Max Merritt was born Maxwell James Merritt in Christchurch, New Zealand on 30th April 1941. He relocated to Sydney Australia in December 1964. In Sydney, The Meteors made their first Australian television appearance on Johnny O'Keefe's Sing Sing Sing. By April 1965, the second Meteor's album was finally released on RCA Records and contained a range of styles, including the single "So Long Babe". Other singles followed but Teddy Toi and Johnny Dick left to join Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs. During February 1966, visiting UK acts The Rolling Stones and The Searchers were supported on tour by Max Merritt and The Meteors. After a cruise ship gig to New Zealand Merritt heard Otis Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness" and recorded his own cover in 1967. Turmoil within The Meteors saw a rapid turn over of members and by May, Merritt with Bob Birtles on saxophone, Stewart "Stewie" Speer on drums and John "Yuk" Harrison on bass guitar, decided to relocate to Melbourne. Here to download is one of three singles recorded in 1965 on Parlophone "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" b/w "I've Been Trying" (A-8162) In April 2007, Merritt was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital suffering kidney failure, he was diagnosed as having Goodpasture's syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that affects the kidneys and lungs. Merritt was struggling with his health and finances, so his manager, Wal Bishop, along with Australian music industry friends organised a Concert for Max held at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, Melbourne on 21 October 2007, and raised $200,000. On 1 July 2008, Merritt was inducted by Glenn A. Baker into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Post 148 - Max Merritt & The Meteors - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah / I've Been Trying
Max Merritt was born Maxwell James Merritt in Christchurch, New Zealand on 30th April 1941. He relocated to Sydney Australia in December 1964. In Sydney, The Meteors made their first Australian television appearance on Johnny O'Keefe's Sing Sing Sing. By April 1965, the second Meteor's album was finally released on RCA Records and contained a range of styles, including the single "So Long Babe". Other singles followed but Teddy Toi and Johnny Dick left to join Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs. During February 1966, visiting UK acts The Rolling Stones and The Searchers were supported on tour by Max Merritt and The Meteors. After a cruise ship gig to New Zealand Merritt heard Otis Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness" and recorded his own cover in 1967. Turmoil within The Meteors saw a rapid turn over of members and by May, Merritt with Bob Birtles on saxophone, Stewart "Stewie" Speer on drums and John "Yuk" Harrison on bass guitar, decided to relocate to Melbourne. Here to download is one of three singles recorded in 1965 on Parlophone "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" b/w "I've Been Trying" (A-8162) In April 2007, Merritt was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital suffering kidney failure, he was diagnosed as having Goodpasture's syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that affects the kidneys and lungs. Merritt was struggling with his health and finances, so his manager, Wal Bishop, along with Australian music industry friends organised a Concert for Max held at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, Melbourne on 21 October 2007, and raised $200,000. On 1 July 2008, Merritt was inducted by Glenn A. Baker into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
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New previously unreleased live Max Merritt & The Meteors CD from 1969 coming soon in 2012. Preview each track at viinyl.com or facebook.com/lostraxx.
Sony may break open the vaults if our new CD makes a big enough splash!
Brian Lewis, LosTraxx Producer
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