Real name: Peter Millson

Effective period / Period of releases: 1986 - 2014

Maximilian Theodor Eider III - Max Eider (real name, Peter Millson) is a guitarist and songwriter.

He studied English Literature at University College, Oxford, graduating in Trinity Term 1980. He played guitar with Pat Fish in college in bands such as The Institution (2) (which also featured Rolo McGinty, who went on to found The Woodentops, on bass) and with Fish and Owen Jones in The Tonix. Then in The Jazz Butcher from June 1982 until 27 November 1986, when after an alcohol-fueled altercation with Fish, he left the band. He then signed with Big Time to record a solo album, “The Best Kisser In The World”, which mixes up-temp indie-pop numbers ("Let Somebody Down" and "Quiet Lives") with songs in a moodier, jazz-influenced style. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, Big Time went backrupt leaving the "Best Kisser..." with no promotion and lost in the shuffle. Not to be detoured Max then went on to join the new David J Band with old bandmate Owen Jones where he toured extensively and went on to record guitar for both the “Songs From Another Season” and “Urban Urbane” albums. He also plays on recordings by others, including Mr, Owen P. Jones' very own band Shakespeare And The Bible.

He made his return to The Jazz Butcher on July 11th, 1995 for a few gigs and late that same year on what was billed as the last ever Jazz Butcher gig on 21 December 1995. He performed and recorded with Fish and Jones, on the live album “Glorious & Idiotic” as well as the studio album “Rotten Soul” both released in 2000. 2002 saw the release of his second solo album, “Hotel Figueroa”, and a third, “Back In The Bedroom”, appeared in 2007, completing the triptych. Wasting no time and picking right back up where he had left off, in 2010 Eider released his fourth solo album, the exquisite “Disaffection” and his 5th album, the sublime “Duckdance” in 2014. Both on Max Eider and Augustus Pokerback's very own Tundraduck Records.

Max was an participant of the ongoing J.B.C. (Jazz Butcher Conspiracy) where 2012 saw Pat Fish and himself reunite yet again to record and release the penultimate and completely fan funded album, “Last Of The Gentleman Adventurers” and appeared on the final Jazz Butcher Album, “The Highest In The Land” in 2022. He still records the occasional song with “The Meek” in 2016 and his latest release “Go Gentle” coming out in 2020. Together with Augustus Pokerback, Supremo of Tundraducks, its fairly certain to say that we have not yet seen the last of Maximilian Theodore Eider III.