On July 1st, Max Crook passed away at 83 y/o.
While still in his 20s, he built a monophonic synthesizer and named it a Musitron, a sound that Boomers young and old and everyone else, too, can recognize when they hear it–its raw sound helped define early rock; the first and probably best example of a Musitron’s sound is the famous bridge from1961’s monster hit, Del Shannon’s “Runaway,” a classic heard on numerous movie soundtracks including perennial Boomer favorite, “American Graffiti.”
Not only did Max Crook play on the song, he and singer Del Shannon co-wrote it. “Runaway” is rock n’ roll bedrock, a seminal, imaginative and original contribution to the growth and direction of the genre.
R.I.P to one of rocks important, but little known, innovators and pioneer.
And speaking of innovators and pioneers, it’s the annual Elvis week in Memphis.
Elvis was his 20’s when “Runaway” topped the chart and he was only 42 y/o when he died, August 16th, 1977. Had he lived, he’d be 85. His wife, Priscilla, shares a clip from his all time favorite, of the dozens of movies he starred in.