Biography
Max Merritt & the Meteors earned recognition as one of New Zealand's most enduring and widely embraced groups from the dawn of rock & roll, serving as foundational figures in the nation's early music community. Frontman Merritt, born in Christchurch on April 30, 1941, left school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship as a bricklayer; around that period rock music first captured his attention, prompting him to accumulate funds for an electric guitar purchase. He promptly assembled the original Meteors configuration alongside bassist Ian Glass, pianist Peter Patene, saxophonist Ross Clancy, and drummer Pete Snowden. After securing a steady engagement at the Teenage Club—the region's inaugural teen-focused venue—the ensemble quickly turned into a local sensation, their breakthrough spurring numerous similar acts and soon allowing the Christchurch rock & roll community to rival the established scene in Auckland led by teen idol Johnny Devlin.
Merritt's raw vocal delivery and strong guitar technique swiftly built him a substantial following; although the Meteors roster shifted repeatedly, he stayed central to the group and began composing original songs. Their first single, the Merritt-penned "Get a Haircut," emerged as a major regional success in late 1959, matched by follow-ups "Kiss Curl" and "C'mon Let's Go," the last of which supplied the name for their 1960 debut album. Remaining largely a regional attraction, Merritt & the Meteors avoided the swift decline that befell figures such as Johnny Devlin, sustaining their status as unchallenged leaders of the Christchurch circuit even while rock & roll's national appeal waned. Only in 1962 did they depart Christchurch seeking broader recognition in Auckland, discovering that longtime competitors Ray Columbus & the Invaders had already secured a foothold with local audiences.
Their stint on the Auckland club circuit proved largely fruitless—other musicians held them in high esteem, yet the crucial teen listeners had embraced Columbus' band as their current favorites. This situation prompted Merritt and his group to take to the road, reaching Australia in 1963. Following six demanding months in Sydney they returned to Auckland, by which time the Invaders had moved on; after signing with Viking Records the Meteors issued an EP titled Giddy Up Max!, their first release in months. Though it met limited chart success, the label valued the band enough to appoint them as house musicians for various artists. They revisited Sydney late in 1964, and early the following year their long-delayed second album, Max Merritt's Meteors, finally appeared, yet it too encountered weak sales amid the rise of newer acts such as the Easybeats.
Recruiting drummer Bruno Lawrence shifted the Meteors toward a soul-inflected, Motown-styled approach. Their mid-1965 cover of Sam Cooke's "Shake" became their strongest seller to that point, even reaching the Australian charts. The next release, a lively version of Buster Brown's "Fanny Mae," likewise gained favorable notice. While management continued presenting the group as wholesome, their private conduct grew markedly more unrestrained, fully embracing the excesses of the rock lifestyle. After Merritt developed a deep interest in Otis Redding's music, the members immersed themselves in blue-eyed soul, further distancing themselves from contemporary listeners. Even with what many considered the strongest Meteors lineup—saxophonist Bob Bertles, bassist Yuk Harrison, and drummer Stewie Speer—Merritt continued facing resistance. They accepted any available work, performing in Australia's most isolated regions to stay viable.
On the journey to the small town of Morwell on June 24, 1967, the Meteors suffered a serious car crash that injured everyone except Harrison; benefit concerts were quickly organized in their support. The incident paradoxically increased their profile across Australia, and when they resumed performing cautiously in early 1968 they drew genuine interest from press and audiences. Fellow musicians kept praising the Meteors' abilities, and shifting cultural attitudes rendered their freewheeling lifestyle newly appealing to club patrons. By year's end Merritt & the Meteors ranked as the country's highest-earning ensemble and clear leaders of an Australian soul revival. In 1969 they assumed control of a Melbourne pub they named Max's Place and recorded their first single in nearly three years, a cover of Jerry Butler's "Western Union Man." Early in 1970 they released the successful Max Merritt & the Meteors, often ranked among the era's standout Australian albums.
Harrison soon departed and bassist Dave Russell joined; this configuration recorded Stray Cats, which underperformed compared with its predecessor. After additional unsuccessful singles—including the Merritt original "Good Feeling" and a cover of Delaney & Bonnie's "Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham"—the Meteors lost their RCA contract in 1972. They persisted, however, heading to England for live shows and, alongside Dr. Feelgood and Brinsley Schwarz, helping shape the emerging British pub rock movement. London became their operational base in subsequent years; they supported Slade, the Moody Blues, and Mountain on tour, yet the remaining members left in 1974, forcing Merritt to resume bricklaying. By 1975 he had reconstituted the Meteors with a Nashville-leaning lineup, signed to Arista, and debuted on the label with the single "A Little Easier."
An album of the same title followed; its second single, the ballad "Slipping Away," climbed to the Top Five in both Australia and New Zealand—some 16 years after his first recordings, Merritt achieved his greatest commercial success. A celebratory return to Australia accompanied the release of the Meteors' second Arista album, 1976's Out of the Blue; in Britain, however, they stayed a niche attraction limited to pub venues and occasional support slots. Punk's arrival did not immediately harm the Meteors—they frequently shared bills with the Jam, the Stranglers, and the Vibrators—yet it ultimately ended pub rock, leading Merritt to disband the group in December 1976 after a 20-year run. He soon moved to Los Angeles, where he found moderate success writing songs and performing solo. Throughout the mid-1980s he frequently visited Australia, periodically fronting fresh Meteors lineups. Max Merritt died in Los Angeles on September 24, 2020, after years of declining health; he was 79.
Merritt's raw vocal delivery and strong guitar technique swiftly built him a substantial following; although the Meteors roster shifted repeatedly, he stayed central to the group and began composing original songs. Their first single, the Merritt-penned "Get a Haircut," emerged as a major regional success in late 1959, matched by follow-ups "Kiss Curl" and "C'mon Let's Go," the last of which supplied the name for their 1960 debut album. Remaining largely a regional attraction, Merritt & the Meteors avoided the swift decline that befell figures such as Johnny Devlin, sustaining their status as unchallenged leaders of the Christchurch circuit even while rock & roll's national appeal waned. Only in 1962 did they depart Christchurch seeking broader recognition in Auckland, discovering that longtime competitors Ray Columbus & the Invaders had already secured a foothold with local audiences.
Their stint on the Auckland club circuit proved largely fruitless—other musicians held them in high esteem, yet the crucial teen listeners had embraced Columbus' band as their current favorites. This situation prompted Merritt and his group to take to the road, reaching Australia in 1963. Following six demanding months in Sydney they returned to Auckland, by which time the Invaders had moved on; after signing with Viking Records the Meteors issued an EP titled Giddy Up Max!, their first release in months. Though it met limited chart success, the label valued the band enough to appoint them as house musicians for various artists. They revisited Sydney late in 1964, and early the following year their long-delayed second album, Max Merritt's Meteors, finally appeared, yet it too encountered weak sales amid the rise of newer acts such as the Easybeats.
Recruiting drummer Bruno Lawrence shifted the Meteors toward a soul-inflected, Motown-styled approach. Their mid-1965 cover of Sam Cooke's "Shake" became their strongest seller to that point, even reaching the Australian charts. The next release, a lively version of Buster Brown's "Fanny Mae," likewise gained favorable notice. While management continued presenting the group as wholesome, their private conduct grew markedly more unrestrained, fully embracing the excesses of the rock lifestyle. After Merritt developed a deep interest in Otis Redding's music, the members immersed themselves in blue-eyed soul, further distancing themselves from contemporary listeners. Even with what many considered the strongest Meteors lineup—saxophonist Bob Bertles, bassist Yuk Harrison, and drummer Stewie Speer—Merritt continued facing resistance. They accepted any available work, performing in Australia's most isolated regions to stay viable.
On the journey to the small town of Morwell on June 24, 1967, the Meteors suffered a serious car crash that injured everyone except Harrison; benefit concerts were quickly organized in their support. The incident paradoxically increased their profile across Australia, and when they resumed performing cautiously in early 1968 they drew genuine interest from press and audiences. Fellow musicians kept praising the Meteors' abilities, and shifting cultural attitudes rendered their freewheeling lifestyle newly appealing to club patrons. By year's end Merritt & the Meteors ranked as the country's highest-earning ensemble and clear leaders of an Australian soul revival. In 1969 they assumed control of a Melbourne pub they named Max's Place and recorded their first single in nearly three years, a cover of Jerry Butler's "Western Union Man." Early in 1970 they released the successful Max Merritt & the Meteors, often ranked among the era's standout Australian albums.
Harrison soon departed and bassist Dave Russell joined; this configuration recorded Stray Cats, which underperformed compared with its predecessor. After additional unsuccessful singles—including the Merritt original "Good Feeling" and a cover of Delaney & Bonnie's "Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham"—the Meteors lost their RCA contract in 1972. They persisted, however, heading to England for live shows and, alongside Dr. Feelgood and Brinsley Schwarz, helping shape the emerging British pub rock movement. London became their operational base in subsequent years; they supported Slade, the Moody Blues, and Mountain on tour, yet the remaining members left in 1974, forcing Merritt to resume bricklaying. By 1975 he had reconstituted the Meteors with a Nashville-leaning lineup, signed to Arista, and debuted on the label with the single "A Little Easier."
An album of the same title followed; its second single, the ballad "Slipping Away," climbed to the Top Five in both Australia and New Zealand—some 16 years after his first recordings, Merritt achieved his greatest commercial success. A celebratory return to Australia accompanied the release of the Meteors' second Arista album, 1976's Out of the Blue; in Britain, however, they stayed a niche attraction limited to pub venues and occasional support slots. Punk's arrival did not immediately harm the Meteors—they frequently shared bills with the Jam, the Stranglers, and the Vibrators—yet it ultimately ended pub rock, leading Merritt to disband the group in December 1976 after a 20-year run. He soon moved to Los Angeles, where he found moderate success writing songs and performing solo. Throughout the mid-1980s he frequently visited Australia, periodically fronting fresh Meteors lineups. Max Merritt died in Los Angeles on September 24, 2020, after years of declining health; he was 79.
Albums
