Weird brilliant album or just another 80's casualty fodder?






Recently I got this by a trade on lala to replace an old worn out cassette copy that I had but hadn't listened to for eons. Man, it takes me back. Waaaaay back.

Adam's recent mental health issues aside, does anyone else think that he was a musical genius? I love the totally bizzareness of 'Mohawk' and 'Ant Rap', which is so crazy, it needs to be redone as a remix.


Yes, I'm being serious here.


The man had two drummers playing with him on tour with him at one point. TWO! Who else does that shit these days?

Dirtbombs.

OK, but who else man.



Who else?

I'll definitely agree with genius in the early/mid 80's


It's a shame he's crazy as a mad hatter nowadays.

I own Dirk Wears White Sox. I have to be in a certain mood, but when I'm into it, I really love it. Well worth the $1 I paid for it at WalMart.

My wife's take on it: He was a very pretty man and the band banged on things really well.

I've always been a huge Adam Ant fan through his various incarnations. Musical genius? Doubtful. The guy can't read music and I think that fact alone would immediately rule out any run at a genius label. Adam was a showman with a great sense for what was needed in order to stand out in a crowd and let's face it, standing out in a crowd at that time was no small feat. Adam could also sing and IMO had a great voice. Personally I think that Marco was the driving force behind the music and the sound and he's not going to make anyone's top 100 guitar players list. He did however have a unique sound and help shape songs that still appeal to me. Well, not entirely. The album Strip was an abomination. Don't really know for sure who dominated the song writting but I'd bet it was Marco doing creating of the music and Adam pulling off the show. My brother and I met Marco, while incredibly nice, he wasn't especially engaging.

I never did get any of the remasters (but did grab the 6 disc Ant Box) and to be honest, I feel a bit silly at 42 pulling out the old vinyl slabs of the real glammy stuff but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an occasional guily pleasure. The early punk stuff, however, is still enjoyable and I don't feel a shred of shame about that. Just this week I pulled out both versions of Dirk Wears White Sox and enjoyed them both.

Viva Le Rock,
jc

The debut and Kings of the Wild Frontier were superior albums.

The Outlaws.
Greatful Dead.
The Allman Brothers. Or at least had two drummers.

Fun album...Stand and deliver is a great song.

Kings of the Wild Frontier is great too.

I like the drumming. Bow Wow Wow had some fun drums in a similar vien, which makes sense since it was some of the same folks.

Heh heh. Yet again, I've got to say your wife is a woman after my own heart.

I'd say I'm a fan. I bought myself a copy of "Friend or Foe" a couple of years ago. My only wish is that it would be remastered so I could play it while DJing without having to constantly adjust the volume and EQ throughout the course of a given song (the levels are all over the place).

If any owners of the new Dears album are here.... I've gotta say that the beginning of "Whites Only Party" sounds exaclty like "Goody Two Shoes" or "Friend or Foe". (Not sure if that's a conscious thing on the part of the Dears).

I feel bad for Adam Ant and his recent problems. He's talented...

(...and hott)

Right. So none of the old blues or jazz masters were geniuses? Guess Brian Eno isn't either? That's a ridiculous statement. There are plenty of brilliant musicians out there who play and write totally by ear. Don't be a classical snob.

I think quite a few Motown bands featured two drummers in the studio - the Funk Bros. featured two live for some time.

Phil Collins has two drummers, including himself.

Foo Fighters, too, though they're no Buster, let me tell you.

Tortoise, baby.

Right, lots of Adam Ant fans are classical snobs. Whoa K.

Not many folks are going to compare Adam Ant to old blues and jazz masters either. Then again I've not heard a lot of sentences with Brian Eno and Adam Ant used together. Exactly what instrument has the man mastered or at least shown above average talent with? What songs has the man done on his own that would demonstrate musical genius?

Listen, there aren't too many people that enjoy Adam Ant more than me. Not only do I have every single album released, I have one that is owned by Sony (Persuasion) that never saw the light of day and more bootlegs than you could listen to in a week. The point isn't snobery, it's giving the musical credit where it's due and even Adam gives that credit to Marco Pirroni. Even that's not entirely true as the whole Burundi beat was the idea of Malcolm McLaren and it's that concept coupled with the glam that elevated (or sunk depending on your pov) Adam and the Ants out of the art school S&M punk thing that they had going on.

Pretty sure that Gary Glitter used 2 drummers as well. While I've never been a big fan of that perv, Adam was. That accounts for a lot of the showmanship. Look, the guy had a lot of talent and yes there is musical talent there but genius isn't the best way to describe it whether you think it's ridiculous or not!

I'd like to hear that Persuasion album actually...


Yeah, maybe genius is too strong a word to use in this case but this album is incredibly varied and creative. Definitely ahead of it's time. Listening to this again on the way into work I was blown away at the segues from Spanish influences to the use of mariachi to cowboy to new romantic to rap..all in one album.

PM with your address and I'll send it to you! Always happy to share all things Ant.

Never thought I'd see the day when I'd appear to be bagging on the guy, the end product has entertained me for years. Just thought I'd give try to give at least some of the credit where it's due. Even on such a venerable album like "Dirk", Adam went back and redid the entire album with Marco "fixing" it. That tells me something about what he thinks of his old friend.

Adam's rap may be just about my first exposure to the concept. The only thing that may have come first might have been Blondie's "Rapture". Don't recall off hand which was first.

Regards,
jc

Dude. I am so not saying that Adam Ant is a musical genius (even though I like his music). Nor was I in any way comparing him to Brian Eno or blues musicians, or saying that his fans are classical music fans.

I'm disagreeing with the fact that you're making it sound like someone can't be a "musical genius" (whatever that really means) unless they read music. ...And I'm saying that it's very "classical snob" to try to argue that case.

If that was the only reason I listed, then I'd probably agree. It wasn't however.


jc