Keenan Sloan - Lead Vox, Baritone Guitar, Misc
Katy Sloan - Vox
Annie Freres - Vox
Julia Shaffer - Keyboards
Ben Pope - Acoustic Guitar, Vox
Kent Stratton - Drums, Percussion
Krista Wroten - Violin, Vox, Misc
Past Members:
Annie Hoang - Keyboards
Mo Dari - Vox, Guitar, Flute
Joseph Kang - Violin
John Elliott - Keyboards, Accordion Harmonica
Dora Lubin - Vox
Influences
Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen; The Magnetic Fields; The Smiths; Will Oldham; Johnny Cash; Elvis; Regina Spektor; Nina Nastasia; Belle and Sebastian; Iron & Wine; Low; Lots of traditional music - Americana, Irish, English, Russian; Kurt Weill; Stephen Sondheim; William Bolcom and a cast of thousands.
Sounds Like
People have said we sound like a love child of Stephin Merritt and Nick Cave, that was raised by wolves who listened to a lot of 60's folk and went to the theatre on weekends. We think wolves make a mess of everything.
Black Max is a collaborative project featuring the work of Memphis, TN-based singer/songwriter and all around vaudevillian Keenan Sloan, paired with a cast of some of the most talented players in the Memphis area. Together they produce an array of darkly humorous, theatrical, vintage music that hums with the sound of old footlights. The music drives with the power of a four piece set and evokes a gamut of styles from sinister/whimsical cabaret and lounge, to soaring rock n' roll.
Assisted morally, spiritually and adverbially from afar by the ingenuity of band co-founder Ashraf Younes, one of Washington, DC's best and brightest drummers, the band has managed to push through the hazards of long distance to form a dynamic, working group that defies expectations of what indie music should sound like.
Launched as a recording project in the fall of 2005 and shifting briefly through several names, the band settled on Black Max, after the eponymous tune by William Bolcom (one of the greatest living composers of modern Americana and Cabaret music). Like its namesake song, the music of Black Max is laced with wry jokes, gallows humor, tongue tripping lyrics and a strong sense of theatricality.
The band's first album "Not Such Gentle People" is officially out, so the band is now turning attention to learning new music, playing shows, making other recordings and getting the word out. So, stay tuned to this spot for news, taffy pulls, ice cream socials, clambakes, pancake jamborees etc etc. Changes to the music on myspace will be less frequent; however expect occasional updates and now with the addition of songs that you can buy on the cheap via myspace we may post up some homebrew demos and or EP type recordings for you, our friends. We are very excited about some of the plans we have coming up, so keep an eye on us. And we will keep an eye on you. Oh yes.
Click here to use safe and convenient PayPal to purchase a physical copy of our new album for $14.00, complete with full color 16 page booklet! That boils down to less than a dollar per track. This button allows you to purchase your copy without being a PayPal member, just by using your credit card through their ultra-secure PayPal black box website. Buy yours today!
We have
Fire, Feathers, Garters, and Lace... and Several Women... You'll Want
to embrace. ;) Save the date and Step Right Up! Don't Be Shy, The
Memphis Belles Carnivale has arrived!! We invite you to be Dazzled by
our Burlesque Beauties and Wowed by our Sultry Sideshow - July 18th at
The Hi-Tone!!
TEASER: The Belles have something up their garters!
Super sweet. First comment in a year.. It's almost like your comment hymen was back in tact. BLACK MAX RULES MY JEWELS. Perfect blend of sassy, classy and dark, and poetic, and sincere, and well damn unique. Love your lyrics my man!
Your message made my day (night), Keenan. Please do come to my show Friday at the Red and Black! There will be careful microtones and utter insanity, pleasantly mixed. Long live classical music geekdom! -Storm
Hey Keenan! Nice to meet you the other night, thanks for coming out.
Awesome music, by the way. If you guys need an opening act sometime, call on us. Otherwise, I'll try to figure out some place both of us can play early next year? (next month I'll start booking Gaslight some more shows in the New Year)
If I'm in the "top 8" am I obligated to comment? Chew on this, homeslice - do you want me commenting? It's probably best that I disassociate myself from this train wreck. Good day, sir.
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