Max Lead Vocals & Guitar

 

 

I started singing in school choirs and was heavily influenced by three elder song-writing siblings later collectively known as "The Cann Brothers", playing Kinks, Beatles and Stones on an Alba record-player from the age of four onwards. The first instrument, after the usual percussion thrashing in primary classes, was the recorder.

 

 

 

 

At the age of twelve, an electric guitar and a small amplifier appeared. My first public performance, aged thirteen, was a week in Carmen at Ilford Town Hall singing in the boys chorus, where I got the feel of the greasepaint and lights!

My first real band was "Wilderness",

First gig at seventeen, or thereabouts. Then a period of psychedelic rock with "Here & Now", as a bus-driving bass player.

 

  Joined a funk-rock band "Spoons" in Bath, 1978 with six other musical journeymen including Graham who I am now back working with in A Secret

Drifted into Dram-rock with "Alice The Mongrel", and shortly after, into ceilidh music with "Arran Pilot".

I played bass in "Johnny G's" standing band in the Bath and Bristol region through the Eighties helping maintain the reputation of great live music.

1981 saw the creation of the Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury Festival with Peter Ball and the following decade was spent managing that stage at the annual event in Pilton, playing every year as well as organising. Ah, the good old days!

Spoons

 

Then came "Casablanca", which Graham and I formed to make a successful 7-piece cover venture into the world of corporate and private functions.

"The Cann Brothers" upped and left, en-masse, for the south-west of Germany for the whole of the Nineties playing in various shapes and sizes throughout the land, both East and West of the Wall.

1992 saw an eventful three-month tour of Miami and southern Florida.

Then, back in Germany in 1996 "Anything but Trouble" was born of local musicians entertaining crowds of party-minded folk all over the country.

 

 

Then back in England in 2000 I was working with a 6-piece blues band, "Bad Boy Blues" and formed a guitar duo with Simon Phelps caled "Shady Cool"

I also became a solo singer/songwriter in and around glorious Devon

 

 

 

I amcurrently fronting a function band called "A Secret", based in the South West, having reunited with old "Spoons" & "Casablanca" keyboard player Graham.

I also am continuing to play in "Shady Cool", the duo, in and around Devon and appearing annually at Druidstone Hotel, Wales, with "Arran Pilot"

I also do session work on guitar, bass and vocals for various studios