Adam Absinthe is already a self proclaimed star. He just awaits a record label to soon make him a bigger one. He has had countless hits on his website worldwide most notably the U.S., Great Britain. and Canada, done several internet and radio interviews, and fills the first five pages of a Google search. He's done this all on his own. He is an accomplished model working with top photographers, and has been successfully selling merchandise on his online market where he also has a book published. He has marketed himself to a broad fan base across the world including all types of people because of his outrageous rants and eye catching image.
After a Motley Crue lifestyle preceded by a crazy childhood, and a long period looking for a band in the Boston area he decided to move to Hollywood and began a solo career knowing he wanted things his way, if he was going to blow up to epic proportions in the vain of Marilyn Manson, Linkin Park, and Bjork.
I am not sure if Adam is like Manson or Bjork…he definitely has a unique style and persona that is older than him. He really resembles the 80’s in style and make-up & has nailed the look.
Adam Absinthe took the time out of his very busy schedule to chat with me; Ladyaslan, on his ideas of stardom and artists and our campaign Duran Duran to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…
Ladyaslan DDTTRH: Do you think Duran Duran deserve to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and why?
Adam Absinthe: Absolutely. I have never owned an album of theirs, but their impact on the music scene has affected a handful of my favorite artists. They are the quintessential 80’s band, therefore everyone knows who they are and it’d be a shame to see them denied being inducted to the Hall of Fame. I mean how many hits do you need to have before you’re considered famous enough for a hall of Fame?
LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about the book you wrote, Red, Raw, & Swhore...how did you come up with the title?
Adam Absinthe: It’s a collection of poems, lyrics, and artwork I made before Adam Absinthe was Adam Absinthe. After I made a name for myself, I decided to release it because I was having so much difficulty putting together a band and I wanted something for the fans to have. It’s a very personal look inside of me from those years when I first was on my own, facing the world after getting kicked out of my house. The title is just a word play because the book encompasses everything from sexual deviations to the deepest sense of emotional pain. I’m glad I’m not in that state of mind anymore, but it’s a necessary product of mine especially since I never did get a full band together for a full length album. There are some esoteric songs in there that were actually channeled through me either by a higher source or the CIA…
Ladyaslan DDTTRH: What contributions and influences do you feel Duran Duran contributed to the world of music and fashion and social awareness over the past 30 yrs?
Adam Absinthe: Like I stated before, they influenced most of my influences, especially in the sense of style. Image has always been a big part of my art, and the artists who inspire me. Men with fashion, good hair, and makeup is a lot more common than it used to be and it can definitely be attributed back to a group like Duran Duran.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: What was it like to land a lead role in a national commercial? Which commercial was it?
Adam Absinthe: I landed a role in a Guitar Center commercial. I had landed a big paying role in an Axe commercial and was going to film in Argentina and then something mysterious happened and it fell through. I became fed up with acting and was on the verge of quitting. I went to the Guitar Center audition later that month, half assed it and forgot about it after. Ironically, I got the part. It was a lot of fun breaking guitars on stage and working with other up and coming actors. Oddly enough once, I started booking more and more work, is when I quit acting to go to college.
Ladyaslan DDTTRH: What are your favourite Duran Duran song(s) and / or video(s)?
Adam Absinthe: I can’t pick out a favourite of either because I haven’t spent the time going through every album or all the videos on YouTube, but I can say that I really like the video and the symbolism in Out of My Mind. Come to think of it, I really like the song too.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: What film did you work in with Juliette Lewis and Orlando Bloom? What was it like to share the screen with them?
Adam Absinthe: The film is called Sympathy for Delicious. It has not been released yet. The experience was nerve racking and amazing. I ended up getting a Sag extra role for the film, but everyone from Juliet to the makeup people loved working with me and I got to do some improv with them. The director was Mark Ruffalo who was also very nice. Due to being hired as an extra initially, you’ll see me in the films scene but not in the credits.
Ladyaslan DDTTRH: If you could remake a Duran Duran song, which one would it be?
Adam Absinthe: I would love to cover Come Undone.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: What was it like to also work with Ed Harris? What movie was it? How did you land the role?
Adam Absinthe: Unfortunately Ed Harris was not on set that day, but I did get to do my scene with Brian Presley, who most people know from soap operas like Port Charles. The movie is called Once Fallen and is done, but waiting for distribution. It played here at The Orange Country Film Festival, but I was in LA that night, and of course I was in OC when it played at The Beverly Hills Film Festival. The part made me eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild which is very difficult. I landed the role by luck, which is so prevalent in Hollywood.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: Has Duran Duran inspired any of your musical work? If so, in which areas have they influenced?
Adam Absinthe: In a roundabout way they have. There’s a handful of bands I’m supposed to like; Depeche Mode, The Cure, Duran Duran, and Gary Numan to name a few. I am familiar with plenty of these bands songs, but the time gap is for the generation before mine which is why my favourite artists are often influenced by them. So in a way, they have influenced my image and using electronic elements in creating music through a sort of evolutionary trickle down method. In another way they influenced people with occult symbolism on there cd’s, videos, and in their lyrics.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: Which would you prefer...worldwide underground fame or worldwide pop icon?
Adam Absinthe: Probably underground fame. Being a pop icon comes with a cost. A pop icon is usually at the whim of higher powers and lacks control of their career, themselves, and eventually loses it all. The bigger you get the more likely you are to shave your head, check into rehab, and make everyone forget you used to be in a Disney show. Wink. Pop icons don’t own the media so it can be used to destroy them. There’s not a lot of room for art. I’m happy being me, and not Lindsay Lohan or Rihanna.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: Andy Warhol once said: "An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have." What comes to mind when reading his quote?
Adam Absinthe: I personally don’t consider Andy Warhol an artist. He’s more of a pop icon, like I mentioned before. He is also a shell used for holding large quantities of drugs. Everything I need in life for peace and fulfilment comes from some sort of art whether it be, music, literary, martial, etc. I would say he actually defined corporations rather than artists. Things we don’t need to have can’t have any passion behind them. So I’d have to disagree with him. A great era comes to mind with his name but it’s hardly because of him.
LadyaslanDDTTRH: What kind of music do you play? It’s not quite traditional American pop and it’s not quite Dark Wave....how would you describe it?
Adam Absinthe: I make music that moves me. Freedom, intelligence, emotion, and pleasure, move me. For example, if I want to have guitars and industrial drums with Shakuhachi’s and a rain sample because it sounds like rebirth, then that’s what I make. With that said, I never try to be a certain genre although people like to put me into the Goth, industrial category because I wear makeup, and use a lot of electronic elements in my music.
Anything you want to share with your fans....new releases....live gigs.....insanity?
The insanity has subsided, after a lot of growth over the years. I’m currently in college to work on my strongest assets, art and intellect. It’s actually giving me the freedom to finally work on my memoir, artworks, and eventually a true solo album. I can also use student loans to buy products to make myself as attractive as Duran Duran.
To Follow Adam:
http://www.myspace.com/adamabsinthe
adam-absinthe.com
To learn more about Duran Duran to the Rock Hall - Official Effort (DDTTRH), please visit our hub site http://ddttrh.info/.
