David Maxwell "Max" Middleton (born 4 August 1946, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire) is an English composer and keyboardist, known for his work on the Fender Rhodes electric piano, the Minimoog, and his percussive playing style of the Hohner Clavinet.

Biography

Max Middleton, a former London dock worker, began playing keyboards with Jeff Beck in April 1971 after being introduced to Beck by bass player Clive Chaman. Middleton played in the second incarnation of the Jeff Beck Group, recording the albums Blow by Blow in 1974, and Wired in 1976.

Middleton worked with Beck throughout the 1970s and became a sought-after session musician playing on many albums, including the soundtrack to the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band produced by George Martin with The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton, as well as appearing on Nazareth's biggest-selling album Hair of the Dog (1975). Middleton has also played with such artists as Chris Rea, Kate Bush, Rolling Stones's guitarist Mick Taylor, and singer-songwriter John Martyn.

In 1979, he played keyboards on Morrissey Mullen's first UK-recorded album, Cape Wrath, and went on to produce and play on the Dick Morrissey album Souliloquy (1986) as well as writing most of the tracks for the album. Middleton is credited as co-writer of "The Loner" with Gary Moore on the 1987 album Wild Frontier.

Middleton released the smooth jazz album Land of Secrets in 2003. As of 2004, he is a member of Snowy White's band, White Flames, appearing on White's 2005 album, The Way It Is.

References

• Max Middleton - Biography. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
• Erokan, Laney. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, But He Likes It. Synthesis. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
• Stringer, Bruce. (2000) Max to the Max!. The Jeff Beck Bulletin #8. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
• Stringer, Bruce. (2002) An Interview With Max Middleton. The Jeff Beck Bulletin #10. Retrieved October 14, 2006.