Name: Adam Rich

Background Story: Solo artist and owner of Love Muffin Records.

Label: Love Muffin Records (www.lovemuffinrecords.com)

Inspiration: Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers

Current Album: You Can’t Escape Life, 2006

Songs You Shouldn’t Miss: Frizzhead, Big Blue, Meteorology

Overall Album Grade: B+

After hearing about his many adventures in the world of music, I knew I just had to interview bassist and Love Muffin Record label owner Adam Rich.

So first question, how did you get involved in music?

I took piano lessons at a young age. But, I wouldn’t practice, so the teacher refused to teach me. It wasn’t until about ninth grade when I found guitar and drums.

After you got started into music, where did you go from there, as far as bands you played with?

I got to BG in 1992 and immediately put up a sign looking for a band. I don’t remember if it worked, but I met this guy named Mike Dooley, he played guitar. We’d record up in this attic, just me and Mike laying down the guitar and bass to a drum machine.

Then what came after that?

I’d heard Joe Satriani had made his first tape all by himself, playing everything, so I got a 4-track, one mic, my drums, my guitar – no bass for some reason I can’t remember – and made a four-song tape. I called it Leave My Fish alone, made 25 copies, took it to school for the following year 1993 and sold all the copies.

I like the title with the fish.

Thanks. Later I put out the first full length CD, Foundation, in 2002, and the current one You Can’t Escape Life in 2006. During this whole time I was also playing bass in bands. State of Green 1994 – 1997, Tadpol 1998- 2001, and Girth 2002 – 2006. Flavor Savor [another tape] was recorded more sporadically, like whenever I had free times, therefore some was done at my house, some at the State Of Green House, and some at the Pirate House.

Pirate House? Why “pirate”?

I don’t remember why, exactly. They just started calling it that. I think maybe because we stole so much random stuff like signs and stuff and put it in the house, we were pirates.

Oh really?

er… i mean… not steal.. um…. no i don’t know why it got that nickname

So perhaps this is a good time to explain more about how State of Green was successful and some stories about that, since we’ve reached that point in the timeline?

I had to learn a crapload of covers, but I wasn’t getting them fast enough, and the old bassist was still in town, so he took over. The drummer said if I learned them by after Christmas break I could try out again. I practiced my ass off over Christmas Break and came back and wowed them and got back in.

Yay!

Then I saw this ad in Free Times or Scene: Labatt Blue was sponsoring some battle of the bands thing in Seattle, Albany, Boston, and Cleveland. Each city had three rounds and the winners from each city would compete head to head via satellite or something. On a whim, and I don’t think I told any of the guys, I sent it [the band’s tape] in. Well, they picked us. First round was July 1995 at the Euclid Tavern (also now closed) in Cleveland, and we beat out Hot Tin Roof and Fifth Wheel to win that round.

Wow.

Next round was at the Odeon (also now closed), and this was the regional finals. To my surprise, we won that round as well. So the final round was at the Agora, it was huge. I had a wireless system so I was jumping all over the place. We didn’t win that. Boston won – and the judges were in Boston. Hmmmmm. So we took the $1000 and made our only CD, Lost. After we did the CD, went on a mini tour summer 1996. June, July and August summer 1996 we had gigs practically every weekend. That was a really fun summer. In 1997 we got to open for the Violent Femmes when they played the BG gym. That’s when our singer told us he was going to be a daddy, and that was our last gig. Late 1997 we broke up

Then did you play at CBGB that summer you toured around a bit?

Oh! Yeah CBGB’s Sept. 24th 1996.

I bet it just had to be amazing.

I was wearing this Ramones shirt that had them standing against a pole outside of CBGB’s, the bathrooms were covered in graffiti – had no doors. It was filthy, grimy, but it was historic. I was so jazzed to be playing on the same stage as the Dead Boys, Social D, Talking Heads, Television, Patti Smith and the Ramones.

Any other venues that you remember well?

Howard’s was a blast to play at to. Wow, that’s a lot of SOG stuff. Do you want to know about Tadpol. Girth and Love Muffin?

Sure. Well, what’s the deal about the name, how did that come about?

That was a soccer nickname from high school. I thought, wow that’s a good name for a record label. As of January 2006, Love Muffin was legally registered as a small business.

Okay, random question now. If you could have a superhero power, what would it be?

Superhero power…. hm…..the ability to cure world hunger with women falling at my feet stripping uncontrollably

Save the planet and get a date, something for everyone?

Yup.

All right, oranges or apples?

Apples. Brangelina or Bennifer? Brangelina

You’re better than I am at making random questions. Who would win in a fight, a penguin or a badger?

Um”hm”it would be a draw.

Oh yeah?

Ok a penguin, I don’t think badgers can swim?

I don’t think so either.

Definitely penguin.

Good answer.

Thanks, what else you got?

What about Tadpol?

I joined them in 1998 a few months after I moved back home. We entered the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands in 2000 I think, and won and played on the Warped Tour. We played at the Rock Hall

How was playing on the warped tour, was it pretty cool?

Yeah! We were on the side stage. I wish I had pics but I don’t.

And what’s the story behind Girth?

We put out a CD in 2005, that’s about it. We opened for Overkill ‘ Prong on the same bill once. No other big gigs.

Are you looking for a new band to play with then, or is promoting keeping you pretty busy?

Not really looking to join another band now, I’d like to concentrate on my music and putting on more Love Muffin show outside of Cleveland. I’d like to get it to where I’m putting on a show in Cleveland every three months, and out of town maybe every four months, and where I complete my band and play out every two to three months, and win the lottery so I can quit my day job, and get some slutty groupies”

Well, we all have dreams. Check back next week for our next Pulse Lifeline.