MAX Q

Max Q was formed in 1989. Playing electronic music, the band was a collaboration between Michael Hutchence of INXS and Ollie Olsen of Whirlywirld. Max Q consisted of Hutchence (vocals and songwriting) and Olsen (songwriting and production), who were accompanied by key members of the post-punk scene in Melbourne, Australia; most of whom had previously collaborated with Olsen. The project followed on from Hutchence and Olsen's work on the film, Dogs in Space, where they had first met.

In a 1989 interview, Hutchence revealed his perspective on the Max Q musicians: ''Ollie isn't supposed to hang around with pop stars and I'm not supposed to hang around with punk types. The band is made up of rowdy friends from Melbourne. These guys are good musicians who've never had a chance. Most of them have never even been in a studio. These are real underground people who don't have any money. Some of them have never been on a plane before. They were worried that working with me, they'd lose their underground status''.

Max Q released its sole self-titled album in 1989 and had minor hits with the songs "Way of the World" and "Sometimes". The album was certified gold in Australia and was the 93rd highest-selling album of 1989 in Australia. Max Q was less successful in other countries. The album is no longer in print and has never been re-issued. The band never performed any live shows. In 2019, INXS' manager Chris Murphy said he would love to reissue the Max Q album, but that legal issues were not yet resolved. Michael Hutchence died in 1997. John Murphy died in 2015. Ollie Olsen died in 2024.

Members

Michael Hutchence (vocals), Ollie Olsen (production), Arne Hanna (guitar), Michael Sheridan (guitar), Bill McDonald (bass), Gus Till (piano), John Murphy (percussion,trumpet)

SINGLES

Way of the World

4 SEP '89

#8

Sometimes

13 NOV '89

#31

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Q_%28Australian_band%29

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/