Line-up
- Kim Mitchell : Vocals/Guitar
- Terry Watkinson : Keyboards
- Gary McCracken : Drums
- Dave Myles : Bass
Fan Stories
anonymous
I saw them at my high school (Prince Edward Collegiate Institute) in 1978/79 in Picton, ON (population 4,000). We thought they were a big deal because they had albums out. Freaky looking band. Kim looked like he was about 90 lbs soaking wet. I became a really big fan. Still am.
Ross Taylor
Myself and my brother offered to help the road crew load in and set up. Lorne Wheaton was driving the truck. I just remember a very serious look on his face as he pulled the truck up to park it to unload it. I can't remember who was with him. It was either Robert Gunn or Brian Hall or Jon Erickson. Both my brother and I were really keen on trying to be a part of this event. Being a drummer myself I offered Lorne Wheaton a hand setting up Gary McCracken's Milestones. "I gotta do it myself"... deadpanned Lorne (leave me alone). For the next hour or so I remember a not so friendly group of guys (apart from Robert Gunn) building the stage. Brian Hall said something to my brother which wasn't so great. He said something even worse to a kid (who could be a dick) who was there to help with the power hook up. Anyway, you got the sense of what these guys dealt with every show they went to work at (especially high schools). Young people in their way wanting to be part of it. It was a huge deal. The band shows up at about 5:30.
It was the first gig for Gary McCracken using his new Tama Octobans. I was actually standing on the stage behind him while he was playing them with his kit on stage for the first time. I remember they were having a tricky time putting mics on them and getting the sounds they wanted. I remember Kim Mitchell saying something about putting the mic right inside the shell but I don't know if they actually did that. I had been talking to Gary while he was setting up. All of a sudden he had these extra small toms to his left and I think he would have liked some uninterrupted time with them before they started the show 90 minutes later. He could have easily said... "Hey, excuse me. I gotta warm up a bit." But I stood there for a while right behind him watching him play. He went to play the tom drum full at the end of High Class In Borrowed Shoes. He did it on the Octobans and he kinda flubbed it. I'll never forget that.
This gig might go down as THE most hokiest gig Max ever played. 70% of the students were from the country... Max was not on their radar. I don't know if I saw anyone dancing. I remember Gary looking over at Lorne Wheaton at the side of the stage at one point towards the end of the show and kind of shaking his head a bit as to say "What are we doing here ? ... they would rather be watching Ted Nugent." Wheaton gave him a bit of a smirk back in agreement.