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Adam Ant Filmography
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Adam Ant is the stage name of Stuart Leslie Goddard (born November 3, 1954, London, England), who was the lead singer of the highly successful 1980s pop group Adam and the Ants. Though he started out playing jagged punk rock music, he gradually altered his image, evolving to a more mainstream pop star. Similar to David Bowie, Madonna, and other famous shapeshifters in popular music, Adam was notorious for reinventing his image with each subsequent album release.
Ant was representative of the 'Art School Punk' contingent that were followers of the original punk groups and can be seen in the audience in film of early Sex Pistols gigs. His first major outing as an actor was in 1978 in the Derek Jarman film "Jubilee" both as a character actor and performing songs. One of the tracks from the Jubilee soundtrack 'Deutscher Girls' was released as a single once the Ants had chart success in 1981.
Unquestionably, the high point of Adam Ant's career happened in the very early 1980s. In the first two or three years of the decade, Adam and the Ants had several chart topping hits, including "Stand and Deliver," "Dog Eat Dog," "Prince Charming," and "AntRap." The early days of MTV provided Adam with another vehicle to get his image and message to the masses - the promotional video. Similar to contemporaries Duran Duran, Adam became one of the first pop video stars. Adam's colorful, charismatic onscreen persona was perfect for the new medium.
Adam's greatest solo success was during the "Friend or Foe" album era, which included the hit single "Goody Two Shoes." Other hits during this early 1980s timeframe were "Desperate but not Serious" and "Hello, I Love You." Later in the 1980s, Adam worked with producers including
Phil Collins (on the "Strip" album), and veteran Tony Visconti ("Vive Le Rock"), achieving varying degrees of success on the charts. In 1985 Ant stlll had enough appeal to secure a spot at the "Live Aid" concert but rather than perform a crowd pleasing set of old hits (as Queen did to revive their career) he did songs from the latest album and as a result his sales continued to decline. As the 80s wore on, Adam's attention turned toward acting, with an emphasis on TV and movie roles.
The turn of the decade, 1990, saw Adam Ant re-entering the pop music world with the album "Manners and Physique," a collaboration with Andre Cymone, a solo artist and an early member of Prince's band. The album was another moderate success, and featured the hit single "Room at the Top." In 1993, Adam toured in support of a planned album called "Persuasion." For reasons known only to Adam, his entourage, and MCA Records, the album is still unreleased to this day. By this time Ant had relocated to Los Angeles and had a long term relationship with
Heather Graham. He had also acquired a stalker which placed him under great stress and as Graham's career took off the relationship faltered.
The mid-1990s was a time of reinvention for Adam, as he re-entered the pop music world with the album "Wonderful." The title track was a success, as was a tour of the U.S. in support of the album. While Adam and his group (which included longtime partner Marco Pirroni) played in smaller venues than they had played in the 1980s, the houses were often packed with enthusiastic fans. A new generation of Ant-influenced artists covered Adam and the Ants' hits during the 90s, including Elastica, Sugar Ray,
Trent Reznor, and
Robbie Williams.
"Antbox," a retrospective box set spanning Adam's career from the late 1970s through the 1990s, was released in late 2001. The box set included 66 tracks on three CDs, and quickly sold through the initial 10,000 units. Adam was poised to join an 80s focused tribute tour in early 2002. The plans were derailed when an altercation in a pub in England led to a brush with the law, and the revelation that Adam suffered from bipolar disorder, the mental illness commonly known as "manic depression" - to which some attibute his extraordinary creativity. Since the 2002 incident, Adam has occasionally been featured in news stories surrounding potential projects, his medical condition, as well as tribute bands devoted to celebrating his career. A television special entitled "The Madness of Prince Charming" was aired in the UK in 2003 documenting Adam's career highlights, as well as his struggle with mental illness.
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EuropeWhere Duran Duran can still count on the star treatment
Between car bombs, kidnappings and cocaine wars, Colombia never had a chance to savour the 1980s. Other capital cities enjoyed visits by Englishmen with big hair and pastel suits, but not Bogota. It was a decade, in other words, without Duran Duran.The wait is over. The band has arrived in Colombia to a heroes' welcome. South America's one-time pariah nation greeted Duran Duran's gig in Bogota last week as the latest sign that it is finally becoming normal. Of course, getting in a lather about a band that peaked a generation ago may sound less than normal, but it is understandable. Colombia has come a long way. Cities are safe, guerrillas are surrendering and tourists are visiting. With homicidal mayhem abating, the country has happily joined the rest of the world in singing along to Wild Boys, View to a Kill and Save a Prayer. No matter that the rest of the world stopped doing so two decades ago.Local media swooned over Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor as if they were all-conquering sex-god rock stars. Burly cameramen set down their gear and clamoured for autographs.For a band hardened to mocking, naff-obsessed British critics it was an exhilarating change. "That was the most amazing press conference I've ever experienced," Le Bon beamed afterwards.It may be churlish to point out that Colombia goes ape over pretty much any international act that comes to town. Kylie Minogue was received with rapture a few days before Duran Duran. She is a big star, true, but Boy George got the rapture treatment in September. Colombia's capital has become one of the safest cities in the region. The risk of being bundled into a car boot and tethered to a tree in the jungle for six years is now negligible. Kylie did have her luggage stolen, including a laptop, but that did not dent her enthusiasm. "We met her on our way in at the airport and she said Colombia was so far easily the best leg of her tour," said Rhodes.Memo to Spandau Ballet and Adam Ant: Bogota, go.Duran DuranColombiaguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Published: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:05:59 GMT - Source: Guardian.Co.Uk - Read the article
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