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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Stand And Deliver: The Very Best Of Adam and The Ants
Adam and the Ants Lyrics
Ant Rap Rap up! Rap it up! Put some wax on the trax and…
Antmusic Well, I'm standing here looking at you What do I see? I'm…
Apollo 9 Ten - dress it up Nine - dress it up Eight -…
Can't Set Rules About Love I feel suspended in space In another time and place To talk…
Cartrouble have you ever had a ride in a light blue…
Desperate but Not Serious If I ask you difficult questions If I make improper suggesti…
Deutscher Girls We'll do the Tango We'll try the Fox Trot I'll eat a…
Dog Eat Dog You may not like The things we do Only idiots Ignore the tru…
Friend or Foe Friend or foe Friend or foe I want those who get to…
Goody Two Shoes With the heartbreak open So much you can't hide Put on a…
Kick! From the "Antmusic" EP I was walking down the street I saw…
Kings of the Wild Frontier A new Royal Family, a wild nobility, we are the…
Prince Charming Don't you ever, don't you ever Stop being dandy, showing me…
Puss 'n Boots Boots... Kitty, Kitty! Pussycat's going to London Looking f…
Room at the Top Once is never enough Never is and never was Here and now…
Stand and Deliver Stand and Deliver! I'm the Dandy Highwayman You're too scar…
Strip It's at times like this, the great heaven knows that we…
Vive Le Rock Bang bang you're dead Did not, did too Stop diddy-bopping bu…
Wonderful Did I tell you how much I miss Your sweet kiss? Did…
Young Parisians Young Parisians are so French They love Patti Smith Young Pa…
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.