Line-up
- Kim Mitchell : Vocals/Guitar
- Terry Watkinson : Keyboards
- Gary McCracken : Drums
- Dave Myles : Bass
Bands
- Rush
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Fan Stories
David Rees
I saw Max Webster just the once in May 1979 supporting Rush at Bristol Colston Hall, UK. An amazing experience and the first time I'd ever seen a support group get a standing ovation. There was a flexi-disc of songs from A Million Vacations on the seat which I still have.
Piers McBride
We were schoolboys following Rush around the UK. Me and my two best friends were taken to task by Alex Lifeson who asked what we were doing getting our album sleeves signed behind the building (we knew Rush always arrived at the backstage doors while the support band were on in order to avoid a crowd) - "You should be inside listening to Max Webster - they are a great band." We had never heard of them and assumed it was an individual rather than a group. Suitably chastised, we went inside to check out the rest of the set - I think they only played about 30 minutes in total - and we never looked back. We became super fans if you like.
We were front row centre for two Rush shows at Bristol Colston Hall. I had to queue out for two nights to get the tickets. We were going nuts when Max Webster came on and I can remember all of the road crew coming on with vacuum cleaners (I think during Hangover at the end) with "What is this Max Webster?" either coming from Kim, or a pre recorded voice from the side of the stage. We had never known a group like them because we were brought up on classic English hard rock and heavy metal. And what I remember about Max Webster, now I think about it, is that there were no standard onstage introductions. Instead, Kim would talk about putting his headphones on and waving at his dad before starting the next number. Or refer to a character we didn't understand such as a Canker Banker. We had no idea what he was talking about in between songs. I can remember at the time thinking that the Websters lyrics seemed completely impenetrable to a 14 year old. And the band were the antithesis of the rock stars we were used to seeing.
It was ridiculous watching Kim Mitchell play the solo to Beyond The Moon. We had seen Van Halen in 1978 supporting Black Sabbath so had at least some experience of something beyond the stodgy blues based technique of the British rock royalty guitarists. But the beauty of that solo - as the keyboard and bass notes shift beneath it - was a concert highlight at a time when most of the audience, truth be told, had no idea of the mastery that they were witnessing. Those perfect jazz inflected runs from Kim still sound so otherworldly and masterly. What a band.