Cleveland musician Adam Rich is a rock n roll lifer who not only plays and records music but founded the indie label Love Muffin Records. His latest record is called Kiss Me I’m Rich. We caught up with Adam and he was kind enough to answer a few questions for our Pencil Storm readers.
First off, what is the name of your new record. and tell people where they can stream/listen to it?
It's called Kiss Me I'm Rich. My parents had a cup since as long as i can remember that says "Kiss Me I'm Rich." I have no idea when or where they got it, but I always thought it would make a good album cover since our last name is Rich. I think it was a parody of the shirts and hats that say "Kiss Me I'm Irish."
You can buy it physically at the Cleveland Rocks Shop 15801 Waterloo Road in Cleveland. You can also buy it online at the Love Muffin newly revamped website Love Muffin Records and stream at all the major sites such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, etc.
You work with a lot of different collaborators. Was it hard to decide who would play on each track?
I cannot sing. I realized this when i tried to sing two songs on my second release, which was on cassette, in college in 1997. Since then, I have aways had guest singers. I usually have a genera idea of what kind of voice I want for each song. I would love for Colin to sing on a song but he keeps saying no, haha. Basically, I will ask someone, and if they say no, I will keep asking around until I find someone.
Does everyone layer tracks or do you record together at the same time?
For this CD, I practiced the songs with my drummer Kurt Bernardo until we got them tight. Then we laid down drums with scratch guitar. Then i would replace it with the real guitar tracks, then bass, then guitar solos/lead lines/harmonies, then any other instruments such as harmonica, keys, etc and end with vocals. Kurt has been with me for 12 years now, and has played drums on the two releases before this one. He's also the drummer for the live band.
How long did it take you to complete from start to finish?
About 7 months to record it - September 2024 to March 2025. The person mixing it moved to another state right as he started mixing it, and had to tear down, then re-assemble his home studio so that process took until December 2025. It was released on February 20, 2026, which was my 52nd birthday
What tracks are you most proud of?
All of them! Haha. “New Years Sucks” is probably my favorite. I came up with the chorus for that on New Years Eve 2014. My dad had passed away in May of that year and my mom had passed away in late 2013. I had no New Years Eve plans. The chorus is exactly what I was feeling that night. For the next decade, I tried to finish the song several times lyrically & musically, but nothing seemed right. Finally in 2024 I finished it. I introduced it to the band, and we now play it out live. It's very Social Distorion-ish.
How would describe this record to folks who haven’t heard it? What bands/records did you use for inspiration?
I grew up on Casey Casem Top 40, then discovered ‘80's hair metal and thrash metal in 8th grade. Got into instrumental guitarists Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson in late high school. Got into pop/punk/indie and grunge in college and never really developed any new tastes, lol. Every release I have done starts with an instrumental guitar song, and there is at least one Social Distortion-sounding song on every release.
What are some of the other bands/projects you have been involved with through the years?
Where to begin! I originally started on drums at 15, then guitar at 16. I made a 4-song cassette in 1992 after my freshman year in college. I didn't really play bass but picked it up to make that cassette. It's funny because I would end up playing bass for the next 30 years in various bands ranging from metal to rock to reggae to alt country to blues. Tadpol from 1998 to 2001, Girth from 2002 to 2006, Oliver Buck & The New Madrids from 2007-2010, The Flavor from 2010-2014, and the Dave Smeltz Project from 2017-2021.
I made a one-time band for the first Love Muffin concert in 2007 with me on guitar and musicians from my college years on bass & drums. It was called the Adam Rich Band, and that set the seeds for me to form a live band in 2016 with me back on guitar to play only at my LoveMuffinPalooza concert which started in 2008. The current live band is called Flowers Love Being Eerie and this lineup has been together since 2021
The solo releases started in college, and the record label was started in 1994 to release my first full length cassette. Love Muffin was a nickname someone gave me in high school, and that's what i named my record label. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024.
What is your favorite show you have ever attended?
My first concert was Metallica in 1992 when I was 18, but my favorite has to be the Beau Coup 30th anniversary reunion cincert in 2017. I had gotten into them when their album came ut in 1987. I was 13. They were a local band but got one song, “Sweet Rachel,” on the Billboard charts. I remember listening to the cassette every morning on the bus ride to school in 7th grade. I remember seeing them maybe once at some summer outdoor event doing a couple songs, but this was basically every song on the album plus more. I got most of the band to sign my CD.
Anything else you would like add for our Pencilstorm readers?
Watershed is awesome. My college band opened for them in 1997 at the Grog Shop in Cleveland. We ended up covering one of their songs, which I got to play on bass with the band at a Cleveland gig 20 years later in 2017. Also we have a few shows coming up.
Super Awesome Concert Sunday, June 28 @ Beachland Ballroom www.beachlandballroom.com for tickets.
LoveMuffinPalooza - a benefit for The Gathering Place Sunday, August 9 @ The Treelawn (not listed on the Treelawn website yet).
Here is the YouTube video from 1997 when State Of Green covered “You Need Me” at the Grog Shop.
You can see how much we really enjoyed playing it. I was 23.
Fast forward 20 years later, and here's the video of me playing “You Need Me” with you guys at the Beachland in 2017. I am an old 43, lol.
Love Muffin new website: Love Muffin Records.
CD is available for purchase digitally at the Love Muffin website, and on 150+ streaming sites.
Also available physically only at the Cleveland Rocks Shop, 15801 Waterloo Road, Cleveland.
Thanks Adam! Ok, folks, it’s time to check out this record and Love Muffin Records.