Star date: 26th December 2010

THE WANTED'S MAX GEORGE PLAYED FOR SALFORD CITY

In the absence of any Salford City fixtures this Christmas, and, by popular demand, we thought we'd re-run our interview with Max George that featured in the last printed issue of Salford Star (issue 8).

The interview was done at Max's home in Swinton in autumn 2008 when he had big hopes for his previous band, Avenue, and he tells why he chose music over a footy career with Man City and Salford City.

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BOY OH BOY!
Salford Star issue 8 Autumn 2008

This band is already all over the internet and kids' tv, yet Avenue's first single is only just about to be released. The hype's gone into overdrive but 19 year old singer Max George, sitting in the kitchen at his family's home in Swinton, is totally unfazed. Talk about screaming girls and Max just shrugs "I'm alright with that…"

The band has been waiting for two years to be unleashed. Formed out of auditions two years ago, Avenue first hit the headlines when they were disqualified from the X-Factor after reaching the finals for failing to disclose they had a manager. It didn't do them too much harm.

"Off the back of all that we got a deal with Global Records and spent the next six months recording with them in Sweden" Max recalls "The parted company with them and got signed by Island Records who also have U2 and Amy Winehouse and we've got the same management as the Sugarbabes."

Not bad. And Avenue also has BRIT Award winning American rock band, Orson, writing the tunes.

"I'm happy with that because they've written some great songs and have had chart success, says Max who describes the sound as "pop with an indie rock twist "We wanted something a bit different, a bit instrumental based so that when we perform live we can actually play the instruments. I mean, I've played guitar for about eight years, Ross plays piano and guitar, Scott can play amazing piano and guitar…we can all do a bit."

Even so, Avenue are branded as a `boy band'…"Well yeah, we are" Max says "we can't get away from it"…And with the first single, Last Goodbye, looming, chart success seems around the corner.  But it could have all been so different. Max played football for England Schoolboys, Man City, Blackburn, Oldham and Preston. 

"I was about to sort out a deal with Preston but I decided not to carry on, I wanted to sing instead" he says, adding "But I did play for Salford City in the cup last year. I put a penalty over the bar, I don't think it's landed yet!"

Meanwhile, Avenue are about to take off, Orson style…

Photo by Jemma Cooper