max

hi,

my name is tom. i was a good friend of max's in cadiz and i used to go to his regularly before being out to the botellon to meet more people. the only thing i can really say to explain max is how i first really got to know him. basically i was wandring around the botellon looking for someone to help me out apart from my spanish house mates and max came along and introduced me to a load of natives. the main thing about that was i didnt know anyone beforehand and i got to know so many nice people from his introdution, even though he had only been in spain a couple of weeks before me. he was one of those sort of people. i learnt so much from max about how to interact and be with people and it hurts that i couldnt keep things going and i couldnt really keep our relationship going. i stayed at his place a load of times. i helped him get to the bus stop so he could get the plane home at xmas. he was the link also between all nationalties; but what is most is i will miss max, ill miss watching the extras from ciudade de deus or talking about spurs. ill miss the fact that ill take the train to newcastle next year but ill open see steph rob and the rest..... no max. ill miss him infinitely.

Max

From Celia:

The first time I met Max was some time near the end of first year at Newcastle on the 8th floor of Castle Leazes. It was a fleeting encounter but I remember thinking immediately that he was a legend with an amazing infectious smile. I was pretty pleased to find that we’d be living on the same street when we moved out of halls. The next time we saw each other was after some drunken night in the first week of Second year when I suddenly recalled that 'some cool guy called Max' lived next door but one – What a great time to go and re-introduce myself I thought! It seems strange now that I should have remembered him so vividly, it had been at least four months since we had met and even then we had barely spoken. But that’s the kind of person Max is, instantly unforgettable and someone you just know you want to become friends with, who can only add to your life.

It was quite anti-socially late and I was slightly the worse for wear but he was really friendly and charming and didn't take the piss (too much!), invited me and my housemate in to his kitchen where we continued to drink and chat.

Given this ominous introduction, our friendship was not a total non-starter – something which I consider to be testimony to his amazingly welcoming personality. I was lucky enough to see lots of Max for the rest of uni - whether it was on nights out, playing football down our road, chilling out in our house or seeing him just goofing about with the boys. He was a constant presence for those two years and it is therefore so hard to come to terms with, and reconcile, the fact that he is gone.

The times we all spent together on Devonshire Place were pretty idyllic, making Max’s death all the more shocking and unbelievable. It makes those amazing years feel even more like a dream, particularly when you discover that real life can bring changes more shattering and damaging than you could ever imagine. It’s hard to comprehend just how much has been altered within the space of a year and even more impossible to convey this in writing. Nothing I could write will ever do Max justice and I sometimes feel like I almost don’t want to put the memories into words because I know I’ll never find the right ones.

All I can really say is that Max was an incredible guy who I will never forget and I feel privileged to have so many happy memories of him. You are so missed Maximus.

The photos are of Max and Russ at our Cowboys and Indians House party in January 2005 and Benji, Toller and Max some other time, I'm not too sure when.

a little blog

From Steph in Spain:

I spoke really briefly about my time with Max in Spain at the wake after the funeral. How despite not spending every second of my time with him, I considered Max one of my closest friends here. Getting back to normality here was hard. It still is if I'm completely honest. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him, that I don't walk past 'our coffee shop', or that I don't wish he could pop over my flat (even just for a cig and a chat about nothing.)

After the funeral I did go back to England after initially returning to Spain, as I couldn't quite handle things here. To have come to Cadiz in September, as a foreign student, we all expected a year filled with new experiences. NEVER did I expect that one of those would be seeing one of my new friends dying. Never. Even as I write this I still can't believe what happened that night. At times I look at videos of Max and us lot over here and think 'fuck - he really has gone'.

I was flicking through photos and videos from February, and came across one from a friend's birthday party here. One I hadn't seen before. Anyway - It took a while to get started but then it focuses on Max (as usual he looks comfortable acting up to the camera, swearing in Spanish and with fag in hand.) Towards the end of the filming Max leans over and gives me a cuddle. I really miss those cuddles.

xxx steffy xxx

'YES Jermaine!'

Sitting back here on my computer smiling to myself thinking of the random times n places I would occasionally bump into Max like in the Irish or Salusbury (What can I say the man loved his puds) he would always greet me with ‘YES Jermaine’ and have that classic cheeky grin on his face where by your not too sure if he’s smiling with or at you! Anyways we would never talk for long or talk about the important things going on in the world just chat about nothing and catch up but I would always leave thinking of what a safe guy he was and glad that I had bump into him.

The times that really stand out for me though are on the football pitch (where else). There’s this particular time that I’ll never forget playing with the boyz about 30 aside in Queen’s park about 10 years ago anywayz I’m not sure if Max was on my team or not I just remember his amazed laughing face and shouting out ‘OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH YES Jermaine’ as I masterly flicked the ball over DASH’s head (Twice) when he came to TRY n tackle me! (haha) I probably lost the ball straight after that but it meant a lot since I had the approval of the great man himself. This wasn’t the first time either that he said something that stuck with me but I’ll leave that for another day.

I think the greatest complement I can pay him is that he was a better person than a footballer and I’ll miss our lil chats about nothing.

One

The LOVELY Max

This is Max, Emma, Nat and Isaac dressed up as sailors for a Mecco job at Proms in the Park September 2005 x x

Without fail Max would always put a smile on my face and I'm sure many others, whatever mood I was in he managed to cheer me up. Turning up to work for the 15th day in a row for another 12 hour shift feeling a little weary, I would have Max bounding up to me saying "Alright mate," and I knew I would be in for a mischief filled evening. The last time I saw Max is a prime example, it was the last night at Christmas for Mecco and we were behind the bar and we had to fill glasses with ice, anyway needless to say, as Max was around it ended up as a massive ice fight which I lost!!

The photo above was another very amusing day with Max and Isaac, Max was very excited about the fact we got to dress up and not wear uniform for the day. He thought it might be another excuse to get us out of doing any work.

It's definitely fair to say that Max you will be massively missed by everyone, working at Mecco will never be the same again. But all your jokes and the fantastic memories you have given us will be with us forever.

All my love

Nat x x x

Max the only person I have ever met that after standing on his feet for 12 hours on about 5 hours sleep, with a bit of sore head would still have a big smile and a cuddle that never failed to cheer the recipient up!

I had the pleasure of working with Max at Mecco for the past couple of years and what a fun time its been. My fondest memory of Max would have to be when he, Isaac, Nat and I dressed up at Sailors at Proms in the park last summer. We looked absolutely ridiculous, which we tried to style out as reminiscent of a Jean Paul Gautier advert (Looking back Id say we looked more like a Primark advert now). Nat and I had so much make up on; it weighed our faces down and the most uncomfortable shoes. I remember as usual moaning for the better part of the night. But Max kept making us all laugh, with all of his sailor related puns and terrible singing of Queen, which was playing in the background.

I am also delighted to say we had a joke with the legend that is Bruce Forsyth. I think he said something along the lines of what time do we set sail? To which Max responded with a rather forced laugh, mainly due to the fact it was the 10th time we had heard it in 5 minutes and Max was annoyed someone stole his material.

Max reading all the comments your friends and family have written proves that even though you're no longer with us, all the stories, laughs and good times you have given us all will keep you alive forever.

It goes without saying you'll be missed and I every time I see a stripy blue top, a sailor or Jean Paul Gautier advert I will think of you!

All my love

Emma xxx

Yet Another Day

It is friday afternoon and I have just finished work. It is a beautiful day today so i decided to buy a can of coke and go to the park. I sat down by the band stand, where we always sit. I opened the coke and took my fags out of the pouch of my filthy overalls. I have sat there all my life. I stared at the winter walk way where it had become second nature to see Max trooting down towards me. Sunny days have been put in a bottle and thrown to sea, i guess there is a tiny hope that someone will find the bottle and come and help. He still can make me laugh when i remeber funny stories, however I can't make him laugh no matter how hard I try. I want to help him, but end up feeling useless and stupid. I find it hard to look at photos and then feel guilty for not wanting to look at him. My thoughts rarely drift from his side, and i feel stange to know that death must have brushed past me on its way to Max. I get angry that death could of left us alone and let us get on with our trouble free adventure. But guess what it turns out that life IS unfair and it doesn't have time for anyone, no matter how many good deeds you have done that day. If you can take anything from this mess, it is the realisation that you really do get only 'one shot'. And we have still got ours no matter how bleak it seems, we are still hanging on to its coat tales.

Lots of love Owen.

ps, can all the heads in cadiz please email me all your email addresses, mine is on my profile.

RIP

Hey,

From the times I met up with Max, I always felt his true passion for enjoying life and his genuine friendship.

I still remember the time we both ate terrible Hawaiian burgers in Bali, and witnessed his girlfriend Rosie having her tongue pierced……good times.

Rest In Peace Max, you will be missed.

Han-Li (aka d-tox)