Adam and the Ants were a new wave band during the late 1970s and early 1980… Read Full Bio ↴Adam and the Ants were a new wave band during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was one of the bands at the time that marked the transition from the '70s punk rock era to the new-wave post punk-music era. Although the band started off with a punk-influenced sound, it soon moved on to New Wave motivated by new sources such as the drum-heavy "Burundi Beat" heard on "Dog Eat Dog".
Led by Adam Ant (real name Stuart Goddard), the band formed in 1977 in London, England, consisting of Lester Square (guitar), Andy Warren (bass guitar) and Paul Flanagan (drums). Square was replaced by Mark Gaumont early in the band's career, before the release of their debut album Dirk Wears White Sox (1979, Do It Records). The album was somewhat dark, with post punk riffs and some vestiges of glam rock. The album was not a success, so Adam and the Ants hired Malcolm McLaren (manager of the Sex Pistols) to help with their image.
While preparing for their second album, McLaren convinced the Ants to leave Adam and form Bow Wow Wow. A new version of the Ants was formed by Marco Pirroni (guitar), Kevin Mooney (bass guitar) and two drummers, Terry Lee Miall and Merrick. Pirroni would go on to become an influential member of the group, and cowrite many of their songs with Adam Ant.
The band signed a major label deal with CBS Records and began recording Kings of the Wild Frontier. That album was an enormous hit in the United Kingdom and put the band at the forefront of the New Romantic moment. The album reached #1 on the UK album charts on January 24, 1981.
There were several hit singles from this LP, including Dog Eat Dog (reaching #4 on the UK singles charts in October 1980), Ant Music (#2 in January 1981) and Kings of the Wild Frontier (#2 in March 1981). In addition, Antmusic made it to No.1 in Australia for five weeks.
Bassist Kevin Mooney left the band in 1981, and was replaced with Gary Tibbs who joined just in time to record the hit single "Stand and Deliver".
In November 1981 Adam and the Ants released another highly successful album, Prince Charming. The band had two United Kingdom #1 singles. "Stand and Deliver" was the #1 single in the UK for 5 weeks in May 1981, followed by "Prince Charming", which topped the UK charts, for 4 weeks in September 1981. "Antrap" reached #3 in January, 1982.
The band seized the opportunities provided by music videos on the new MTV channel to develop a theatrical, charismatic onscreen persona. With romantic costumes and heavy make-up, the band was an early example of the New Romantic movement, with contemporaries such as Duran Duran dressing similarly. Lavish videos were produced for the Prince Charming singles, including Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming, and Ant Rap. In the Stand and Deliver video, Adam Ant is dressed as a "dandy highwayman" and generally indulges his exhibitionist tendencies. These videos helped break the band in the United States when MTV began airing them.
In early 1982 the band received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.
Led by Adam Ant (real name Stuart Goddard), the band formed in 1977 in London, England, consisting of Lester Square (guitar), Andy Warren (bass guitar) and Paul Flanagan (drums). Square was replaced by Mark Gaumont early in the band's career, before the release of their debut album Dirk Wears White Sox (1979, Do It Records). The album was somewhat dark, with post punk riffs and some vestiges of glam rock. The album was not a success, so Adam and the Ants hired Malcolm McLaren (manager of the Sex Pistols) to help with their image.
While preparing for their second album, McLaren convinced the Ants to leave Adam and form Bow Wow Wow. A new version of the Ants was formed by Marco Pirroni (guitar), Kevin Mooney (bass guitar) and two drummers, Terry Lee Miall and Merrick. Pirroni would go on to become an influential member of the group, and cowrite many of their songs with Adam Ant.
The band signed a major label deal with CBS Records and began recording Kings of the Wild Frontier. That album was an enormous hit in the United Kingdom and put the band at the forefront of the New Romantic moment. The album reached #1 on the UK album charts on January 24, 1981.
There were several hit singles from this LP, including Dog Eat Dog (reaching #4 on the UK singles charts in October 1980), Ant Music (#2 in January 1981) and Kings of the Wild Frontier (#2 in March 1981). In addition, Antmusic made it to No.1 in Australia for five weeks.
Bassist Kevin Mooney left the band in 1981, and was replaced with Gary Tibbs who joined just in time to record the hit single "Stand and Deliver".
In November 1981 Adam and the Ants released another highly successful album, Prince Charming. The band had two United Kingdom #1 singles. "Stand and Deliver" was the #1 single in the UK for 5 weeks in May 1981, followed by "Prince Charming", which topped the UK charts, for 4 weeks in September 1981. "Antrap" reached #3 in January, 1982.
The band seized the opportunities provided by music videos on the new MTV channel to develop a theatrical, charismatic onscreen persona. With romantic costumes and heavy make-up, the band was an early example of the New Romantic movement, with contemporaries such as Duran Duran dressing similarly. Lavish videos were produced for the Prince Charming singles, including Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming, and Ant Rap. In the Stand and Deliver video, Adam Ant is dressed as a "dandy highwayman" and generally indulges his exhibitionist tendencies. These videos helped break the band in the United States when MTV began airing them.
In early 1982 the band received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.
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Dirk Wears White Sox (Remastered)
Adam and the Ants Lyrics
Animals and Men Uno, due, tre, quattro Marinetti Boccioni, Carra Balla Palas…
Cartrouble have you ever had a ride in a light blue…
Catholic Day Kennedy died in '63 Poor John.F- Kennedy died in '63 Poor…
Cleopatra Cleopatra did ten thousand in her lifetime Now that a wide…
Digital Tenderness why does this feeling of togetherness always scare me away? …
Family of Noise A lot of people in this great big world Say "Love…
Friends Friend or foe Friend or foe I want those who get to…
Kick! From the "Antmusic" EP I was walking down the street I saw…
Never Trust a Man (With Egg on His Face) A man and a woman walking down the street with a son…
Nine Plan Failed After nine years in the army They took away his brain They…
Physical I want to date you maybe I want to take…
Tabletalk Don't like your stare Don't like the arm in the air Your…
The Day I Met God Day I met god I got so carried away Day I met…
The Idea Ever since we split, I've been so distraught about it Hate…
Whip In My Valise when I met you you were just sixteen pulling the wings…
Zerox Lock up your brain Because I'm here again I'm never bored to…
Nige
on Lou
So... we're just going to let AI invent song-lyrics now? This is not Adam Ant's Lou. Shameful lazy website.
Ben - Moderator
on Cleopatra
Hi Kevin, I have updated the song facts to reflect these corrections. Please let us know if any further errors are found.
Kevin Manktelow
on Cleopatra
Couple of glaring errors, Cleopatra was first performed on the 10th July 1978 on the Peel Sessions and it was record in in the studio in 1979 for the Dirk Wears White Sox album which was released in January 1980. Marco Pirroni didn't join the band until after Malcolm Mclaren persuaded the rest of the band to quit and form Bow Wow Wow at the end of January 1980. It also wasn't on the normal release of the Prince Charming album, nor was it released as a single.