Silk Satin Suede is the brainchild of Max Duncan, born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand and now living in the Nelson Tasman.
Since graduating from Massey University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Design with First Class Honours, Max has built his creative identity as Silk Satin Suede, released three albums of music, performed hundreds of live shows across Aotearoa, produced an multi award-winning music video, run a successful crowd-funding campaign via Boosted for NZD $20,000, collaborated with world-class creatives, written and recorded a concept studio album, and directed and produced a short film.
Present
Max is currently completing an audiovisual experience titled 'ANTIQUE ANGEL', which dramatises man's journey of self-discovery. He has been collaborating with a diverse range of local collaborators to bring his new sound and vision to life.
The Boosted crowdfunding campaign for this project raised $20,000 NZD from his local community and supporters for the development of the studio album and film.
2021 - 2024
Max formed the dynamic duo Genre Fluid with Nelson-based live looping artist, Bosho; creating a two hour live music and theatre show weaving high-energy rock funk anthems with improvised acts.
Their engaging theatrical street performances found them early local success, becoming well recognised for their creative musicality in live looping, improvisation, theatrics, humour, and their ability to adapt to all environments, making them an act well-loved by all ages.
Between 2021 - 2023, Genre Fluid performed 100+ shows at festivals and venues across New Zealand, including two nationwide tours and opening for legendary Kiwi artists such as Julia Deans, Mako Road, The Narcs, and Albi & The Wolves.
Their debut album 'The Groova Meista' was independently released in two parts in autumn 2023 and in March 2024, Genre Fluid were selected by Arts On Tour New Zealand as one of six acts to tour the country from top to bottom, performing 20 improvised shows of psychedelic jazz in 30 days.
2020
Max's first music video 'HER' was filmed in multiple locations across Wales with a tight-knit team of collaborators and awarded "Best Music Video" at the Liverpool Film Festival (UK) and Allshorts Film Festival (NZ), while also being officially selected for a number of other festivals around the world.
2019
Max released his debut 'EP' while living in London and travelling the UK and Europe.
2018
Max performed his multimedia performance art show 'Curtains of a Candle' to a sold out BATS Theatre in Wellington. Author Michael Munro acknowledged this work as:
“A fantastic piece of creative work of Russian type depth, which philosophically dramatises the one compelling aspect of our entire existence - our relationship with Death... This performance, for me, is so amazingly counter balanced and profound... There was not one performing-arts discipline in this presentation that fell below a high professional standard... Max has shown a creative clout that can produce much more heart snatching performances in the future - ones that will shock and inspire all of us in an insightful way."
Over the same year, Max explored music and song writing with his experiments blossoming into a collection of songs founding the name, Silk Satin Suede.
2014 - 2017
A leap into the unknown landed Max into the world of design, studying Fashion Design at Massey University in Wellington. During these four years he developed his craft in fabric and the principles of his creative process. He completed his Bachelor of Design with First Class Honours and a new-found vigour for performance art.
For booking or collaboration enquiries, please email max@moosonhooson.com
