Last Updated on December 12, 2025 by Black Sunshine Media
Hello, my name is Christian Adams, and I’m the sole proprietor of Black Sunshine Media and Black Sunshine Media Group, established in 2012. My main interests are rock music, travel, and counterculture literature. Sometimes you’ll see me refer to BSM as “our”, “us”, or “we”, but that’s just a contrivance. Several people have contributed to the site over the years, but it’s mostly me.
To learn more about me and my other written work, please visit my author’s site.
My Purpose
The website was created to share my passion for unsung, underappreciated, and obscure musicians and writers, from a personal, more intimate, and engaging perspective. The BSM tagline, “Where dark meets light,” was born from the concepts of discovery and wonder. Since its inception, BSM’s focus has meandered from topic to topic, and the site has gone through stages of development and stagnation. With an unfocused and inconsistent approach, we failed to find an audience for many years.
But here we are 14 years later…
My Experience and Expertise in Music
If you read any further than this page, you’re likely to come across something that makes you stop and say, “That’s a hot take!” or some variation thereof. And it’s totally reasonable to wonder, “Where does this guy get off talking mad shit about [insert band name here]?”
I get as much inspiration from the things I don’t like as the things I do, and I’m not shy about sharing my opinions. If I think something sucks, I’ll say so. But I’ll also tell you why I think it sucks. In detail. With footnotes and references. I’m not here to spread negativity, but I’ll jump at a chance to dispel misconceptions and offer thought-provoking alternatives to the status quo.
My tastes are particular, but I only talk (and write) about what I know. And I know music. I’ve been a pro, semi-pro, and totally amateur musician for nearly 50 years.
Early Years: Drums, Guitar, Songwriting, and Starting a Band
I started playing drums in the school band at 7 years old. My family had a piano, so I plunked around occasionally through the years. At 15, I taught myself to play guitar mainly by ear, but also with tabs and sheet music.
I played drums in several garage bands during high school, and started writing songs around 17. I bought a Tascam 4-track and learned the recording process while developing as a songwriter. I dropped out of college at 19, got a job as a busboy in a Mexican restaurant, and formed a band with some friends from my hometown, Darien, Illinois.
The Indie Rock Years in Chicago
My band entered its first pro recording studio to record a demo in 1988 and again in 1989. We played a series of local parties until we scored our first big gig in Chicago at Batteries Not Included. This band went through a few name changes before settling on Brain Kiss. From 1989 to 1994, Brain Kiss played regional shows, released an EP on Big Jaw Records, had songs appear on multiple compilations, and recorded an unreleased album.
From 1994 to 1999, I played in two Chicago indie rock bands: Whitey and Golden Tones. Both groups recorded and released an album before disbanding or going on hiatus.
The San Francisco Era
In 1999, I moved to San Francisco, where I formed another band, Henry Miller Sextet. We were active until 2007. In the meantime, I had a side project called Aztec Hearts that released three albums between 2005 and 2014. I moved to Taipei, Taiwan, in 2008, and continued to make music.
Golden Tones reunited to record an album in 2020, finally releasing the album in 2023. And that’s pretty much where the story ends, recording and performance-wise. I still have a collection of guitars and keyboards, a drum set, a piano, microphones, and a digital audio workstation for home recording.
I’ve been a drummer, guitarist, frontman, engineer, producer, and manager. I’ve recorded in state-of-the-art studios and ramshackle home studio setups. I’ve written nearly 200 songs, recorded many of them, toured in a van, released albums, designed artwork and merch, built the website, booked the shows, sent out press kits, and basically run the gauntlet of the vaguely unsuccessful indie rock musician.
And I haven’t even gotten to my experience as a music journalist….
2026 Update
As of this writing, the website is under a major renovation, and I’m back on a regular writing and publishing routine. We’ll see what happens, but I’m cautiously optimistic and driven to achieve my goals.
Thanks for visiting the site, and I hope you stick around long enough to engage me in the comments or via email. I’m always up for a good banter about music, travel, and literature.
Get in touch or visit our Contact Us page for more information.
