Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Well, I was born and raised in Rutland, Vermont. A very normal city, very small and quaint. And I had a very supportive family: Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and two sisters. I was the only boy and middle child, which some people would think made things hard for me. But truly it didn’t. Both of my sisters are very supportive, and I look up to both of them. My older sister is an immaculate, genius artist. I constantly see her work in our house and go “oh my god’ because it is so surreal. And I truly believe that my family inspired me in my musical direction, because I wanted to do that same thing with my music. I wanted my family to listen and be like, “Oh my god,” just like I do with my sister’s artwork. And not to mention that I was a movie buff as a child; I was watching films that maybe an 8-year-old shouldn’t watch. Like Jaws and various horror movies. However, I loved the making of films, and I loved the music in films as well, and that right there is the reason I am here. James Newton Howard’s King Kong 2005 soundtrack and Randy Edelman’s Dragonheart 1996 soundtrack. Those soundtracks right there inspired me heavily in what I do now.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Max Crowley”?
A: I plan on releasing music consistently and putting on the best shows I possibly can. That’s all you can do, other than promote yourself every day. The promotion never stops. Every day I post on social media about my music, specifically my newest release, “BlackRain,” which has gotten attention from many metal fans, and hopefully more to come. As for a message to my fans, I would say if you love dark themes, gothic aesthetics, gothic music, horror, and spooky stuff, then my music is for you. If you love Dracula, werewolves, ghosts, and everything every Halloween nerd loves, then Max Crowley’s music is right there to add to your playlist.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: As of right now, the most inspiring artist for me is Invent Animate. I saw them play in New York this past year and was so blown away. I have been into heavy music for a while now, and seeing them and hearing their music had my attention immediately. As for inspiration? I find this fascinating because I haven’t really told many people about my inspiration. After all, it seems so odd to me. Most people find inspiration from other artists, which of course I do. But I have found myself inspired by the atmosphere and architecture. I love sitting down during sunset and looking at just the area around me. I’ll go sit near an old library or even an old church and just admire the atmosphere around me. Especially now during fall time. This is my time.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “BlackRain.”?
A: “BlackRain” is about evil. The rain turning black can be taken as a spiritual meaning, cleansing. But I interpreted it as evil. Death comes, rain turns black, and the floors open up to red. The black rain falls, and evil surrounds.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Ethereal.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “BlackRain”?
A: I think my biggest challenge was the messaging behind the song. I have a lot of things I could write about. Trauma, fictional stories, horror stories from my life, and depression. But I eventually took all of it together and created evil. Someone can only take so much in life before it starts to destroy them. Some things turn evil; people are evil, and when the black rain falls, evil surrounds.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I tend to write about very gloomy topics, gothic literature, and evil. Like “BlackRain” is about evil surrounding, and “The Tell-Tale Echoes (The Ripper)” is about the infamous Whitechapel Murders by the Leather Apron. As for my goals, I just want to keep playing and writing songs. I love performing, and that is something I want to keep doing. I am always developing my sound each show I play. Recently, actually, I was reworking things to get something perfect for my playback and scene changes. If any venues want to reach out, haha. I just want to grow and be able to have lots of fans come out to watch my show and hopefully take something away from that.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: This is a tough one, but as for artists I have been listening to a lot, I would say Invent Animate. Now, if I were to pick an artist who is sadly past, I would easily say James Ingram. Not very metal of me, but I have a soft spot for R&B, especially James Ingram, who sadly passed away in 2019.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: I mean, I myself am still learning and growing, still promoting and performing smaller shows and some decent-sized shows. I would say to keep promoting, and if you are not, then start now! As easy as just posting a short clip of your music with a cool background that grabs people’s attention. Put images and videos to your music because that, right there, helps tell a story itself. And perform as much as you can!
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Follow your heart, and do not ever stop doing what you love.
