Max Bemis

{{Short description|American singer}}

{{pp-move}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Max Bemis

| background = solo_singer

| image = Maxbemiswarped.jpg

| caption = Bemis at the Warped Tour 2008

| birth_name = Maxim Adam Bemis

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|4|6}}

| origin =New York City, U.S.

| genre = Pop punk, indie rock, emo

| occupation = Singer, musician, songwriter

| instruments= Vocals, guitar, keyboards

| years_active = 2000–present

| associated_acts = Say Anything, Two Tongues, Forgive Durden, Max Bemis and the Painful Splits, Perma, Eisley, Maxim Mental

| website = {{URL|sayanythingmusic.com}}

}}

Maxim Adam Bemis ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|iː|m|ᵻ|s}}; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley in the supergroup Two Tongues (which featured band members from Say Anything and Saves the Day). He plays alongside his former wife Sherri DuPree under the name Perma, and is a comic book writer, chiefly for Marvel Comics.

Early life

Bemis was born in New York City in 1984.{{cite web | url=http://muzikum.eu/en/120-6515/say-anything/biography.html| title=Say Anything Biography | publisher= Muzikum.eu| access-date= July 26, 2016| archive-date= March 5, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011454/http://muzikum.eu/en/120-6515/say-anything/biography.html| url-status=live}} His family moved to Hollywood, California when he was a child. Bemis took piano lessons which he credits for the realization that he wanted to make music.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetabworld.com/Say_Anything_biography.html|title=Say Anything biography|work=The Tab World|access-date=July 21, 2008}}{{cite web|last=Meyle |first=Alli |url=http://www.thepunksite.com/interviews.php?page=sayanything |title=Interview with Max Bemis |work=ThePunkSite.com |date=July 22, 2006 |access-date=August 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019061055/http://www.thepunksite.com/interviews.php?page=sayanything |archive-date=October 19, 2008 }}

In addition, Bemis was raised "in a strong Jewish environment," which has influenced his music.{{cite web|last=Garrett |first=Jonathan |url=http://www.worldjewishdigest.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C3F5897C3EEA479699E7D815297A9AE4 |title=A Jewish Kind of Pop Song |work=World Jewish Digest |date=February 25, 2008 |access-date=November 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306123815/http://www.worldjewishdigest.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C3F5897C3EEA479699E7D815297A9AE4 |archive-date=March 6, 2008 }} His maternal grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust, which was the inspiration for the song, "Alive with the Glory of Love."

Bemis attended high school at Windward School, a private school in Los Angeles. He had also attended Camp Ramah in Ojai, California, where he met future band-mate Coby Linder. In 2000, Bemis, Linder, and friends from Windward and Beverly Hills High School formed Say Anything. The band was described as a high school band, but they released a full-length LP and an EP. In 2002, Bemis attended Sarah Lawrence College. However, he spent much of his time recording his own music and left the school after only a few months. Bemis has mentioned Tom Delonge of Blink 182 as an influence from a very young age, and was excited to work with him on Hebrews.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6069749/say-anything-six-six-six-song-premiere-max-bemis-talks-ambitious-new-hebrews|title=Say Anything 'Six Six Six' Song Premiere: Max Bemis Talks Ambitious New 'Hebrews' Album|magazine=Billboard|date=April 24, 2014}}

Career

=Say Anything=

{{Main|Say Anything (band)}}

Bemis is the lead singer, guitarist and primary lyricist of Say Anything as well as a founding member of the band. After the resignation of the original band members, he is the only original member remaining. In 2000, Say Anything released Junior Varsity. The band released its debut full-length album, Baseball, in 2001. Despite attending Sarah Lawrence College for a short time, Bemis kept the band alive, performing much if not all of the music that went into Menorah/Majora and the band's dormroom demos.

Say Anything released ...Is a Real Boy in 2004. Bemis performed the vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboard parts for the album.{{cite AV media notes|others=Say Anything|title=...Is a Real Boy|publisher=Doghouse Records|year=2004}} After the album's release, the band went through a rocky period lasting over a year due to Bemis's mental health. The band canceled at least two tours and lost several members.{{cite journal|last=Kelley|first=Trevor|title=Live Through This|journal=Alternative Press|issue=233|date=December 2007|pages=164, 167–168}} By 2007 however, after going through rehab, Say Anything and Bemis got back on track with co-headlining tours with Saves the Day and Hellogoodbye.{{cite web|last=Bemis |first=Max |url=http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/february-2nd-2007-say-anything-and-saves-the-day-announce-tour |title=Say Anything and Saves the Day Announce Tour |work=The Official Say Anything Site |date=February 2, 2007 |access-date=August 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019165308/http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/february-2nd-2007-say-anything-and-saves-the-day-announce-tour |archive-date=October 19, 2008 }}{{cite web|last=Bemis |first=Max |url=http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/myspace-co-headline-tour-with-hellogoodbye-dates-are-up |title=MySpace Co-headline tour with Hellogoodbye |work=The Official Say Anything Site |date=August 30, 2007 |access-date=August 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019165324/http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/myspace-co-headline-tour-with-hellogoodbye-dates-are-up |archive-date=October 19, 2008 }} In 2007, the band released In Defense of the Genre, on which Bemis sang lead vocals and played guitar and keyboard.{{cite AV media notes|others=Say Anything|title=In Defense of the Genre|publisher=J Records|year=2007}}

Say Anything's self-titled album was released November 3, 2009.

File:Say Anything max coby.png

On November 5, 2010, at The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, Bemis announced a forthcoming Say Anything album. The album, called Anarchy, My Dear, was released March 13, 2012, which was followed up with their headlining spring tour. Their first single from that album is "Burn a Miracle". They released a music video for this single.

On January 22, 2013, Say Anything released a collection of older songs and b-sides called All My Friends Are Enemies: Early Rarities consisting of all of the material recorded by Say Anything prior to the release of ...Is a Real Boy. The band did a summer tour to promote the album.

On June 10, 2014, Say Anything released the album Hebrews through Equal Vision Records.

On February 5, 2016, Say Anything released their new album I Don't Think It Is without any prior announcement besides several teaser posts the day before.{{cite web|url=http://www.musictimes.com/articles/64317/20160204/anything-release-stream-surprise-album-dont-think-listen.htm|title=Say Anything Streams Surprise Album 'I Don't Think It Is' Ahead of Friday Release|author=Haskoor, Michael|date=February 4, 2016|access-date=February 4, 2016|work=Music Times}}

=Two Tongues=

{{Main|Two Tongues}}

After recording In Defense of the Genre, Say Anything band members Max Bemis and Coby Linder worked with Saves the Day's Chris Conley and David Soloway on a side project named Two Tongues.{{cite web|last=Futterman|first=Erica|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/05/08/say-anythingsaves-the-day-side-project-to-debut-summer-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510181227/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/05/08/say-anythingsaves-the-day-side-project-to-debut-summer-08/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2008|title=Say Anything/Saves the Day Side Project to Debut Summer '08|work=Rock & Roll Daily|date=May 8, 2008|access-date=August 2, 2008}}

The group consisted of Bemis and Conley sharing the lead vocals and guitar duties, Soloway on bass and Linder on drums. Thirteen songs were recorded in Electric Ladybug Studio, Conley's home studio in Chico, California.{{cite journal|last=Zemler|first=Emily|title=Two Tongues|journal=Alternative Press|issue=242|date=September 2008|pages=136}}{{cite web|last=Bemis |first=Max |url=http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/two-tongues-release-date |title=Two Tongues Release date |work=The Official Say Anything Site |date=November 7, 2008 |access-date=November 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228192053/http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/news/two-tongues-release-date |archive-date=December 28, 2009 }}

Bemis, Conley, and Linder had previously collaborated on a cover song of Bob Dylan's "The Man In Me" for the compilation album Paupers, Peasants, Princes & Kings: The Songs of Bob Dylan released by Doghouse Records in 2006.

On November 7, 2008, a release date of February 3, 2009, was announced for the self-produced, self-titled, thirteen-track collaboration on Vagrant Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.vagrant.com/news/search/?news_artist=Two%20Tongues |title=Two Tongues on Vagrant |work=Vagrant |date=November 6, 2008 |access-date=November 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103165251/http://www.vagrant.com/news/search/?news_artist=Two%20Tongues |archive-date=January 3, 2009 }}

In fall of 2010, Two Tongues made their first performances as a surprise in the middle of Say Anything's set each night of the Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything, and Saves the Day tour. They performed the song "Crawl". Arun Bali (current guitarist of Saves the Day) played guitar, Kenny Vasoli (of The Starting Line, and Person L) played bass, Jake Turner (of Say Anything) played guitar as well, Coby Linder played drums, while Chris Conley, and Max Bemis sang. Two Tongues released their second LP, "2", in 2016.

=Other work=

File:Max Bemis and Garron DuPree Live in San Diego, CA 2014.jpg

Bemis has made cameo appearances on several albums. One of his earliest cameo appearances was with friend Andy Jackson and Hot Rod Circuit on "Inhabit," a song from the band's Reality's Coming Through CD.{{cite AV media notes|others=Hot Rod Circuit|title=Reality's Coming Through|publisher=Vagrant Records|year=2004}}

In 2005, Bemis was featured on "Ready" from The Starting Line's Based on a True Story.{{cite AV media notes|others=The Starting Line|title=Based on a True Story|publisher=Drive-Thru Records|year=2005}}

Bemis worked with Armor for Sleep on a cover of "Today" for a 2008 The Smashing Pumpkins tribute CD entitled The Killer in You.{{cite AV media notes|others=Various artists|title=The Killer in You|publisher=Reignition Records|year=2006}}

In 2007, performs in two songs, "Maxim and the Headphone Life" and "Regional Community Theater," on LadybiRdS' debut album, Regional Community Theater.{{cite AV media notes|others=LadyBiRdS|title=Regional Community Theater|publisher=Creep Records|year=2007}}

Bemis sang along with Shawn Harris (The Matches) and Rachel Minton (Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer) on "Hello Helicopter" and "Point Of Extinction" of Motion City Soundtrack's Even if it Kills Me.{{cite AV media notes|others=Motion City Soundtrack|title=Even if it Kills Me|publisher=Epitaph Records|year=2007}}

New Found Glory's From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II and Down to Earth Approach's Come Back to You also featured guest vocals by Bemis on the songs "Crazy for You" and "See You," respectively.{{cite AV media notes|others=New Found Glory|title=From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II|publisher=Drive-Thru Records|year=2007}}{{cite AV media notes|others=Down to Earth Approach|title=Come Back to You|publisher=Vagrant Records|year=2007}}

In 2008, Bemis sang vocals on Nightbeast's Inside Jokes for Outside Folks.{{cite AV media notes|others=Nightbeast|title=Inside Jokes for Outside Folks|publisher=Tragic Hero Records|year=2008}} Also, Forgive Durden's second album Razia's Shadow featured Bemis as Barayas the Spider in "The Spider and the Lamps."{{cite AV media notes|others=Forgive Durden|title=Razia's Shadow|publisher=Fueled By Ramen|year=2008}}

Bemis also appeared on the opening track of You, Me, and Everyone We Know's 2008 sophomore EP, So Young, So Insane, entitled "I Can Get Back Up Now".

In August 2008, Bemis announced that he would be recording unique songs for individual fans written on their requested topics as a part of a project he hoped would decrease the growing gap between artists and fans.{{cite web |url=http://www.stereocache.com/2008/08/03/max-bemis-of-say-anything-explores-music-couture/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814073929/http://www.stereocache.com/2008/08/03/max-bemis-of-say-anything-explores-music-couture/ |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |title=Max Bemis of Say Anything Explores Music Couture {{!}} Stereocache}}

Bemis announced in September 2009 that he and his wife, Sherri DuPree of Eisley, were working on a small project that "became something even cooler". They created a side project called Perma and on October 29, 2013, released an album Two of a Crime on Equal Vision Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/perma_sherri_dupree_bemis_and_max_bemis_announce_debut_full_length_two_of_a/|title=Perma (Sherri Dupree-Bemis and Max Bemis) announce debut full-length, 'Two Of A Crime'|website=Alternative Press|date=September 4, 2013}}

Bemis and Say Anything were also featured on the Punk Goes Crunk album with their cover of Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Got Your Money".

Bemis announced in late September 2010 that he had written and recorded a 10-song album of acoustic songs that he called Max Bemis and the Painful Splits. Bemis stressed that this release was not an official solo record, but a collection of songs he had written that he was proud of and wanted to share with Say Anything fans. The disc could only be found and purchased by going to one of the show dates of Say Anything's tour with Saves The Day and Motion City Soundtrack October through November 2010.

On his Twitter in mid-November 2010, Bemis announced, "There WILL be a second Max Bemis and the Painful Splits record sold next year at a very special SA event that I can't reveal yet.... ", confirming that there will be a second Painful Splits record. It was later revealed that this event was to be a Max Bemis' solo tour. This tour is set to happen in February 2011. Max is set to tour ten different venues, beginning on the 11th and finishing on the 26th. Subsequently, Bemis has released several records under the moniker, usually coinciding with a specific tour.

Bemis created an imprint label named Rory Records in 2012. The releases of his label are distributed by Equal Vision Records. TALLHART is the first signed artist of the label.

In May 2015, Bemis appeared as a guest vocalist on the track "Friends" for I the Mighty's album Connector.{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/say_anythings_max_bemis_guests_on_new_i_the_mighty_single_friends/|title=Say Anything's Max Bemis guests on new I The Mighty single, "Friends"|website=Alternative Press|date=May 22, 2015}}

He has sung and played instruments on several albums released by his ex-wife's band Eisley.

=Writing=

Bemis has been writing comics since 2013, when he announced a four-part limited series, Polarity, published by Boom! Studios. The story follows a hero, Tim Woods, who suffers from bipolar disorder and the trade paperback featured an exclusive acoustic four song EP composed and recorded specifically as a companion to the graphic novel.{{cite web|url=https://shop.boom-studios.com/graphicnovels/detail/6191/polarity-|title=Polarity - BOOM! Studios - Come Innovate With Us.|website=shop.boom-studios.com}} Fox optioned the right to create this story into a TV series.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/boom-studios-graphic-novel-polarity-optioned-for-television-by-fox-21-exclusive/|title=BOOM! Studios Graphic Novel 'Polarity' Optioned for Television by Fox 21 (Exclusive)|date=October 5, 2016}} In 2013, Marvel Comics invited him as a guest writer on A+X No. 14 to write a story about Magneto and Superior Spider-Man teaming up against M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M. In 2015, Boom! Studios announced an ongoing comic series called, Evil Empire, which is about a complicated relationship between a musician and aspiring politician.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2014/02/10/max-bemis-evil-empire-comic-book-series/5360157/|title=Rock singer Max Bemis unveils his 'Evil Empire' in March|website=USA Today}} In 2015 he teamed up with Logan Faerber for his third comic series, Oh, Killstrike.{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3345902/comic-review-oh-killstrike-1-channels-90s-nostalgia/|title=[Comic Review] "Oh, Killstrike" #1 Channels 90's Nostalgia|first=Zac|last=Thompson|date=May 20, 2015}} Also in 2015, he wrote a five-issue miniseries for Marvel Comics, X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever, first published weekly in January and February 2016, later published into a trade paperback.{{cite news|url=http://marvel.com/news/comics/25386/max_bemis_creates_the_worst_x-man_ever|title=Max Bemis Creates the Worst X-Man Ever|date=November 2, 2015|author=Tj Dietsch|publisher=Marvel.com|access-date=February 13, 2016}} He also wrote two arcs of Crossed: Badlands for Avatar Press and an adaptation of Atari's Centipede for Dynamite Entertainment.

In July 2016, Marvel Comics announced a new five-issue series starring Foolkiller, written by Bemis and art by Dalibor Talajic & Jose F. Marzan, Jr. Issue No. 1 was released in November 2016, continuing through the March release of issue No. 5.{{Cite web|url=https://news.marvel.com/comics/26443/marvel_now_hear_this_foolkiller/|title=Marvel NOW! Hear This: Foolkiller|website=News {{!}} Marvel.com|language=en-US|access-date=January 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107004050/https://news.marvel.com/comics/26443/marvel_now_hear_this_foolkiller/|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}} Bemis penned the Marvel Legacy reboot of Moon Knight in 2017, covering issues #188-200 with artists Jacen Burrows and Paul Davidson.{{cite web | url=http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/creator.php?creatorid=8801 | title=Mike's Amazing World of Comics }}

Personal life

Bemis said as a teen that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder,{{citation|title='It's healthy for a band to become slightly less relevant' – Max Bemis on Say Anything's new album|magazine=Alternative Press|date=June 3, 2014|first=Brittany|last=Moseley|url=http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/max_bemis_say_anything_interview_hebrews_2014|access-date=May 20, 2016}} which he gave as the reason he has self-medicated with drugs, primarily marijuana.{{Citation|last=jiarb|title=Max Bemis - Half of Us - Beginnings - Part 1|date=July 11, 2007|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP5RHfaC1Eg|access-date=July 26, 2016}}{{Citation|last=jiarb|title=Max Bemis - Half of Us - Descent - Part 2|date=July 11, 2007|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlJl-8abvQU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/RlJl-8abvQU| archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=July 26, 2016}}{{cbignore}} He experienced a manic episode while making the album ...Is a Real Boy.{{Citation|last=jiarb|title=Max Bemis - Half of Us - Darkest Hour - Part 3|date=July 11, 2007|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRoSc8P3kPg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/oRoSc8P3kPg| archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=July 26, 2016}}{{cbignore}}

Bemis has what he calls a "new age, metaphysical view" about religion, and considers himself "a Jew who is also a Christian".{{cite web|url=https://chorus.fm/|title=chorus.fm|website=chorus.fm}} He came out as bisexual in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/08/20/bisexual-comes-out-say-anything-rock-singer-max-bemis/|title=Say Anything rock singer comes out as queer|date=August 20, 2018 }}

Bemis was married from 2009-2025 to musician Sherri DuPree. In February 2013, Bemis announced the birth of their daughter, Lucy Jean.{{cite web| url= https://twitter.com/maxbemis/status/301083108449595392| publisher=Max Bemis verified Twitter account | title=Welcome to the world, Lucy Jean! |date= February 11, 2013| access-date= March 5, 2016| archive-date= October 17, 2015| archive-url = https://archive.today/20151017071334/http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3718769 | url-status=live}}{{Primary source inline|date=September 2024}} A second child, Coraline Mae Bemis, was born in February 2015.{{cite web| url = http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3718769| title=Max & Sherri Bemis Welcome Second Daughter| first=Alex|last= DiVincenzo|publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date= February 25, 2015| access-date=March 5, 2016| archive-date= October 17, 2015| archive-url= https://archive.today/20151017071334/http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3718769| url-status=dead}} Their third child, son Charles Hanley Bemis, was born in April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BhkBGzpBVci/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BhkBGzpBVci |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |url-access=limited|title=He's here!!!|quote=Born at 4:08 am. ... #CharlesHanleyBemis| date=April 14, 2018|publisher=Sherri Dupree Bemis Instagram account|access-date= April 26, 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{cite tweet |user=maxbemis |number=985277621616463873|date=April 14, 2018|title=My wife and I had a beautiful baby boy named Charlie|access-date=April 26, 2018|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180426201157/https://twitter.com/maxbemis/status/985277621616463873|url-status=live}}{{cite tweet |user=maxbemis |number=985363734670561280 |date= April 14, 2018|access-date=April 26, 2018|title=Thank you from my heart...|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180426195515/https://twitter.com/maxbemis/status/985363734670561280|url-status=live}} On April 6, 2020, Max's birthday, their fourth child Ellis Ray Shifra Bemis was born.{{Cite web|title=Boyd They welcomed their fifth child, Aurora Lane Kim Bemis in July 2021 DuPree|url=https://www.facebook.com/boyd.dupree/posts/10222135380357585 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/1355532583/10222135380357585 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|access-date=August 2, 2020|via=Facebook|language=en}}{{cbignore}} Their fifth child, Aurora Lane Kim Bemis, was born July 4, 2021.

Discography

=With Say Anything=

=With Perma=

  • Perma EP
  • Two of a Crime (2013)
  • Fight Fair (2019)
  • Does Each Other (2022)

=With Two Tongues=

=With Max Bemis and the Painful Splits=

  • Max Bemis and the Painful Splits (2010)
  • Max Bemis and the Painful Splits 2 (2011)
  • The Painful Splits Destroy (2012)
  • The Painful Splits are Multiplying (2013)
  • Max Bemis and the Painful Splits Stripped Down (2014)
  • Max Bemis and the Painful Splits Wins (2016)

=With Maxim Mental=

  • Make Team Presents Maxim Mental in Maximalism (2022)

References

{{reflist|2}}