The Odyssey of MX vs The Railroad Industry

Max Logan, the artist behind MX vs The Railroad Industry, has lived a life in motion. Born in Georgia, raised in Illinois and Missouri, and now based in Kansas, he grew up in a home where music was always present. His dad served as a worship minister before becoming a choir teacher, and his mom, who earned a degree in worship ministry, kept music at the heart of the family. Piano came first, but guitar became his primary instrument, one he’s played for most of his life.

For a time, music wasn’t part of the plan. Max thought he might go into animation until he learned Wichita State University had an audio production program. That moment shifted everything. It was the first time he saw music as something he could realistically build a career around. “It just made sense,” he says. From there, he began writing and producing, eventually releasing his first album during the pandemic. The project is no longer out, but it sparked the momentum he’s been chasing since.

During his freshman year of college, while delivering pizza, he got into Tame Impala, Men I Trust, Mac DeMarco, and Vansire. More recently, he’s been inspired by Homeshake’s Horsey, Slow Pulp, and bits of indie folk. This mix keeps his sound fluid, pulling from different corners of indie and alternative while still feeling distinctly his own. He also creates much of the visual side of his work, designing and animating his own cover art.

Alongside his solo work, Max produces for other artists and is a member of OM53, a band blending indie, pop, and psychedelic sounds. Collaborating within that group has given him space to explore new ideas while keeping his personal projects moving forward. That creative mindset shows up in Odysseus, a song about staying patient on your own path while ignoring distractions. Inspired by the Greek epic, Max likens himself to Odysseus tied to the mast, resisting the call of the sirens. “Eyes closed so I don’t see what I can’t have / Tune out the siren sound so I don’t dive right in.” For him, it’s about knowing when something tempting isn’t worth the cost.

His most recent single, Quit While You’re Ahead, began as an instrumental before turning into a reflection on leaving his dream job at a skate shop. “It’s that strange mix of nostalgia and knowing it was time to move on,” he says. When he stopped by months later, the shop looked the same, but he had moved on.

Leaving that job made space for full-time music, a leap Max says God affirmed through a string of well-timed opportunities, producing an album for a well-known Christian artist and a last-minute trip to New Jersey to mix an EP. “It’s been a constant reminder that I need to rely on God, not myself.” Those moments built the foundation for his upcoming EP, also called Odysseus. Using the ancient journey as a throughline, Max explores stepping into uncertainty, letting go of comfort, and trusting God to guide the way.

The name MX vs The Railroad Industry started as a joke. Living near several train tracks, he began posting Snapchat clips whenever a train stopped him. “There was like a seventy-five percent chance I’d get stuck waiting for one,” he says, laughing. The bit stuck, and the name stayed.