Acclaimed Chicago composer Maxx McGathey releases first solo album, will perform Oct. 11 at Constellation Chicago as part of record release show

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

Fans of the hypnotic soundscapes that Chicago composer Maxx McGathey has created through his doom funk band Gramps The Vamp and his film scores will be happy to hear that McGathey is now out with his first solo record, "Imaginary Eyes," which may be even more adventurous than his previous projects.

McGathey will perform Oct. 11 at Constellation Chicago, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago as part of a CD release party for the album. Dark Canyon will open the show.

Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, available at Constellation Chicago's website, constellation-chicago.com.

I had the chance to talk to McGathey about the new album.

 

Q – Great talking to you. I understand that "Imaginary Eyes" started out as a project where you turned to your childhood upright piano for solace during the COVID pandemic shutdown but then you decided you wanted the album to feature as many musicians as possible, including those you hadn't played with before. Do you think making this album helped you through that period?

 

How did you go about choosing the musicians on the album and do you think you will be collaborating with them more in the future?

 

By 2021 I was kind of a hermit, but the act of getting the musicians together to play this music helped me get back into the music scene after a long period of isolation. I was able to reconnect with people I had lost touch with and make new connections in a time when everyone was eager to work together. 

 

Making this album was also just a cathartic experience artistically, putting all my feelings, fears, hopes and dreams from that time into the music. 

 

I had played with some of the musicians on the album before and they were a natural choice for this project. However, I had not worked with any of the string players before this and had to ask around to assemble a string section.

 

It took many months to find everyone, but I ended up with a fantastic section and a fantastic ensemble overall. 

 

Q – It seems like there is a meaning behind the album's name. Is there? What would you like people to take away from the album?

 

"Imaginary Eyes" is a reference to a quote from Milan Kundera’s novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." The passage talks about all people wanting to be seen by someone but ultimately describes those who long to be held in the 'imaginary eyes' of those not present as dreamers. 

 

I’ve always identified as a dreamer and I thought that the image of performing for imaginary eyes during the years of isolation was a fitting image for this time in my life. It also matched the tone of the music so well – it has a dark vibe but also a hopeful side.

 

I want people to draw their own conclusions from the music. The reason I don’t use lyrics in my music is to allow the listener’s imagination to run wild in whatever way it wants to go.

 

The meaning of a musical note is completely subjective but there are plenty of emotional narratives to observe in "Imaginary Eyes." My hope is that people will let themselves be immersed in the album’s world and see where it takes them! 

 

Q – What drew you to the piano in the first place? Who would you say are your biggest influences?

 

I started studying the piano when I was five, so it is a native tongue for me. The ease with which I express myself at the piano is like no other form of communication I know. 

 

My playing is very influenced by pianists like Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Horace Silver, to name a few. My composing style is influenced by mid-20th century cinematic composers like Bernard Herrmann, Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith and Ennio Morricone, as well as more modern composers like Nils Frahm and John Luther Adams. 

 

Q – This is your first record as a solo artist. Was it just the right time to release a solo record? What were your goals for the album and did you meet or exceed them?

 

I felt like it was the right time. Gramps The Vamp, which was my primary project for many years, had just gone on hiatus due to several members moving and the pandemic hampering our release plans for our third album. 

 

I was home alone a lot with my piano and it seemed like a chapter had ended. When one door closes, another opens. 

 

My goal for the album was to create something immersive, epic and authentic, and I think I succeeded on all three. 

 

Q – What do you think makes the Chicago music scene stand out from other music scenes across the country?

 

The Chicago music scene is so diverse. There’s every kind of music being played at really high levels, and that’s not something every city can claim. There’s also just a lot of really creative people in this city. 

 

It’s very easy to find people to collaborate with. 

 

Q – I watched a couple of videos of Gramps The Vamp playing on Halloween night in full makeup. And last year, the band played an original score at a screening of the movie "Nosferatu" at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago right before Halloween. 

 

It looks like you had fun playing with Gramps The Vamp. What do you like the best about being part of that band?

 

What I love about Gramps The Vamp is that it’s all about being over the top and sensationalist. I feel like I’m in character when I’m playing with Gramps, and it’s just a lot of fun playing that raucous music. 

 

Q – Did Gramps The Vamp ever share the stage with other bands, such as Chicago band Liquid Soul? It seems like the bands would complement each other on stage. 

 

I don’t recall playing with Liquid Soul, but we’ve been a band for 11 years and have shared stages with countless Chicago acts. Too many to list!

 

Q – Do you see yourself doing anything with Gramps The Vamp in the future?

 

Yes, I think Gramps has another album to be made.

 

Q – Do you have any dream projects?

 

I’m living my dream projects! My philosophy as an artist is to go for what excites me most – and that’s definitely what "Imaginary Eyes" is.

 

I will continue to make music that is grand and epic in scope and still very much my own compositional style, but I’d like to take it to different settings and soundworlds.

 

For example, I have plans to make an album that ties in synth to my overall sound as well as an idea for an album inspired by classic surf/exotica and retro-futurism.