1- Where did you grow up? I grew up in a small surf town called Porthcawl in South Wales in the UK. I also spent most of my summers in Southern California where my father lives. It turned out wherever I was the coast wasn’t far away. 2- What is one of the first songs you remember liking as a kid?
One of my earliest music memories was listening to Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing as a kid with my parents and being blown away by the melody of the guitar. I think it’s definately the main reason why I started playing guitar and why guitar remains a focal point of my music today and especially on my new album ‘Outsider’. 3- What influenced you to get into music? I think what influenced me most is the fact that all I did as a kid was listen to and play music. It’s the thing I loved most and once I got better and better it just made sense to try and make a career out of it. I still love making music every day and I can’t think of a time I will ever stop.
4- At what age did you start playing/singing? I started playing guitar at the age of 8 and then like every kid who owned a guitar I was desperate to get on stage so I joined a band and things progressed from there. I then got into piano, bass and drums a little later on in my teens as my music preferences shifted and grew. 5- If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself after finishing school? To take my time. I feel like in my late teens/early twenties I was trying to do so much all at once. I wish I had slowed down and taken my time instead of rushing things through and doing them with halfway effort. I think I’ve learned a lot from that and hopefully it shows on this new album. I think working on one project for two years in the definition of taking my time!
6- What are some of your favorite songs at the moment? There’s so many and in so many different genres but what comes to mind right now are Cinecitta by Steve Stevens, Leave The Door Open by Silk Sonic, Star Crossed by Kacey Musgraves, Helvetica by The Midnight, Life Got Crazy by Mike. The list could go on and on. 7- Do you listen to your own music? In the least cringey way possible yes I do. I will only put out music that I’m super proud of and if it gets to the point where it is released to the public I’ll always listen to it. 8- Which musician would you like to collaborate with next? Like everyone in the synthwave genre collaborating with The Midnight would be the greatest. I’d also love to collaborate with Pylot, L’Avenue and The Motion Epic if I get the opportunity.
9- What is one of your favorite memories so far in your music career? I think my favorite memory so far was listening back to the completely mastered version of my album ‘Outsider’ in the car with my girlfriend during one night this summer. Just listening to the songs I’d come up with after 2 years of work and listening to them in order with all the incredible artists I’d worked with was pretty special. But I’m sure there’s a lot more exciting memories yet to come!
10- What advice would you give to someone that is just starting to get into music? Make sure you’re proud of what you’re making and putting out. Try and gain as much experience as you can from other artists you admire but be sure to find your own identity. Study what you like but make it your own and get better every day. If you make good unique music people will listen. It’s really that simple.
Maxx Parker just released his album "Outsider" on September 17, 2021 through Aztec Records. He also has a profile page with more music and videos here on the website. Check out his music and profile page below.
Comments