Hey there! I'm Max Becher from Santa Paula, CA. I am 16 years old. I first discovered Irish music about 2 1/2 years ago, when I was 13. My life has revolved around it ever since then. I play whistle, flute, fiddle, mandolin and guitar. I also have a bodhran that I like to play around with, but I would never bring it into a session. My strongest instruments are flute and whistle. My whistles are:
Feadog Brass D
Walton Brass D (older kind)
Walton Brass D (newer kind)
Walton Alluminum D
Walton Brass C
Generation Brass G
Generation Brass Bb
Pipola Low D
Kerry Low D
My flute is a beginner's flute made by Casey Burns, and it is the most wonderful instrument in the world!! I love it, it's a great flute.
When I am not playing music, I'm either eating or sleeping. Ocaisionally, I am obliged to do schoolwork.
My favorite band is Lunasa. I got to see them perform in October, 2004, and they completely blew me away. I had liked them a lot before the gig, but they are now totallly my favorite band!
I am homeschooled and I have two brothers and four sisters. They are all younger than me. Two of my siblings are beginning to show an interest in ITM.
I started a little band a while ago, soon after I first got into the music, but I have stopped playing with them since then. While I was still with them, we made a little recording. If you want to listen to it, here it is:
The Galway, Harvest Home (Hornpipes):
http://fileserv5.soundclick.com/fastk9/HiG/themerryblacksmiths+galwayhornpipeharvesthome.mp3
I'm playing guitar and whistle on this track.
Atholl Highlanders, Denis Murphy's (March & Polka)
http://fileserv5.soundclick.com/fastk9/HiG/themerryblacksmiths+athollhighlandersdenismurphys.mp3
I'm playing the whistle on this track.
Patrick's, Scatter the Mud (Jigs)
http://fileserv5.soundclick.com/fastk9/HiG/themerryblacksmiths+patricksscatterthemud.mp3
I'm playing guitar on this one.
St. Anne's, Drowsy Maggie (Reels)
http://fileserv5.soundclick.com/fastk9/HiG/themerryblacksmiths+stannesdrowsymaggie.mp3
I'm playing the mandolin on this track.
Merry Blacksmith, Rakes of Mallow, Maggie in the Woods, John Ryan's (Reel, Polkas)
http://fileserv4.soundclick.com/fastk9/HiE/themerryblacksmiths+merryblacksmiththreepolkas.mp3
I'm playing mandolin on this one. This is the best track out of all five. When we went to get recorded, this is the only track we were planning on recording. We wanted to send it in for a competition for the Prairie Home Companion radio show. The guy who was recording us asked us if we wanted to do anything else while he had the equipment set up, so we said sure, and recorded the tracks above. We also recorded a version of the Butterfly, but that was lost somehow.
Tunes in Max Becher's tunebook: 49
| Tomorrow Morning | hornpipe | December 6th 2003 |
| Patrick's | jig | November 2nd 2003 |
| In All Things | Leahy | February 11th 2004 |
| Made In Cape Breton | The Cottars | November 27th 2003 |
| The Best Of Silly Wizard | Silly Wizard | November 25th 2003 |
| Glint Of Silver | Silly Wizard | November 23rd 2003 |
| Lakefield | Leahy | November 22nd 2003 |
| ABC Transposer | June 22nd 2004 |
| ABC Tutorial | June 8th 2004 |
| Tipsy House | June 8th 2004 |
| John McSheery | May 8th 2004 |
| The Cottars | November 25th 2003 |
| Dargan's Irish Pub & Restaurant | November 8th 2003 |
| Yay!! It Came! | July 28th 2004 |
| Susato triple pack | July 23rd 2004 |
| A weekend of fun (Summer Solstice Festival) | June 27th 2004 |
| Summer Solctice Festival - Anybody going to be there? | June 22nd 2004 |
| Change | June 8th 2004 |
| Tunes | Nomos | November 12th 2004 |
| Tunes | Nomos | November 12th 2004 |
| Discussions | Re: ALL schools; i know this has very little to do with trad but o well | November 12th 2004 |
| Discussions | Re: Being hated...part 2 | November 12th 2004 |
| Discussions | Re: Being hated...part 2 | November 12th 2004 |