"We're all a bunch of flawed designs,/so I'm not surprised when fate combines/two ruins such as yours and mine."
So begins "Let's", a song in which Adonis Cross immediately identifies his main source of inspiration.
"I'm inspired by flaws - malfunctions - and in my opinion, there isn't a person on this planet who isn't malfunctioning in some minor or major way", says the 25 year old, "and I love observing what those malfunctions give birth to within interpersonal dynamics. It's so much more interesting, for me, to write a song about the millions of ways things can go wrong than to write a million songs about how everything's just fine. Without conflict, there's no story."
Cross is no stranger to conflict - he's been very open about his battle with Social Anxiety Disorder, even as far as writing a song, "Disclaimer", to chronicle it. "It's a song about the time I realized meds were not working for me, and my problem was getting in the way of my having meaningful relationships. It's a problem I may or may not have my whole life, so I have to be up front about it, but thank God I'm past the worst of it."
His music first appeared online in late 2004. In 2005, after a successful period of independently selling his first EP, "Adonis Cross at The Wallflower Gallery", Adonis signed a deal with a start-up indie label - a deal that fell apart. He was later recruited to join the band Price, but legal issues with his former label prevented him from remaining with the band when they signed to Geffen Records. He released a second independent EP for a short time before taking both EPs off the market and disappearing from the industry. He has appeared in public sporadically to perform ever since, though he has re-released his EPs
"Missing out on a huge shot and having to find a lawyer just to make music really discouraged me from being involved in the music business", he says. "Right now, I have no plans to do anything huge - I just want to make music and survive. Even if making music isn't my main source of survival, I'll keep on making it. I'm addicted to it." With a knowing smile, he adds, "call it my malfunction."
