Exposed Vocals interviews Max Gertler
Max Gertler is an up and coming rapper/producer from Brooklyn, NY. Now residing in Boston, he’s gearing up to release his debut album: I think I have a problem but I f*** with it.
His music focuses on the ups and downs of addiction, and the dangerous lifestyle he’s lived. His sound is unquestionably unique, with elements of trap, 70’s rock and early 2000’s pop all mixed into one with a hefty serving of self reflection on top.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Max Gertler: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, but right now I’m going to school in Boston. I don’t really know if anything specific ever made me want to become an artist, I’ve just always loved creating things. I was always good at classes like writing but sucked at math and science. I guess my brain just works differently than most people. I could never memorize facts but any chance I had to create something I’d excell. I wasn’t always aspiring to be a rapper though. When I was younger I went through a lot of phases; like different types of art I’d make. I think first I was trying to be a singer in a band, then I wanted to make funny Youtube videos, then I wanted to make clothes and do graphic design stuff. I think I wanted to be an actor at some point too.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? Because it doesn’t really sound like a rapper’s name.
Max Gertler: Well I’m named after my grandpa. I just use the name my parents gave me. I went by SumDumKid for a while but I started to hate it. I kind of hate my actual name too but I’m not really trying to put on a persona, I just want to be known as who I am I guess.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Max Gertler: It’s tight but I also hate it sometimes. It’s dope because anybody can put out anything that anybody can see, but ANYBODY could but out ANYTHING. It kind of floods the market and makes it harder to get any attention. In terms of free music, I’m all for it. Any legitimate artist should be making music because they want people to hear it, not to make money. Streaming scares the hell out of me though, because everyone’s gonna be exclusively releasing their music on specific platforms. I don’t know anybody with a Netflix account AND a Hulu Plus account, and it’s the same thing with music. I don’t think there’s anybody in the entire world with a Spotify account, a Tidal account, a Pandora account and an Apple Music account. I hope I never have to spend 50 dollars a month just to hear music. What Chance is doing is tight, you don’t see any other artists releasing their music for free on Itunes. So many artists are selfish like that, which is stupid because music sales only account for like 5% of an artist’s revenue. It shouldn’t even matter.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Max Gertler: In terms of being a rapper, you really need to study your voice, especially when writing lyrics. Different rappers have different voices, and pretty much any voice could work. But you need to be able to figure out which types of rhyme schemes are most fitting to you, because that’s everything. I’m still trying to figure that out.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Max Gertler: I had a wardrobe malfunction once, and I’m not even joking. Me and my homie Jared were performing at Santos Party House in New York and I thought it would be funny if I pulled my pants down so I was just in my boxers. I messed up though because my pants were on way too tightly and everything just came out for a bit. I wasn’t upset though, I thought it was funny. I also did a smaller show at the end of August with my homie Dean and there was a toddler in the crowd. It was just super awkward because the music we’ve made together is far from child friendly. We just did our thing though, the mom didn’t seem too upset.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Max Gertler: Not yet, I’m working on one though. feschclothing.com is a website I made a while back for some old clothing and music stuff, and it’s actually prett funny. I use soundcloud (soundcloud.com/maxgertler) and Twitter and Instagram (@maxgertler).
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Max Gertler: Truthfully I’m not embarrassed by anything I listen to. I don’t think anyone should. You can’t help what you like, it’s not much different than someone’s sexual orientation. But at the same time, there’s definitely some music on my phone that people would laugh at. I listen to a lot of Nat and Alex Wolff (from the Naked Brothers Band). I also have a good amount of Bowling for Soup and Fountains of Wayne. Oh and a bunch of Randy Newman soundtracks, those are so sick.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades?
Max Gertler: Soon. I have bunch of things I need to finance right now. My biggest priority right now is renting out a space to shoot a Carousel video.
Exposed Vocals: What’s the deal with “Crazy Stallion”? I’ve never heard of it before.
Max Gertler: It’s basically the best thing in the entire world. It’s a malt liquor that’s actually made by Arizona, but not many people know about it. I think they try to keep it lowkey. But yeah, it’s decently strong and 24 ounce cans for only 99 cents. Plus the cans look so sick. It’s cow print with gold and a horse. Me and my boy (shout out to Stinky Jones) actually made an album called Crazy Stallion this summer. I never released it though. That was one of like five albums I didn’t even release.
Exposed Vocals: Five albums? How is that even possible?
Max Gertler: Most of them weren’t quality. I just had a lot of free time and a bunch of concepts I wanted to build on. Objectively, “Television” was the best one I made.I used a bunch of TV analogies to relate to my life. It was all about falling out of love with my ex-girlfriend, so I didn’t release it. At that point it would have been too hard on her. Then there was Crazy Stallion, which I already mentioned. There was a joint mixtape I made with my boy Austin Rapbaum called “We Just Quit Our Jobs to Make this Mixtape”. That one’s pretty self explanatory. Then this EP “HANK” and this this album “TRAMP”. That one’s actually on my soundcloud. I love it so much, but it’s really weird. It’s hard for most people to hear it and not get uncomfortable.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with?
Max Gertler: I don’t know… maybe a Bar Mitzvah? But seriously having my own music festival would be wild. I’d have Marshall, Mac Miller, Green Day, Vic Mensa, Nat Wolff, Fleetwood Mac and a John Lennon hologram. Oh and Akon.
Exposed Vocals: Can you speak a bit on Carousel? What’s it supposed to symbolize? Are you the carousel?
Max Gertler: I’m actually just on the carousel. I mean for me, the carousel is just a cycle of substances I can’t escape. The same things keep happening over and over again. You feel like you’re moving forward and escaping it all but inevitably you just end up right back where you started. “Round and round in a circle till’ I get where I start”.
Exposed Vocals: And who made the beat?
Max Gertler: I did. It’s a little confusing because I produce under the name “Fin Spank”. But yeah.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Max Gertler: I’m working on my album right now. It’s called “I think I have a problem but I f*** with it”. It’ll be done soon. Hopefully before the end of the year.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Max Gertler: I don’t. I’m in college right now but I’m a music industry major, so most of my time is spent learning how to better myself as an artist. They basically go hand and hand.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Max Gertler: Maybe my album. At the least a couple more songs and a music video. I just can’t really rush myself musically, because I want to make sure everything’s up to par.
