Maxeen, a trio together since june 2002, has done nothing but turn peoples' heads ever since. Having already toured with such diverse acts as Bad Religion, X, Flogging Molly, Blink 182, Yellowcard, Maroon 5, and The Living End, Maxeen are well on their way to the next stage of the game.
The Maxeen story begins in the heart of Akron, Ohio, where Tom Bailey spent countless hours in his father's basement recording studio, documenting first kisses and fatal breakups that would shape his musical future. Tom immersed himself in the Akron/Cleveland, Ohio, music scene and played as many shows as he could, gaining experience and musical expertise along the way. although his old band developed quite a following, tom felt he had hit a glass ceiling and he knew it was time to explore his musical horizons. he left home for long beach, california, in 2001.
During this same time, drummer Jay Skowronek was feeling a musical pull away from his home in boston. after suffering through many well-paying college gigs, Jay's old band broke up and he also sensed an urgency to head west. he sold most of his records for gas money and made his way across the heartland to los angeles in his 1986 chevy camaro. With nothing but his drum kit, several bags of trail mix, the last moby record, $30 and the aspiration to reach the heights of Freddie Mercury, Jay soon found himself deep in the trenches of the l.a. music scene, where his arduous search for "the band" would begin.
Shannon McMurray, from long beach, had been playing in local bands starting in his teens. he was fifteen when he played his first gig, and had to have a friend with a driver's license drive him to the show. after a decade jamming in his grandma's garage and playing what he calls "nightmare gigs", shannon had lost yet another drummer in his previous band and found jay alive and well in the fine print of a musician wanted ad. jay struck an immediate chord with shannon, citing such influences as p.j. harvey, neil young, and the pixies. although the two had not yet met tom bailey, they knew they had the kind of musical connection that speaks without words and would stay in touch in the coming months. Jay had finally found the guitar player he was looking for, and shannon had found the right drummer for the job. Things were starting to take shape.
One late night in may 2002, after yet another member resigning from his band, shannon found himself at the prospector club in long beach at the suggestion of a friend who said that tom was playing that night and that he had to be seen. tired of seeing talent-less acts in classless bars, shannon was hesitant and almost didn't go to the show, but decided at the last minute that it could be a good thing. shannon found much more than he could have hoped for - a singer/bassist who's talent and presence were undeniable.
Shannon's desire to form a new project led the three of them to meet in a rehearsal space one summer night in early june 2002, and thechemistry was immediate. it felt like they had been playing together for years. maxeen wrote 10 songs that first night. the music that came out was powerful, graceful and true; the voice was strong. the puzzle was complete.
By their 12th show, maxeen landed a record deal with los angeles-based side one dummy records. the band's first tour was the 2003 warped tour, where they made a lot of new fans and sold 2000 copies of a limited edition live e.p. called save your life (their song soleil was also featured on the 2003 warped tour compilation). the band's first full-length record, maxeen, was released on november 18, 2003, featuring 12 original songs produced and engineered by ed stasium (the ramones, talking heads, living colour).
In 2004 the band criss-crossed the world over, playing in the u.s. and canada, europe three times, and japan, pleasing fans and customs agents along the way. their song please was featured on the 2004 warped tour compilation.
In August 2006 Hello Echo was "released" in a major label, Warner Bros. Actually, Warner never released this record and I really don't know why. In the bands' words, "Our second album entitled Hello Echo was never released, due to the extreme shortsightedness of a major record label that hides behind a rabbit insignia. Fortunately, the rabbit was one we have all come to know and love on Saturday morning cartoons. Unfortunately, it felt more like the Mickey Mouse Club and, sadly, Hello Echo was never shown the light of day."
In 2007, the guitar player Robb Torres came in in the place of Shannon, who left the band to pursue other things(and now he plays in The Good Fiction). In Robb's words, "Basically it was through mutual friends that recomended me for the gig. Maxeen was looking for a new guitar player and I came in and blew them away with my mad skills. lol. We jammed a few times and it felt good. Our personalities complimented each other very well and the rest is for history to see". Also in 2007 the 6 songs EP "Life in the gears" was released.
Things changed in 2008. In March, drummer Jay Skowronek announced he had left the band and in April Robb Torres started touring and playing with Trapt. Things were officially over when Jay Skowronek posted on the band's Myspace this: "It's unfortunate that we are no longer a band, but these kind of things happen in the universe from time to time".
Maxeen will remain in our memories, hearts and ears forever.