Now Playing on the Groove Machine - Essence

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This morning, I got my gravel bike to a bike shop to get my flat tire fixed, and rode to the supermarket to get what I could carry home on my back. Now, I’m just hanging out and listening to records until our Project Hero group ride later this afternoon (rain in the forecast, of course!) I’m listening to the album Essence by Digital Sex. Digital Sex was a post punk band formed in Omaha, Nebraska in the 1980’s. Influenced by post punk groups such as The Cure, Joy Division, and The Durutti Column, the band consisted of Stephen Sheehan, Dereck Higgins, and John Tingle. All three played guitar and keyboards, Sheehan handled vocal duties, and Higgins played the drums on the album. Over the course of their career, the band often brought in regular guests for their recordings, some so often they are considered members of the group in some cases. Essence is Digital Sex’s debut studio album, released in 1985. The band also released two compilations consisting of this album paired with other tunes they had recorded. It was through one of these compilations (Essence and Charm) that I discovered the group (my buddy bought the CD unheard, based on the liner notes alone. Only 5000 copies were made, it took me two years to locate my own copy.) I ordered my copy of Essence from a seller on Discogs. Sadly, Digital Sex really never advanced past a regional/cult following. I have owned everything I could ever find Digital Sex-related on Compact Disc - including projects by the “guests,” such as keyboardist Maureen Evans-Hansen’s album Out of the Blue. It’s all really good stuff - Sheehan’s Bliss Repair project is weird but awesome, Dereck Higgins’ solo output is well worth owning (I have his album, Nice, on vinyl as well.) Just because a band or artist isn’t on a major label or selling out arenas doesn’t mean they aren’t worth listening to. Digital Sex is proof. Link is to the song “Second Wind” from the album (this was the song that really made me sit up and take notice early on:)