Max Creek | |
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Origin | Connecticut, USA |
Genres | Rock |
Years active | 1971–Present |
Associated acts | BK3 |
Website | www.maxcreek.com |
Members | John Rider (bass, vocals) Scott Murawski (guitar, vocals) Mark Mercier (keyboards, vocals) Bill Carbone (drums) Jamemurrell Stanley (percussion) |
Past members | Dave Reed (guitar, vocals) Bob Gosselin (drums) Amy Fazzano (vocals) Rob Fried (percussion, vocals) (deceased) Greg Deguglielmo (drums) Scott Allshouse (drums, vocals) Greg Vasso (drums) |
Max Creek is an American rock band that was formed by Dave Reed, John Rider and Bob Gosselin in 1971. Max Creek has a loyal following, and put on an annual music festival at Indian Lookout Country Club in upstate New York, dubbed Camp Creek, and was one of the longest running festivals on the East Coast when it took a hiatus in 2008. Camp Creek was held in Maine in 2011, and returned to Indian Lookout Country Club in 2014.
Max Creek was formed in 1971, with Dave Reed on acoustic guitar, John Rider on electric bass and Bob Gosselin on drums. The band originally played country music. In 1972, Dave Reed invited one of his music students, 15-year-old Scott Murawski, to sit in with the band. Scott's early original association with the band ended abruptly when he was banned from a club that the band played at regularly for drinking a beer. A few months later Dave Reed came down with appendicitis, so Mark Mercier was brought in on keyboards and Scott was invited back to play guitar. Due to the influence of the Grateful Dead, the band decided to incorporate more improvisation into the music becoming more electrified. The music of the psychedelic era had a heavy influence on the band, leading to a sound and style more like that of the Grateful Dead and the rest of the San Francisco Bay scene. Eventually, Dave left the band to pursue country rock and acoustic ragtime music, leaving the band's line up as John, Bob, Scott and Mark.
Percussionist Rob Fried joined the band in 1979. Known for his elaborate stage setup, often with dozens drums and percussion pieces, Fried could always be easily identified in a club or hall thanks to his trademark Panama hat, Hawaiian shirt and dark glasses. Fried left the band in 2004 and died of cancer on September 6, 2006.
Amy (Barefoot) Fazzano was a vocalist with the band from July 1976 until September 10, 1983.
Bob Gosselin left the band in 1985 and was replaced on drums by Greg DeGuglielmo.
Bob Bloom was an occasional second drummer and percussionist in 1976.
Greg Vasso replaced DeGuglielmo in 1991, and stayed until 1996. At that point, Scott Allshouse took over and was with the band until 2011 when Bill Carbone replaced him. Jamemurrell Stanley is the band's current percussionist.
As of 2012, Max Creek is still actively playing shows, most recently celebrating their 40th anniversary in Costa Rica with Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead in a series of shows dubbed Jungle Jam.