By Jae-Ha Kim
Los Angeles Times
May 8, 2018
MAX’s platinum single “Lights Down Low” was written as a love song for his girlfriend — now wife — Emily. Based out of New York City, the singer (born Max Schneider) met the Brit in Chicago.
“The best travel memory I have is a proper Sunday lunch with my wife’s family in Brighton, England, where she grew up,” says MAX, 25. “It was just beautiful and magical to feel so at home in a place I just got to that day for the first time. The worst vacation memory was in Puerto Rico with a terrible ex of mine when I was 16. We were in a massive fight and two guys walked past hollering at her, so I cursed them out. They (started) yelling that they were gonna shank me. Definitely thought I was gonna die. It made me learn not to curse people out, especially in foreign places.”
For MAX’s current tour dates, check out his website. He also keeps fans updated on Twitter and Facebook.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. Hawaii has a special place in my and my wife’s heart. “Lights Down Low” started on the radio there. We love going out there and exploring. The people feel like family. We go horseback riding and shark diving. No cage. It was insanely scary, but also incredibly invigorating and beautiful.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. I rep my neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen, pretty hardcore. (It’s) a neighborhood with many hidden gems that I personally feel like isn’t explored quite as much as many others in New York. It’s got a little something for everyone and it’s my favorite (place) in the world.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. It was actually to Greece, I believe. My mom had a wonderful friend who lived there, so we’d go to this island that had no cars — just donkeys. It was very removed and I remember those trips very fondly.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A. Every country and culture is so vastly different in beautiful ways, but respect and kindness are always a common language. It is amazing how being kind and understanding will always be a connective tissue no matter where you go. Making the effort is always worth it.
Q. Have you traveled to a place that stood out so much that you felt compelled to incorporate it into your work?
A. I met my wife in Chicago, so I have many songs (“10 Victoria’s Secret Models,” “Lights Down Low”) that have reference to that city. It has always felt like another home there. It’s a brilliant community.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. Emily and I love going up the coast in California. Or in New York we sometimes drive up to Woodstock where I spent some time living as a kid. It’s a really amazing place for those who have never been.
Q. Where is the most romantic destination?
A. Amsterdam was an incredibly delightful and a romantic place to be. You can just walk everywhere, taking advantage of the legal herbs while on a boat ride around the city during the lights festivals. Sipping hot cocoa is one my fondest memories.
Q. If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A. We head to Florida a lot where our extended families all come together. It’s always special having our multicultural families coming together around one beautiful table celebrating life.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. Tokyo, Seoul, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. A really solid neck pillow, a massive scarf no matter the temperature I’m going to, so I can wrap it around my face and sleep anywhere, lots of snacks, multiple chargers and headphones, since I lose everything all the time.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A: Fast food. I never crave it or want it at home, but for some reason, when we’re on tour or in airports, I want it. Chick-fil-A is just glorious, Shake Shack. … I (even) get down with Wendy’s.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. My wife is really the one who manages our trips. (Laughs) I spend so much of my life planning out the trajectory of a tour or album cycle that when it comes to trips, I just want someone else to really plan it all out and I’ll follow their lead.
Q. What are your favorite hotels?
A. I’m pretty loyal to Marriott. I’m not very into fancy hotels. Mostly those or just extremely unique boutique places. In Hawaii, we love the Surfjack hotel. They’re awesome and inviting.
Q. What are your favorite cities?
A. New York, Amsterdam, Montreal, Chicago, Paris, Seattle!
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A. Amsterdam strangely felt very much like home in a slightly different way.
Q. What would be your dream trip?
A. Somewhere in the middle of the rain forest away from cities with plenty of adventurous activities, fresh fruit and food — and maybe a really cool gig just to keep me from losing my mind, because if I don’t perform for too long, I start freaking out.
© 2018 JAE-HA KIM
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