:''This article is for the band. For their self-titled album, see
Adema (album). For other uses, see
Adema (disambiguation).''
'Adema' is five-member
rock band from
Bakersfield,
California.
History
Formation
Adema began in 1998 as a culmination of many different local bands from
Bakersfield, California. At the end of 1997, a five-piece band named BPD formed in Bakersfield, with
Mark "Marky" Chavez, who is the half-brother of
Korn's singer
Jonathan Davis, playing guitar. Chavez soon split with the group and became singer of a new band, formed with guitarist
Mike Ransom, drummer Cesareo Garcia, and bassist Mike Montano. Shortly thereafter, Montano and Garcia were no longer in the band, and another Bakersfield band, Juice, contributed bassist
Dave DeRoo and guitarist Tim Fluckey; Juice had spawned from
SexArt, a band that included Davis and members from
Orgy. Drummer Kris Kohls joined from the recently disbanded
Videodrone, a band with more Davis connections, as it was on his label,
Elementree Records. Kohls was easily convinced to join the band, as after hearing two demo songs, he decided to join.
[1] Adema regularly played in local shows amid its fluid early lineup. Charismatic frontman Chavez built up local hype for the band.
[2]
Adema got its name from the medical term "
edema," a kind of tissue swelling. According to Kohls: "A friend of the band who was actually working at a morgue for a while, he just mentioned the term one night and we thought it was cool so we used it with the different spelling."
[3] The name was recommended by Montano.
A label bidding war led to the band signing with
Arista, probably in part because of Chavez's relationship to Davis. The band was signed by
L.A. Reid, who is better known for signing
R&B artists.
[4] The band then sequestered themselves in a cabin and wrote the material for their debut album.
''Adema'' and success
The band’s eponymous debut, ''
Adema'', was released in August 2001 to moderate success. Its two major singles, "
Giving In" and "
The Way You Like It," received significant airplay on rock radio. All the lyrics were written by Chavez,
[5] and the album was produced by Bill Appleberry (7th House) and Tobi Miller (
Wallflowers guitarist).
It was certified
Gold, and the band received a spot on the main stage during the
Ozzfest tour. They kept playing live with the
Music as a Weapon, SnoCore Rock, and
Projekt Revolution tours.
[6]
In 2002, Adema released ''
Insomniac's Dream'', an
EP, as a "gift to fans."
The single from the album, "Immortal," was written for the video game . Besides the single, it included a track from international versions of ''Adema'', a tribute to
Alice in Chains and four remixes of songs from ''Adema''.
''Unstable'' and turmoil
Adema's second album, ''
Unstable'', was released by Arista in August 2003.
[7] It was produced by
Howard Benson, whose credits also include producing albums with
P.O.D.,
Hoobastank and
Cold.
[8]
The band has vigorously fought the label "
nu-metal," preferring to be classified as traditional
rock.
[9] While ''Unstable'' was not a significant break from their earlier sound, Chavez compared it to the rawness of
Nirvana,
and bassist DeRoo hoped that Chavez’s stronger voice (the result of voice lessons) would result in a more mainstream sound.
"We don't go onstage and nu metal," said drummer Kohls. "We're sick of that phrase. ROCK - it's such a broad word that it doesn't categorize you."
The band would ultimately shed the label when they shed their "nu-metal singer," Chavez.
As it turned out, the album was named "Unstable" for a reason:
[10] Chavez and guitarist Ransom had a bitter rivalry that ended when first Ransom, then Chavez, left the band. The rest of the band has blamed Chavez for "selfish" "personal problems" that held the band back musically. The feud with Ransom put the rest of the band in the middle. While DeRoo wouldn't comment specifically on what the supposed problems were, he insinuated that Chavez was caught up in drugs.
During 2003, when the band released and toured for ''Unstable'', Chavez and Ransom didn’t speak to one another. The band claimed that the split was no surprise. Ransom left in September, while the remaining four members finished touring.
[11]
Amidst this conflict, ''Unstable'' sold over 66% less than the band's debut album.
In December, the band learned that Arista was dropping them during a label merger. A large number of Arista's staff was fired in a management shakeup by its parent company,
Sony. L.A. Reid, who originally signed the band, had left the label a week earlier. The band has blamed low sales of ''Unstable'' on being dropped.
The band continued to write, but in February 2004, Chavez started to lose interest.
He quit the band in September.
[12] While the remaining three members remained on cordial, if not stellar, terms with Ransom, their attitude towards Chavez was much more hostile.
With regards to the split with Adema, Chavez acknowledged his "personal problems." But he claimed that "it takes two to tango," and that his decision precipitated from an argument with drummer Kohls over the direction of the band. Adema denied this, blaming the split on Chavez's disinterest in the band.
[13] Chavez would form the band
Midnight Panic with his cousin and early Adema bandmates Cesareo Garasa and Mike Montano, which released the self-titled ''
Midnight Panic'' EP before dissolving.
[14] He is currently working on a solo project.
[15]
''Planets'' with Luke Caraccioli
The remaining three members regrouped to write new music and auditioned new singers. After Kohls heard a demo from Rewind Yesterday, another Bakersfield band, he was impressed by the group's lead singer,
Luke Caraccioli. Adema asked Caraccioli to front the band.
Caraccioli accepted a few months later in January 2005.
[16]
Adema signed to metal label
Earache Records in Spring 2004 when its manager, Al Dawson, heard them at a show.
[17] Under their new label, the band gained more control over their direction than they had when signed with Arista.
Adema lauded Earache for allowing "bands to express themselves creatively."
In April 2005, a year later, the band would deliver their next album, ''
Planets'' produced by Nick Forcillo. They released the album's first single, "Tornado," that March.
''Planets'' was, musically, a significant break from Adema's two earlier albums; it was much closer to rock than Adema's nu-metal history.
Kohls said that the band relied on influences from classic rock such as
Led Zeppelin,
The Doors and
Metallica, and that the band proved that they were "so much more than" a nu-metal band.
[18] The writing for the album was shared between the four members.
As an ex-marine, Caraccioli played his first show with Adema in the
Persian Gulf in April 2005. They performed for American troops stationed in
Iraq,
Afghanistan,
Kuwait and the
United Arab Emirates for the
Armed Forces Entertainment.
[19] Though the
Iraq War was still raging, the band stressed that the tour was apolitical.
Adema then promoted the release by touring with
Brides of Destruction, a band that Kohls had briefly been involved in. Though proud of their identity change, the band noted that they had a mixture of fans from both the "old" and "new" Ademas at live shows.
In September, Adema released a second single from the album, "Planets (Cry Wolf)." As its name suggests, the single was featured in the movie thriller
Cry Wolf.
[20]
In October of 2005, Luke Caraccioli left the band, citing personal reasons.Following Luke's departure, the band got in touch with Mark Chavez and according to the band, both parties are back on good terms. Both parties even had talks about Chavez singing for Adema again and even wrote some new songs together, but as of late nothing further transpired from these events.
[21]
''Kill the Headlights'' with Bobby Reeves
In March 2006, Adema announced a new vocalist,
Bobby Reeves of the band LEVEL.
[22] In August, the band recruited guitarist Ed Faris, also of LEVEL.
[23] With their new lineup, the band signed onto
Immortal Records in February 2007.
[24] They will release ''
Kill the Headlights'', produced by Marshall Altman (
Marc Broussard,
Zebrahead) in August 2007. The first single, "Cold and Jaded," was released in July.
[25]
The band is now being managed by Union Entertainment Group, which managed
Nickelback and
Candlebox. The firm has a joint label with
EMI called
Audionest.
[26]
Band members
Current
★
Bobby Reeves – Vocals (2006 - present)
★ Tim Fluckey – Guitar (1998 - present)
★ Ed Faris – Guitar, Synths, and Programming (2006 - present)
★
Dave DeRoo – Bass (1999 - present)
★ Kris Kohls – Drums (1998 - present)
Former
★
Luke Caraccioli – Vocals (2004 - 2005)
★
Mark Chavez – Vocals (1998 - 2004)
★
Mike Ransom – Guitar (1998 - 2003)
★ Mike Montano
★ – Bass (1998 - 1999)
★ Cesareo Garcia
★ – Drums (1998)
★ Erik Jackson
★ – Guitar (1998)
★ Montano, Garcia and Jackson left the band before it was signed, so they do not appear in any of its records. Montano and Jackson were given songwriting credits for "Skin" from ''
Adema''.
[ ]
Discography
Albums and EPs
| Album | US Release date | Label | Billboard 200 | Sales (N.A. only) |
|---|
| ''Adema'' | August 21, 2001 | Arista Records | #27 | 671,763 1 (Gold) |
| ''Insomniac's Dream'' (EP) | October 22, 2002 | Arista Records | N/A | 54,788 1 |
| ''Unstable'' | August 19, 2003 | Arista Records | #43 | 200,000+ 2 |
| ''Planets'' | April 5, 2005 | Earache Records | #152 | 6,701+ 3 |
| ''Kill the Headlights'' | August 21, 2007 | Immortal Records | N/A | 2,000+4 |
1Based on Nielsen SoundScan figures from September 2004.Singles
★ Single has a music video.
References
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12. ''Note on sales figures:'' These numbers come from Nielsen SoundScan, from September 2004. These sales figures appear to have stabilized.
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15. Posting appears to have been removed.
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External links
★
Official site
★
MySpace site
★
Purevolume site
★
Adema United: Official message board
★
Adema at Bakotopia.com
★
2007 Interview and Podcast with ADEMA
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