Questions and Answers Page

Answers

1) Question : This picture shows Chris "Merrick" Hughes playing a saxophone during a concert in 1981. Does anyone know which song he used to play the saxophone on when performing live?

Answer from : Andi Vaughan

"A quick phone called to the man himself revealed Chris played Sax on 'Young Parisians' when they played it live, which I think was once or twice"

Answer from : David Mantell

More info on Merrick playing sax. You can hear this version of Young Parisians on bootlegs of the 27-03-81 London Dominion Theatre gig. It was not on the following night's gig, probably because the song didn't seem to go down too well with some of the more long term Antfans in the audience,with whom the song was never really a favourite( and who can be heard saying on the tape "Oh no,not that bloody one"and similar remarks) and Chris 's sax playing which,sadly,it has to be said,was rather squeaky and a bit out of tune(" I decline to comment" one fan can be heard saying towards the end of the sax section.) Don't be too put out by this,though, as it is, by and large a good version of the song, much bouncier than the Decca single, and features some excellent descant backing vocals (a la CBS verson of "Friends").

2) Question : Exactly what in the world happened to "Persuasion," and will it ever be released?

Answers from : AntBrat and Kat Hanson

In Christmastime of 1992, Adam had recorded the album and was all ready to release it, but according to him, the company was bought out and all the groups that the new owners thought wouldn't make platinum status were dropped from the company. Adam and his album unfortunately got caught up in it; his contract was voided and MCA (the company he was signed to) wouldn't sell him the album back, so ever since then it's been sitting in MCA's vaults.

Record co has been taking a poll to determine if there is enough interest in Persuasion to release it. Email me for info - logan5@pacbell.net

3) Question : Is Adam currently working on new material? If so, when will it be released?

Answer from : AntBrat

According to various sources, Adam is planning to record some new music, but there's no word on whether it will be new music just for the up-coming box set, or whether it will be a whole album's worth of new stuff.

4) Question : What is the status of "Drop Dead Rock"?

Answer from : AntBrat

According to one of the of the movie's contacts, it is still being shown at various film festivals, trying to get picked up by a major production company for release.

5) Question : What are his ex-wife's real name and changed name?

Answer from : AntBrat

When Stuart married her, Carol Mills changed her name to Carol Goddard ... and when Stuart changed his name to Adam Ant, Carol changed her name to Eve.

6) Question : What B-sides were supposed to be on Beautiful Dream?

Answer from : Andi Vaughan

CD one- Beautiful dream, Let's Have A Fight, Billy Boy, Wonderful (acoustic) CD Two- B.Dream, Shake Yor Hips (A cover of a Max song), Antmusic (Acoustic) and a remix of b.Dream done by Lucas (as in Lucas with the lid on) A 12" would have featured a different mix of B.Dream done by Lucas

7) Question: According to most sources the Madam Stan Decca Demos bootleg was recorded in March 1978. However, the Ants didn't sign to Decca until later that year. When was Madam Stan actually recorded and where?

Answer from : David Mantell

Re.the question on Madam Stan.It was recorded August/September 1978 at Basing Street Studios ,during the same session as the A-side for Young Parisians( except for Boil In the Bag Man,Christian D'Or and Song For Ruth Ellis which were done during the Croydon session in December that year.

8) Question: Where and when does Adam appear in Last Action Hero? I have watched it twice and couldn't spot him!

Answer from : Diane Ham

From what i gather , Adam is only in the wide screen version , in the usual format it's shown on TV , video etc , he gets cut off the edge ! I remember someone saying that it's the funeral scene .

9) Question : "How come it seems that I have two different versions of Goody Two Shoes. The drums on the single version are definitly louder...why is this...did they re-record the song...is it a different mix....and how come I can't hear 'he's hiding' like it says on the lyric sheet...whine whine cheese. (from Robert Brouhard)

Answer from : Paul Sech and Caroline Richards

Goody Two shoes was released in London/europe first. the video and europe single have the same drum track but when he recorded it for the album and the American release the drum track changed. I don't know why it did but it did. The single version they guy has is the european release, that is why it is different. I have both the european and American/album release.......but I like the drum tracks on the european release better cuz they have a more rock sound to them as to a pop sound that he put on the album. I believe they labled it as a "New Version" of Adam's smash hit "Goody Two Shoes" When they released it.

To answer the second part of the question... "he's hiding" is sung at the end of the song - you can't hear it during the first chorus'. The lyrics at the end go "...must be something inside (he's hiding), don't drink, don't smoke etc".

10) Question : Is it possible to purchase a "Best Of" type video, and Kings of the Wild Frontier on CD. (from Jackie O' Callaghan)

Answers from : Robert Brouhard, Kat Hanson and Andi Vaughan

In America the video "Antics in the Forbidden Zone" is still available and the CD of "Kings" can be "Spscial ordered" from your local music store (But not the tape). In England Sony has re-released "Kings" and it has the song "Making History" on it which has never been on an American version of this album (but you can find it on "B-Side Babie" which is still available. There is a video in England called "Antmusic: the best of Adam Ant," I think.

Best of vids are on video Antics in the Forbidden Zone

The last available Best Of video (Antmusic) is now deleted. You are gonna have to wait for Antbox 20 or give Antic's Worldwide a buzz (details on Merchandise page) and he'll fix ya up.

11) Question : Are the rare 70's tapes mentioned in your web site available to buy or trade? (from Matt O' Driscoll)

Essay from : David Mantell

Most of the tracks listed exist only in Adam's own private collection as they are mainly 4-track songwriting demos recorded single-handedly by Adam using an electric guitar and a cheap kiddies keyboard to privide bass and rhythm. However, a small number of them did leak out in 1978 on the Home Demos cassette bootleg. Unfortunately, this has not been available since the punk era, so your best bet is to befriend a fan from the punk era and get them to make you a copy, which is what I did myself! The tracks on the bootleg are as follows:1)Young Parisians 2)Ooh that Max! 3)Lady 4)Da Da( a.k.a. Rubbish) 5)Sally is a Brat 6)Cleopatra 7)Physical 8)Zerox 9)Back to Cindy(which may or may not be the same song as"Get Off You Animal" 10)Sex Rumples the Clothing 11)Song for Ruth Ellis 12)Bathroom Function 13)On Your Knees(which is confusingly listed as "Toulouse Lautrec : Get on your Knees", but I'm fairly sure it's the same song) 14) The Weekend Swingers.

A few points of interest: Ooh That Max makes some rather bizarre allegations about the sex life of bassist Andy Warren and his girlfriend Maxine (with whom Adam was living at the time) on "Lady" the line "I don't wanna seem crude but she was nude " comes inbetween verses 2 and 3 rather than at the end the verse structure is different on Cleopatra, with just one line per verse rather than two and rather rudimentary versions of the lyrics such as "Cleopatra did 100 in one evening with her sweet suction" at the end of Physical , Adam says "look but don't touch" in a sultry American accent which sounds rather like RuPaul Charles Zerox features an extra middle verse which goes " I never miss so why resist?/I'll take what you've got, I'll take the lot" "Sex Rumples The Clothing" appears to have Bhangra influences: "On your Knees" is a slow, sinister, bluesy number, all about the SM relationship between dogs and their owners. It contains the phrase "My Boy " a lot, and Adam sings it in a voice rather like Ron Moody as Fagin in the musical "Oliver!".

12) Question : Not really _about_ Adam as such, but I wondered what the fans thought about Tribute Bands. I mean, Adam and the Antz through to Adam on his own would make a good show, but do people see them as a bit tacky or a good idea? (from Kev Lowe)

Answer from Andi Vaughan

The tribute band is a great idea (My Opinnion)

13) Is/Was Adam Ant sober ("don't drink don't smoke") as reported in the early 80's? (from Jamie O' Brien)

Answer from : Andi Vaughan

Adam dosen't drink or take drugs despite reports from other sources (A occasional wine with meals)

14) Will Antbox 20 be available in America...and why are they cutting out all the tapes in America? (from Robert Brouhard)

Answer from : Andi Vaughan

Antbox 20 is being put together for the UK market. It's up to Epic in the US to take up the option and release it. But to be honest the crap job they did of the albums if I lived in the US i'd get the imported UK version.

15) What does Adam say at the beginning of Physical? And then what does NIN say in thier cover of the same song? (from Kat Hanson)

Answer from : David Mantell

Re.Physical. "Eat your heart out DO-IT. You can't do it! Can ya" This was a reference to DO-IT putting the rejected version of Physical (as featured on the "Antmusic EP")on the B-side of 2000 copies of Zerox in July1980

Answer from : Caroline

Further to David's answer, Adam also says "You'd better listen to Marco" in the middle of the song. I assume that this refers to the fact that Adam told Do-it that he believed Marco could do a better job on the song than Matthew Ashman.

Answer from : Robert Brouhard

NIN whispers, I believe, "Eat your heart out Stuart..." in the beginning of their cover of "Physical"(They also say..."so fu@*ing physical toward the end").

16) What has happened to the album "Wonderful", I can't find it anywhere? Please help. (from Vince Nicoll)

Answer from : Diane Ham

In answer to the 'what's happened to the Wonderful album' question , if you live in the UK , i believe it has been deleated , i don't know about elsewhere though .

17) How old is Adam? and where does he live at the moment? (from Sharon Sax)

Answer from : AntBrat

Adam is turning 43 this November 3rd and he is currently living in a house in central London.

18) How can i get a hold of any of the videos, including a copy of "jubilee"? help!!! (from Lisa Sumner)

Answer from : Robert Brouhard

E! online has a great way to find any movies for sale....go to this link for a list of Adam's: http://e1.eonline.com/Facts/People/Credits/0,128,170,00.html there you will find a list of most if not all his movies....click on one and it will tell you a simidgeon about it...and it will give you, I believe, four links on where you can purchase them...The Prices very GREATLY, so check all four first. After this goes up on Carolines page, these places might be bombarded with orders...so HURRY!!!

19) In the song "Playboy" off of the "Strip" lp who was Adam talking about when he sang "What do you wear in bed some headphones on my head.What do you like to hold my breath she said? (from Kenny)

Answer from : Robert Brouhard

Adam isn't necessarily talking to a specific female (as far as I know) in his song, "Playboy", he's just making fun of the old adages "What do you where in bed..." and "What do you like to hold...." (Both very common in older "Playboy"tm magazines).

20) When I first bought the "Strip" LP On the shrinkwrap it said featuring the hits & it included "Playboy".Why was that not released as a single & video?It is my favorite non Adam hit.Did Adam ever do that song in concert at anytime? (from Kenny)

Answer from : Robert Brouhard

As far as "Playboy" being a single, in some ways it was. A promotional copy of Adam's whole album was released to DJs. The song "Playboy" was known to be played on the air once in awhile, even though there was never an official single. All the DJs get with a promo lp, is a list on what the hits should be.

21) Is it Adam on the Mike Oldfield album"CRISES" - title track & shadow on the wall ??? (from Stefan Baulig)

Answer from : Robert Brouhard

About Mike Oldfield: According to the album "Crises," the song, "Crises" was sung by Mike Oldfield himself. The song, "Shadow on the Wall," was sung by Roger Chapman. But we can hope, maybe Adam is one of those guys that really sings while people like Milli Vanilli lip sync.

22) Can anyone out there tell me & include a list of any & all Adam Ant,& The Ants bios that were ever written,& where I can get copies from? Also when is Adam going to ever write his own autobiography? (from Kenny)

Answer from : AntBrat

There have been about 5 or 6 major biographies written about Adam and the Ants as well as personal bios of Adam himself *ONLY* ... all of them were written in the 1980-81 period just after they broke and hit it big in England -- here's a short list of some of the bios that I can think of off the top of me head (author listed where I can remember them) ... "Adam Ant: Superstar", "The Adam Ant Story" by James Maw (this is one of the best bios I've read about Adam's life before the Ants, but it also covers Adam's life WITH the Ants as well -- right up to when "Kings" hit #1 in the UK, "Adam & The Ants" by Fred & Judy Vermorel.

23) Can anyone tell me PLEASE what Gary Tibbs (ex Ants bass player) is doing these days, and is there an address to write to him? (from Linda) and also.. What became of Gary Tibbs? When I was thirteen I wanted to marry him. Just wondering. (from Kiki Gilderhus)

Answer from : David Mantell

Not exactly a direct answer to the Gary Tibbs questions, but I did meet the guy back around Spring of this year at a stall in Camden market. Strangely enough, Dave Ruffy also turned up that day. Gary now has very short red hair, in a crewcut like Adam's and he was sporting a baseball cap and denims. He seems a nice chap and was very interested about Antbox 20 . He was looking forward to seeing "Showbiz " and "The Lost Hawaians" get their proper releases and even hinted at the existence of other Prince Charming out-takes. No idea on what he's doing profesionally, but he was certainly alive and well and happy!

Message from Caroline - please note that it is not definate that Showbiz and the Lost Hawaians will be appearing on the box set. David wrote again to point out that he was speculating, and that Gary seemed very enthusiastic about the idea of some unissued tracks appearing!

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