Max Bemis Announces New Solo Project

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Max Bemis of Say Anything has announced his new project, Maxim Mental. Today he’s shared the new song “Evermore (And the Grammy Goes to)” as well as some new tour dates.

Today Maxim Mental, the solo project of Say Anything’s Max Bemis, releases his first single “Evermore (and the Grammy Goes to)” via Dine Alone Records. The song, co-written and produced by Grammy-nominated Will Yip (Code Orange, Title Fight, Turnstile) was written during a period of time when Bemis’ wife Sherri Dupree-Bemis was struggling with a years-long battle with postpartum depression. “Evermore (and the Grammy goes to)” reflects the emotional toll it took on Max but also the love he felt throughout. He shares, “after one of those many sleepless nights, I remember literally shambling like a pajama-clad zombie across my yard when I began to hum this melody. The song was written in as much time as it takes to listen to, almost automated. I remember my sort of perfunctory realization that this was probably my best song, and then it went back to dealing with the real issues in my life and left in a voice memo embarrassingly entitled ‘Casual Hit.’ This song is a plea towards those we love most, imploring them to allow us to do so.”

This summer Bemis will be embarking on a U.S. tour with dates that kick off July 7 in Washington, DC and conclude August 13 in Phoenix, AZ. He will play NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on July 9 and The Roxy in Los Angeles on August 12. Throughout the tour, Max will be performing music across Say Anything's catalog as well as new music from Maxim Mental. All dates are listed below and tickets are on-sale March 10 at noon EST.

Say Anything was, despite its place in a genre known for sincerity, somewhat of a satire of the quintessential emo band. Bemis being the Andy Kaufman of it all was enough to delight and confuse an entire generation as to whether he was a “real boy” or Ziggy Stardust infused with Curb Your Enthusiasm and the Vagrant Records discography. The final Say Anything LP was written from the point of Oliver Appropriate, a personification of this intentionally confused public persona; his death during climactic “Sediment” echoed the end of an era for the band itself. When ready to recover from twenty years of trauma making music, Max’s answer was more natural than obvious.Bowie and other musicians invented “characters” to escape pigeon holes; with Maxim Mental for the first time, Max had to be solely himself.

July 7 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage

July 8 - Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry at The Fillmore

July 9 - New York City, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

July 11 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

July 13 - Ferndale, MI @ Loving Touch

July 14 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

August 4 - Dallas, TX @ Amplified Live

August 5 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

August 6 - Austin, TX @ Parish

August 9 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill

August 11 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar

August 12 - Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy

August 13 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge

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