In Memory of Adam Burse: ‘I Don’t Care’ Remaster and Tribute
Following the heartbreaking news of Adam Burse’s passing earlier this month, we have revisited his 2010 EP, I Don’t Care, to give it a fresh remaster. This newly polished version will be available digitally for the first time through Death Monkey Records’ BandCamp.
https://deathmonkeyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-dont-care-2024-remaster
By making this EP accessible once again, we hope to honour Adam’s legacy and ensure that his music continues to resonate with the world.
The EP will be available for free streaming and download, with any “Pay What You Want” proceeds donated to the National Autistic Society via a page set up by his brother on the ‘Much Loved Platform’: https://adamburse.muchloved.com/.
Adam Burse – A Tribute
by Dave Milsom
Adam Avit! embodied the truest spirit of Punk Rock; Rebellion, Outrage, Defiance, Independence, personal liberation through righteous exposition and not giving a shit about what other people think about you.
In the following years since his 2010 EP, ‘I Don’t Care’ for Death Monkey, Adam had long since dropped the ‘Avit!’ Moniker from his artist title and found a love for much heavier music stylings. However, before he became the 8 string guitar wielding behemoth, known internationally through his YouTube channel and beloved by a whole community where he poured all his future creative endeavours, Punk was his clarion call.
‘I Don’t Care’ was one of Death Monkey Records inaugural releases, and at the time we started to come up with the somewhat contentious idea of launching a new independent label for Swansea’s underground scene (given that the music industry as we knew it was currently in an existential crisis) there was one voice who could not be dismissed; Adam Avit!
A Voice That Couldn’t Be Ignored
When Adam took to the stage you instantly knew about it. Erupting from the very first clang of his Acoustic Guitar was a ruckus that was impossible to ignore. With his baggy jacket adorned with pin badges and Guitar plastered with stickers, at first glance he appeared to look like something of a mild mannered Folk-Troubadour, albeit one who had been suddenly, savagely possessed by the fucked up spectre of Sid Vicious, on a rampage to seek out the nearest hotel room to trash. It immediately became obvious to all in attendance, something had REALY pissed this guy off.
The wild, unbridled character that came across in Adam Avit! though, was the very antithesis of who Adam Burse was to all who knew him, or even those who he had the briefest of interactions with. Adam was genuinely a very happy dude, very much enjoyed a laugh and a joke, was about the politest person you could hope to meet, quiet at times, instantly likeable and a friend to all who knew him.
Underlying this was a steely demeanour, he knew himself better than most, and would not suffer fools gladly, or those who overstepped the mark. He was fearless, did things his own way and always approached life on his own terms. Adam was always extremely honest and open in all things and would soon let any acquaintances know about his Asperger’s condition, how it affected him and how he preferred to deal with things in a very direct manner. That was just him he’d explain. It’s easy to see how Adam Avit! Had become his direct alter ego.
Harnessing Punk’s Power for Honest Expression
It’s fair to say that in the early stages of Adams artistic development, his technical ability was far from refined, he possessed a stage presence that was both chaotic and compelling and would violently attack his instrument with the fervor of a man who needed to exorcise from his soul the anger of a lifetime of pent up rage. But technique was never what Punk Rock was about and this is what Adam embraced about it, just as his hero’s had before him.
What punk was for him was a vehicle, not just for expressing the anger and injustice which seemed to be imbued within him, but above all, for his highly attuned sense of song writing, story telling and melody. Amid the on stage carnage, you knew these songs had a message, intent and a very fucking deep meaning indeed.
It was this talent that shone through, along with the obvious charisma and take no prisoners attitude, that made us really excited about working with Adam at DMR. He was a kindred spirit who shared our views about what independent music was all about. We knew for certain that with a little bit of assistance with the production, together we could put out a record that would get to the heart of these songs, which he’d belt out at every support slot he’d managed to wrangle, or Open Mic Night that was going. We wanted to showcase his truly unique voice, irreverent writing style and character, which was larger than life.
In The Studio: Bringing Adam’s Songs to Life
We spent around 3 months working on the EP, from fine tuning the song structures to overlaying many layers of additional instruments. In the studio Adam was a very different animal, displaying a surprising precision, so much so that one take to the next would be almost identical, he had a keen ear for pitch and timing and when his Guitar and Vocals were doubled up, they would almost merge into a single voice so accurate was his performance.
In order to aid the transition of these songs from stage to tape, we put together a small ensemble of session musicians to be his backing band. Adam had been used to performing alone on an acoustic guitar, but it was obvious that some of these tracks he’d written were just destined to have a full band roaring behind him.
With the help of long time studio friends who have since appeared on many Death Monkey releases and become part of our very own “Wrecking Crew”, the mission was to take this EP to the very edge of what it could be, with all the angst and emotion behind the music at maximum impact.
As part of our ambitious vision for the EP, we had drafted in renowned String Arranger Sebastian Goldfinch who has appeared on many albums which have been both nominated for and awarded, the prestigious Welsh Music Prize. He was brought in specifically to add depth and emphasis to the weight of one of the most gut punching, hard hitting and personal tracks on the EP ‘The Secrets Out’
Inside Adam’s Magnum Opus – ‘I Don’t Care’
The five tracks that make up ‘I Don’t Care’ are some of the most diverse musically and thematically you could get on a rock album. The opening banger ‘Murderscene’ is a political commentary on modern day Britain and sadly still holds up verbatim 15 years after it was written. A departure from the album’s introspective tone, ‘Murderscene’ foreshadows Adam’s metal evolution, exploding with a System of a Down-like intensity.
The tone after this quickly shifts into more of the Pop Punk, Emo territory that Adam was occupying at the time, with the bittersweet melodies and upbeat catchy tunes, hiding some very dark truths. From alcohol dependency as a crutch, to social alienation, apathy, distain and defiance towards his detractors, alongside crushing debt problems and weight issues, ‘I Don’t Care’ is a full on cathartic release, where Adam speaks his truth and boldly exclaims how he took life face on.
All of these subjects, he wrote about with terrifying honesty, giving his audience unobstructed access to his thoughts. His songs were more than artistic expression, they were intrinsic and expositional and written for him first and foremost. These songs needed to exist for him and were expressed in a way only Adam could, with brutal integrity.
It’s testament to Adam’s cheery disposition and inner self belief, that no matter how heavy the subject matter, each song contains within it a seed of hope and in the case of ‘Six Degrees From Nowhere’ even triumphant optimism.
No sooner than he’d identified some of the more existential issues he sang about, Adam used his fervent resolve and massive self discipline into undergoing an inner transformation to sort through them. Within a fairly short time after ‘I Don’t Care’ was released Adam was tee total, debt free and was in fantastic shape, having taken up martial arts and become surprisingly ripped!
A follow up Album he later self released was entitled, in his own typical autobiographical style; ‘Metamorphosis’
A Relentless Evolution
Adam was a constant inspiration for all his followers and was relentlessly cheered on by a chorus of supporters who genuinely cared about his success, because he shared everything. His dedication and focus on tackling adversity was of epic proportions.
Disillusioned with the growing dominance of cover bands on the grassroots scene for a time, Adam stepped away from live performance. Seeking a new audience, he turned to his YouTube channel. There, he found a community that embraced his authentic spirit, showing how effortless his genuine appeal transcended traditional performance platforms
Embracing a heavier sound, Adam found a new home in the burgeoning online community. His punk-fueled energy was channeled into more technically demanding music, yet his raw intensity remained intact. This new style was a truer reflection of the man behind the music, and his ability to blend aggression with precision. He no longer needed the punk persona to connect with his audience.
Adam’s legacy is one of unwavering authenticity, his music a raw and honest expression of his soul. He will be long remembered and dearly missed by every person who was privileged to know him.
You Rocked Adam.
