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)
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