Adam Merrin

Adam Merrin first gained notice playing piano with the L.A. power-pop group the 88, yet his command of multiple instruments and his background in production simultaneously supported an independent solo path. Born and raised in Calabasas, CA, he first connected with future 88 collaborator Keith Slettedahl during high school. After they finished school, the pair launched the Freeloaders; the arrival of Brandon Jay, Mark Vasapolli, and Carlos Torres prompted a name change to the 88. Their sound drew heavily from bright power pop, a style long favored in their hometown, and the band soon built a following across Southern California. Two albums appeared, one of them recorded, engineered, and mixed entirely by Merrin, though the group still lacked a label deal. Seeking wider exposure and steady income, the musicians placed tracks in Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., The Real World, Laguna Beach, Target campaigns, Microsoft and Sears advertising, and several films. This strategy expanded their reach well beyond the West Coast and led Island/Def Jam Records to sign them in spring 2007. The band then cut material with producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, scheduling their major-label debut for the next year.

In January 2007, Merrin issued his debut solo EP, Have One, using breaks between the 88’s live dates and recording sessions to develop his own songs. Working alone in his home studio, he performed every instrument, giving the release a markedly different character from the band’s output. Songs from Have One later appeared in Grey's Anatomy, Kyle XY, and MTV’s Newport Beach: The Real Orange County. By year’s end he had released the full-length album Have Another One.