Adam Again

My biggest concern about the band Adam Again is people discovering them too late. Trying to find any of their albums is surely a feat! Those who bought Adam Again's projects before they went out of print (which usually happened fairly quickly), hold on to them because, like fellow Californians Daniel Amos, they're a topnotch band that simply never seemed to get the fame or adulation they deserved. The collaboration of Gene Eugene's pensive lyrics and mellow vocals, Riki Michele's support vocals, Greg Lawless's unique guitar style, Jon Knox' drumming, and Paul Valadez' bass playing yields funky, groove-laden rock, making Adam Again a peerless band. It was with great joy, then, that I heard of Worldwide Favorites, a "greatest-of" Adam Again package.

While Adam Again's releases are filled with deep material, Ten Songs, In A New World Of Time, and Homeboys definitely boast rarer gems. Thus, the fact that there are 5 tracks from Perfecta, four from Dig, Homeboys gets three, two from Ten Songs, and only one from In A New World is curious. This is an inverted pyramid, which left me wanting more of the early material.

Fortunately, the absolutely crucial Adam Again songs are here: "The Tenth Song" (one of the prettiest and most haunting songs that Adam Again recorded) ,"Worldwide," "River On Fire," and "Perfecta." And, the new track, "Sleepwalk," is quite good. Still, I just can't help wondering why such tracks as "Angels We Have Heard On High," from the underrated Broken Christmas album, "Harsh," from Perfecta, "Hopeless, Etc." from Dig, and other such tracks were overlooked in favor of tunes like "Strobe." I guess my favorites aren't necessarily the "Worldwide Favorites!"

Having questioned the song choices, let me state that there isn't a bad track on the album. As always, the lyrics are insightful, exploring terrain that's often unexplored. And on the whole, as on Adam Again's albums, the music is good. It's of a funky strain that only this group ever seems to fully exploit. Accordingly, Worldwide Favorites has a flow that is rarely found on these sort of compilations.

Consequently, until Guadaloupe surfaces at long last, Homeboys, Ten Songs, and In A New World Of Time are re-released, Worldwide Favorites will have to satisfy the many longtime Adam Again fans. Along the way, it may even win them a few new ones. If you are interested in music that deals with the heart of mankind, or if you like bands that value honesty, both musically and lyrically, more than marketability, seek out Adam Again--you will be glad you did.

Discography:

1999 Worldwide Favourites: Selected Songs Of The Adam Again Era

1995 Perfecta

1992 Dig

1990 Homeboys

1988 Ten Songs By Adam Again

1986 In A New World Of Time

On 7 July 2000, Adam Again performed what might very well be their final concert. With the tragic death of their heart and soul, Gene Eugene, earlier this year, it may be too hard for them to continue. (So said Mike Roe.)

With Gene gone, the concert became a tribute to the man and his work. His friends -- including Roe, Karin Bergquist of Over the Rhine, Mike Knott, Derri Daugherty, Steve Hindalong, Terry Taylor, and others -- took his place on stage. Adam Again had never sounded better.

Farewell, Gene. Best wishes, Adam Again. You've left quite a mark on the world, though many may not recognize it yet.

Adam Again were a band from Southern California that started out in the early 1980s. Their main style was a kind of funk/dance groove thing at first, compared by some to Jon Gibson or Prince. Gradually they gravitated towards a harder funk rock style, ending in 1995 with almost a grunge sound thrown in.

Band leader Gene "Eugene" Andrusco started the group around 1982 in Orange County. Their name was originally "Martus" but was soon changed to "Adam Again" after the title of a 1970s album by Michael Omartian (a great musician who later went on to write some chart-topping hits for Amy Grant in the 1990s). Gene, the multi-instrumentalist of the group, switched over to lead vocals after the departure of vocalist Sim Wilson, who went on to join Undercover. Gene brought his wife "Riki" Michele on board to handle additional vocals and rounded the group out with guitarist Greg Lawless and bassist Paul Valadez.

Their first album, In A New World Of Time (1986) featured groundbreaking music as well as a cover painting by Rev. Howard Finster (almost a decade before the Rev. was hanging out with R.E.M. and Nirvana). It's somewhat of a collector's item, fetching upwards of $200 on eBay. The band's success was hampered though, by the fact that Gene hated writing lyrics or touring. Ironic, since they were one of the best live acts I've ever seen and no-one else wrote songs as well as Gene did.

Their biggest commercial success came in 1992 with the release of their 3rd album, Dig. This album featured some of their best musicianship and Gene's most intense, personal songwriting. Their success was short-lived however when some major religious publications started spreading the news that Gene and Riki were going throungh a painful divorce. Many major religious booksellers refused to carry Dig or its follow up, Perfecta. Nonetheless, the band continued to grow in popularity even as they only played one concert per year, at Cornerstone Festival.

Gene passed away from a brain aneurism in March of 2000.

Discography:
(all songs by Gene Eugene except where noted)

In A New World Of Time (Blue Collar, 1986/1990)

Life in the First Degree

She's Run

Your Line Is Busy

You Can Fall in Love

In a New World of Time

Walk Away

Miracles

Morning Song

(God Can) Change Your World

Reason with Me

Greg Lawless - guitars. Paul Valadez - bass. Riki Michele - vocals. Gene Eugene - guitar, keyboards, vocals. With: Chase - percussion, cymbals.
Additional players: Dan Michaels - sax, lyricon. Smitty Price - keyboards. Marky Schrock - guitar. Kurt Rasmussen - percussion.

Ten Songs by Adam Again (Broken, 1988)

Tree House

Beat Peculiar

Who Can Hold Us?

Babylon (traditional)

I've Seen Dominoes

Trouble with Lies

Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers)

Eyes Wide Open

Every Word I Say

The Tenth Song

Hidden track: The Tenth Song 2000 (2002 re-issue)

Gene Eugene, Greg Lawless, Riki Michele, Paul Valadez.
With: Dan Michaels - all saxophones.
Nathan Alford, Jr. - all percussion.
Vocals on "Tree House," "Who Can Hold," "Eyes," and "Every Word" - Archie Robinson, Arveal Johnson, Larry Simpson, Lanette Elkles, Laura Smith.

Homeboys (Broken, 1990)

Homeboys

The Fine Line

Hide Away (lyrics by Steve Hindalong)

Bad News on the Radio

Inner City Blues (music/lyrics by Marvin Gaye & James Nyx)

Dance Around in Circles

This Band Is Our House

Save Me (lyrics by Riki Michele)

Occam's Razor (lyrics by Terry S. Taylor)

No Regrets

Gene Eugene - vocals, guitar, Rhodes, B-3. Greg Lawless - lead guitar. Jon Knox - drums. Riki Michele - vocals. Paul Valadez - bass; intro guitar lead on "Save Me."
With: James Werning - keyboards. Dan Michaels - saxophone. Preaching by Rev. Howard Finster, Man of Visions.
John Harrelson -fiddle on "Homeboys; mandolin on "Hide Away." Miles Tackett - cello on "Hide Away" and "Occam's Razor"; acoustic guitar on Inner City Blues." Doug Webb - saxophone on "Bad News." Darrell Mansfield - harmonica on "Occam's Razor."

Dig (Broken, 1992)

Deep

It Is What It Is (What It Is)

Dig

Hopeless, Etc.

Songwork

Worldwide

Walk Between The Raindrops

Hidden, Hidden

River On Fire

So Long

Gene Eugene - Vocals, Guitar, Rhodes. Greg Lawless - Guitar. Paul Valadez - Bass. Jon Knox - Drums. Riki Michele - Vocals. With: Sarah Fiene – cello (track 9), David Raven – drums (track 4), Rob Watson – keyboards (track 9)

Perfecta (Brainstorm, 1995)

Stone

Strobe

All You Lucky People

All Right

Harsh

Air

Dogjam

L.C.

Relapse

Every Mother's Way

What's Your Name?

Unfunny

Try Not To Try

Don't Cry

Gene Eugene - Vocals, Guitar. Greg Lawless - Guitar. Paul Valadez- Bass. Jon Knox- Drums. Riki Michele-Vocals

Worldwide Favorites: Songs From The Adam Again Era (KMG, 1999)

Classic Archives: Homeboys/Dig (KMG, 2000)

Live At Cornerstone 2000 (M8, 2000/Resolve, 2001)

Strobe - performed by Riki Michele w/ Karen Bergquist (Over The Rhine)

Dance Around In Circles - performed by Riki Michele w/ Karen Bergquist

Worldwide - performed by Derri Daugherty (The Choir, Lost Dogs) w/ Riki Michele & Karen Bergquist

Hide Away - performed by Steve Hindalong (The Choir)

Deep - performed by Mike Roe (77s, Lost Dogs) w/ Ojo Taylor (Undercover)

Dig - performed by Mike Roe

Stone - performed by Mike Roe

Don't Cry - performed by Sim Wilson (Undercover)

Hopeless, Etc. - performed by Mike Knott (LSU, Aunt Bettys, Cush)

It Is What It Is (What It Is) - performed by Mike Knott

Homeboys - performed by Mike Knott

Relapse - performed by Mike Knott

All You Lucky People - performed by Mike Knott

Riki Michele- vocals, Greg Lawless- guitar, Paul Valadez- bass, Jon Knox- drums, Dan Michaels- sax. With: Andy Prickett (The Prayer Chain)- lead guitar, Steve Hindalong- percussion, Ojo Taylor- keyboard.

Gene Eugene: The Music, The Message, The Memories (KMG, 2001)

Ten Songs By Adam Again re-issue (Lo-Fidelity, 2002)

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Sources:
http://www.geocities.com/baptistboy_46/
http://ccmdiscography.150m.com/
http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm?content_id=4602&highlight_txt=
http://www.blizzardrecords.com/bands/313/
http://www.christianpunks.com/band.php/347