Shortly thereafter, Rey joined Ministry and the band fizzled out. Later, just about all of the 10,000 copies of the CD were destroyed when the building that housed Sweatbox’s studio burned to the ground.
Sangre de Toro-1995-2000
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Max Brody, D (’95-’00), Jeff Williams, D (orig.). Julien Peterson, B, (’98-’00), Stan Johnson, B, (’96-’98), Rich Horne, B (orig.).
Ever wonder what happened to Brett from Scratch Acid? David and David went on to start the Jesus Lizard, and Rey became a sought after studio drummer and member in many influential bands... And Sangre was what Brett did. I joined when the old drummer disappeared from town without telling anyone. Brett and I eventually morphed into Areola 51, and then to Insect Sex Act. We played a lot of shows, and even did some mid-west touring, "The Sleepless-Itchy-Butt Tour of the US" back in 1998.
Vodka Family Winstons-1997
Bill Corsello, B, Vox. Bret Engle, G. Rey Washam, D. Max Brody, Sax, Keys.
After Euripides Pants broke up, some of us re-grouped as another group. In a vein more like the few rock-type songs that Euripides Pants did, the VFW quickly wrote a set of tunes, recorded a demo and played a few shows, culminating with a show opening up for Jesus Lizard at Stubb's BBQ in Austin. Then Rey and Bret got into a huge fist fight after the set and the band broke up. Bill and I went on to start up the Ye Olde Castletons.
Ye Olde Castletons-1997-2001
Bill Corsello, B, Vox. John Voskamp, G. Max Brody, D.
The Castletons were a martini-swillin', bbq-grillin' power trio rock band lead by Bill. We played a bunch of shows in Austin and recorded an album for Kransky Records in Austin. Then I got so busy with Ministry that it seemed like the band fizzled out. We had written and started to record a second album, but never quite finished it. Some of those songs wound up as tunes for Bill's next effort, called the Good Times Crisis Band.
Ministry-1999-2004.
Al Jourgensen, Vox, G. Paul Barker, B. Mike Scaccia, G. Max Brody, D, Sax, Keys.
+ Many fine musicians throughout the ages for live performances. While I was in the band, though, these were the main people I worked with to compose tunes.
The other musicians that performed on stage with MINISTRY in 1999: Louis Svitek, Rey Washam, Zlatko Hukic and Duane Buford (no Scaccia).
The other musicians that performed on stage with MINISTRY in 2003 were: Mike Scaccia, Louis Svitek, Rey Washam, Darrell James, and Tia Sprocket.
There are so many good memories...there is much to share from this experience. Where I can, I will. Five very memorable years.
Areola 51-2000-2007
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Jeff Pinkus, B, Vox. Max Brody, D.
+Richard Alexander, guest Vox. Randy Turner, guest Vox, Ezra Reynolds, guest organ. Teresa Frame, guest B Vox...
At some point in 1999, shortly after we recorded Sangre de Toro’s “El Pee, Numero Uno”, Julien Peterson decided to quit the band, with no hard feelings. We were fortunate enough to replace him with none other than Jeff Pinkus of the Butthole Surfers (and currently Honky). But after making a demo with him under the Sangre name and realizing that not only were there a few other bands in the world using the name of Sangre de Toro, but that the addition of Pinkus to the band significantly changed the sound enough to warrant a name change. So, we retired the old name...sigh...
Double-o-go-go-2001-2003
Byron Scott-G, Vox. Rob Cooley, D. Aaron Davis, B. Allison Lipkin, Sax. Max Brody, Sax.
This was a lounge act with a spy theme and was almost entirely covers. We played shows and recorded a demo before I dropped out due to MINISTRY taking all my time. Before we could ever get anything really recorded well, the band broke up, but there is a little... A few years later, the leader Byron died from a stroke.
Music Column November 23, 2007
by Austin Powell "...• One of the few black musicians in Austin's early punk scene, Byron Scott, guitarist for Do Dat, died on Friday morning due to complications arising from a stroke. Scott, 52, also played in the Twisteyes, Bad Mutha Goose, and the rockabilly outfit the Trouble Boys, who opened for the Clash in 1982..."
R.I.P. Byron...
Pink Anvil-2001
Paul Barker and Max Brody--all instruments. Roland Barker, ghost appearances.
Paul and I Played two shows as Pink Anvil, and had a ton of fun hanging out at his home studio creating stuff for MINISTRY. Pink Anvil became sort of a clearing house for the unused musical tidbits and samples or whatnot. Each show had a completely different set and theme, and each was recorded. The first was released on Ipecac records, called “Halloween Party”. The second was recorded at an Ipecac records New Years Eve event in San Francisco, but never released. And a third set of songs were never quite finished in the studio...I may finish it up sometime.
TaxiCrabNebulae-2002
Max Brody (D, Sax, Keys) in various groupings. A (somewhat eclectic) recording project. The other musicians are, Adam Grossman, G. Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Randy Turner, Vox, noise makers. Mike Scaccia, G. Josh Chalmers, B. Rey Washam, Keys. MC Badseed, Vox. Louie Svitek, G.
This was my second attempt to produce recordings for a record (the first being, “it came frumunda”, a compilation project that showcased the bands that hung out and performed together at the Storeroom Tavern in Seattle back in the early 90's). On it, I attempted to do like Robert Fripp, and make an album with a different set of musicians on each track.
Insect Sex Act-2002-2012
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Jason Craig, B, Vox. Richard Alexander, Vox. Max Brody, D.
The final incarnation of the Bradford-Brody partnership...We played a ton of shows in Austin over 10 years, recorded an Ep and then some CD singles. Shortly before I moved back to Washington state, we recorded an Lp at Cris Burn's Studio, called "A Fist Full of Panties, For a Few Panties More, or Once Upon a Time in Your Panties".
Naugahyde Dream Sequence-2003-2005
Max Brody, Editor in chief, D, Sax. Flt. Clar. Keys, Prc, G, B, etc. Randy Turner, Vox, Lyrics. J.D. Fanning, G. Josh Chalmers, B. Mike Scaccia, Lead G. Jason Craig, Lead G.
This was my first attempt at composing, producing and generally being the dictator for the creation of a recording. And this was the recording project-nearly-turned-band that Biscuit and I were getting together when he died from internal bleeding in 2005. We had created one cd, and had started a second. But this time we thought about being able to perform the stuff live as well as making cool recordings...I still miss him so much. We performed 1 or 2 songs at one of the last Areola 51 shows with O’Beast. Four days before he died we were recording at my house. I’ll never get over it. He was a close friend.
Musician found dead in South Austin home; police investigating.
By Joshunda Sanders, Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, August 19, 2005
Beloved punk icon Randy "Biscuit" Turner was found dead in his home Thursday afternoon, the same day a feature story about him appeared in the The Austin Chronicle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naugahyde Dream Sequence
Naugahyde Dream Sequence (Frumunda Musick)
Reviewed by Audra Schroeder, Fri., Sept. 2, 2005
Naugahyde Dream Sequence
(Frumunda Musick)
Austin's Naugahyde Dream Sequence was pieced together through various practice sessions over the span of about two years, and it definitely lives up to its peculiar name. The band, which features the late and sorely missed Randy "Biscuit" Turner on vocals, J.D. Fanning and Josh Chalmers of Oh, Beast! on guitar and bass, and Areola 51's Max Brody on drums, has created a sound that's fragmented and disjointed, low-end rumbling in your ear like the beginnings of a fever dream. Released on Brody's Frumunda label, the disc's nine songs deliver Turner's sometimes frantic vocals, and it's his humorous psychobabble on everything from food ("Snack Bar") to hot rods ("Priming the Engine") that's an earmark of his usual quirky style. Even when he makes a list on the demented "Things That Got Lodged up My Nose" ("Nickels, dimes, all small change; Kleenex, spandex, all things strange"), his effects-laden voice quivering, it's hard not to smile. Along the way, there are saxophone bleats, strange effects, distorted guitars, and Brody's industrial-strength drumming, buoying the long, strange trip on a Naugahyde couch. And when Turner screams, "We're gonna win this thing if it kills us!" on the opening song, take it to heart. And go start 10 bands.
****
(four out of five stars)
Goobersmoochers-2001
Mike Scaccia, G, B. Max Brody, D,Sax,Keys, Paul Barker, guest B. Dave from Gibson, guest B. Brett Bradford, guest G and Vox.
This recording project started out as a way to pass time on the road with MINISTRY between me and one of the worlds great guitarists, Mike Scaccia. Several years later, after we were no longer in a band together and also lived within driving distance, we did a bunch more recording. Later, Mikey made up with Al and rejoined MINISTRY. In December 2012 he died on stage playing for Rigor Mortis...another death of a close friend that I'm still trying to finish dealing with:
(from Rollingstone.com)
By Greg Prato
December 23, 2012
Mike Scaccia, the guitarist for Ministry and Rigor Mortis, died on Saturday night at the age of 47. Scaccia was performing onstage at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of a 50th birthday celebration for Rigor Mortis singer Bruce Corbitt, when he collapsed. Shortly afterwards, he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Shit Sherlock-2005-2010
Jimbo Yongue, G, B, Vox. Max Brody, D, Sax, Keys.
This was an on-going recording project that I had with Jimbo Yongue from Daddylonghead, and another one of my all time favorite lead guitarists...we made two full fledged LP recordings and a bunch of other random and odd recordings that I'll probably be able to get at least a 3rd release out of. Maybe more...
Suffer Robot-2006
Max Brody, D,Sax,Keys,G,B,Prc. Victor Poison-Tete, Vox.
+Jimbo Yongue, guest lead G. Brett Bradford, guest feedback G.
This was a recording project that I did with Victor, who had been in a NYC band called Ratatratr, after he found me on Myspace and we started to communicate regularly. We keep talking about doing more, so you never know...
Spasm-Brody-Poison Tete Encounter -2007
Stu Spasm, riffing on G and B. Max Brody, Editor, D, Sax, Keys. Victor Poison-Tete, Vox.
+Jeff Pinkus, guest B. Jimbo Yongue, guest lead G. Brett Bradford, guest feedback G.
This was a recording project only. Through Victor I was not only able to meet Stu Spasm from Lubricated Goat, another one of my personal favorites, but to convince him to lay down some guitar and bass riffing for me to edit into something. (!) We did something alright...and I got some killer musicians to fill in the gaps on a full LPs worth of material!
Guilty Pleasure Vol 1: The Beach Boys-2010
Max Brody, all instruments. All songs written by The Beach Boys. What can I say. I was having a mid-late 60's moment. After all the stress that I had been going through, I decided to create something that would use a lot of "pretty" tones, as opposed to the very distorted ones I had been used to making. I needed to make a happy place instead of vent frustration or flex muscles, I guess. The result first was Guilty Pleasure Vol. 1, using some old favorites from the Beach Boys psychedelic period. The second result was Smitty, using similar production style but with original tunes.
...I hope to do more Volumes of other artist's songs at some point in the future and admit more guilty pleasures...it was fun!
Smitty-2011
Max Brody, all instruments. This was an homage to mid-60’s music and a girl named Kelly. A recording project.
Smedley's Racket -2012-present
Max Brody, D, Woodwinds, Brass, G, B, Keys, Perc. John Hawkins, Vox, Lowbrow, Electric Kalimba, Keys. Jason Craig, guest G.
I worked on this one long distance with John Hawkins from CRUST. We started it shortly before I moved to Washington state with some other musician friends from Austin. It seems to vary from noise rock to movie sound track music...since then we have continued to work together in his new project called MASQUERADE AS ANGELS which also features multi-instrumentalist Jeff Campbell.
update 2017: SMEDLEY'S RACKET became the name for my solo DJ/VJ sort of multimedia show with live drumming, sequences and a visual component, some of which is triggered from audio. I stuck with the name not only because its a good name, but because thematically it fits...look up Smedley Darlington Butler in the history books to understand my obsession.
MASQUERADE AS ANGELS: 2013-present
John Hawkins, vocals, electric doorspring, synth, etc. Jeff Campbell - guitar, bass, keyboards, etc. Max Brody - Drums, etc.
We are a retro-80's sounding band, that does not sound like any 80's band in particular...just kinda 80's sounding. 8 songs have been finished and are on their bandcamp page. HERE
TEST APES 2013-present
Danny Barnes- electric barnjo, banjo, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, vocals, keys.
Max Brody- D, perc, horns, keys, harmonica, guitar, samples...
...whose history is on THEIR page! also, here is their WEBSITE
FRIED SMILING 2015-present
Jeff Kinart-samples, keyboards, guitars, other noise makers
Max Brody-whatever I can get my hands on
This is a concept project, making ambient music for video. Jeff is a Music Supervisor and Writer in Hollywood, CA who in addition to his other talent as a writer and film maker is also an interesting and fantastic musician. We have been quietly working away on a ton of material that will hopefully make its way into some movies and TV shows.
NOTORIOUS EARLY PROCEDURES 2016
Max Brody with Daniele Santagiuliana, from Italy, who found me on social media. Much like Victor Poison-Tete and the Suffer Robot Collaboration, this was a long distance project in a dark, industrial/creepy avant-jazz kind of way...
COUCHLOCK 2016
This was a solo project that spun off of FRIED SMILING, so that I could release an ambient album.
Kinart felt like the pieces were finished, and could not add to them...I have wanted to put out something ambient for a long time
HIGH STRANGENESS IN STEREOSCOPIC SOUND 2017
After messing around with my 3-stringed 'guitar jr' for so many years, I had wound up having a few episodes where I suddenly wrote a bunch of tunes all the sudden. This was the case here. I wrote the whole thing on guitar jr, and layered in the rest of the parts. My brother, Doug, helped me with mastering. Since then, I've been writing more, and practicing the songs on the LP...who knows? Is it possible for me to pull off live?
CREEPY STICK 2016-present
Creepy Stick did a reboot! We had been together last in 1993! I got back together with Chris Ballew, and it turns out that he and Dave Thiele had never stopped jamming! He handed me a thumbdrive with a zillion song seeds and snippets that I will be making into a series of EPs. The first, "VELVETEEN STRAIGHTJACKET" came out fall of 2017, and hopefully there is much more to come.
So that's where I am at as of 2017...
Thanks for readin' about my musical history.
'78-'87 timeframe:
This is my earliest musical period. In '85 my brother Doug and I released the first of many tapes and even a CD as a project band called Mosaic. I was also involved in some bands early on. The main one was called "The Squids" With John Rubinelli on Guitar, Chris Long on Bass, Mike Culbertson on keyboards, myself on sax and a rotating cast of other musicians joining in, especially on drums or percussion. We played shows at an Italian restaurant and at bars in the Phoenix area when I was 16 and way before I was legally able to drink. I always had to play and immediately leave, while the rest of the guys stayed in the bar and got drunk. I was about 10 years younger than any of them...
'88-'93 timeframe:
In the fall of '87 I enrolled at Pomona College in Claremont, Ca. where I started out as a music major. I soon got disenchanted with the music program and switched majors to philosophy, graduating in '91 with a BA. During that time I met Chris Chambreau who would eventually play in several bands with me at Pomona, and then up in Seattle after we both ended up moving there. So, in '91 I moved from LA to Seattle, had several projects and bands, and started thinking about starting this label (the web wasn't around yet). I opened my little home studio, Frumunda Musick, and even made a compilation, "It Came Frumunda", in '93, shortly before I decided that Seattle was so saturated with bands that it was impossible to stick out, that I could stand a break from the rain, and that all my favorite bands were from Austin. So...since I was still pretty young and all...why not DO IT...? I did. I left Seattle at the very end of '93, arriving in Austin shortly after the beginning of '94. Between graduation in '91 and moving at the end of '93, I had been in 7 bands: Drunken Immortals, Motor Virus, Pure Grain Alcohol, Leisure Seizure, Splatterdaddies, the Non-Prophets and Creepy Stick, which featured an as yet unknown, Chris Ballew, who would later have a highly successful musical career with his band The Presidents of the United States of America.
Bands and Projects while in Texas by year, 1994-2012:
Eat Fact-1994-1996.
Stan Johnson, B. Jim Porter, G. Woody, G. Max Brody, D.
We made a few demo tapes, and played local shows. It was noise-rock. Stan and I had been in the Drunken Immortals and Splatterdaddies, and then moved down to Texas together back at the very end of ’93. We hooked up with Woody the very first night in Austin at the old Emos on 6th St. Soon, Woody introduced us to Jim. After Woody ripped us off for some very badly needed money, we dumped him. But the band lived on for a few years playing some pretty out there parties and dives. At one point we all lived in a warehouse space, and then shared a fair sized house with 7 roomates and 7 dogs...!
Euripides Pants-1994-1997
Rey Washam, D. Tim Cole, Trumpet, Vox. Bret Engle, G. Dale Scott, B. Max Brody, Sax, Clar, Flt.
A very unlikely sound for such a grouping of musicians generally associated with heavy rock or punk music, Euripides Pants paid homage to Herb Alpert, Esquivel and Lounge stylings of the 60's. We recorded a demo, played a ton of shows in Austin as well as Houston and Dallas, then recorded an album for Sweatbox Records with the world famous team of Paul Leary and Stuart Sullivan producing, over at the world famous Arlyn Studio in Austin. It nearly made me feel world famous. Shortly thereafter, Rey joined Ministry and the band fizzled out. Later, just about all of the 10,000 copies of the CD were destroyed when the building that housed Sweatbox’s studio burned to the ground.
Sangre de Toro-1995-2000
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Max Brody, D (’95-’00), Jeff Williams, D (orig.). Julien Peterson, B, (’98-’00), Stan Johnson, B, (’96-’98), Rich Horne, B (orig.).
Ever wonder what happened to Brett from Scratch Acid? David and David went on to start the Jesus Lizard, and Rey became a sought after studio drummer and member in many influential bands... And Sangre was what Brett did. I joined when the old drummer disappeared from town without telling anyone. Brett and I eventually morphed into Areola 51, and then to Insect Sex Act. We played a lot of shows, and even did some mid-west touring, "The Sleepless-Itchy-Butt Tour of the US" back in 1998.
Vodka Family Winstons-1997
Bill Corsello, B, Vox. Bret Engle, G. Rey Washam, D. Max Brody, Sax, Keys.
After Euripides Pants broke up, some of us re-grouped as another group. In a vein more like the few rock-type songs that Euripides Pants did, the VFW quickly wrote a set of tunes, recorded a demo and played a few shows, culminating with a show opening up for Jesus Lizard at Stubb's BBQ in Austin. Then Rey and Bret got into a huge fist fight after the set and the band broke up. Bill and I went on to start up the Ye Olde Castletons.
Ye Olde Castletons-1997-2001
Bill Corsello, B, Vox. John Voskamp, G. Max Brody, D.
The Castletons were a martini-swillin', bbq-grillin' power trio rock band lead by Bill. We played a bunch of shows in Austin and recorded an album for Kransky Records in Austin. Then I got so busy with Ministry that it seemed like the band fizzled out. We had written and started to record a second album, but never quite finished it. Some of those songs wound up as tunes for Bill's next effort, called the Good Times Crisis Band.
Ministry-1999-2004.
Al Jourgensen, Vox, G. Paul Barker, B. Mike Scaccia, G. Max Brody, D, Sax, Keys.
+ Many fine musicians throughout the ages for live performances. While I was in the band, though, these were the main people I worked with to compose tunes.
The other musicians that performed on stage with MINISTRY in 1999: Louis Svitek, Rey Washam, Zlatko Hukic and Duane Buford (no Scaccia).
The other musicians that performed on stage with MINISTRY in 2003 were: Mike Scaccia, Louis Svitek, Rey Washam, Darrell James, and Tia Sprocket.
There are so many good memories...there is much to share from this experience. Where I can, I will. Five very memorable years.
Areola 51-2000-2007
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Jeff Pinkus, B, Vox. Max Brody, D.
+Richard Alexander, guest Vox. Randy Turner, guest Vox, Ezra Reynolds, guest organ. Teresa Frame, guest B Vox...
At some point in 1999, shortly after we recorded Sangre de Toro’s “El Pee, Numero Uno”, Julien Peterson decided to quit the band, with no hard feelings. We were fortunate enough to replace him with none other than Jeff Pinkus of the Butthole Surfers (and currently Honky). But after making a demo with him under the Sangre name and realizing that not only were there a few other bands in the world using the name of Sangre de Toro, but that the addition of Pinkus to the band significantly changed the sound enough to warrant a name change. So, we retired the old name...sigh...
Double-o-go-go-2001-2003
Byron Scott-G, Vox. Rob Cooley, D. Aaron Davis, B. Allison Lipkin, Sax. Max Brody, Sax.
This was a lounge act with a spy theme and was almost entirely covers. We played shows and recorded a demo before I dropped out due to MINISTRY taking all my time. Before we could ever get anything really recorded well, the band broke up, but there is a little... A few years later, the leader Byron died from a stroke.
Music Column November 23, 2007
by Austin Powell "...• One of the few black musicians in Austin's early punk scene, Byron Scott, guitarist for Do Dat, died on Friday morning due to complications arising from a stroke. Scott, 52, also played in the Twisteyes, Bad Mutha Goose, and the rockabilly outfit the Trouble Boys, who opened for the Clash in 1982..."
R.I.P. Byron...
Pink Anvil-2001
Paul Barker and Max Brody--all instruments. Roland Barker, ghost appearances.
Paul and I Played two shows as Pink Anvil, and had a ton of fun hanging out at his home studio creating stuff for MINISTRY. Pink Anvil became sort of a clearing house for the unused musical tidbits and samples or whatnot. Each show had a completely different set and theme, and each was recorded. The first was released on Ipecac records, called “Halloween Party”. The second was recorded at an Ipecac records New Years Eve event in San Francisco, but never released. And a third set of songs were never quite finished in the studio...I may finish it up sometime.
TaxiCrabNebulae-2002
Max Brody (D, Sax, Keys) in various groupings. A (somewhat eclectic) recording project. The other musicians are, Adam Grossman, G. Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Randy Turner, Vox, noise makers. Mike Scaccia, G. Josh Chalmers, B. Rey Washam, Keys. MC Badseed, Vox. Louie Svitek, G.
This was my second attempt to produce recordings for a record (the first being, “it came frumunda”, a compilation project that showcased the bands that hung out and performed together at the Storeroom Tavern in Seattle back in the early 90's). On it, I attempted to do like Robert Fripp, and make an album with a different set of musicians on each track.
Insect Sex Act-2002-2012
Brett Bradford, G, Vox. Jason Craig, B, Vox. Richard Alexander, Vox. Max Brody, D.
The final incarnation of the Bradford-Brody partnership...We played a ton of shows in Austin over 10 years, recorded an Ep and then some CD singles. Shortly before I moved back to Washington state, we recorded an Lp at Cris Burn's Studio, called "A Fist Full of Panties, For a Few Panties More, or Once Upon a Time in Your Panties".
Naugahyde Dream Sequence-2003-2005
Max Brody, Editor in chief, D, Sax. Flt. Clar. Keys, Prc, G, B, etc. Randy Turner, Vox, Lyrics. J.D. Fanning, G. Josh Chalmers, B. Mike Scaccia, Lead G. Jason Craig, Lead G.
This was my first attempt at composing, producing and generally being the dictator for the creation of a recording. And this was the recording project-nearly-turned-band that Biscuit and I were getting together when he died from internal bleeding in 2005. We had created one cd, and had started a second. But this time we thought about being able to perform the stuff live as well as making cool recordings...I still miss him so much. We performed 1 or 2 songs at one of the last Areola 51 shows with O’Beast. Four days before he died we were recording at my house. I’ll never get over it. He was a close friend.
Musician found dead in South Austin home; police investigating.
By Joshunda Sanders, Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, August 19, 2005
Beloved punk icon Randy "Biscuit" Turner was found dead in his home Thursday afternoon, the same day a feature story about him appeared in the The Austin Chronicle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naugahyde Dream Sequence
Naugahyde Dream Sequence (Frumunda Musick)
Reviewed by Audra Schroeder, Fri., Sept. 2, 2005
Naugahyde Dream Sequence
(Frumunda Musick)
Austin's Naugahyde Dream Sequence was pieced together through various practice sessions over the span of about two years, and it definitely lives up to its peculiar name. The band, which features the late and sorely missed Randy "Biscuit" Turner on vocals, J.D. Fanning and Josh Chalmers of Oh, Beast! on guitar and bass, and Areola 51's Max Brody on drums, has created a sound that's fragmented and disjointed, low-end rumbling in your ear like the beginnings of a fever dream. Released on Brody's Frumunda label, the disc's nine songs deliver Turner's sometimes frantic vocals, and it's his humorous psychobabble on everything from food ("Snack Bar") to hot rods ("Priming the Engine") that's an earmark of his usual quirky style. Even when he makes a list on the demented "Things That Got Lodged up My Nose" ("Nickels, dimes, all small change; Kleenex, spandex, all things strange"), his effects-laden voice quivering, it's hard not to smile. Along the way, there are saxophone bleats, strange effects, distorted guitars, and Brody's industrial-strength drumming, buoying the long, strange trip on a Naugahyde couch. And when Turner screams, "We're gonna win this thing if it kills us!" on the opening song, take it to heart. And go start 10 bands.
****
(four out of five stars)
Goobersmoochers-2001
Mike Scaccia, G, B. Max Brody, D,Sax,Keys, Paul Barker, guest B. Dave from Gibson, guest B. Brett Bradford, guest G and Vox.
This recording project started out as a way to pass time on the road with MINISTRY between me and one of the worlds great guitarists, Mike Scaccia. Several years later, after we were no longer in a band together and also lived within driving distance, we did a bunch more recording. Later, Mikey made up with Al and rejoined MINISTRY. In December 2012 he died on stage playing for Rigor Mortis...another death of a close friend that I'm still trying to finish dealing with:
(from Rollingstone.com)
By Greg Prato
December 23, 2012
Mike Scaccia, the guitarist for Ministry and Rigor Mortis, died on Saturday night at the age of 47. Scaccia was performing onstage at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of a 50th birthday celebration for Rigor Mortis singer Bruce Corbitt, when he collapsed. Shortly afterwards, he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Shit Sherlock-2005-2010
Jimbo Yongue, G, B, Vox. Max Brody, D, Sax, Keys.
This was an on-going recording project that I had with Jimbo Yongue from Daddylonghead, and another one of my all time favorite lead guitarists...we made two full fledged LP recordings and a bunch of other random and odd recordings that I'll probably be able to get at least a 3rd release out of. Maybe more...
Suffer Robot-2006
Max Brody, D,Sax,Keys,G,B,Prc. Victor Poison-Tete, Vox.
+Jimbo Yongue, guest lead G. Brett Bradford, guest feedback G.
This was a recording project that I did with Victor, who had been in a NYC band called Ratatratr, after he found me on Myspace and we started to communicate regularly. We keep talking about doing more, so you never know...
Spasm-Brody-Poison Tete Encounter -2007
Stu Spasm, riffing on G and B. Max Brody, Editor, D, Sax, Keys. Victor Poison-Tete, Vox.
+Jeff Pinkus, guest B. Jimbo Yongue, guest lead G. Brett Bradford, guest feedback G.
This was a recording project only. Through Victor I was not only able to meet Stu Spasm from Lubricated Goat, another one of my personal favorites, but to convince him to lay down some guitar and bass riffing for me to edit into something. (!) We did something alright...and I got some killer musicians to fill in the gaps on a full LPs worth of material!
Guilty Pleasure Vol 1: The Beach Boys-2010
Max Brody, all instruments. All songs written by The Beach Boys. What can I say. I was having a mid-late 60's moment. After all the stress that I had been going through, I decided to create something that would use a lot of "pretty" tones, as opposed to the very distorted ones I had been used to making. I needed to make a happy place instead of vent frustration or flex muscles, I guess. The result first was Guilty Pleasure Vol. 1, using some old favorites from the Beach Boys psychedelic period. The second result was Smitty, using similar production style but with original tunes.
...I hope to do more Volumes of other artist's songs at some point in the future and admit more guilty pleasures...it was fun!
Smitty-2011
Max Brody, all instruments. This was an homage to mid-60’s music and a girl named Kelly. A recording project.
Smedley's Racket -2012-present
Max Brody, D, Woodwinds, Brass, G, B, Keys, Perc. John Hawkins, Vox, Lowbrow, Electric Kalimba, Keys. Jason Craig, guest G.
I worked on this one long distance with John Hawkins from CRUST. We started it shortly before I moved to Washington state with some other musician friends from Austin. It seems to vary from noise rock to movie sound track music...since then we have continued to work together in his new project called MASQUERADE AS ANGELS which also features multi-instrumentalist Jeff Campbell.
update 2017: SMEDLEY'S RACKET became the name for my solo DJ/VJ sort of multimedia show with live drumming, sequences and a visual component, some of which is triggered from audio. I stuck with the name not only because its a good name, but because thematically it fits...look up Smedley Darlington Butler in the history books to understand my obsession.
MASQUERADE AS ANGELS: 2013-present
John Hawkins, vocals, electric doorspring, synth, etc. Jeff Campbell - guitar, bass, keyboards, etc. Max Brody - Drums, etc.
We are a retro-80's sounding band, that does not sound like any 80's band in particular...just kinda 80's sounding. 8 songs have been finished and are on their bandcamp page. HERE
TEST APES 2013-present
Danny Barnes- electric barnjo, banjo, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, vocals, keys.
Max Brody- D, perc, horns, keys, harmonica, guitar, samples...
...whose history is on THEIR page! also, here is their WEBSITE
FRIED SMILING 2015-present
Jeff Kinart-samples, keyboards, guitars, other noise makers
Max Brody-whatever I can get my hands on
This is a concept project, making ambient music for video. Jeff is a Music Supervisor and Writer in Hollywood, CA who in addition to his other talent as a writer and film maker is also an interesting and fantastic musician. We have been quietly working away on a ton of material that will hopefully make its way into some movies and TV shows.
NOTORIOUS EARLY PROCEDURES 2016
Max Brody with Daniele Santagiuliana, from Italy, who found me on social media. Much like Victor Poison-Tete and the Suffer Robot Collaboration, this was a long distance project in a dark, industrial/creepy avant-jazz kind of way...
COUCHLOCK 2016
This was a solo project that spun off of FRIED SMILING, so that I could release an ambient album.
Kinart felt like the pieces were finished, and could not add to them...I have wanted to put out something ambient for a long time
HIGH STRANGENESS IN STEREOSCOPIC SOUND 2017
After messing around with my 3-stringed 'guitar jr' for so many years, I had wound up having a few episodes where I suddenly wrote a bunch of tunes all the sudden. This was the case here. I wrote the whole thing on guitar jr, and layered in the rest of the parts. My brother, Doug, helped me with mastering. Since then, I've been writing more, and practicing the songs on the LP...who knows? Is it possible for me to pull off live?
CREEPY STICK 2016-present
Creepy Stick did a reboot! We had been together last in 1993! I got back together with Chris Ballew, and it turns out that he and Dave Thiele had never stopped jamming! He handed me a thumbdrive with a zillion song seeds and snippets that I will be making into a series of EPs. The first, "VELVETEEN STRAIGHTJACKET" came out fall of 2017, and hopefully there is much more to come.
So that's where I am at as of 2017...
Thanks for readin' about my musical history.
