Disclosure:The following comes from Volume 4, Issue 5, of “True News” – the original name of the magazine True Tunes started putting out in 1989. This was the cover feature on one of our favorite bands; Adam Again. The article has not been edited, fixed, proofed, or improved – as painful as that has proven to be. It would be easy enough for me to go back and make 22-year old me seem like a much better writer, and maybe less of a fan-boy, but in the interest of preserving the historical record I have simply presented the conversation as it happened.

We lost Gene on March 20^th, 2000. His absence is still felt and his music refuses to age. Indie label Lo-Fidelity re-issued Adam Again’s entire catalog on vinyl over the last few years and all of the music is out there, waiting for a new generation to discover.

But now, we jump in the Way Back Machine… to 1992…

 

The Gene Eugene True Tunes Interview;

By JJT

 

It’s difficult to know where to begin when writing about one of your all time favorite bands. Suffice to say, Christian music was greatly blessed the day Gene Eugene and Adam Again came along. I first saw Adam Again at Cornerstone ‘86 on an afternoon stage. The infectious rhythms, terminal grooves, and overall slick coolness wreaked havoc on the soles of my shoes and my overall impression of Christian music.

 

Not only was Adam Again a current, hip, Christian group, they were possibly the coolest live band I had ever seen, Christian or secular. Their debut, “In a New World of Time,” (Now available on C.D. Praise God!) sported a cover done by Howard Finster, the reclusive, eccentric pastor that did the Talking Heads “Little Creatures” album cover. Because of the correlation graphically, many critics labeled Adam Again a Talking Heads rip off. That made about as much sense as most comparisons did then. The fact was that Adam Again was and is one of the most innovative musical entities going. Their follow up to 86’s “New World” was the dream-funk classic “10 Songs by Adam Again.” This brought Adam Again the critical acclaim they deserved. However, despite placing very high on The Syndicate’sfavorite album and band polls, the band remained obscure. With minimal sales and their only live appearances being Cornerstone and a few other scattered dates, the brilliant group remained commercially stunted.

 

After a seeming eternity, 1990 saw the release of Adam Again’s edgiest, roughest project yet – “Homeboys.” They obviously could care less about commercial success. “Homeboys” explored the inner-city streets Gene Eugene called home and their effect on his childhood, relationships and adult life. While it still had enough dance-able funk to keep the die-hards groovin’, it dipped, more than previous works, into darker, somber, more pensive pieces. This venture undoubtedly gathered few new converts to the Adam Again fold.

 

Alongside his career as frontman / writer / guitarist / vocalist for Adam Again, Gene Eugene also co-owns the always hip Brainstorm Artist International label, and has become a very in-demand studio engineer. Adam Again is still a major priority. They are now preparing for the release of their newest and possibly best release “Dig.” The following interview was born out of dozens of attempted phone calls and a couple different conversations. Gene told me this is the first time they’ve ever been on the cover of any magazine.

We’re honored to introduce to our extended family and friends: Mr. Gene Eugene.

 

“Thumbnail Biography”

 

Gene Eugene: I got saved in 1981. I was a musician so people started getting me to play music in church. Eventually, I got some people together and started a band. Two of those people are still in the band now; Greg, the guitar player, and Paul, the bass player. We made up some songs and had another singer, he was the guy that’s in Undercover now – Sim. Then we played around at churches and stuff. When Sim went to go join Undercover, I had a bunch of songs I had written that were different than what we had been doing. I taught them to Greg and Paul and sang them myself, even though I had never sung in a band before. Then Michelle came along and started singing with me and I guess that was what became Adam Again. It kind of accidentally happened. I thought I’d have to get a singer someday because I didn’t know if I could sing. So that’s basically how we got started.

 

We made a record for a guy named Harry Barnes for Blue Collar Records. That was a little Christian label. He got us, Undercover, and 441. The first record was pretty much a statement of Christian Faith record. Then we started playing all the Christian stuff like Cornerstone. For me personally, I was a little frustrated during the making of our first record because I didn’t know how to engineer. So, I learned how. Then I started getting jobs engineering for other people to make a living. That’s how I got more involved with Christian music. Then I decided to start my own company because we were out of a record deal. So was Undercover and 441. Joe and I had been friends so we decided instead of signing with some Christian label, we’d start our own. That’s where Brainstorm came from.

 

Adam Again is such that we’re probably more together than we’ve been in years. The biggest problem is the drummer lives in Nashville now. We’ll be playing a lot this summer. I guess we’re sort of back in the swing of things now.

 

** At this point, Gene was called back into an engineering session for the new Deliverance album. We decided to pick it again later that day. Almost a week and about half a dozen rounds of “phone tag” later, I got back in touch with Gene, again at the studio, and we picked it back up…

 

John Thompson: Let’s take it back further now.

 

Gene Eugene: I’ve had kind of a weird life. I was born in Canada and came here when I was eight. I lived in sort of a low income area. Everyone was poor, including my family. But something strange happened to me that I’ve never really talked about. I sort of did some acting. When I was eight years old I started doing t.v. shows. I did guest spots and cartoon voices and stuff. I did that for a few years and it was kind of weird. I lived in this kind of poverty stricken neighborhood and then I’d do these interviews for t.v. shows and act. I didn’t make a lot of money or anything; in fact, I made very little money at it. We were pretty poor, so in a way I was sort of supporting the family.

 

What were some of the things you did?

 

I totally don’t want to make this a big thing. I don’t want to be known as the next little Ricky or anything. There was a Bewitched episode when Daren got turned into a kid and I was the kid. There were all kinds of episodic things. I was a kid in The Bold Ones, and a lot of shows that were on in the 70’s. I did that for a few years. I don’t know what that has to do with anything. I was about five.

 

I never learned about notes and stuff. I started to, but I was terrible about practicing. Right now I can’t read a note of music. Nevertheless, my dad taught me how to play piano, and guitar, and drums. I filtered out all the stuff I didn’t want to learn and just figured out chords and songs and stuff. I’ve been doing that the whole time. I started playing in bands in about 6th or 7th grade. The guy that plays bass for us now was in those bands on our street. We’d get songbooks and play whatever had chords on it, like “Act Naturally,” and whatever. We had concerts in our front yard. All the neighborhood would come out and listen. From there on I’ve pretty much been in bands constantly, except for a couple years when I was around 18.

 

I became a Christian in 1981 after having sort of a troubled time in my life. I actually did six months in the L.A. county jail when I was 20. There’s nothing really to get into, I was just in a bunch of trouble. Some judge decided to put me in jail. It was a misdemeanor that pretty much deserved probation. He saw that I was involved in some other cases on his docket, so he gave me some time. After that, I started hanging around with some people that were going to church and became a Christian. Then, the history of the band, I kind of went through the other day.

 

The only way I really knew how to sing was to copy somebody. I was pretty into the Talking Heads, so maybe I sang like that guy. By the time we made our first record I think I was over that. I think everybody learns that way. I think now I pretty much sing with the same voice I talk with, so it’s very much me.

 

This band took a few years to figure out what we’re supposed to do. I think with the last two albums – “Homeboys” and the new one “Dig,” we sound pretty much like we sound when we’re just in a room playing. Whatever type of music you’d call it, is what it is.

 

What would you call it?

 

I don’t know. It’s just what comes naturally to this band, at this time. Whenever we get together and start rehearsing for an album, it sounds different. It just is what it is. This album has very little in the way of overdubs or anything. It’s pretty much just how we played it. The music is more collaborative than previous ones. I wrote a bunch of songs and they were o.k. At the end of each rehearsal we would try and make something up. I’d ask Greg if he had a lick in mind or anything. He’s sort of a “rifster.” It worked cool. Right when we’re at that point, I’d write some lyrics right then. I liked how it came out so well, that I decided to write the whole album that way. I guess the songs were written 60-70% by me. I wrote all the lyrics.

 

Music is first for this band. The music brings the lyrics out. Images come to me as I hear the music. I’m in a writing thing this year and last where I kind of write without thinking. It’s sort of a “stream” thing. It’s really the most spiritual way for me to write. Sometimes I’ll just write then later on I’ll figure out what it means. Sometimes I won’t ever figure out what it means. Sometimes I’ll write something, then a couple of weeks later something will happen to me and I’ll figure out what it means. I don’t want to get too specific about them, because I think people won’t know right off the bat what they mean, and that is good. Then, they can apply it wherever. Some people might get thrown, but all the lyrics are printed. I do think these are the best songs we’ve ever done.

Is there a concept to “Dig?”

 

Yeah! I guess it’s mostly about digging deep within ourselves. It really wasn’t a theme until after the songs were done. It does all fit conceptually.

 

What do you hope your music accomplishes?

 

This band has always wanted to play what we want to play. We’ve never catered to any radio or stuff. We never decided what kind of music we’d play. We just played. I think that’s the best way to do it. I don’t have any goals stylistically. I think we’re a synthesis of elements, that makes the album sound unique. I just hope that more people hear it. The more people that hear it, the better.

 

That would bring us to an important issue. How do you feel about the whole “Christian label” vs. “Crossover” scene?

 

I’ll probably find out in a few days if Epic is going to release it. That doesn’t mean much at this point. I think that our music is good for Christians to hear, but I think it’s just as good for everyone else to hear. I think it’s fine for our record to be in Christian bookstores, that’s good because this band has its roots in the gospel rock music scene. I think it’s interesting to be in that environment and to see what’s happening to it. Like I said, my goal is for people to hear the album. Not enough people are going to hear it just through bookstores because we’re not doing a style that’s very popular in that sales circle. So, we’re going to sell our small amounts of units, and it’s very small, but we’d like to see that change. This is a very small market. We do fine, but I’m somewhat surprised that we don’t do better because we get so much notoriety or something. We get more notoriety than some bands selling the same amount of units. I think it’s because the people who are into us are really into us. We don’t have too many peripheral fans. I don’t think too many people are kind of a little into us. The ones who are – are. That’s probably why we win as many polls as we do. We get a lot of mail too. I figure the more people that hear it, the better.

 

Our music isn’t “tailored” for the Christian audience. It just isn’t. I think it’s very spiritual and really honest. People seem to be looking for sloganism and pandering, and that’s what sells. I don’t feel that we have any acts on our label that are like that. If we have a band that has really heavy evangelistic lyrics, it’s because that’s really what they do and it’s really what they’re into. There are people in this industry that sit around and say “you know what will really sell, if we talk about this….” I think that’s kind of disgusting. All that to say, I think if this band were to be in the secular market, there would be more people to hear it and like it. I don’t think we’ll ever sell a million units, but we could do much better.

 

You don’t seem bitter or cynical about the whole thing like many others in your situation do.

 

I don’t feel bitter. I don’t get frustrated with the market, because I don’t expect too much from it. It is what it is. I do know that I’m not going to “cater” to it specifically, but I do want my company to do well. So I want to pick things that are reasonable. For instance, I don’t think that we need any more alternative bands. We have plenty. I’m amazed that as many people “get it” as is. So I’m not upset about it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to try to get a “secular” deal. I think the record is good. I think the band is together. We could go out and play and sound just like the record. That’s us. I’m really happy with this record and I’ll be surprised if nothing happens with it.

 

What about touring?

 

We’re playing a few dates. We’re playing Cornerstone, in Indiana, in Atlanta and maybe Nashville. It doesn’t make sense to do extensive club dates without a mainstream record deal. There’s no reason to play if people can’t get the record afterward. I want to play for people, that’s cool. But you can’t spend that kind of money to go out on a tour, without it being supported by a record. If there’s no record, it’s really a waste. I think that’s what this band will do, but it’s going to take a record deal for us to do it.

 

What about Johnny Knox?

 

Well, he’s in Whiteheart as well as Adam Again right now. He’s taking off two weeks this summer to do these gigs, and he took three weeks off to do the album. He’s able to co-exist in both bands. There might come a day where he can’t and he’d have to decide what to do.

 

How did Whiteheart find him?

 

They played a gig with us in Europe and heard him and liked him. He likes that kind of music as well as what we do. He’s real versatile that way. I miss him right now because I’d love for us to be able to play. But I’m fine with the situation. Summer will come fast enough.

 

Now your engineering career is really full on. Do you do that full time?

 

Yeah, I turn down a lot of stuff too. I prefer not to engineer full time, I’ll say that. It’s fun, but it’s hard and it drains me a bit creatively.

 

What have been some of your favorite projects this year?

 

I really like everything. Stonehill and SFC were great. Lost Dogs, of course was my favorite. If you listed everything I worked on, there’s not a lot of junk. Jon Gibson was fun, and so was Deliverance and Scattered Few. I enjoy it all and I learn something from every project. It’s cool, but it’s draining. I want to do less as I get older. I’m 31 years old now.

 

Are there any issues on your mind that you would like to espouse your beliefs in?

 

No, I’m not a very issue oriented person, I’m just trying to make it. I’m a messed up person like a lot of other people I know and I’m trying to figure it out. I’m really more that than issue oriented. If you want to know how I’m going to vote, I’m not voting for Bush. If you want to know how I felt about the riots in LA, I think they sucked. I’m just trying to get it together. I think that’s what we ail should be doing right now. Just try to be cool to everybody.

 

(Excellent to each other?!! – editor.)

 

Post Script: Epic did not pick up DIG – and Adam Again never did get the recognition or sales that they deserved. True story, though. In a fit of frustration I sent a copy of Dig, along with CDs that came out that year from The Violet Burning, Lost Dogs, Daniel Amos, and others, to a local, mainstream, alternative radio station in the Chicago area called WCBR with a short letter daring the music director to check out certain songs. He did – and he flipped out. Dig got mainstream / secular alternative radio play in Chicago as a result. That MD called me wondering where in the world I had found all this music. He liked a lot of it, but Adam Again rose to the top for him. He put it in regular rotation. It was a small moment of validation for us. We weren’t crazy. This stuff was as good as we thought it was.

 

If you’re not familiar with Adam Again, or Gene’s other music (Lost Dogs, etc) here’s a Spotify Playlist that will catch you up to speed.

 

But if you’re smart you’ll head to their STORE while remastered copies of DIG and HOMEBOYS are still available on both CD and Vinyl. They sound, look, and feel, amazing.