Sons Of Adam
The Sons of Adam were an underrated freakbeat group from California headed by a blistering guitarist called Randy Holden. Randy Holden’s roots started with the Surfguitar band Fender IV comprising Randy on lead , Joe Kooken rhythm , Mike Port bass & drums Bruce Miller that put out the Dick Dale styled “Mar Gaya”/”You Better Tell Me Now” (1964 Imperial Records) “Malibu Run”/”Everybody Up” (1965 Imperial Records) Sons Of Adam operated in the Baltimore area in 1962, later moving to Southern California. The Sons of Adam name was given to them by the visionary and misunderstood Kim Fowley, renowned for his hit song “Alley Oop”. Sons of Adam were prime Brit Invasion with a riveting Californian psyche sound that made them collectably and exclusive.
Surf Guitar eventually becomes doused in new sounds but Randy was an old hat with his legendary inventive reverbed fretting. The members of Sons Of Adam initially Randy Holden guitar, vocals Joe Kooken guitar Mike Port bass, Jack Ttana rhythm guitar & Michael Stuart drums. The group put out an astounding cover of the Mike Hugg’s Yardbird classic “Mr You’re a Better Man Than I” / “You Better Tell Me Now” for Decca Records in 1965 – produced by Gary Usher. Sons of Adam opened for the Rolling Stones at their first show at the Long Beach ‘Sports Arena’. Randy Holden is renowned for his characteristic Jeff Beck-like sustain which can be heard on The Other Half’s “Feathered Fish,”, penned by Arthur Lee of Love.
When the Sons of Adam broke up, drummer Michael Stuart joined Love, while Holden joined the San Francisco psychedelic band, The Other Half where his shimmering breaks and suspended leads are the highlights of their sole album. Randy would then enter the power trio Blue Cheer stamping his ‘Guitar God’ status with overpowering intensity, nobody disagreed? Sons Of Adam should have happened with their dynamic “Take My Hand”, reeling with superb harmonies and Surf chiming guitars, a.ka. Monkees. Their sound with similarities to the Grassroots was in a class of its own like their rendition of Lou Josie’s “Saturday’s Son”, the same cat who wrote “Midnight Confessions”, ironically that the Grassroots charted with. Uncharacteristically “Sons Of Adam’s most prolific songs were more melodic like the beautiful “Without Love” , a nugget still to be discovered or even more insular “I Told You Once Before”, a song for returning Vietnam vets trying to prove their love again. They also did a superb cover of the Zombies’ “You Make me Feel Good”.
Added: February 19th 2011
Reviewer: shiloh noone | See all reviews by shiloh noone
Category: Music
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Related Link: Seekers Guide To The Rhythm Of Yesteryear