Q&A with Max Viner
NYC/NJ-based singer-songwriter, producer, and performer Max Viner's latest offering, "My Dear Friend", was made possible by, well, a little help from his friends. Those friends, being Jon Rodney, aka Jon Boy of Deal Casino, indie artist Taylor Tote, and Joe Pomarico at Telegraph Hill Records to handle the mixing. Incredibly enough, they managed to record the song together virtually last fall, with each of the artists bringing a fresh new take to the song Viner had initially written two years prior. Viner shared that Jon Boy helped take the track to another level. Taylor Totes' powerful vocals polished the solid joyous sound of the song, and Joe Pomarico finished it all off with his expertise.
As for the tracks meaning, Max had this to say: "It is for the individuals who desire to find the path and those lost in the 21st Century social and network web. I want people to feel belonging to something." Needless to say, "My Dear Friend", with its catchy guitar riffs and uplifting lyrics, is the perfect combination of the musical inspiration Max had for the song (U2, Radiohead, and Stills, to name a few.)
Max gives a refreshing interview as he spoke to us about what it was like to collaborate with friends, how being an immigrant from Russia has impacted his life, and what we can expect from him and the album he is currently working on. After all, he is much more than just a Russian guy trying to connect everyone via his music.
IndieWavves: You wrote your latest offering, "My Dear Friend" (out now), two years ago, and it sounds very different now than it did back then. Do you usually write songs and find your way back to them later?
MAX VINER: It depends on the song, time of the year, weather, my current mood. I am writing all the time, and sometimes it's just the hooks, sometimes it's poetry, sometimes it's a short story. I believe that life, in general, can be a great inspiration to the song. As you mentioned, I wrote "My Dear Friend" 2 years ago, but only during Fall 2020, it found its place.
There is no need to rush the songwriting process. Otherwise, the piece of art transforms into something processed. It is not a bad thing, but in my opinion, art has to be organic, and if the time is right, music will follow up with it. You would be surprised, but I find myself reading my old lyrics, notes, listening to my old demos, and finding new ways to upgrade the story I've started. It connects to the art of life and kinetic art, where everything has to be well balanced.
But as answering your question with yes or no, then yes. Most of my songs find their place after some time.
(continued)
IW: "My Dear Friend" is a collaboration with Jon Rodney (aka Jon Boy from Deal Casino) and the beautiful Taylor Tote (who we have previously featured). How was it working with friends on this track, and how did they help mold the song?
MV: To begin with, working with friends on this track led "My Dear Friend" to another level. I would say this: music that stays throughout the generations has one thing in common - it has been made by friends and creatives who think in the same direction. You name them - Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, St. Vincent, and David Byrne, Patti Smith, and Jimmy Iovine, Gorillaz, etc.
It is essential to find people you can connect with within the music and entertainment industry because then the magic starts to happen. I feel fortunate that Jon, Taylor, Gabby, Telegraph, great artist Julia Pietro (she also worked in "New Normal" Artwork), and the rest of the team are a part of this project. Their artistic vision, story, background, and passion for sharing their inner voice fulfilled the song, and it wouldn't be done better without them. It is almost surreal to believe that we produced it primarily online.
IW: Talk to us about the music video for the track and what inspired it.
MV: While collaborating with amazing New York-based digital artist - Gabriela Sibilska, I wanted to share the message of being an immigrant. People do not choose their home, but they can decide where they want to live, start a career, a family. The foundation of the music video is to say, "it doesn't matter where you are from, who you are, and what you do - you are always welcome anywhere."
Interestingly, Gabriela made a unique graphic map, where we came up with the concept and storyline. I believe that after 2020, terrible political events, pandemic, people need to see and hear music with the idea of a bright future. I started this message with my single "New Normal" (2020), and I will include these topics in my album that I am currently working on.
Being a human being is essentially hard these days, and the main goal of the song and the upcoming record is to encourage people and say, "you are not alone."
IW: You're currently working on an album inspired by your life in America. Can you tell us how being an immigrant has shaped you as an artist/individual, and what was that like during the pandemic?
MV: As a human being, I have my ups and downs. The pandemic really showed the actual colors in this world. I've never watched the news in my whole life, and only in 2020, I started to follow, do my research. Terrible actions of racism, injustice led me to reach out to people, share my voice, and of course, start to write even more.
Being an immigrant changed my life in a better way. I realized that I have something to say... Something that will connect with the people who go through the same changes and challenges as me.
The greatest stories are written by the people who overcome their challenges to follow their dreams and fulfill their goals. Maybe I am just a guy from Russia, but I am doing my best to be one of those people. The pandemic wasn't easy, but it made me stronger. It gave me the time to understand what I want to say with my music. I believe that this is the gift that life provided for everyone - to find oneself.
IW: What can we expect from Max Viner in the near future?
MV: Well, I am working on a lot of music these days, and I am planning to release it in the future. All I can say is that this record will have the foundation and concept of finding one's community, freedom, and path.
I have also collaborated with Russian film and theatre folks to write score music for the upcoming short movie INSIGHT. I believe that it should be online later this year. And of course, I am always working with other musicians on new music, so stay tuned!
Written by Piera Lolandes