A Wild Nobility
April 28, 2010 5:57 PM Subscribe
Something very strange has been happening across London clubland this Spring. The Antsignal has gone up over the city, and the Antpeople have crawled out from their mounds to hail the unexpected return of their insect overlord. An Adam Ant Exclusive by Simon Price
"I am Adam Ant, I dress up funny, that's what I do for a living, The End."
Adam Ant is back, turning up for unannounced "guerrilla gigs" all over London. His first show in 15-years, a Pirate Metal Extravaganza, is scheduled for April 30th at The Scala.
"I am Adam Ant, I dress up funny, that's what I do for a living, The End."
Adam Ant is back, turning up for unannounced "guerrilla gigs" all over London. His first show in 15-years, a Pirate Metal Extravaganza, is scheduled for April 30th at The Scala.
Don't tread on an ant
he's done nothing to you
there might come a day
when he's treading on you
posted by bwg at 6:20 PM on April 28, 2010
he's done nothing to you
there might come a day
when he's treading on you
posted by bwg at 6:20 PM on April 28, 2010
Well that was weird: he sings, sounds, acts and looks more like Axl Rose than Adam Ant in the linked "guerilla gigs" clip (the second clip, as the first is just noise then silence). It's a really weird song choice, given that it has a kind of barroom, mid 80's-hair-metal musical style that's totally at odds with the musical stylings Ant is famous for.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 6:31 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 6:31 PM on April 28, 2010
Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
posted by elsietheeel at 6:32 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by elsietheeel at 6:32 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm still waiting for the subtle innuendos that I was told would follow.
*taps foot*
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:36 PM on April 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
*taps foot*
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:36 PM on April 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
Well, Halloween Jack, you must insist upon them Adamantly.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 6:42 PM on April 28, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 6:42 PM on April 28, 2010 [5 favorites]
Great read. I spent many years ashamed of my Adam Ant fandom. Indeed, one of my most humiliating memories is the day I purchased the "Strip" album, with its ludicrous Adam-on-a-bed-of-hay cover and had to walk around for several hours with it in a clear bag. I had struck a punk rock pose at that time, you see, and somehow that album cover didn't say anything remotely related to punk.
Anyhow, I listened to "Physical (You're So)" quite by accident a couple years ago and fell in love with his music (and his oddness) all over again.
So, welcome back Adam. Hope your new album is a return to glorious form and not Wonderful at all.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:32 PM on April 28, 2010
Anyhow, I listened to "Physical (You're So)" quite by accident a couple years ago and fell in love with his music (and his oddness) all over again.
So, welcome back Adam. Hope your new album is a return to glorious form and not Wonderful at all.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:32 PM on April 28, 2010
Adam Ant is an immense part of the making of me. He hit just at the right time. I hope this comeback is everything it should be and I hope more than anything that he's OK. People like him are too precious for us to lose.
posted by merocet at 7:47 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by merocet at 7:47 PM on April 28, 2010
Adam Ant Trivia: he started wearing pirate gear after he was gobbed (spat) upon at least once too often by punk audiences, and then suffered from Conjunctivitis. His doctor advised him to wear an eye-patch, and the rest is fashion-history.
posted by ovvl at 8:04 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by ovvl at 8:04 PM on April 28, 2010
These shows are great! When he comes back out for the encore he brains you with an HIT-100F
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:17 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:17 PM on April 28, 2010
Nomads, baby. Nomads.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:22 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:22 PM on April 28, 2010
World Gone Wild is a 1988 post-apocalyptic Mad-Max knock-off movie where cult-leader Adam Ant reads from the book of 'The Wit and Wisdom of Charles Manson', and good-guy Bruce Dern smokes dope.
Also, A. Ant does some funny time-twisted dancing in Derek Jarman's Jubilee.
posted by ovvl at 8:24 PM on April 28, 2010
Also, A. Ant does some funny time-twisted dancing in Derek Jarman's Jubilee.
posted by ovvl at 8:24 PM on April 28, 2010
Of course, They Might Be Giants predicted these events nearly fifteen years ago with the song "XTC Vs. Adam Ant":
"Just when you think it's finished / With XTC on top/
Antmusic like a phoenix / Rises back up the charts."
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:32 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
"Just when you think it's finished / With XTC on top/
Antmusic like a phoenix / Rises back up the charts."
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:32 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
King of the Wild Frontier is always my argument genrating vote for best album of the 80's, but that interview made me uncomfortable. It sounded weirdly, eerily, like the crazy rantings of one of my former housemates who was a person otherwise as unlike Adam Ant as possible (aside from being a musician). Not too stoked to have been reminded of highly uncomfortable interactions I haven't thought of in years via an interview with Adam Ant, of all things.
So, hrm. Good for Adam, I guess? I don't know. I think I can see why his friends might be concerned about him being out in front of an audience again. I was pleased to see him looking more like himself at Malcolm's funeral procession.
Previous Burundi Beat post. It's a good'un.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:45 PM on April 28, 2010
So, hrm. Good for Adam, I guess? I don't know. I think I can see why his friends might be concerned about him being out in front of an audience again. I was pleased to see him looking more like himself at Malcolm's funeral procession.
Previous Burundi Beat post. It's a good'un.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:45 PM on April 28, 2010
you must insist upon them Adamantly.
To rant, pant or throw a tantrum is not a good mantra. It can't be done without antagonism or a fantastically slanted POV.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 8:50 PM on April 28, 2010
To rant, pant or throw a tantrum is not a good mantra. It can't be done without antagonism or a fantastically slanted POV.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 8:50 PM on April 28, 2010
The devil take your stereo. And your record collection.
posted by gimonca at 9:13 PM on April 28, 2010
posted by gimonca at 9:13 PM on April 28, 2010
[sings backing chorus for gimonca] Wup wup, ah diddly wup wup, ah diddly wup wup, ah diddly wup wup, ah diddly...
posted by alasdair at 2:15 AM on April 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by alasdair at 2:15 AM on April 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was excited because it sounded like this Adam Ant was coming back.
He lives in an anthill. We haven't seen him for a while. He fights crime. It's almost like the Dark Knight Returns in a way. Almost mythic in its revitalizing of the return of the heroic ... ok, maybe not.
posted by Smedleyman at 7:13 AM on April 29, 2010
He lives in an anthill. We haven't seen him for a while. He fights crime. It's almost like the Dark Knight Returns in a way. Almost mythic in its revitalizing of the return of the heroic ... ok, maybe not.
posted by Smedleyman at 7:13 AM on April 29, 2010
Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?
posted by corey flood at 7:20 AM on April 29, 2010
posted by corey flood at 7:20 AM on April 29, 2010
In my first interview with The Face I went on and on, I was a very serious young man, about not having an original thought. Well, I did, but its an eclectic originality. People talk about genius, do me a favour there's five in a fucking century. Picasso, Stravinsky, Dali, the bloke that invented penicillin, Stephen Hawking. I'd have a job remembering more. A genius is someone who is going to do something that isn't in the book. Everything else is eclectic genius.
He's certifiably off his rocker but he's terrific.
posted by blucevalo at 7:37 AM on April 29, 2010
He's certifiably off his rocker but he's terrific.
posted by blucevalo at 7:37 AM on April 29, 2010
I'm a friend of a friend of a friend (can I come in free?)
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:06 AM on April 29, 2010
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:06 AM on April 29, 2010
Strange Interlude: Of course, They Might Be Giants predicted these events nearly fifteen years ago with the song "XTC Vs. Adam Ant"
Dude. Not cool. Not cool at all. This is supposed to be the thread where I laugh at other people whining about how old they feel. It is not supposed to be a thread that makes me personally feel old. Boo to you!
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 11:22 AM on April 29, 2010
Dude. Not cool. Not cool at all. This is supposed to be the thread where I laugh at other people whining about how old they feel. It is not supposed to be a thread that makes me personally feel old. Boo to you!
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 11:22 AM on April 29, 2010
Best sort of junk-punk-journalism (I think I just made up that phrase).
Great read, maybe a bit mawkish at times - but it's first rate mawk!
Thanks so much.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:14 PM on April 29, 2010
Great read, maybe a bit mawkish at times - but it's first rate mawk!
Thanks so much.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:14 PM on April 29, 2010
The question is:
when time goes by will soon
the one be five young hombres
burning fire
they'll be in no doubt
which side of the fence they are on
prick up your ears
posted by bwg at 5:57 PM on April 29, 2010
when time goes by will soon
the one be five young hombres
burning fire
they'll be in no doubt
which side of the fence they are on
prick up your ears
posted by bwg at 5:57 PM on April 29, 2010
« Older Fretless Fader | Zoology, the final frontier Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:14 PM on April 28, 2010 [4 favorites]