A Ripple Conversation with Max Tovstyi - Solo artist and music extraordinaire in various Ukraine bands The Heavy Crawls, Turnaround, Lucifer Rising, Max Tovstyi’s Band.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What have been your musical epiphany moments?

Well, when I was a kid, I wasn’t much into music. My parents sent me to musical School when I was six and I have never liked it. Violin and piano that was boring. As I was 10 I really liked some electronic stuff, among my favorite bands were Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim (I do like him now btw) and other popular stuff. When I was 12 I used to be school DJ at parties and school radio. My father had (and still does) record store and I got newest music one of the first in town so I put all the new stuff there, rock, hip-hop, electronic music etc. I really loved Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Run DMC and stuff like this so did my friends. But my father has always been a rock and roll guy, his motto was “too old for rock and roll too young to die”. He had thousands of CDs and LPs with all the rock from blues to heavy metal. I would say first rock band that I liked were Atomic Rooster, Jethro Tull and Hannibal (very rare band, jazzrock/prog from 1970). I thought that was cool. But right at the rebel age of 14 I listened to The Doors and my life changed forever. The next day I watched (totally accidentally) the film “The Doors”, it was late night so my parents couldn’t stop me (man there a loads of tits and butts in the movie) and the next day I knew I love 1960s. I decided not to cut my hair, I was into rock, I was smoking cigarettes, drinking beers and some weed, quite early but… To me that was it. Not many of my friends loved the same music but I never cared. Than it was Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd. To this date LZ is my top pick and Jimi Hendrix is my favorite guitarist. Later I asked my father to buy me a guitar and I am playing it for 15 years now and had few dozens.

Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

I can’t tell really. It depends. Some of my, I believe best songs, were written on the spot, right at the studio, some I had to write for months. When it is a riffy song like “No Time Left”, “Black Soul Woman”, “Mesmerize”, “No Longer Mine” it is all about riff, then lyrics, then song title. But songs like “Make Up Your Mind” (that is my special and very favorite song) came all in one, words, structure… When I finished guitar solo, I realized choir will be cool, so I invited 5 female singers and asked them to sing three times so it would be 15. Then I invited violin and viola player and she recorded “an orchestra”. The song was the same but massive, exactly what I had heard in my head before.

Who has influenced you the most?

Led Zeppelin no doubts. I read all the books and watched all the documentaries, top 1 band forever. Even bootlegs are great stuff to have. And of course, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Ten Years After, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan. Lots of bands.

Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

In most ways, it is about girls, some of them gone, some came, also some songs were inspired after visiting cool gigs like Black Sabbath or Bob Dylan or Deep Purple. I have small but cool LP collection and CD as well and I loved to listen to old stuff. The worst is when you come up with cool riff but Iommi owned it lol.

We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?

Well I’d say my country doesn’t care much about neither blues rock nor psychedelic nor English speaking music. My stuff is a try to be like one of my idols but without copying. I wish I could live somewhere in London or New York, Chicago, maybe Texas would be cool for blues, Berlin is great city very inspiring and freedom is in the air.

Where'd the band name come from?

The band, the first song and everything about it was a coincidence. After first rehearsal, we recorded a song on the spot and we thought we will never play again. But I wanted to upload it because I really loved the riff and the sound, that was just guitar and drums, no bass but hollow body guitar with max fuzz and tube amp. When I came home I wanted to listen to Led Zeppelin and there was a song “I am Gonna Crawl” and I said to the drummer: “How do you like to be The Crawls?” She said yes. When the band became three piece we decided to add “Heavy” so… The Heavy Crawls.

You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?

Man, I wish it would be… well depending on a style. First of all, Tarantino but please not cowboy stuff, Pulp Fiction is great, also always thought about James Bond 007 stuff or Jim Jarmusch actually I wish I could write a song for a movie, only did it for shoe commercial before lol.

You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?).  You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?

Should it be my song or? :) Well my favorite song of all time is Achilles Last Stand, I think it is perfect, complex, rock, melodic. Also, could be Stairway to Heaven. Not my favorite but I believe rock’s best. If the song is mine, that’d be “Make Up Your Mind” from my last record.

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Oh man, my bandmates are gonna kill me. Haha. Some promoters are kind enough to give us free beer/vodka/whiskey and some make it unlimited. Then somebody from the band is dead and gone. My top rock and roll moment was guitar destroying at a festival, there even a video (The Crawls - No Time Left (Zaxid Fest 2014). That was rad! My stupidest moment was drinking way too much and fallen asleep on the street right outside the venue. It was so many people, maybe 120-130 for just my band and no support bands, I couldn’t even plug the cable into the guitar. But the show then was great, I remember I saw some videos and you could never tell I was drunk af. I remember playing gigs when I was sick or hangover or with wounded fingers or hands (I play basketball so…) Maybe I should tell a story when my drummer from The Crawls went to a party the night before our gig and the speaker or amp fell on her head. She had blood all over her head and doctors had to sew it. With needles and stuff. So, she just put a fancy bow on her head and we played cool gig among other bands. And some guys cancel gigs because of slightly high temperature or whatever. She was rock and roll girl.

Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?

This is the best. I loved touring, gigging and playing show. I love festivals, I love playing as a support band because that means you play for many people and new fans. I love concerts because we improvise a lot and even oldest songs sound like new, you feel other guys and you create onto stage. I am happy when they shout, whistle and applause that’s great. I love signing stuff and making pictures with fans or when somebody on the street knows who am I, especially when my girl is around, she is very proud. Can’t wait for next tour!

What makes a great song?

I think the balance. Good music, rad riff or melody, nice vocals, lyrics and the sound. I am spending lots of time searching my sound. I have many guitars, amps and pedals and I try and try to find what I need.

Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

Haha, that was not the best stuff but I was trying to impress a girl so…

What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

As I said before that’s “Make Up Your Mind” from my new record Mesmerize. Also I always loved My Inner Prison, No Longer Mine, Dead Flowers. I have recorded 12 studio albums with 8 bands. Some songs were great.

Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?

Well in early 2000s that was Jack White. I don’t much like his new stuff but Dead Weather is cool. I saw Rival Sons live and they rocked. Also, I love Doyle Bramhall II a lot, he can play the guitar! Dead Meadow, when I heard Sleepy Silver Door I was like “wow”.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

Vinyl is great, I will reply more in the next question.

Whiskey or beer?  And defend your choice

Beer!!! I love beer especially craft beer, IPA is great shit and the bitterest the best! I have a secret club at my flat. This is called “Secret Club of Vinyl and Craft Beer Lovers”. We gather at 10-11-12PM and we drink and listen to records till the morning. We go to the craft pub or supermarket and buy lots of beer. Once we had Led Zeppelin night, just their records.

We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

No doubt that’s my father store and the only one in the town where you can buy records and rare ones as well. Check him out at http://rock-service.com.ua/

What's next for the band?

We are now going be a four-piece band, getting ready with new stuff, new guys and new tours. I spent six months looking for proper guys, not just musicians but friends and people I can rely on. This band had some lineups, I hope my new lineup will be long and stable.

Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the Waveriders?

I hope you would like to check out my stuff after reading this. Thanks guys for asking me cool and fun questions, good luck to you all and cheers from Kyiv, Ukraine!

Thanks to Max for taking the time to answer our questions and have fun with it. What a talented dude.

Listen to Max’s latest album here and even pick up a copy on vinyl for your next vinyl and beer night: