{"product_id":"max-champion-mr-joe-jackson-presents-max-champion-in-what-a-racket-lp","title":"Max Champion - Mr. Joe Jackson presents Max Champion in 'What A Racket!' [LP] [New Vinyl]","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRenowned musician and producer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoe Jackson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e unveils his latest artistic endeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'What A Racket!'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – a new album reviving the songs of enigmatic early 20\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-century English Music Hall artist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMax Champion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusic Hall \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(along with its American cousin, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVaudeville\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) was the first form of mass entertainment created by the working classes. Its raw beginnings were in the pubs and streets of mid-19\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e century London, and while never really considered ‘respectable’, it was, by 1900, performed in opulent theatres to huge audiences drawn from all walks of life. Prostitutes and princes alike sang along with superstar performers, many of whom are now legendary, and whose songs are still known in the UK.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThose songs, depicting everyday life in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, were most often humorous or satirical, though some were sentimental or patriotic, and others dealt with darker themes such as jealousy and murder. Many were also blatantly sexual, though always expressed in clever euphemisms and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003edouble entendres\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of the most fascinating of the later \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusic Hall \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eperformers was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMax Champion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Little is known about him, except that he was born in 1882 in London’s East End, and is thought to have been related to the great Victorian entertainer Harry Champion. As an up-and-coming performer he shared the stage with big stars such as Gus Ellen and Vesta Tilley, but his career (much like the Music Hall era itself) was cut short by the First World War, and his songs faded into obscurity. That is, until 2014, when \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMax Champion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003esheet music started to surface: first in Malta, then in England, and, intriguingly, in Belgium, where Max probably met his end in the trenches. By 2019, enough songs had been recovered for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoe Jackson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to resurrect them with a 12-piece orchestra.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003e'What A Racket!' presents eleven of Max Champion’s songs for the first time in more than a century.\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e According to producer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoe Jackson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘These were wonderful songs in their time, but they’re surprisingly modern, too. Sometimes it’s almost as if Max is speaking, from his London of the early 20\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e century, directly to us in the early 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cdiv data-bt-autogen\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(Overture): Why, Why, Why?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Sporting Life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDear Old Mum - A London-Irish Lament.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonty Mundy (Is Maltese)!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Shades Of Night.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat A Racket!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Bishop And The Actress.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThink Of The Show! - A Thespian's Lament.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNever So Nice In The Morning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHealth \u0026amp;amp; Safety\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorse Things Happen At Sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUPC:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4029759189893\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLabel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Earmusic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.24.23\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vinyl\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"ShopTime Music \u0026 Media","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47007548047535,"sku":"STMM-244205","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0562\/4112\/7599\/files\/4262758-3157451.jpg?v=1780675240","url":"https:\/\/pureliverecords.shop\/products\/max-champion-mr-joe-jackson-presents-max-champion-in-what-a-racket-lp","provider":"Pure Live Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}