Max Pain and the Groovies: From SLC to NYC

It’s been roughly three years since Max Pain & the Groovies left SLC for the big apple. And since living in NYC, the band has faced a whole new world of opportunities and happenings, from having many more venues to play at, more bands to play with, to living in the much larger cultural landscape that is New York City. The contrast between SLC and NYC leaves a large marginal gap. Salt Lily caught up with the band to see how they’ve adjusted since leaving us all behind, and what made them want to pack up and move all together.

“We were out on tour and our bus caught on fire due to us putting a large amount of starter fluid into a Diesel engine (you're not supposed to do that),” the Groovies tell me. “We thought our bus wasn't going to start so we were like ‘guess we live in New York now.’” Thankfully they got their bus going again a couple hours later and they were able to get back on their way. However, the short time they were stranded there left an impression on the band and they began to wonder what life in the big city would actually be like. Eventually they all decided they wanted to move there, and three months later, they found themselves all cozied up in an apartment in Brooklyn.

Since moving they have found a vast new world they hadn’t had previously in SLC. “I think anyone that lives in NYC has a love/hate relationship with the city. There is so much chaos it's insane,” they say. “I think part of the reason is because there is so much stimulation. The noise on the street, the different languages you are constantly hearing, the different types of people and cultures are always grabbing your attention”.

Despite the contrast and culture shock, once the band got settled in they got right to work with a brand new EP on Greenway Records, embarked on their first European tour through seven different countries and were able to break through to Canada for the first time. It seemed they hit the ground running and found the outlets they had hoped for in moving to a larger city.

Reflecting on their past, however, I asked them what they missed most about life here in Utah. They gave me the obvious answers of family, friends, the mountains… but the thing that they really emphasized was “MEXICAN FOOD”. Having lived in NYC myself, I can attest that seemingly no one out there knows how to make a good burrito. “The mexican food out here is wack,” they say.

As much as they do miss a good burrito, however, Max Pain and the Groovies have no plans to return home anytime soon. They’re finding opportunity, ingraining themselves in the musical community and continuing to put out music. Let’s hope that they keep up with their success, but also, SLC close to their hearts. 

The Groovies will hope to have an EP out soon, so keep your ear to the ground.