Something About the Night

My name's Adam Jan Joseph. I just turned 20 the other month. I've got a thing for taking the sounds I hear in my head and reproducing them with as many instruments as possible.

I guess it all started pretty early.

I was born into a musical family. Some of my earliest memories were the sounds of James Taylor, Crosby Stills and Nash and Joni Mitchell flowing though the house while mom hummed along. I had a tape my dad ripped for me with some cool songs and my very own cassette player. I used to be able to use it whenever I wanted until my parents got concerned I'd never do anything else. I probably wouldn't have. A 5 year old's conception of god is questionable at the least. But I was damn sure he was Gino Vanelli.

After a while I discovered the old man's record collection (impressive). I heard guys like Burton Cummings, Freddie Mercury, Huey Lewis, Elton John sing their hearts out about stuff they actually seemed to care about and I figured I might be OK at that too, one day. It was around the same time I started fiddling with his Silvertone electric guitar. There was an amp, too. I liked the tremolo. It still makes me shiver.

I took piano lessons with a lovely lady named Ms. Jacober. She's probably the only reason I stuck with piano for a long time. I've always had a hard time with teachers. But she never made me feel stupid for doing things my own way. I didn't get past the piano books with cartoons in them. I was probably 8.

I remember spending many a lunch hour as an elementary school kid in the music room. I found every possible piece of percussion equipment and assembled something like a drum kit. It was kind of Sheila E-ish. No kick or anything. But something clicked up in the old noggin for sure.

I saw some pretty good concerts in high school. My hair and clothes changed a lot. Probably tried on a dozen different personalities. I think the basement was my haven. I had a betamax machine and a Hitachi color TV in a pretty wood grain cabinet. There were tapes and tapes of early MTV my dad somehow got his hands on. I soaked all that shit in like a sponge. Once I got a part time job the gear started to accumulate. I had a Fostex 8 track recorder. Playing stuff back to myself broke my heart but made it sing at the same time. Still does. Never satisfied, I guess. I also wasn't satisfied with my generation, even though I've since come to accept things are what they are. Something about having Hammond organs, old guitars and tube amps around me made me feel better. Something to hold onto. Made me feel like a 70s kid. Especially when I wore my jean jacket. I met a couple other kids like that too. They make good friends.

Fast forward a couple years, a couple dead end jobs and plenty of indecision and bizarre self-expectations, here I am. I finally got my shit together, moved into a little apartment by the water, and cut a record. I played all the instruments and sang all the parts. I like total creative license. You can have a copy if you'd like. Actually, I'd be thrilled if you just took a listen. Take what you want from it.

Take it for what it is.

Thanks for the love, support and kind words. It makes it all worthwhile.

-AJJ