Adult. Added by Goedie, 9 November 2003
ADULT. is Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller, who also run the Ersatz Audio label (est.1995). A married couple from Detroit both armed with degrees in the Fine Arts, Kuperus and Miller first began working together in 1997 when Miller's solo project Artificial Material was asked to tour 4 cities in Germany as a promotional tour for a Studio K7 release entitled "CD2000". Miller and Kuperus decided to do the tour together with Kuperus singing on some of Miller's previous solo material, as well as working on a few new songs together for the tour. The tour was a success, as was the collaboration, and the duo decided to work together on new material.
The 2 worked together to make their first 12" entitled "Modern Romantics" under the name Plasma Co. which was released on the German label Electrecord. Shortly after this release, they changed their name to ADULT. (please note the period is part of their name) and released the "Dispassionate Furniture" 12" on Ersatz Audio in 1998. Received with mixed reviews of both extreme love or hate, ADULT. knew they were on the right track, and thus were very motivated to continue their unique vision of uncomfortable music.
During this time, ADULT. worked hard on their next 12" entitled "Entertainment" (released on Ersatz Audio in 1999), began playing numerous live gigs globally, and began adding their distinct take on music for numerous remixes. While forging a name for themselves in the underground dance community, ADULT. was still relatively unknown at this time in the larger music community. It wasn't until their 2000 release, the "New-Phonies ep" on Dutch label Clone Records that ADULT. began to reach a larger audience. With a beautiful limited edition picture disc feature photography of Kuperus's and the hit "Hand To Phone" (now licensed to over a dozen compilations and an impressive double 12" remix release featuring remixes from Carl Craig, I-F, Mat 101 and PSS2099), ADULT. rose to a new level of recognition in the international music community.
ADULT. quickly followed the "New-Phonies ep" up with their mini lp "Nausea", back on their own label Ersatz Audio. An instant success, packaged in a beautiful full color jacket featuring Kuperus's photography, ADULT. was now recognized not only for their infectious sound, but their visually stunning artwork, their growing remix catalog and their now much talked about and highly sought after intense live shows (taking them from San Francisco to Helsinki and most major cities in between).
In late 2000, demand for ADULT.'s material for a larger audience was growing stronger, and they decided to prepare their first proper full length album "Resuscitation", released on Ersatz Audio in Spring of 2001. "Resuscitation" brought ADULT. to a much larger audience, introducing in many ways ADULT. to the more CD oriented Indy scene in America, and solidifying ADULT. as a serious contribution to many genres.
In 2002, ADULT. released a 1,000 hand-numbered limited edition 7" with fold-out full-color poster feature a new enigmatic image from Kuperus on Ersatz Audio that caused much hysteria with it's immediate sell out. They also released the unique "Misinterpreted" release on Ersatz Audio, a telephone-game style remix 12" which featured misinterpreted songs from Solvent, Phoencia & Alder and Elius.
In 2003, ADULT. released their first proper full length album entitled "Anxiety Always". Supported by their first proper North American and European tour, ADULT. felt like they were finally doing it right. In the next year, ADULT. release 3 limited edition 7"s on their label Ersatz Audio. One being a purly ADULT. 7", one a split with Tamion 12 Inch, and one with The Dirtbombs.
And as a side note…
…at this point in time, ADULT. had also completed 22 remixes for the likes of The Faint, Erase Errata and Bobby Conn. And Nicola Kuperus had contributed vocals to the music of Death in Vegas, Swayzak and Chicks on Speed.
In mid 2004, after a whirlwind year and a half ADULT. took a much needed break to recope and rethink the future. Deciding that the responsiblities of being label heads and in a band, ADULT. decide it would be a good idea to take a break from Ersatz Audio and focus on ADULT. for at least a year. In the fall of 2004, ADULT. approach Thrill Jockey records in Chicago (long time distributors of Ersatz Audio, major supportors of ADULT. and just all around good people) about their interest in releasing some new ADULT. material. Both parties are very pleased about working together and ADULT. begin working.
Currently (as of March 1, 2005), ADULT. await the release of their new 6 song CD/12" ep entitled "D.U.M.E." to come out April 12th on Thrill Jockey and are busy writing new material for their next full length album that will come out in October on Thrill Jockey as well.
The information supplied here is mostly intended for journalists. These are questions we are asked over and over, and would rather not answer verbally anymore. We decided to make it available to all because we figured that non-journalists might be interested just the same.
Performances
Recyclart, 3 February 2006
Recyclart, Brussel
Adult., 20 June 2005
Paradiso, Amsterdam
Body to body, 23 June 2005
Culture Club, Gent
Electronation, 15 August 2003
Amuse, Amsterdam
Clone label night, 14 August 2003
Waterfront, Rotterdam