The Brutality of The Maxines
By Kazimir Skye
Last year saw the debut of The Maxines, a ferocious rock band hailing from Savannah, Georgia. Combining an inimitable sound with feminine rage, The Maxines write music that they describe as “grunge with a kiss of metal.”
Consisting of AJ Grey on vocals, Emma Faith Smith on bass and twins Coco and Maddie Oke on drums and guitar, respectively, The Maxines write sludgy, thrashy ragers reminiscent of 1990s hard rock. Inspired by bands such as Black Sabbath, Rage Against the Machine and Tool, as well as female rock icons like Garbage and Joan Jett, The Maxines sound like the result of if you took Soundgarden and replaced them with an all-female lineup (it’s badass). Their heavy metal riffs and somber, smokey vocals are a beautiful yet deadly experience when combined with the intensity of their live shows.
The Maxines first started out by performing mostly covers. “Rooster” by Alice in Chains and “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against the Machine were a couple of their regulars, and they still make sure to incorporate covers into their concert sets. The band moved on from cover songs as they ended 2023 with the release of their debut LP Skin Tight via Skin Tight Records. The Maxines embarked on their Skin Tight Tour in November to promote the album alongside fellow Savannah rock group Neckromance.
The crowd reaction from the Skin Tight Tour was great for the band, who are known for their energetic live shows. However, while the band went to cities such as Chicago and Brooklyn, The Maxines’ primary fanbase is in Savannah. “I think that the purpose of this [tour], or at least one of the purposes, is to broaden our fan base,” AJ says. “We've been making some cool connections and broadening our fan base, which is really great.”
As the birthplace of several rising rock bands, such as Bastardane and Girlfriend From Hell, The Maxines praise Savannah for their iconic and close-knit music scene. “It is so supportive and people show up for shows so hard,” Coco says. “[If] it's raining, doesn't matter what day it is…people don't take one genre and just go to those shows. They go to every single show … bigger band or smaller band, everyone is so supportive.”
“Then all the other bands who are supportive,” AJ says. “It's such a special scene … I think we all are really noticing how special Savannah is when it comes to the music scene and the people there.”
In October 2023, The Maxines released Skin Tight, their grungey and explosive debut album. With a name that screams both seduction and frustration, the band says it’s the perfect title for their breakthrough into rock and roll. It was also the first song the band wrote together, and every song they wrote after that was compared to the title track’s standard. If it fits the “Skin Tight” vibe, then it’s a Maxine's song.
“I think [releasing the album] was a good plan, because some bands will just release a song at a time, but having the full album shows the different aspects of the sound, and not just going off of one song,” Coco says. “There's something different in each of the songs, and that was a good move for sure.”
A diverse mix of songs, Skin Tight touches on various rock sounds and compositions. “Burn”, a passionate call to action in their live shows, is an angry and reactive track, as AJ screams lyrics of fight and rebellion. “Cannibal” is a fun, thrashy and ferocious song, the band says. “The Watcher”, a more somber track and the band’s first single, is a dark and more romantic side of The Maxines and “Slumber”, another romantic piece, is a highlight for Emma to perform.
Ciné in Athens, by Jaycen Hugh
“I just like slower stuff sometimes, and that's a love song too,” Emma says, “and I like love songs a lot. So that song is just my favorite one by far. I sing it every time I play it.”
Now, The Maxines are taking January off to write new music. In other words, they don’t plan on slowing down any time soon — and they’re dying to release some new stuff.
AJ, the fierce and enigmatic frontwoman for The Maxines, has been renowned for her onstage persona. Taking inspiration from other vocalists who don’t play an instrument as they sing, such as Gwen Stefani, Zack de la Rocha and Shirley Manson, AJ perfectly describes her persona as ferocious, predatory and damaging — like an animal on the prowl.
“It's pretty organic; it's not something that I force,” AJ says. “When I write the lyrics, I'm really speaking from a really authentic place from my life experiences. And so whenever I get up on stage and I'm saying these things [and] I'm singing these things, it's coming from that authentic place. However I present it with my body or my face, it's going to be authentic because they are words that I really, really believe. I try not to think about it too much.”
As they’re storming their way onto the rock scene, The Maxines say that they’re proud to be an all-female rock band in a male-dominated industry. “It’s powerful, to be honest. And for me, it’s super, super powerful,” AJ says.
“It's really supportive in Savannah,” Coco says. “It's not unusual to see women on stage and in the audience…It doesn't feel like people in Savannah think of bands as girl bands, female-fronted bands, stuff like that, because it's so common to have women in bands in Savannah.” While Savannah is incredibly welcoming for women in rock and roll, the band still admits that it is an industry where women have to work harder to make their mark in comparison to men.
“There are shows that are themed around female-fronted bands and they intentionally put them in the spotlight,” AJ says, “which I think is great because I think women deserve to take up space just like men do in this industry and have the spotlight. Because I do feel like women in general have to fight to claim their space.”
While The Maxines are an unapologetically brutal female-fronted group, being an all-female rock band isn’t what they want to be known for, and unlike many women rock bands, The Maxines are a hard rock group, as opposed to a riot grrrl or punk outfit. When it comes to their music, The Maxines try to find a balance between a masculine and feminine sound.
“Part of it is what the songs are about too, ‘cause they're not all love songs, you know?” Coco says. “It's kind of just trying not to gender the music…It's human problems, not just gender problems.”
“I definitely don't want to seem too feminine when I'm on stage, and I feel like representing all genders is something that's really important to us,” AJ says. “We don't want to seem one-sided or anything, but we also want to express ourselves as women.”
Ultimately, although The Maxines are a female rock band, they don’t just make music for one group. The Maxines make music for everyone. And as that music is as addictive as it is dangerous, Skin Tight is only the beginning.
“The lyrics can mean anything and…represent any group in society,” AJ says. “It's music for anyone and everyone. It's not just women, it's for the LGBTQ community. It's for anyone. People of color. I want for someone to listen to that song and be like, ‘yeah, I’ve felt that way before,’ you know? I just want for everyone to love our music. I want for it to be inclusive. I really do, and that's really important to us.”
Skin Tight from The Maxines is out now. Listen here. Stay up to date with The Maxines here. ♦
By Kazimir Skye