Max Creek is a versatile jam band that began in the early 70s and has continued to grow and make music for the last 40 years.Although Burlington has been a mainstay of their past tours, including an especially memorable show with Phish in UVMs Patrick Gym in 89, their show Friday, Jan. 25, at Higher Ground was their first time playing in Burlington in seven years.The band currently consists of the three veterans from the early years, Scott Murawski (guitar), Mark Mercier (keyboard) and John Rider (bass), and new members Bill Carbone (drums) and Jamemurrel Stanley (percussion).Throughout the years, the band has undergone many member changes and has expanded their sound to ecompess a wide range of the musical spectrum.Their show at Higher Ground was sparked with a surprise appearance from Phishs bassist Mike Gordon, who came on stage to play in the bands original song Wild Side, and got the whole crowd singing along to a cover of Stay With Me by The Faces.The Cynic caught up with Bill Carbone, Mark Mercier, and Scott Murawski before the show to discuss their 40-Year musical evolution, what the deal is with the rubber duckies and the philosophy that has allowed them to stay together for so long.Vermont Cynic (VC): Okay so, just because Im curious, whats with the ducks? [There is always a rubber duck present on stage during shows]Mark Mercier (MM): Well, sound systems were pretty vestigial when we first started out in 1972-73. So we experimented with these various things. Our guitar player had this speaker system with this wide range horn on the top and it looked like a ducks bill so we called it the Georgia Quaker.So when we started a sound company that was associated with the band we called it Quack Sound and so ducks just became part of the whole situation.Scott Murawski (SM): We used to have a six foot one that we just hauled around with us everywhere.VC: How has your music evolved over the 40 years you guys have been together?SM: When the band first started it was a three piece, an acoustic kind of country rock band and then it got very much electrified in the seventies. It hasnt changed a lot since then except I would say its gotten more mature and weve tried to bring somewhat current influences into what we do.I would say probably the way its developed the most is just by playing together for that many years, its developed a level of ESP where we dont have to look at each other or talk to each other or anything to know whats going on.VC: Do you plan your sets ahead of time?SM: We try not to plan our sets ahead of time. There are two different theories as far as that goes within the band I avoid set lists and other people kind of like them.MM: Well the other thing is when we first started out we had influences and we started to play like all the time, and when you do that, you dont get much of a chance to see anybody else play.And then in 92 we stopped touring for a short while and it gave us a chance to kind of look around and go oh my god theres all this music thats going on out here. So we started bringing more stuff in in that particular point in time.VC: So is there a particular song you guys have enjoyed playing lately?SM: It really varies.MM: Sometimes youre sick of everything and sometimes everything is new, so it just is really interesting.Bill Carbone (BC): Its all new to me, though.SM: Its also interesting too because I mean, like, Bill has been in the band for just over a year along with Jay [Jamemurrel Stanley] and the other three have been here for over 40 years.VC to SM: Whats the relationship between your side projects and this band?SM: Everything influences everything else. Its like when I go to play those bands obviously I have so much history here that I bring out there. But playing with Mike [Gordon] and [Bill] Kruetzman [Grateful Deads drummer] you just learn so much and I bring that back here.I think everybody does that, I mean Bills got a hundred different projects that he plays with and so he brings those influences from those projects here as well.VC to BC: So when you came into the band, were you coming from a certain kind of music scene?BC: Ive always said yes to every opportunity; I have tried to do everything.SM: [coughs] slut [coughs].BC: [laughs] Yeah, so I dont know, theres like a million things that I love, and its all so different.MM: Its funny, we all come from different things, because you [Bill] have more of a rock and roll influence and Led Zeppelin type situation, I came from New Orleans and ragtime and stuff like that, and the bass player is more folk and country, so you know weve influenced each other.New Orleans is still my favorite though.VC: So with all these changing places and your musical changes over so much time, has your fan base and community stayed somewhat the same?SM: We cycle through fan bases. Basically, they stay the same age while we get older and older.MM: Well, a lot of people leave and have families and get jobs and so on and so forth and we think theyve outgrown us and then they come back with their kids.SM: We have a lot of people that come up and say Oh yeah my mom and dad used to see you guys back in the 80s and so we get two generations of fans. Its pretty cool.VC: So as a final question, do you guys have a certain philosophy for your band, or a way that has kept you alive for so many years?SM: We dont speak to each other [laughs]. No, way back in the early days we came up with this idea that the band would be a place for people that were outcasts everywhere else to come and be creative and express.Its kind of been an acceptance thing, where if someone brings in an idea, were game,well do it, and if it works,it works, and if it doesnt, it doesnt, but were always game.So were very tolerant of each others ideas. I dont think theres anybody whose ego is in the way who says no it has to be this way and no I refuse to do that or anything like that.Its always been about anything that anybody wants to do is fine.Cant get enough Max Creek? Check out Bill Carbones band Sparkplug, accompanied by Scott Murawski, playing at Nectars Feb. 16. Must be age 21+.