Maks: Antidote for an Idiot (part 1)

It's been 7 years since Dutch drummer Peter Lebbink, better known as Maks, released his 3Ft No Diving album. Making music took a back seat to taking care of an intense reconstruction of his new digs in Sweden, but now he returns to his passion: playing all the instruments on a bunch of gnarly rock songs.

Antidote for an Idiot (part 1) is the first half on his new album - part 2 will be available three months from now. Lebbink knows how to create a rock solid yet adventurous back beat, which serves as the foundation for cinematic excursions (Joe Lunchbox, Nevada) as well as progressive rock in-fused pop (Iceberg).

Maks: 3Ft No Diving

Dutch drummer Peter Lebbink, better known as Maks A, has been in and out of the music scene since the late Seventies. When he stepped in as a last minute replacement for an American tour by he JVT Band in 2013 he realized it was time to become a solo artist writing his own material. He taught himself to play guitar, bass, keyboards and - perhaps the biggest challenge of them all - find his bearings as a singer. He shouldn't have worried about that. His gravely voice has a rough-around-the-edges charm. The solo effort turned into a rock project named Maks for which he called in the favours of his fellow musicians. 3Ft No Diving is an album drenched in blues, rock, and New Wave-inspired keyboard parts.

Being on the road as an artist is the main influence for his songs. The ups and the downs are put to good use inThe Gods in My Head and Winter in Vegas. The two covers - Robert Johnson's Stones in My Passway with a Seventies rock funk treatment and an upbeat version of the Velvet Underground's I'm Waiting for the Man - sit comfortably next to his originals.

3Ft No Diving is the culmination of a long career for Lebbink. He has taken a change and it has paid of in spades. Go in at the deep end for the next one. The water is fine and he can pick from a wide variety of swimming styles.