They soon changed their name to The Adicts and became known for their distinctive Clockwork Orange 'Droog' image, which, along with their urgent, uptempo music and light-hearted lyrics, helped set them very much apart from the rest of the genre. Temporary 1980s name changes to ADX and FUN ADICTS, for a children's TV appearance, also occurred.
Their song "Viva La Revolution" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground.
The band still has all its original members, uncommon for a band with such longevity.
The music of The Adicts proves that punk music is a very broad genre, often featuring extra instruments and sound clips such as carousel music (How Sad), violin played by Derick Cook (Joker in the Pack), gongs and keyboard percussion by Anthony Boyd (Chinese Takeaway), and even completely different songs like the switch to Gain To Lose's Tune #24 at the end of G.I.R.L..
The look of the majority of the bandmates is that of the Droogs from the Stanley Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange based on the book by Anthony Burgess. All white with black combat boots and black bowler hats. The band says that the look appealed to them because of the teenage angst associated with A Clockwork Orange. Singer "Monkey" wears full joker make-up and his clothes are wild, patterned suits, flared trousers, colorful dress shirts, and other such things. His favorites seem to be checkerboard patterns, or polkadots. And of course, there's the obligatory bowler hat and gloves. Along with the look come stage antics involving streamers, confetti, playing cards, joker hats, toy instruments, and glitter just to name a few things.
members:
Keith 'Monkey' Warren - Vocals.
Mel (Spider)Ellis - Bass
Pete Dee Davison - Guitar
Michael 'Kid Dee' Davison - Drums
John 'Scruff' Ellis (Mel’s brother) - Guitar
Dan Gratziani - Violin,Piano,Mandolin
Breakdown
The Adicts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Danny Dave Ricardo
Jesus George Herman Hans
Paulo Sergei Jean-Claude Franz
Having fun?
Shaun Briggita Mario
Keiko Kikki Marilyn
Bob Ted Rin-Tin-Tin
Donald Mickey Little Bo
Juliet Romeo
Florence Dougal Zebedee
Gonna breakdown Just like me
The above lyrics are from the chorus of The Adicts's song "Breakdown." The song is full of names that are randomly strung together, making it seem like it's about a group of people having fun together. But when they sing "Gonna breakdown just like me" in the chorus, we understand that the song is actually about something darker.
The song "Breakdown" is about the feeling of being on the edge of a mental breakdown and possibly succumbing to it. The names in the song are like a roll call of people who might be able to help the singer, but ultimately, they are all just names in the end as the person singing still feels alone in their struggle. The upbeat and almost manic sound of the song is ironic, as it is in stark contrast to the sadness and loneliness conveyed by the lyrics.
Overall, "Breakdown" is a powerful and relatable song that speaks to the feelings of stress, pressure, and mental breakdown that many people experience in today's fast-paced and unpredictable world.
Line by Line Meaning
Judy Jackie Johnny Joe
A list of common and relatable names, indicating that anyone could be going through a breakdown
Danny Dave Ricardo
More common names that further emphasize the universal nature of breakdowns
Jesus George Herman Hans
Religious and cultural figures, possibly alluding to the idea that even those who are typically looked up to can struggle with mental health issues
Paulo Sergei Jean-Claude Franz
International names, adding to the idea that people from all walks of life can experience a breakdown
Having fun?
Sarcastic rhetorical question, implying that the artist is not actually having fun and is experiencing a breakdown
Shaun Briggita Mario
More common and relatable names
Carlo Kevin Julio
Additional names that continue to emphasize universality
Keiko Kikki Marilyn
More unique names that add diversity to the list of people who could experience a breakdown
Bob Ted Rin-Tin-Tin
Further demonstrating the wide range of names and personalities who could be affected by a breakdown, including fictional characters
Donald Mickey Little Bo
More characters, indicating that even imaginary or cartoon figures can have relatable experiences
Juliet Romeo
Famous characters from literature, possibly highlighting the emotional turmoil that can be present in even the greatest love stories
Florence Dougal Zebedee
More characters, emphasizing that anyone, no matter how obscure or fictional, can experience mental health struggles
Gonna breakdown Just like me
The final line summarizes the song's overall message - that anyone can experience a breakdown, and the singer is no exception
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH
Written by: KEITH ANDREW WARREN, MICHAEL DAVISON, PETER JONNATHAN DAVISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind