Adam Marx - side project

Adam Marx




As most of you who read this know, Fargo/Moorhead was a pivotal location in my life. I moved there from my small hometown of Paynesville, Minnesota, attended college (Minnesota State University, Moorhead,) made lifelong friends, and became part of a community of artists and musicians who all continue to practice their crafts despite whatever circumstance, situation, or occupation that life has dealt them. I proudly declare myself to be an adopted Fargonian. Much like Tarzan, I was a sheltered individual who was taken in and raised by a group of exotic apes with their own set of rituals and practices.

Needless to say, there are many accomplished musicians with Fargo heritage. Among those who continue to be actively involved with art and music, few are as prolific or as engaging as Adam Marx. If you know anything about the independent rock community in Minnesota, let along the Twin Cities, you are very familiar with Adam's band the Seawhores. The Seawhores were an institution in Fargo and became a respected name in the Twin Cities. They've been playing for over 10 years and continue to break the boundaries of what is considered typical in regard to live performance and sound. Originally a 2 piece, consisting of Futon Dwan and Judy Station, the Seawhores played a number of shows with a "Beat-Bot," a pre-recorded and video taped drummer. These were not just any old dude off the street mind you, but a mix of local killers and nationally known drummers from acclaimed bands. (No, I am not going to list bands like Lightning Bolt, the Cows, the Melvins, or the Velvet Lush. I'm not a name dropper.) On top of this, their performances were anything but typical. They had a habit of "kidnapping" people, bringing them to their practice space, and performing exclusive shows for them. I was privileged enough to be privy to one such performance on my 24th birthday.

But the Seawhore are not the only musical outlet that Adam has at his disposal. He assumes a different persona completely with Arctic Universe, a club-footed eccentric who croons in a Bowie-esque howl lamenting the events of his life often whilst swinging on a swing or gazing into a mirror. Arctic Universe performances showcase the marriage between Adam's prowess as a potent performance artist and a strong vocalist and song writer.

If this isn't enough, Adam plays guitar in Vaz, who (if you don't know)is an insane heavy band consisting of some of the members of Hammerhead. Their history would be at least a post in itself.

So recently, I was at my good buddy Tom's place, and he was playing this great music. It turned out to be another damn project of Adam's. I don't know the name of it. I just know it is stuff he recorded while on tour in Europe with Vaz. Or at least that's where I think it came from. There is no single tune that really captures the entire album, but these are some highlights. As always, Adam hits above the mark.

Here are some links you should check out, if you haven't already.

http://www.myspace.com/seawhoresofficial
http://www.myspace.com/thevaz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S5JuaEsIYk