Adam Again
I thought the name Adam Again was one of the coolest out of the 80s. And
frankly- that’s all I knew of them. I never got into the band at all-just too
many groups back then for me - and the CCM radio (my only connection to tunes
for the most part then) never played a single song.
I hooked up to Gene through Gift Horse- my first Dogs listen, in 1999. Then Gene
died very shortly afterward. I only noted his voice and sound were different on
the Dogs tunes, as Terry, Mike and even Derris influences were more familiar to
me. I soon found on other Dogs records that Genes songs were much more level
musically -with eclectic lyrics. Songs like Mexico and Jimmy stood out. –But I
didn’t really understand the loss of this artist. Sadly, reading about his life
through his death spurred me to look into his own bands music .I started to
build my collection of AA. First nab was Ten songs. It was there that I was
pretty astounded at the one thing that I myself had never heard in CCM. It was
FUNK- and better yet, So Cal style. This was the first truly funky band that I
had ever heard in the Xian world.
Strobe-song
Strobe is a pure funk tune-and I can’t hold a candle to the great deep thump
that this ditty has. The reason I picked it is that its short-and only has
basically one repeated groove. It sounds like a loose jam type song- and I
wanted my version to at least resemble that.
So all I did was listen to the song a few close times once I claimed it- and
when I set up my equipment this week to record-I listened once more to get the
right key. I don’t have a drum set-let alone “A” drum- so I used a 5 gallon
bucket and counted out the basic beat-adding taps over it for all the
percussion. (Along with handclaps). Then I played and recorded 8 bars of the
groove, and recorded some top lines over it while listening.
I opened my on line lyrics and sang all three verses to the groove. The false
start was real- and it made me laugh out loud so that was unintentional. I found
out later the lyrics weren’t 100% to the original-but a trusted source told me
Gene said once to him “I could record hours and hours of music-but I struggled
with a few lines of verse.”
I threw together the harmonies and vocal fills-and then spliced the whole thing
together.
I wanted to use a harp for an 8 fill-and blew one in the key of C- though the
song is in G. It’s the first time I’ve jumped like that, and when I removed the
basic groove – it left a discordant piece. To me that worked.
Lastly I wanted a “7” to start- as the original says “Two.” I took it from a
song of mine I did-and when I realized that other lines from it seemed to fit
perfectly in key to the Strobe groove-I threw a line in near the end. I didn’t
realize how I had somewhat stole that funky idea - but there it was, influences.
And fun. Thanks Gene. Both his recording and mine I believe do say the same
thing-“I want to tell you”
Strobe-Pic
Last night driving home I noticed a gal walking to her car while talking on her
cell phone. I could see her face lit up as she walked. It intrigued me- so I
quick snapped a photo of myself with the lights out-in the strobe light of my
cell phone.
Hope you enjoy my stylized impression of it all- and Thanks BD- you started it
all again after all again.
JiMiny CriCKet 02/04/10
Lyrics
Strobe
from the album "Perfecta"
I heard you crawlin' up my front lawn
Flipped the switch and you were gone
I feel better when I turn it on
get real simple and make a song
Strobe
I want to tell you
Strobe
I want to tell you
Strobe
I want to tell you
Strobe
I want to tell you
There go the pitcher on the pitchin' mound
I can't go up if you go down
Give me a smile I'll give you a frown
You're the verb and I'm the noun
Strobe
I want to tell you (etc.)
Remember when you laughed in my ear three times
I was waitin' for four you said said "who am I?"
Now you're yellin' in the shopping line
"Say here's two nickels can you give me a quarter?"
Strobe
I want to tell you (etc.)
ooh ooh ooh..