GMx (Guitars, Bass, Synths, Keyboards) With The Anonymous Cowards - GMx (Acoustic Guitar and Electric Rhythm Guitar) The Anonymous Cowards - (Everything else)
Influences
Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Wire, Buck Owens, The Smiths, David Bowie, Neil Young, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, The Shadows, Don Gibson, The Who, Pete Townshend, The Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, The Pretty Things, Johnny Cash, Big Star, The Minutemen, Tall Dwarfs, The Kinks, The Fall, Leadbelly, T-Rex, Joy Division, The Velvet Underground, Pajo, Mott The Hoople, The Beta Band, CCR, and myself.
Add to My Profile | More VideosGMx is the nom de guerre of Gregory A. Maddux, a singer-songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky. He started his career writing songs in his bedroom in Valley Station, a working class suburb of Louisville, known mostly for run down businesses and a place that you pass on the way to Fort Knox. He made a tape of some of his songs using two cheap microphones connected to his stereo. These became famous as "The Bedroom Tapes" and contained songs that he would later do with Mr. Big and Evil Twin Theory. But we're getting ahead of the story. Also, as an aside, those two microphones were used to record King Kong's first single. Which they then told Greg that they broke! Any mention or thanks to Greg? No. Thanks a lot, Ethan.
In 1978, he found an 8-track tape of The Ramones in the cut-out bin of a department store and his life was changed. He then went on to listening to Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, The Velvet Underground (he had already heard Lou Reed from his "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" album), X-Ray Specs, The Sex Pistols, Devo and many of the first wave of punk rock-new wave bands.
In 1985, he started working at a seafood restaurant Mike Linnig's, situated by the Ohio River in the southwestern part of Jefferson County. There he met Irvin Ross, who also had a love for punk rock music. He filled Greg in on newer stuff such as Black Flag, The Minutemen and many local punk bands. They decided to get their own band together playing Greg's songs. They practiced as a twosome for a while in Irv's basement while looking for a drummer. As it happened the band Fadin' Out was just about to break up. They asked Sean Mulhall if he would like to join, and the rest is history. Sean had also played drums with Louisville legends The Babylon Dance Band. After some discussion they decided to call themselves Mr. Big. After playing a preview show in Sean's basement, they went on to open for another legendary Louisville band Squirellbait for their first public show ever in front of about 300 people. They played many times in Louisville with bands such as Volcano Suns, Christmas and Soul Asylum. They were offered a deal with Homestead Records, but somehow never got around to finalizing the deal. Greg decided that Mr. Big had run its course and broke up the band, but not without recording their set at a studio in Louisville.
Greg then decided he had not had enough of playing music and from the ashes of Mr. Big came Krakh, with Dave Pajo playing drums. Thier set at first included Mr. Big Songs, but then they expanded it, playing more experimental jazz flavored rock like Mr. Big had been started to do at the end of their run. Irv then got involved with someone and decided to leave the band. No more Krakh.
Greg and his friend Todd Osborne got together and started practicing in an old cabin from the 1800's in the eastern part of Jefferson County. Greg started exploring the possibilities of the GADDAD tuning. From this came the song "Marlon Brando", an ode to the actor who was known to get on his ham radio set and talk to people from his island in Tahiti. Soon after that, they were joined by guitarist "Screamin'" John Hawkins and Jim Peak to form 3000 Guitars, a loud, raucous, band spewing Honky Tonk years before the days of "No Depression" and "Alt-Country". They interspersed their set of originals with covers by Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb, Freddy Fender, Bob Seger and other country stars. John and Jim decided they could make more money doing covers, so they split.
So Greg once again retreated to the bedroom and came up with some acoustic numbers that were released on a homemade cassette called "Evil Twin Theory". Along for the ride this time was Mike Bucayu of Kinghorse, playing Mandolin and keyboards. Then he started the band Evil Twin Theory with Pajo on drums and Joe Koniak on bass. Pajo then became involved with Slint which took all his time, so Brett Holsclaw came in to play drums. Joe left and was replaced by Jim Peak. After that, Byron Hoagland was asked to play second guitar. Byron had played with Folks On Fire and Pour Floyd More. He also did a tour playing bass for Evan Dando's band The Lemonheads. They then asked producer Kramer (Bongwater, B.A.L.L., Galaxy 500) to produce them. They went to Kramer's studio Noise New York and came back with "Bent Outta Shape by Society's Pliers", a twelve song album of manic guitar and manic emotions. While in NYC, they also played at the historic club CBGB'S (This was the second time for Greg to play there, Mr. Big also played there). They album was featured on the cover of College Music Journal as the pick of the week. They got offers from Capitol, Geffen, TVT and RCA, but nothing panned out as it usually happens in the music biz. Before long, it was just down to Byron and Greg, so they decided to hang it up.
Greg went back to study Graphic Design (with about the rest of the whole country it seems). Things didn't quite look as bright in that field. He decided once more to pick up his guitar. Music hadn't meant as much to him in the years that comprised "The Great Dry Spell", but when he got his first iPod, he began to listen to more music. He then began recording what would become the "Kerry" album, playing all the instruments. This is what he does today. He's finished a second album done with The Anonymous Cowards called "F**k Singer". He has done an album done with Rocko called "Goin' Down To Rahway". It's available at the iTunes store, CD Baby and many other on-line retailers. Check the Rocko vs GMx link below for details. Also available is a CD of his early demos and solo songs called "Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man."
