Max was a valued friend of Kinetik, becoming closely associated with the band soon after its formation in early 1995. As well as chairing the Orimulsion Action Coalition - the organisation responsible for The Burning Issue fundraising concert where Kinetik played their first ever live performance, Max also designed the Burning Issue CD artwork and took many of the photographs used for the Refined CD inlay and band promotion. He always generously provided Kinetik with the facilities for rehearsal whenever a live performance was being undertaken by the band and always went well out of his way to make us feel welcome. He made sure that we always had everything that we could possibly want and genuinely took an interest in what we were doing. Often Andrew and I would visit Max to hear his valued criticism of the latest Kinetik track in progress.

Although born in Cambridge, he lived in Pembrokeshire, Wales for many years and considered himself a Welsh artist. He started his career in publishing as a designer and during the 70’s he worked on Vogue, collaborated with Roger Dean and designed books for The Rolling Stones. Once, I was privileged enough to be shown some of his original Rolling Stones artwork and was amazed to find that it had been enthusiastically autographed by Andy Warhol !

In later years, he earned a living by designing book cover artwork from home, working on a computer and downloading his finished work to his publishing house via modem. It seemed an ideal, modern way of working with technology, surrounded as he was by the Pembrokeshire countryside that he loved. This was partly the inspiration for the track ‘Net Working’ which found its way onto the Refined album.

In the last year of his life, Max was able to fulfill a long-term ambition by exhibiting his photographic work at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre during September 2000. His composite photograph technique was intended to present the landscape, trees and natural world that he loved in a way which transcended the conventional way that most people are presented with images - always with four edges.

It was always his dream to see the demolition of Pembroke Power Station. In 1995 & 1996 he had worked long and hard with the OAC to ensure that it would never burn the controversial Orimulsion fuel which threatened to destroy the local environment. Early in 2001, this dream was at last realised. The destruction of the station’s chimney (which he often likened to a giant polluting cigarette in his artwork) ensured that the views across the countryside he owned was at last free of a major eyesore.

As was said at his funeral, it was typical of Max to do things in an opposite manner. Where most people would have a stone monument erected after their death, Max ensured that the largest stone tower of all would be brought crashing to the ground while he was still alive. A fitting monument somehow.

Max leaves behind a widow, Shella and two children. Of course, our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time.

Suddenly, the ‘Kinetik Family’ seems just a little bit smaller.....