Orbis Max originally formed in San Diego in the early 1970s, playing covers of songs by the Allman Brothers, Steely Dan, the Eagles, Jackson Browne, and Boz Scaggs. Original members included guitarist Reuben Vigil (later of Big Reub and the Reloaders), guitarist/singer Eric Miller (later of Arrowhead), sax player Jonny Viau (later of King Biscuit Blues Band), Craig Carlstrom, Don Baake, Dick Winter, Dale Breeden, and Eric Miller. Later players in the 1970s included Russ Brown and Rev Treptoe.
Thirty years later, several of the members regrouped as Orbis 2.0 to record new original music, with members based in Poway and all over the country and the U.K. The first version 2.0 included Don Baake, UK-based Rod Bennett, Bruce Walker (West of 5), and drummer D.W., who played with San Diego based roots rockers the Sleepwalkers.
In 2016, as Orbis Max & Friends, the band released The Old Crazy Bastards Club Email Sessions. The Orbis Max song "Can't Live Without Your Love" was included on the 2016 Flavor of the Month various artists compilation from the Ice Cream Man label.
2017 saw the release of two compilation albums on BandCamp, Orbis Max Pop Rock Compilation and Orbis Max Blues Rock Compilation. Several singles were released in 2018, including "We All Need Someone To Love," "Just You and Me," and "Love Will Keep Us Together."
The lineup at the time included founders Don Baake, Craig Carlstrom, Dick Winter, and Jonny Viau, augmented by UK-based Rod Bennett (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Bruce Walker (keyboards), and Dennis George (vocals).
Baake, Winter, Viau, and Walker maintained their base in San Diego, with Carlstrom in Dallas, Bennett in Liverpool, and George in North Carolina. "Each guy's parts were recorded at different times, in the comfort of each players home studio," Carlstrom told the Reader. "Nobody ever played together at the same time, in the same room. We sent each other their recorded tracks, attached to emails, and assembled the song parts on a common digital mixing platform we all use."