Entertainment For Lively Minds
The full sad story of Adam Ant - on You Tube.
Posted by David Hepworth on 3 December 2008 - 7:10am.
"There's only one thing worse than going to the workhouse and that's going to the madhouse," says Stuart Godard in this documentary "The Madness Of Prince Charming". Here's the first part. You can find the other parts on You Tube. Worth seeing.
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Interes-TING, interes-TING
Just watched the whole thing.
Was Adam Ant the last true pop star? Were the Ants the pop group with the last truly original sound?
Post-Fabs, only Marc Bolan has achieved similar iconic status. Not only because his image was so striking that it merged with the music to become a product, but because the product itself was unique (which is where everyone else since - Kylie, Robbie...arguably even Madonna - has fallen down).
Could this mad prince be the sanest, smartest man in pop? He comes over as bright and savvy - "I did Cannon and Ball because their ratings were higher [than Morecambe and Wise]; the record went from three to one - and I had to get round Madness") but also gracious ("The dance was Steph's idea, really - it wasn't mine").
My only criticism is that a man so bold in his twenties should also have the nerve to be an own-up baldie in his fifties.
Through A Glass Darkly
I, too, have just watched all eight clips.
Even in these 'enlightened' times, the perception of depression, or any form of mental illness, is often seen as failure, or worthy of blame. We say "he's lost it", "lost the plot", "gone to the funny farm". Derogatory words that are, perhaps, based on fear of the unknown, and a sense of 'there but for the grace of God"...
As a sub text, 'Adam's' situation is further proof that fame and fortune do not buy happiness. I have met hugely successful, rich, people in my stroll through this mortal coil, and often I have found those same people to be the least fulfilled, and most direction-less.
I am the least likely person to throw biblical quotes around - but I am reminded of a phrase (from Matthew; I had to look it up!) that was pounded into me at my Catholic prep school:
"What does it profit a man if he gain the whole word and suffer the loss of his own soul?"
Ridicule is nothing to be scared of...
well no, actually, ridicule is very unpleasant indeed, and he has had his fair share over the last few years. I haven't watched the film yet, but I just want to say that I hope Mr Goddard manages to find a way to restore some balance to his life. What he has been through is truly terrible.
The bloke that turned me on to music....
At aged 11 after seeing the Antmusic video on TotP in 1981.
There's some true genius in there and, with Pirroni (oft underrated) crafted some of the best innovative and unique pop songs I've ever heard.
His autobiography
is very honest about his condition and it is a very sad story - amazing how he has just never managed to enjoy any of his huge success. People have little patience for people with a mental or psychological illness, especially if they are succesful or wealthy but his story does deserve some sympathy.
I would also agree with John about Marco, a thoroughly under-rated guitarist and song writer and on the couple of occasions that I have chatted to him - an extremely nice guy too. Check out his latest band The Wolfmen!
Finished his biog' a couple of weeks ago
And it is a fascinating tale - and you're right about Marco a great guitarist (with a fantastic collection of guitars) - I've met him a couple of times and he is Mr Down-To-Earth and a thoroughly top chap ..The Wolfmen are a great band and Modernity Killed Every Night gets my vote for album of the year..
pop nugget - Adam Ant and Bevis Frond/Nick Saloman were childhood friends
A genius
I listened to Kings of the Wild Frontier a few weeks ago again. It's a staggering album. What's more, it's really, really weird. Odd rhythms, bizarre lyrics and some really eerie sounds. It gave me the creeps a bit. And remember, at the time, the album was bought mainly by teenagers, many of them female. What do the same demographic get today? Enrique Iglesias.
Adam and credibility
Although The Madness of Prince Charming is several years old now and Adam has moved on and is doing very well healthwise, this Documentary is always worth seeing for many reasons.
Even watching this, it seems apparent there are three versions of Adam Ant in this.
The 'working Adam' decribing his life's work
The manic Adam seen very clearly in the cinema
and, the real Adam seen describing his awful illness, at times extremely movingly. It is hard not to feel for him regardless what you may think of his music.
Unlike many other artists I could name, Adam Ant, in my opinion retains his credibility. He doesn't just rush out any old crap to make a fast buck from gullible fans as he could have done.
He has recovered and by all accounts is back in the studio making a new album.
I don't care really how this turns out, I am just so glad Adam is still with us and is able to continue his fine career.
All the best Adam Ant
Although it's probably not very "street cred"
to admit it but one of my favourite gigs was seeing Adam Ant at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in 1995 when he released the album "Wonderful".
Not only my favourite venue but he had a fantastic band too including Marco, Chris Dollimore from The Godfathers, Dave Barbarossa on drums and Dave Ruffy from The Ruts if I remember correctly. They played lots of the really old "cool" Ants stuff and it was a really powerful show, such a shame that he never really progressed much past this point. I'm glad to hear he's working on some new stuff finally.
The original Ants do tend to get airbrushed out of Punk Rock history, but they were there right at the beginning playing some of the most original and downright weird and raunchy music from the period.
Most of their best stuff like Christian D'Or, Fat Fun and Ligotage was not even released properly until the Antbox collection, but well worth checking out.
"Most of their best stuff
"Most of their best stuff like Christian D'Or, Fat Fun and Ligotage was not even released properly until the Antbox collection, but well worth checking out."
Just a small correction: Christian Dior and the other excellent Ants B Sides (All old Ants songs from the 70s re-recorded by the 80s era Ants) is available on B Side Babies CD.
Fat Fun was indeed a new old 70s demo released on Antbox in 2002.
Ligotage is on that also but the whole 3 bbc sessions including that is available on The BBC Sessions CD.
Antbox is worth getting as is B Side Babies and the albums themselves are available in Remastered with tons of extra tracks form, and as a box set including a bonus CD Redux of more demos and the fantastic unreleased Dandy In The Underworld cover.
Soon to be released through the official website is the Bloomsbury cd, some of the songs that Adam performed at the Bloomsbury show in 2007 with some dialogue added.
Check out these sites:
http://www.thefamilyofnoise.com
http://www.adam-ant.net
http://musicforafutureage.com and http://www.musicforafutureage.blogspot.com
Adam also has an official page on facebook and myspace.
Also check out http://www.thewolfmen.net/ for Marco and Chris Constantinou's excellent band.
My Ants blog
http://www.musicforafutureage.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
Is there any recording of the Shepherd's Bush show around?
Shepherds bush
I am sure if you join up in one of the forums mentioned by Steveant, someone can help you out there.
Live tracks were recorded 'officially' and were put on the singles from Wonderful Album in '95 such as Cleopatra, Red Scab, Cartrouble etc etc.
Also many bootlegs from his tour in 1995 are about if you ask people nicely.