Adam And The Ants

ADAM AND THE ANTS Topped The UK Album Charts With ‘KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER’ This Day 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

25 January 2026

British new wave band ADAM AND THE ANTS (1977–1982) fronted by
Adam Ant (born Stuart Leslie Goddard, 71 years ago) topped the UK Charts
with their 2nd longplayer KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER on 25 January 1981,
today 45 years ago.

Prior to his first slot on Top of the Pops, Adam Ant got the band together in a small rehearsal room in Brixton to create a video test. Shooting stills from the monitor screen during the band performance produced some powerful images. Two days later a repeat shoot from the video recording, in a blacked-out studio, produced the sleeve image.

The Village Voice (American music magazine, 1955-2017) wrote: “The music, needless to say, is rock and roll, a clever pop-punk amalgam boasting two drummers, lots of chanting, and numerous B-movie hooks. Especially given Adam’s art-schooled vocals, I find that the hooks grate, but that may just mean that when it comes to futuristic warriors I prefer Sandinistas.”

SINGLE

ALBUM

Discography

The Original ADAM & THE ANTS Story 1977-1980

Posted on by JL

24 March 2022

Book: Blood, Sweat, Leather & Tears.
The Original Adam & The Ants story 1977-80

Publisher: Old Dog Books

Content: “Everyone’s heard of chart-topping Adam and the Ants, but long before that period, there was a more subversive, stylish, futuristic punk-infused band. Little is known about what went on in this secretive clandestine world. These days people whisper about those debauched times and are curious to know the truth. Step inside these pages to find out how four cocksure northern kids from Bradford got involved with the most exciting, but the most reviled band ever. How did they cope on the streets of London? Meet characters like Simone who worked in a fetish club. She was the one ‘Ant lady’ everyone wanted to date. Who succeeded? Then, meet the ‘Ant kids’ who Loved The Ants and no one was going to stop them from following their band period. How did all these underage kids who sometimes had to come to gigs in their school uniforms get into shows? They would often find themselves in dangerous situations where rampaging Skinheads would turn up to attack them at gigs. And finally What’s it like sharing a house with Adam, Filmmaker Julien Temple, and Adam’s girlfriend at the time, Actress Amanda Donohoe.”

Author: Johna Johnson.
A writer and well-known face and much-loved character on the UK Punk Scene back in the 70s. He followed – as a fan – and worked – professionally – with a lot of bands of that era.

Louder Than War about the book: “One of the book’s highlights is the cast of characters
it contains, from fucked up hitch-hikers to submissive sex slaves. While this makes for an entertaining read, I would hazard a guess that this is where some of the artistic license is
used that makes the book a novel. While some characters are verifiably real people, I would
bet money that others are not. Not that this matters, as it ensures the book is peopled by characters who add to the story, as all novels should. How much is an artistic license anyway?” Full review here.

Watch a 10-minute introduction to the phenomenon of Adam And The Ants…

Book order info: here.

No 1 Albums In The UK This Day In 1971 – 1981 – 1991

Posted on by JL

Classic No 1 albums in the UK this day in, respectively 1971 – 1981 – 1991

Artist: GEORGE HARRISON
25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001
Album: ALL THINGS MUST PAST – debut (triple) LP
Score: No 1 on the UK charts on 19 March 1971 – 50 years ago today

Stream here…

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GEORGE HARRISON: Discography

Band: ADAM AND THE ANTS
Active: 1977–1982
Album: KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER – 2nd LP
Score: No 1 in the UK on 19 March 1981 – 40 years ago today

Stream here…

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ADAM AND ANTS: Discography

Band: R.E.M.
Active: 1980–2011
Album: OUT OF TIME – 9th LP
Score: No 1 in the UK on 19 March 1991 – 30 years ago today

Stream here…

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R.E.M.: Discography