HinweiseGenre : Hard Rock/Melodic Metal
(VÖ 23.02.07)

Münster melodic Hard Rock outfit MAD MAX debuted with a line-up of vocalist Andreas Baesler, guitarists Wilfred Schneider and Jürgen Breforth, bassist Thomas Hoffman and drummer Uwe Starck, cutting a self-financed, eponymous album for issue in 1982. This offering was subsequently re-issued via Roof Music in 1983. The band signed to Roadrunner Records and new singer Michael Voss, then just nineten years old, featured on the second album 'Rollin' Thunder', released in October 1984. 'Rollin' Thunder' was also granted a valuable US release on the Metal Blade label.

The band then replaced Hoffmann with new bassist Jürgen Sander. MAD MAX evolved further when both Schneider and Starck vacated their positions to join fellow Münster Heavy Metal band CARRIE. 1985's 'Stormchild' album witnessed new recruits being drafted in the form of bassist Roland Bergmann, drummer Axel Kruse and guitarist Christopher Wegmann. The single 'Fox On The Run', from 1986, was a cover of the SWEET classic.

MAD MAX guitarist Chris Gerhard ('Angel') Schliefer was eventually to join SINNER for their 'Comin' Out Fighting' album in 1986 and has also enjoyed stints in the ranks of PRETTY MAIDS, BONFIRE and the rejuvenated SABU. Drummer Axel Kruse currently plays with German Melodic Rock outfit JADED HEART.

Their final Roadrunner album release, the Dirk Steffens produced 'Night Of Passion', arrived in 1987. To promote the album, MAD MAX toured throughout Europe with the likes of PRETTY MAIDS and STRYPER. However, the group folded in 1989 when Michael Voss took his leave. Voss had a stint with BONFIRE before creating CASANOVA then reuniting with Schliefer to create DEMON DRIVE. All of these acts would gain a relatively high profile in Germany. Meantime, Axel Kruse united with JADED HEART.

Two MAD MAX guitarists Jürgen Breforth and Ralf Heyne created TANNER. Heyne later issued an eponymous album with DOCHEYNE. MAD MAX, actually just Voss and Breforth, reformed in 2000 for the 'Never Say Never' album released by Point Music. Sessioning in the studio for this set would be the TANNER rhythm section of bass player Carsten Tischer and Yogi Spittka. Japanese variants of this record would be re-titled 'Criminal Religion'. During late 2001 Heyne would also resurface in another album project entitled BISS in union with erstwhile VICTORY vocalist Fernando Garcia.

In 2004 Voss marked a return of sorts with 20TH CENTURY BOYS, a pact with another highly respected German Hard Rock singer MICHAEL BORMANN of JADED HEART, THE SYGNET, BISS and BONFIRE. The resulting 2004 album 'Beware Of The Rex' comprised entirely T REX cover versions. MAD MAX themselves made a comeback the following year, cutting a new studio album 'Night Of The White Rock' for the AOR Heaven label. Significantly, this album displayed an open Christian lyrical theme.

MAD MAX opened up a trio of shows for DEEP PURPLE and ALICE COOPER in February 2006 then announced German touring plans across Germany for May 2006 packaged with PAGANINI and JADED HEART. Voss guested on two tracks, 'Footprints In The Sand' and 'Eight Feet Below', included on Swiss outfit BEGGAR'S BRIDE's debut October 2006 album 'Boulevard Of Broken Hearts'. MAD MAX launched a fresh mini-album entitled 'In White', this featuring acoustic versions of 'Night Of The White Rock' tracks, a re-work of 'Lonely Is The Hunter' from their first album, new song 'Hello Father' and a cover version of US gospel classic 'Open The Eyes Of My Heart'.

MAD MAX supported AXEL RUDI PELL on his February 2007 European tour.