Maxim | |
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Maxim on tour in Washington, D.C.
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Background information | |
Birth name | Keith Palmer |
Born |
Peterborough, England |
21 March 1967
Genres | |
Instruments | |
Associated acts |
Maxim's signature |
Keith Palmer (born 21 March 1967 in Peterborough, England), known by his stage name Maxim (previously Maxim Reality), is a British musician, known for being a member with rave and electronic rock band The Prodigy.
Palmer was born in Peterborough, the youngest of seven children, and he attended Jack Hunt School, also in Peterborough. He enjoyed writing poetry and verse and began MC-ing around the age of 14. He gained inspiration from his ten-year older MC brother, Hitman, who introduced him into the Peterborough Reggae Soundsystem Scene. At the age of seventeen he had his first gig in Basingstoke. Ian Sherman, a fellow musician from Nottingham teamed up with Maxim and they formed Maxim and Sheik Yan Groove, where Sherman made the music and Maxim contributed with lyrics. After recording some tracks together and not getting any attention from the record industries, Maxim decided to disband and went on a three-month travel throughout Europe and North Africa. Upon returning to England he moved to London to get more into the music and reggae scene of the metropol. Through a friend, Ziggy, he was offered a gig with a band called The Prodigy, which he accepted. He was planning to do just a few gigs with the band, but he later decided to stay.
Originally joining The Prodigy on their first ever show to make the live shows become more alive, Maxim's lyrical talents were later incorporated in the studio works of the albums after Experience from 1992 (although his vocal contributions were heard in the live track "Death of the Prodigy Dancers" on Experience). Maxim provided lyrics in the single "Poison" from Music For the Jilted Generation (1994), as well as in the hit single "Breathe" and the canned single release "Mindfields" both from The Fat of the Land (1997). However, on the Prodigy album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned from 2004, his vocal works were completely absent, apart from an appearance on the album's first single "Girls" in form of a remix called "More Girls" and the first song on the album, "Spitfire". He is still a full member of the band, though, performing in the live shows and, according to their official web site, recording material with Liam Howlett.