My first photo shoot with Maxwell Southern can only be described with one word. Hilarious. I started that day having a clear image of what when where and how I wanted my photos taking, the plan was to have Max leaned up against a graffiti wall playing his guitar looking off into the distance dramatically with the best ‘indie’ face he could do. What I did not expect was for him to spontaneously decide to walk into the nearby town centre, guitar in hand, sit down on a bench and start busking, “I would sing as well as playing guitar, but I don’t wanna put people off” as well as drawing a small crowd, I managed to capture the best indie style photographs I could have possibly got. The second photo shoot was a little more productive in the way that I was a little more in control, but once again by the end of the shoot Max had ended up taking charge by energetically throwing himself into different poses commanding me to take pictures because “the light is just perfect here” and “how great would this be for a background”.
On paper Maxwell looks a pretty average teenager, a year 12 student studying History, English literature, German and Photography at AS level (the photography explains why he thinks he is such a know it all when it comes to photo shoots), good grades at GCSE and pretty much an overall hard worker. In person, everything about him screams ‘indie’, the first photo shoot he comes dressed in skinny jeans, grey plimsolls, a dark grey leather jacket and a blue beanie hat. The second time we meet, the skinnys, plimsolls and beanie hat are on again, along with a navy blue blazer and a blue shirt to match. This guy couldn’t be more indie if he tried, and he is one of the very few people I have met who can actually pull this look off. His band ‘All the Pretty Faces’ has not exactly hit the ‘big time’, yet. “We hold band practice once or twice a week, we aren’t even on YouTube, we just mess around writing songs and learning to play well known ones for a bit of fun,” Says Alan Richardson, fellow band member, “I’m better at guitar than Max, and he’s better at the drums than me, but I always end up playing the drums and him the guitar.” This laid back approach to achieving stardom may work, but it is unlikely. It’s a good job these guys are not looking to be discovered and make their millions, “as nice as that sounds” they are just looking to have a good time. “We are quite happy rehearsing in Max’s mum’s garage; just us, the instruments, and a six pack of Budweiser. Its great fun, have you ever tried to play the drums drunk? It’s bloody hard!” I can honestly answer no to that one Alan. As I try and take a picture of Alan and Max, Alan launches himself under the table, shielding himself from the cameras view. “There are two reasons why I like being the drummer, one, it’s a hell of a workout, and two, nobody ever takes pictures of the drummer.” Alan describes himself as ‘camera shy’, saying he would much rather Max be the main man and he hide behind him, “with a drum kit as extra protection from the camera lens”
As this is an indie magazine, during an interview we always ask the most basic question, ‘what is your favourite indie band?’ “Oasis.” Both Alan and Max answer in unison without even a second to take a moment and think about the question. “One Night Only is probably my second favourite,” says Alan, “George Craig looks just gorgeous in the video for ‘Say You Don’t Want It’” as much as I would like to agree with him, I stay out of the argument between Max and Alan over who is ‘more fit’ lead singer George Craig or his ex girlfriend and Harry Potter star Emma Watson, who made a guest appearance in One Night Only’s music video for the single ‘Say You Don’t Want It’ which was released in August 2010.
Another generic question I have to ask is, ‘what is your favourite indie song?’ Max, no surprise, chooses an Oasis song, “it has gotta be ‘Wonderwall’ it is the best song they ever wrote.” Wonderwall was the third song to be released from the bands second album, ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory’ in October 1995. Although it only ever reached number two in the UK charts, it was a huge hit in the US, staying at number 1 on the ‘Modern Rock Charts’ for ten weeks. Alan, unlike Max, finds this question a little harder to answer, “There is just so many awesome songs out there to choose from!” its clear on his face that all this thinking is giving him a headache, so just this once I let him off the hook, by making him list his top five favourites instead. “Is that supposed to be an easier question?” says Alan while he is giving me a look that could kill, “well, Oasis would be in my top five, but not Wonderwall.” To save himself from getting slapped across the face by Max, he quickly continues, “My favourite is ‘She’s Electric’. For the rest I would probably have to choose ‘Mardy Bum’ by Arctic Monkeys, ‘I Am the Resurrection’ by The Stone Roses, ‘Same Jeans’ by The View and ‘Step On My Old Size Nines’ by Stereophonics.” I realise he is looking at something under the table, and when I ask him what he pulls out his ipod and owns up he was reading the top five most listened to songs… cheater.
In last month’s magazine, we advertised a competition where the winner would get their question asked to the subject (or subjects) of this month’s main article. The winners question is, “if you ever make an album what would it be called and why?” Max and Alan exchange ‘deep in thought looks’ as this is clearly something they have not thought about, “I gotta be honest, I have no idea” says Max speechless for the first time since the start of the interview, “I think it would have to be named after our favourite song on the album or something like that.” Alan however has a more clear answer, “effort. The reason we aren’t on YouTube and why we don’t try and get gigs and why we don’t take rehearsals seriously is because all that stuff requires effort, and honestly, we are lazy. If we ever get the opportunity to be famous, have all our songs in the charts, and go on world tours it will be because of luck and because someone thinks we are good. Not because we tried.”
Look out for ‘All The Pretty Faces’ on YouTube (yes, I convinced them to put their music online). Bands like these need to be discovered because they have talent. Many localised bands that ‘are just in it for fun’ deserve to have their songs played to the world, instead of the fame hungry, talentless artists you hear everyday.
What did you think to this article tell us at www.indie-go.com
