The Tribe was born in 2013 when Nashville native Austin Max (Guitar/Vox) united with Northern Virginia Native Conner Kessler (Drums) at music school in Boston. For a year they developed a psych sound playing around New England. Their Debut Single, “Tape Machine” was featured on Sound of Boston as one of the top 5 releases of 2015. Max, Kessler linked up with Noah Lubert (Keys/Vox) and Rafael Minerbo (Bass) in 2016. Noah and Rafa contributed to form the intertwined charisma that became the group’s signature Psych sound. Over the course of 15 months, the Tribe wrote and Recorded their Debut LP Retrofit at 1867 studios. In January of ’17, they embarked on a Winter tour covering the North and Southeast. They are currently gearing up for their LP Release and summer tour of the record. Together, the Tribe creates a unique blend of psych rock with influences stemming from The White Stripes, The Beatles, The Doors, The Black Keys, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, and Cage The Elephant.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with The Max Tribe about influences, their debut album, challenges and more.
Full Q&A along with links and streams below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.
We are from Boston, MA.
We play retrofitted psych rock.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
We grew up listening to all types of music… We all have liberal ears and come from a blend of diverse influences. Rock resonates with all of us in the biggest way. That keeps us motivated is pushing the genre and the live experience. We love early rock and roll…. we set out to elevate rock to something fresh and new while still carrying a few weights from 60’s/70’s rock artists. We want to evolve and further develop the genre. No rules involved… just push boundaries.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
This is our debut record. We are striving to make our own wave in the rock scene.
Do you face challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? How has technology helped you (assuming it helps)?
The challenge today is rising above the thousands and thousands of other artists. It is hard to be heard when so much good (and bad) music is available to anyone anywhere online. There’s not really a buffer zone anymore. The filters went away with the digital age. You never know what you’ll come across and you never know who will come across you. There is definitely some luck involved… but the kind of luck that can be improved with smart strategy and creative marketing.
Where can we connect with you online and discover more music?
- www.facebook.com/themaxtribe
- www.themaxtribe.com
- Instagram//Twitter: @themaxtribe
- https://open.spotify.com/artist/1RsS2qok2hc5mlCtL03I3R
Anything else before we sign off?
Be a wolf, not a sheep.
-The Max Tribe
