Fireside Chat

Max Tundra

Domino Recordings, London

Please welcome one of the last musicians to record a John Peel session. But this isn't Ben Jacobs' (or Max Tundra's) only forte. He was lucky enough to grow up in a house with a piano and although he protested against the lessons in famous dead composers, this expanse of black and white keyes eventually led to his own musical inventions. Some teenage years and a Commodore Amiga 500 home computer later, Jacobs began to explore the world of electronic composition. Eventually he got so good at using this cheap set-up that back in 1998 Warp Records released his first single. "Warp were the only label who were interested in my first tune," says Ben. "I sent my demo tape to fifty labels in all, but most people freaked out. A couple of guys made the bizarre criticism that I had too many ideas." This criticism has frequently dogged Max Tundra (as he was hereby renamed), in a musically diverse, eclectic career where time signatures, musical genres and instrumentation have been given the thorough shake-up they have long needed. For the last few years (as well as remixing bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Pet Shop Boys, The Futureheads, Tunng and Von Südenfed), Max Tundra released his third album for Domino: "Parallax Error Beheads You". Max Tundra's warm, emotive, uplifting songs will capture your spirit, pour it over ice, and serve it back to you at the best disco in town (where you won't get turned away for liking both Destiny's Child and Frank Zappa). Incidentally, there's no dress code either.