It has been 9 days when the news of the passing of legendary New Zealand-Australian singer Max Merritt was announced and I first knew about when I first it on Facebook at work (St Andrews War memorial Hospital) which I was sad to hear that but in the other way wasn't surprised as I knew he had not been in good health 13 years ago when he was diagnosed with Good Pastures Syndrome which it is an disease that attacks the lung and kidneys. I first started to know the name Max Merritt and the Meteors was in an book in late 80's-early 90's and it was in 1991 I first heard Slipping Away on the TV special 35 Years Of Television on Channel 9 when Australian TV then celebrated 35 years and also heard it on 4KQ. It was also on 4KQ that I first heard their version of Zip A Dee Do Dah on Jukebox Saturday Night hosted by Dave D Whitcomb and I like their version. I first saw Max Merritt live at Kedron Wavell with my Mum Cath on Friday May 17th 2002 with Doug Parkinson and It was an FANTASTIC show which he backed up by an great band including Jimmie Sloggett on sax who knew max since the 60's and had played with Johnny Rebb and the Rebels in the 50's-early 60's as well as Johnny O'Keeffe and Max did the first set and Doug the second as well as doing some songs together including Soul Man and also after the show got an autograph. The second time was the Long Way To The Top concert at the Brisbane Entertainment Center Tuesday September 10th 2002 which was FANTASTIC and he performed Slipping Away and Try A Little Tenderness as well as the house band had Bob Bertles who played with Max Merritt in the Meteors from 1967-74 as well as Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays in about 1958 until early 60's and Dave Russell who had played with Max too in the Meteors from 1970-74 and before that Ray Columbus and the Invaders in the 60's which he was on the hits She's A Mod and Till We Kissed. The 3rd time was at Kedron Wavell Sunday afternoon September 14th 2003 which it was the day me and my family were down the Gold Coast for the weekend in Southport and came home that morning and went to the show which was FANTASTIC and they were great as always which besides from me was an guy named Bob who worked at St Andrews in the pay office was there with his wife Julie. The 4th and last time was at Kedron Wavell Friday April 29th 2005 with Dinah Lee which was FANTASTIC and they did some songs together as well as doing their own sets as Dinah did the first set and max the second which he did his classic hits as well as covers including How Sweet It Is and the House Will Rock and then after they came out to sign autograph which I got an autograph and an photo as it was an thrill as I am thinking about it now and very glad that I got the opportunity.
Max got diagnosed in 2007 with Good Pastures Syndrome which meant he didn't tour Australia and New Zealand anymore and in 2016 was due to come back to Australia to be on the Go Show tour which included Brisbane at QPAC on July 23rd but unfortunately due to health issues didn't happened which his spot was taken by Glenn Shorrock. In 2008 he was inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame which was well deserved and he was inducted by Glenn A Baker. It's an long way from Christchurch New Zealand where he formed the Meteors in 1956, playing at the Teenage Club, having the single with Get A Haircut in 1959 on the HMV label as well as releasing singles also on Zodiac, Viking and RCA as well as 2 albums in New Zealand "Come On Let's Go and Max Merritt's Meteors, first Australian tour was in November-December 1963 with Sheb Woolley which he was on the bill with Lucky Starr, The Delltones and the Yeomen and it included Brisbane December 9th 1963, played on Dinah Lee's hits Don't You Know Yockomo and Reet Petite as well as Tommy Adderley's I Just Don't Understand, coming back to Australia in 1964 where they were based for the next 6 years which they toured with the Rolling Stones and Hermans Hermits in 1966, had their first Australian hit with Zip A Dee Doo Dah in 1965 which went to number 94 and number 38 In Brisbane as well as other singles You Deserve What You Got, Shake and Fannie Mae on Parlophone , survived an accident in 1967 which he lost his right eye, rebounded by 1968 which they performed at the Hoadley's Battle Of the Bands, hit big in 1969 with Hey Western Union Man as well as the self titled album on RCA as well as Stray Cats album, had more singles Good Feeling, Hello LA bye Bye Birmingham, moving to England where they played the pub scene which they were support acts for Slade and the Moody Blues, performing in Sunbury 1972 and 1973, really hitting big in 1975 with the single Slipping Away on the Arista label going to number 2 in Australia and number 5 in New Zealand as well as number 1 in Brisbane and the album A Little Easier which was number 10 in Australia as well as another album called Out Of the Blue going to number 15 in Australia, moving to America where he lived in Nashville and Los Angeles for the next 43 years and released 2 albums on the Polydor label Keeping In Touch and Black Plastic Max. The Meteors had great musicians which included Bob Bertles, Stewie Speer, Yuk Harrison, Dave Russell, Peter Williams, Billy Kristian, Johnny Dick, Bruno Lawrence, Pete Sowden and many others. My Mum actually saw Max and the Meteors in late 60's-early 70's at the Lands Office in Brisbane. Max's passing is an great loss to his family and the Australian and New Zealand industry which the great music he made will live on forever. Thank You Max for the legacy and the memories. I am glad that I got to see Max live and he was an great entertainer and an nice guy which those shows I saw will live on in my memory. I hope there will be more Max Merritt music on CD including the albums he made in the 60's and 70's .
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