Tigerangels 20 Questions with Maxx Toys In The Forest.

[JackiTigerAngel]

Welcome Max from Toys In The Forest
to the Rapidbeat Promotion Forum

Maxx: Hello Jacki
Thanks a lot, it's great to be here.

Jacki Tigerangel: Who is TITF, what does the name mean, who's in the band and what goals do you have for the band?
Maxx: Toys in the forest is a rock n roll band, 100 per cent, we are 4 experienced musicians who decided to join to rock the stage! Toff on bass, 3/4 on guitar, Peter on drums and myself Maxx Flees on vocals on guitar! Music being my life, we try to put the band on bigger stages and we keep on writing new songs to perform live, cause it's a live act!
Jacki Tigerangel: Where did the name Toys In The Forest come from? As it is an unusually name?
Maxx: The name came from a happy drinking night in Paris, as far as I can remember, I was about to record a new song in a studio and I was still a bit drunk, the other guys in the band asked me what was the name of the song, and it came to my head, Toys in the forest!! a few days later a friend of mine said that the name was strange and sexual, so I thought, hell yeah we got a name.
Jacki Tigerangel: Cool name.

Jacki Tigerangel: The nationality of the guys. I know you said you are French. So what about the others in the band?
Maxx: The band is French but half the band lives in Belgium, we rehearse there and do most gigs there too, and we have an excellent response.

Jacki Tigerangel: What other countries have you toured, and where would you like to tour too?
Maxx: So far we have mainly played in Belgium and France. We've spent two years in Paris and then the rest of the country before settling in Belgium. We would love to tour everywhere in Europe and the rest of the world if we can afford it!..

Jacki Tigerangel: I hear a female singer in some of your songs. Who is she?
Maxx: Well, it depends on which tracks, on the recording we had Flavie, the girl who is on the cover of the album! When we played on tv, it was Marion a great singer we hang around with, it can vary from one gig to another.

Jacki Tigerangel: Talking about gigs, I see you love playing live shows. What has been your largest crowd and what town was this preformed?
Maxx: I reckon the biggest was La cigale in Paris, a very famous venue, then La Boule noire in Paris, and I remember also a big venue near Spain but I forgot the name, in each of these venues were about 1000 people, which is a lot for a band like us.
Maxx: Coz we usually play in clubs and a few festivals.

Jacki Tigerangel: You say a band like us. Describe your music. The genre of your music.
Maxx: We play rock n roll music, our roots come from the blues and its all mixed with some electrifying energy! We love Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher but also some metal bands! Our lyrics are sometimes kinky, sexy, naughty or simply rude sometimes, but its all just for fun.
Jacki Tigerangel: That is what it's all about rockin and having fun.
Maxx: Yeah all the rock n roll lifestyle.

Jacki Tigerangel: What is the bands motto, and rules of rock to live by?
Maxx: Well in a certain way "it's better to burn out than fade away" probably.
Jacki Tigerangel: I heard that some where, refresh my mind, where have I heard it?
Maxx: Well I guess a Def Lep song starts like this.
Jacki Tigerangel: I remember now! Was it not Highlander?
Maxx: Can't remember haha, but then many journalists and artists have mentioned this very expressive sentence.
Maxx: The image is strong.
Jacki Tigerangel: I is a cool motto, and a true one to live by.
Maxx: Yeah, we stick to our ideal, and it is to play music, with commitment, and passion.

Jacki Tigerangel: Do you have any published CD's?
Maxx: Since last year, people can download our Ep called "Sex,Toys and rock n roll" almost everywhere. The first Ep is sold out! We produce our records so we sell them at the gigs mostly or via Internet.

Jacki Tigerangel: Do you write the lyrics and the music or do others help out. What is the go?
Maxx: The process is that I write the songs alone in my studio, just rough recordings, but with a clear idea of what the song is, then we meet in the rehearsing studio to arrange the songs together! If I write 3 songs, the rest of the band will pick the best one of these tracks to work on it.
That's how we work.
Jacki Tigerangel: Sounds like a great team effort.
Maxx: It is, because when a band is working together, its a lot of fun to play live together.

Jacki Tigerangel: Does your songwriting stem mostly from personal experiences?
Maxx: It depends really, some of the songs are pure rock n roll inventions, usually the slow tempos are personal songs.
Jacki Tigerangel: Yes you mentioned to me the song "Pain and Fear" is one of your favorites and it means a lot to you.
Maxx: Yeah , I wrote this song for my mother who passed away a few years ago, its a kind of message to her
Jacki Tigerangel: It is a cool song, and I sure the message is getting to her.
Maxx: I hope so, it's a song mixing all these feelings, pain, sadness, fears of what is to find beyond, but it also expresses the will to live and be strong
I love to write about spirits.

Jacki Tigerangel: Who is your role model for your music?
Maxx: It would be Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy and Malcolm Young From AC/DC.
Phil for the feel and melody and Mal for the riffs.
Jacki Tigerangel: Yes I know AC/DC only too well, being fellow Australians.

Jacki Tigerangel: If you could tour with any 3 bands from the 80s, who would it be and why?
Maxx: As a fan, I could not tour with AC/DC I would be too impressed!! so I would say Thin Lizzy and Motorhead, coz they are rock n roll, or maybe Rose Tattoo.
Jacki Tigerangel: I see you really like Australian bands.
Maxx: Yeah I just bought an old vinyl from Angel City.

Jacki Tigerangel: What do you think of the Internet, in publishing, promoting and selling music of today?
A lot of bands feel the Internet is stealing there music.
Maxx: Well, I think that Internet is great for promotions and exposure! It's a great way to be connected to the fans and friends. The question about stealing the music ... well, I'm not sure
because if a big band sells millions of copy it won't do no harm right?
The thing is that people don't buy records anymore, they buy T-shirts and boxes with goodies and download the music for free.
Then if they like the album, I reckon they will go to the show.
A live band will always survive technologies such as Internet.
But I really like Internet, that's why we are here tonight together, speaking.

Jacki Tigerangel: How has the Internet work for your band.? Do you get air play and if so what station do people run too to hear TITF?
Maxx: Internet works very good for us to be exposed in America, Canada and Australia! So far we get airplay in the states and very good support too! I would mention the Bootleg Asylum Radio Show and Rockin You Radio in the states and many other shows in the UK and South America! We don't get any airplay in France! But we do in Belgium
People usually tune in myspace to hear us.
Jacki Tigerangel: http://www.myspace.com/toysintheforest

Jacki Tigerangel: What are your plans for the coming months?
Maxx: We are working on the third album, we have about 21 songs so far and we will record 11 songs! We have some rock festivals coming up, we're gonna open for ex Iron Maiden singer in Belgium in March. We try to find a record label, that's the plan so far.
More gigs to come.
Jacki Tigerangel: You sound busy.
Maxx: Yeah we keep ourselves focused on the music, but we have lot of fun too. It's great fun to rock n roll.

Jacki Tigerangel: On a personal note. Do you have a day job, and if so what is it?.
Maxx: I studied music and have no day job now. But I had many jobs before, I worked as a teacher, then tourism.
Well this is it about day job haha.

Jacki Tigerangel: How would you describe yourself as a person?. Eg: shy, outgoing!.
Maxx: I would say that I'm open minded and very focused on what I do, I like to party and discover the world! I love music and rock n roll, and life above all, I'm not really shy but I don't show off neither, I'm just a rocker.

Jacki Tigerangel: What is your advise to young kids of the world that would want to become musicians of today?
Maxx: Follow your dreams.

Jacki Tigerangel: Is there anything else that you want to say about your band or music?
Maxx: Well I just wanna say that the band is all about rock n roll, we love to play live and we're glad that we have some support outside our country! We're rockin and we're here to stay.
And of course I wanna thank you Jacki.

Jacki Tigerangel: If you asked to rate this interview how well would you rate it being 10 good and 1 I totally suxed lol
Maxx: Rated 11 for sure. It's been a great time.

Jacki Tigerangel: ahh thank you Max. And also for your time, when we started you said it was 3am in the morning?
Maxx: 4.30 in the morning rockin hahhaa.
Maxx: yeah
Jacki Tigerangel: Such devotion
Maxx: Yeah haha music is all.
Jacki Tigerangel: I sure your fans will see it as well. Thank you Maxx for your time and music. Hope you have a great Merry Christmas and that 2010 is a great time for you, your family and the band.. Rock on.
Maxx: Thanks Jacki, I wish you the best to you and your family too.
Maxx: Rock on my friend and thanks for everything that you do for the bands.
Jacki Tigerangel: Your so welcome. I let you get to bed now. Have a great night
Maxx: Thanks my friend. Bedtime. Hope you enjoyed the interview. nite nite.