The solo bedroom project, 60’s NightClub was thrust onto an unsuspecting public just three weeks or so ago with a lo-fi little demo style dip in the water track What Went Wrong?

This initial tune immediately caught my ear as it is a rather sweet tale about a lad moping because a girl he was kind to and mad about, goes off with another lad. Its charming simplicity is instantly relatable and while there is a laid back low-fi Mac DeMarco vibe, the track also rather reminded me of the gentle toked up humour of Syd Barrett (former original 60’s Pink Floyd frontman) and his solo albums of the early 70’s.

Music production can seen very controlled where songs might be polished to an inch of its life with plug ins, loops and samples galore, and then carefully released “when the timing is right” many months after its recording. The music of 60s Night Club has a refreshing if it’s about ready, then let’s bang it out there attitude. A perfect vibe for these we might all die tomorrow pandemic days.

We will all have a personal tale to tell from the spring of 2020. We are all dealing with these unprecedented times in our own way, within a range where real achievement might look like getting dressed and cleaning your teeth before 9pm, to being incredibly productive and inspired; all in the name of trying to fill the chasm that has suddenly opened at our feet.

Personally I’ve found a new loving and rewarding personal relationship with my ukulele, am plodding on with the draft of my book (and I’m working (at home) too) but 18 year old Max Stokes (the person behind 60s Night Club) is one of those leading the way in inspiring others.

Max has both created his own bedroom musical entity 60’s NightClub and so far unleashed 6 stand alone tunes into the world in just a couple of weeks. There’s gonna be a good chance of a double album produced by the time we get to the end of this. Max himself is sanguine about the project and is simply enjoying the activity of being creative while his band The Levis are on enforced pandemic hiatus) and seeing where it goes.

I’m clearly not the only one picking up on the 60’s Night Club vibe; BBC Introducing has also quickly hooked up to the beat and track Thought It Was More (Than Pleasure) has had a radio airing. It’s a sweet vibe, with another simple and annoyingly catchy tune and another troubled tale of relationship angst.

The latest 60’s Night Club song to be released (at the time of writing) is Take It Slow (ironically titled for a lad that has just banged out 6 tunes in a fortnight) a true vibe with a slower pace, but again with a chorus that sits firmly in the sweet spot. There’s a great swirl to this song; it reminds me of being on a kids roundabout.

I do have to say there’s been very little to recommend the enforced lockdown (beyond avoiding a painful death for yourself and loved ones, of course) but things like Josh Noble’s (Larkins) podcast, the Jimmy’s nightly live show, the Full Colour and Flechettes shows, and these 60’s NightClub tunes have given much pleasure, and a lasting legacy.

Chris R

All images have been taken from Max’s social media.