Adema played their first show in Minneapolis on Friday night at the Quest, with Onesidezero and Sinisstar. It's funny how they got to play in Paris and London before hitting the second biggest market in the United States in terms of per capita record sales. They were scheduled to play in St Paul on the MTV-sponsored Music as a Weapon Tour before Thanksgiving but cancelled. At the show singer Mark Chavez made it clear that that was his personal decision:

"How many of you people have bosses that you don't like? Well just because I'm in a rock band doesn't mean I dont have people telling me what to do all the fucking time. I have managers and a label who always tell me what's best for me. Well you know what? I do what I want, when I fucking want to do it."

I might point out that there were record execs from Arista in the audience who had flown in from New York for the show.

So the brother of one of the most famous rock musicians in the world has stood up and emerged as a leader of his generation. At age 23, Mark Chavez admits that sometimes it feels like he's lived a lot more than he might have liked. He has managed to create some beautiful music out of that experience painful as it has been for him, and he's lucky to be surrounded by 4 other very talented musicians in the band. Being a role model for many people implies responsibility and self-awareness, something not in short supply among the members of Adema.

Sometimes I only remember
the days when I was young

Nowadays no one remembers
when they were young and stupid

Come on baby help me
Someone to confide in

I'll get inside you

Up in this game
the people change
and money claims
everyone from everything.

If you could see right through the greed
and all your needs
you'd realize that you're just about
as bad as me.

So what's to fear
When everything is crystal clear
You realize that you should do
The things you want to do
Don't give in
To what people say
Don't be ashamed
To separate the feelings
on your mind
you can't sedate.

Before the Minneapolis show I asked the five members of Adema to write down their responses to five questions - the same questions for each band member. I also asked Christy, one of Mark's closest friends who has been with Adema since the beginning and who is in the next issue of Revolver (the one with P.O.D. on the cover), to give her answers to the same questions. Everybody in the band sat down together on the bus after soundcheck and gave the most honest answers imaginable. Christy somehow managed to burn half of her sheet on a candle but fortunately saved the answers. What I'm presenting here is a way to get inside Adema by reading their answers in their own words and their own writing. Each of these people is a unique individual with a lot to say in a few words. Combined, their answers reflect a fascinating group of people who live and work together in the band
known as Adema.

The structure I chose for this interview is like looking up at the ceiling in some airport or building where you see all the heating and cooling pipes, even the electrical wires are exposed and no false ceiling hides the
mechanical functioning of the structure. That's what getting to know the people in Adema is like for me. They are some of the truest, most real people I've ever met, especially in the music world, and I wanted as many
people as possible to get to know them like I have. The happy owner of the original interview sheets will be Keith Mackler of Life Is A Struggle as a token from the band and me in appreciation of his unfailing dedication to music. Dave DeRoo of Adema says he goes to Keith's site when he wants to know what's happening with Adema. Like I said, a lot to say in a few words.

The way you like it.