Meet Max Cohen (aka Mr. Max) | Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Max Cohen (aka Mr. Max) and we’ve shared our conversation below. You can catch Mr. Max live at El Cid on Sunset on Thursday 7/15 @8:30PM.

Hi Max, why did you pursue a creative career?
I chose to pursue an artistic career because art (music in particular) is what inspired me growing up. My favorite bands provided a lens through which to view the world, and the friends I made, the activities I participated in, the way I dressed and even the way I spoke were all influenced by the music I listened to.

Music also gave me something to relate to. Many of the problems I faced as a teenager were reflected in punk rock songs and other genres as well. Certain bands spoke my language. Even more, with the power and emotion that comes with music, they spoke an amplified version of my language that resonated very deeply. As a result, I sought to make my life’s mission to create music that has the same effect on others. I want to make music that amplifies relatable experiences and emotions, so that listeners can relate on a deep level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love many different forms of music, but my music is a blend of indie rock and punk. These are the genres that resonate most heavily with me and I’m able to express myself through them in a congruent way. I pride myself on being as authentic as possible in my songwriting and not shying away from saying what I want to say. I believe that art should be unapologetic and should provide a space for raw, unadulterated expression. This was very much the attitude I had when I recorded my latest EP.

In the instrumental realm, I’m getting really excited about guitar. I’ve been playing guitar for 18 years, but I’m still learning and finding new ways to play the instrument. Many of my songs start with a guitar riff or a chord progression, so the more I learn on guitar the more creative fodder I have for potential new songs. It’s truly a joy watching a song go from a guitar riff in my bedroom to a fully produced song. I love this process, and it’s wild to me how all the puzzle pieces that make up a song end up fitting together in the end.

I got to where I am professionally by sticking with it and not giving up in the face of setbacks. There are some harsh truths about being a working musician that are difficult to come to terms with when you are just starting out. If you are like I was, you’ll quickly run into money problems, band drama and just generally trying to juggle a million things to keep your dream alive. But, if you are like me, you will learn to fall in love with the chaos, and realize you can gradually improve your circumstances if you keep working. You’ll also find a great deal of pleasure in the little things, like a certain pre-show ritual that you do, or corny jokes you tell on stage. Appreciating these things, as opposed to attaching onto some grandiose vision of becoming a world famous rockstar right out of the gate, have helped me stay the course and overcome challenges. I feel like even if I do become famous and make a lot of money with music, in the end it will probably still be the little things that fuel my passion.

I’d also like the world to know that I am currently raising money for Movember, an organization that benefits Men’s Mental Health. I’ll provide a link in this article if anyone would like to donate! Also, I have a new song called “Sidekick” that I recently dropped, with more singles and and EP coming out over summer. I’ll be donating 50% of my streaming revenue to Movember, so you can support by streaming as well!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Damn, that’s a hard one because this city is so eclectic and there’s so much to do!

First I’d show them the South Bay, where I grew up. I’d take them surfing in El Porto in Manhattan Beach, and then get Mexican food at El Tarasco. Then maybe that night I’d take them to Culver City, where I’ve lived the past 5 years, and hit up the 77 Lounge. I’d make sure it was a night where they have live music, because they always have the most KILLER musicians laying down Funk, Jazz and R&B.

On other nights, we’d definitely catch some shows at The Satellite (R.I.P.), The Hi-Hat (R.I.P.) and perhaps The Fonda, if a good band was in town. Afterwards we’d hit Break Room ’86 in Koreatown to dance to some 80’s classics and cap the night off with Korean Barbecue.

I’d also probably take them hiking in Malibu or Hollywood, because I’m basic AF, and they probably are too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m going to give a shoutout to my good friend and mentor Allen Copeland.

I met Allen in 2013 when I was still in college. I wanted to get into the music industry and my brother, who worked in advertising and had licensed some music from Allen, introduced us over email. Allen went out of his way to mentor me and allowed me to come to his house on the weekends to teach me about songwriting and music production. I was a guitarist, but knew nothing about recording and mixing and it was very eye-opening to learn everything that went into music production. With this knowledge, I was able to record my old band’s first EP. Allen helped us mix the EP free of charge.

A year later, Allen got me an internship at the music publisher he worked for, and later advocated for me to get me a job there when I graduated. I got the job, and went on to manage the production music arm of the company for some time. I produced music that landed on every major TV network and in multiple national commercials and movie trailers. This experience honed my songwriting and production skills and made me into the musician that I am today.

Allen and I remain close friends and collaborators, and I am forever grateful for his friendship and benevolence. He’s done so much for me and never asked for anything in return. I carry this with me, and I try to pay it forward by helping younger aspiring musicians whenever I get the opportunity.

Website: mrmaxmusic.com

Instagram: @mrmaxmusic

Twitter: @mr_max_music

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrmaxmusicofficial

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4BatqCKyrbqXe0QuT0qPlg

Other: Movember Fundraiser: https://us.movember.com/mospace/14533040 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4laks2a8FFBHbLUcS5Eli5?si=aP3vcPfaSxu8CCAZziZFoA