ADAM & THE ANTS – KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER[TOTP repeat, June 1981]1980 Ants were one part singer Adam in glitter-era Bowie mode, one part guitarist Marco Pirroni drawing from sources as diverse as Mick Ronson and Link Wray, and one part rhythm section, bassist Kevin Mooney and double drummers Merrick and Terry Lee Miall. Combine these ingredients with songs that dwelt on Adam’s obsessions — pirates, American Indian culture, Spaghetti westerns — and you had a marvellous romp.The 80s incarnation of the Ants might have flaunted their roots at every opportunity, but their vision — and sound — was strictly their own.'Dog Eat Dog', one of this album's three major singles hits in Britain, was a prime example of Antmusic. It picked up steam gradually, with percussion and war whoops joined by twangy guitar and bass. Then Adam's voice came in supported by a chanting chorus. Guitar turned percussive, beating counter rhythms on damped strings, and finally the second drum crashed through like a summer cloudburst. The effect was riveting.It was that way throughout: North American Indian chants and Afro percussion. The combination could be decidedly silly but most often inspired and a whole lot of fun.“...he was one of the very best,” said Bob Stanley in 2006, “all flash and quite beautiful. Lyrically, he was strong on rock'n'roll soundbites: "Unplug the jukebox and do us all a favour/ that music's lost its taste so try another flavour." Before MTV, he realised that video was the new medium; the spectacle would be as important as the sound of the Eighties.”"I really think," enthused Adam in 1981, "it's just that our Sound and our Look came together at the right time. We'd been working for along time, but with the 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier' single, Antmusic For Sexpeople – which had been an ideal – became a reality. A Sound was achieved with it that was ours and no-one else's – 'Dog Eat Dog' and 'Antmusic' confirmed it, as did the album itself.”——————————————————————Thank you to everyone who has joined DECADE. As many of you know the page is just me, Paul. I write and research the articles, and edit the videos, often reinventing them entirely.It now takes almost an entire day of work to put together content for the page. If you could see fit to make a small donation then I would be eternally grateful.Thank you and best wishes, | Decade 77-87 - a grown up disco: new wave, punk, postpunk, goth & indie