Max Martin - The Musical!

[SweTonyUS]

Hi everybody! I must say that his is an informative site about the old cheiron team!

My thread is about a thought i have had for some years - a jukebox musical utilizing the songs of Max Martin. What do you think? Would it work artistically? Would it be a financial success? Personally I answer yes on both questions. To begin with I think it would have one major advantage compared to most band based musicals, namely that one can utilize songs written for several different male and female voices, while still having a red line in the songwriters style. The disadvantage is of course the much less time that Max has spent in front of the camera and in front of audiences building his brand. However i believe that he will become more and more known as he (hopefully) continues to write good songs . A musical consisting of songs from several bands and artists would also have the potential of drawing audiences from many different fan groups and generations.

The story? Well why not about a smalltown girl named lucky (or lucy or someting else) who becomes a movie star but somehow does not become lucky!  Until she finds the right one and knows what she wants to do with her life.

One could add a female antagonist actress who first sees her as a bimbo and is angry because "lucky" stole her director boyfriend (singing bimbo). Later on when Lucky has her worst problems the other woman forgives her and sings "nobody's perfect" to Lucky. I'm not sure if that song is only produced by Max or also written by him though.

Obviously many songs from Backstreet Boys and perhaps Nsync could be used for the male characters. The nice smalltown guy who is in love with Lucky could sing "It's gonna be me" about his goal to capture her heart. When she deserts him for Hollywood she could sing "Oops i did it again I made you believe we were more than just friends". He could then sing "Show me the meaning of being lonely".

I believe that Max share many qualities with ABBA, both in a positive and negative sense. He has produced a large number of good melodies. His lyrics have clear and quickly understood messages and they deal mostly with relationships. On the other hand just like ABBA was not considered the "coolest group" around he might not be considered the "coolest producer".  However when one sits in the theater (or in front of the computer listening to songs) one want to feel a spectra of different emotions rather than just feeling cool (like at the club:)).

[Rebecca]

Hi welcome to the forum!

I would say that is an excellent idea and I would pay a lot $$$ to see that musical!

I remember a few years ago I saw the musical based on Ellie Greenwich's life called Leader of the Pack, it was really good, she wrote songs at The Brill Building.

I also saw a musical based on the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David - this was in Sydney a few years ago and I think Hal David even came out to see it - it was really good, not too much storyline but a lot of great songs!

I have never seen ABBA the musical but have heard it's great.

I really hope that one day there is a musical based on Cheiron songwriters

[SweTonyUS]

Thanks for the reply!

If one looks at his catalogue he has the pop songs and the guitar songs and then some eurodance. The pop and the rock songs should probably as a rule be separated for different musical projects. On the other it might be beneficial from a lyrical standpoint to be able to use some guitar songs such as "bimbo" in the pop musical. It would be interesting how the boyband songs would work for one voice on stage.

An alternative story by the way would be some kind of high school musical with two competing gangs (backstreet boys and westlife with some nsync thrown in) and the kind and the tough girl (britney,kelly,lambretta,pink songs) That would be a joint max and jörgen project though (as well as John Reid). It would also necessitate new songs of the more dangerous kind. Otherwise the gangs would only be singing lovesongs and hug each other for the whole musical. 

Regarding Mamma Mia which proved such a success I have to say that I was a bit dissapointed with the story when I saw it in 99. The basic idea was ok but the story and characters were not fleshed out enough for my taste. I feel that the ABBA songs are very youthful and therefore it seemed strange when the story centered around the mother and her middleaged friends. Still it is good entertainment and one is guaranteed non stop hit songs which is rare in musicals. The difference between Mamma Mia and other jukebox musicals that failed I believe is melodies that are more suited for the musical stage. They are not introvert like many singer/songwriters stuff but instead extrovert and inviting. The arrangements and presentation is not of the distorted kind which works better in an arena frame work. Instead the melodies emphazise beautiful harmonies within a pop framework while still not relying to much on effects. Max songs do rely more on production and he has fewer songs of the soaringly beautiful kind. Still he has some which are really beautiful and lyric wise i feel that he has an advantage compared to ABBA in that it will be easier to shoehorn a story around the songs.

[NIKLAS"NiCkY"]

rebeca that someday is next year...Dandy musical Andreas carlsson

[SweTonyUS]

Are you sure? That's great news. It's not every day that a musical by a swedish composer premieres. Do you now if it will be a completely new score or some kind of jukebox musical?

[NIKLAS"NiCkY"]

Go to topic The early days/andreas carlsson musical...

don´t know much about it yet,

[Rebecca]

Nicky, I had forgotten about Dandy!

[NIKLAS"NiCkY"]

it´s ok i like you anyway 

[malcolm hogg]

Hey, i thought this quite a while ago, right after i went to see mama mia (the abba musical).
I really think it would be a killer show.
I just thought it would be an awesome idea, didn't really think about which tunes would be used.
Considering the money that mamma mia is still amking, perhaprs it would be an idea if the members of the forum financed this?!?!?! Perhaps we could all then one day join max on the rich lists in the magazines

[Rebecca]

yes! great idea Malcolm, what is everyone's credit card limit?

we can start by asking Kevin Richardson to join the cast as he is experienced in musicals and performing and then of course Britney, if she's looking for some work and Max himself to be in it! I'm sure they'll agree!

[turnaround]

rebeca that someday is next year...Dandy musical Andreas carlsson

Yeah.

SweTonyUS welcome to the boards

It's an brilliant idea, maybe it should be a whole Cheiron Musical celebrating an anniversary but as Andreas will have a musical soon I don't think something like this will happen.

[secski]

wow this would be fantastic!

any more news on this anybody?