Gene Eugene

by Mark W. B. AllenderVocalist, songwriter, and guitarist of Adam Again, arguably the funkiest Christian band ever, Gene Eugene was a multi-talented musical genius whose untimely death in March of 2000 leaves a musical field that so desperately needed someone so cool, so smart, and so creative. Eugene's introduction into show business began with a small series of TV appearances and animated voice-overs, most notably on episodes of Bewitched and The Bold Ones. He emerged in 1987 as the frontman for Adam Again on their debut recording, In a New World of Time, with his wife Rikki Michele, as well as a backup singer on other albums by Daniel Amos and the Choir. He very quickly became well-known for his talents both as a producer and as an engineer and quickly developed an immense resumé of credits. His main band, Adam Again, developed a fanatical cult following, though never really attracting a huge mainstream audience. As the albums continued to come out, Eugene's own interests broadened, joining the Swirling Eddies under the name Prickly Disco and founding the Lost Dogs with guitarists from other alternative bands. Adam Again's 1992 release Dig shows Eugene and the band at their pinnacle of greatness; Eugene's own marriage was coming apart at the time, providing lyrical material for what was to become the final Adam Again album, Perfecta. Adam Again was scheduled to perform at the annual Cornerstone festival in central Illinois in the summer of 2000, which they did with a variety of guest vocalists filling Eugene's spot. A memorial album was released from that concert.