Jim Adams
Encyclopedia
Jim Adams born is an American heavy metal
guitarist. His is best known for being lead guitarist for thrash metal
band Defiance
. Joining the band in 1986, Adams quickly became an integral member of the band, co-writing much of their material and playing on all three of their LP's, Product of Society
, Void Terra Firma
and Beyond Recognition
. During his time in Defiance Adams became known for having a wild stage prescense and a highly eccentric
personality especially for a metal musician, often doing somewhat out there things such as wearing tie-die shirts on stage. He left the band briefly in 1992 to join the band Indica, but departed to rejoin Defiance. Defiance later evolved into Inner Threshold, which disbanded in the mid-1990s. Adams played in the cover band Fat Freddie's Cat during the late 1990s.
As of 2005 Defiance has reunited, and Adams has rejoined along with Steev Esquivel
, Mike Kaufmann
and Doug Harrington
. Following Harrington's passing Adams is now Defiance's sole guitarist. He also works as a Systems Administrator, is married and has two children, a daughter and a son.
In 2010, he joined Jono Bacon
's free culture metal project Severed Fifth
as a live guitarist.
He is known for his unique, Holdsworth
-esque lead style, prevalent in his utilization of fast legato
shred
. He has recently been playing in the band Freeload, a more "feel-good" almost jam band
oriented type group which also features former Vio-Lence
drummer Perry Strickland.
His primary guitars in his Defiance days were Gibson Les Paul
s modified with a blood splatter paint job and EMG
pickups. He has also been seen using Jackson
and Carvin DN612 (doubleneck) TL60 guitars and Dean USA V's Flying V.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
guitarist. His is best known for being lead guitarist for thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Defiance
Defiance (band)
Defiance is a thrash metal band from Oakland, California. While virtually unknown to mainstream metal and rock circles, Defiance is known as one of the classic second-tier thrash bands to come from the Bay Area thrash metal scene...
. Joining the band in 1986, Adams quickly became an integral member of the band, co-writing much of their material and playing on all three of their LP's, Product of Society
Product of Society
Product of Society was the debut album by thrash metal band Defiance. It was released in 1989 on Roadracer Records. It was the only album by Defiance to feature Ken Elkington on vocals and had cover art by Ed Repka...
, Void Terra Firma
Void Terra Firma
Void Terra Firma was the second album by thrash metal band Defiance, released in 1990. It was the first album to feature vocalist Steev Esquivel...
and Beyond Recognition
Beyond Recognition
Beyond Recognition is the third full length album, and final until 2009's The Prophecy by thrash metal band Defiance, released in 1992 on Roadrunner Records. This album was a bit of a departure from the bands previous work...
. During his time in Defiance Adams became known for having a wild stage prescense and a highly eccentric
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
personality especially for a metal musician, often doing somewhat out there things such as wearing tie-die shirts on stage. He left the band briefly in 1992 to join the band Indica, but departed to rejoin Defiance. Defiance later evolved into Inner Threshold, which disbanded in the mid-1990s. Adams played in the cover band Fat Freddie's Cat during the late 1990s.
As of 2005 Defiance has reunited, and Adams has rejoined along with Steev Esquivel
Steev Esquivel
Steev Esquivel is a Mexican-American heavy metal vocalist and bassist. He is best known for his work in the metal band Skinlab. He also has sung for the bands Laughing Dead , Defiance , and Xzanthus. He was a member of the thrash metal band, Exodus for a brief period...
, Mike Kaufmann
Mike Kaufmann
Mike Kaufmann is an American heavy metal bass guitarist. He is best known as the bass player for the thrash metal band Defiance...
and Doug Harrington
Doug Harrington
Doug Harrington was an American heavy metal guitarist. He was best known for being one of the lead guitarists for the thrash metal band Defiance throughout their entire recording career...
. Following Harrington's passing Adams is now Defiance's sole guitarist. He also works as a Systems Administrator, is married and has two children, a daughter and a son.
In 2010, he joined Jono Bacon
Jono Bacon
Jono Bacon is a community manager, writer, musician and software developer, originally from the United Kingdom, but now based in California...
's free culture metal project Severed Fifth
Severed Fifth
Severed Fifth is a San Francisco Bay Area band founded by Jono Bacon and featuring Defiance guitarist Jim Adams.The band is noted for its copyright model of distributing its music under permissive Creative Commons licenses, allowing the public to legally download and share music for free...
as a live guitarist.
He is known for his unique, Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
-esque lead style, prevalent in his utilization of fast legato
Legato
In musical notation the Italian word legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, in transitioning from note to note, there should be no intervening silence...
shred
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
. He has recently been playing in the band Freeload, a more "feel-good" almost jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
oriented type group which also features former Vio-Lence
Vio-lence
Vio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
drummer Perry Strickland.
His primary guitars in his Defiance days were Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
s modified with a blood splatter paint job and EMG
EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of a company based in Santa Rosa, California which manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Founded in 1976, the company was originally called Dirtywork Studios. The name was changed to "Overlend" in 1978 and then to the current name in 1983...
pickups. He has also been seen using Jackson
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
and Carvin DN612 (doubleneck) TL60 guitars and Dean USA V's Flying V.