San Diego Reader

Annie Heller: Keyboards, Vocals | Todd Hidden: Guitar (electric), Vocals | Kim Knox: Percussion, Vocals | Curt Lusk: Bass guitar | Rich: Drums | Greg Jones: Guitar (electric)

Genre: Covers | Standards, Rock

RIYL: Fleetwood Mac

Upcoming Local Shows

• Pala Mesa Resort — Friday, July 19, 7am – 10pm

Related Links

• Fleetwood MAX website

• Cover Story: "Borrowed Music. Borrowed Look. Borrowed Fame." · March 18, 2009

• MySpace

Synoposis

Inception: Carlsbad, 2006

Ex-Band Members: Hector Toro, Drums, Vocals Bill Ray, Drums Doug Walker, Bass guitar, Guitar (electric), Vocals

Influences: Fleetwood Mac

Background:

Fleetwood MAX was formed in 2006 by Todd Hidden (as Lindsay Buckingham) and Annie Heller (ersatz Christine McVie). “Everyone seems to love Fleetwood Mac,” says Heller. “Visually, we try to emulate the look of The Dance years, which is mostly black and white. Our Stevie, Kim Enering [later Kim Knox], buys special clothing custom-made to look like Stevie Nicks’ best-known outfits, and she does a great job with the Stevie-isms.”

As for musicality, “We try to get close to note-for-note recreations of the studio or the live versions of the songs. We only have five members playing four instruments, however, and we don’t use any sequencers or karaoke tracks.” Who knew tribute bands were using karaoke tracks?

“My two daughters think it’s cool that their mom is in a band,” says Heller. “When my youngest came to see us at the San Diego Fair this year, she was very impressed…she wondered how I was able to get up in front of people and sing and play without being nervous.”

Guitarist Todd Hidden is a full-time musician who also plays with Dave Humphries, StreetHeart, and the Cool Rays. Singer and shawl-bearer Kim Knox (mid-’30s) works as an inland North County real-estate agent.

Nobody in Max has met their Mac, though Heller says, “We hear they show up once in a while to catch a tribute band. If I ever met Christie McVie, I would tell her how much I admire her songwriting and what a beautiful voice she has.”

Says Todd Hidden, “I’d ask Lindsey Buckingham if he needs a guitar tech. And could I take a few lessons?”