Slippin' Away
Max Merritt, year unknown. NFSA: 506220
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1941, Max Merritt went on to become one of the giants of the Australian and New Zealand music scenes in the 1960s and 70s.
His 1969 album Max Merritt and the Meteors is a landmark album in Australia, helping usher in a sophisticated R&B-tinged rock which perfectly encapsulated where Australian popular music was heading in the 1970s.
His best known song was 'Slippin' Away', off 1975's A Little Easier album. The song showcases Max’s superb voice and smooth musicianship.
Reaching No. 2 in the Australian charts it remains one of the most recognised and loved songs from the period.
Listen to an excerpt from an NFSA oral history interview with Max Merritt, conducted by Nick Weare in 2008. Max talks about being discovered by Harry M Miller in New Zealand after he stole the show as opening act for Johnny O'Keefe:
