On This Day 30/11/1980 Adam and the Ants

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On this day, 30 November 1980, rock band Adam and the Ants played Cardiff Top Rank.

In July 1980, the band signed a deal with CBS Records and released the single "Kings of the Wild Frontier", which reached No. 48 in the UK Singles Chart.

Drummer-and-producer Chris Hughes, noted for his use of Burundi drums produced the band's work and they completed recording at Rockfield by the end of August. A second single "Dog Eat Dog" was released in October; it reached the top 10 and resulted in the band's first appearance on BBC Television's weekly music show Top of the Pops.

In November 1980, the album Kings of the Wild Frontier was released and became a hit in the United Kingdom, putting Adam and the Ants at the forefront of the New Romantic movement, and the band completed a 32-day UK tour. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart on 24 January 1981.

A third single "Antmusic" was released later in November; it peaked at number two in January 1981 and at number one in Australia, where it stayed for five weeks. Both Decca and Do It Records re-released the band's previous output;

"Young Parisians" reached number nine in the UK in December 1980 and Dirk Wears White Sox peaked at number 16 in the UK Albums Chart in February 1981. "Cartrouble" and "Zerox" also charted that month, peaking at numbers 33 and 45, respectively, in the UK Singles Chart.

Tour Setlist

The Human Beings

Kick!

The Magnificent Five

Antmusic

The Idea

Ants Invasion

Los Rancheros

Killer in the Home

Jolly Roger

Dog Eat Dog

Press Darlings

Beat My Guest

Zerox

Cartrouble

Encore:

Kings of the Wild Frontier

Fall-In

Physical (You're So)

On This Day, 31/01/1979 Adam and the Ants

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On this day, 31 Jan 1979, Adam and the Ants played Newport’s Stowaway Club on their Young Parisians UK tour.

Signed to Decca, the band was let them go in early 1979, the group signed with independent label Do It Records and rerecorded and released their second single "Zerox" (with a changed B-side, "Whip In My Valise") before recording their debut album Dirk Wears White Sox.

The group existed in two incarnations, both fronted by Adam Ant, lasting from 1977 to 1982. The first, founded in May 1977 and known simply as The Ants until November of that year, achieved considerable cult popularity during the transition from the punk rock era to the post-punk and new wave era and were noted for their high camp, overtly sexualised stage performances and songs. The final line-up of this incarnation—Dave Barbarossa, Matthew Ashman, and Leigh Gorman—left the band in January 1980 at the suggestion of de facto manager Malcolm McLaren to form Bow Wow Wow.

The second incarnation of Adam and the Ants featured guitarist Marco Pirroni and drummer/producer Chris Hughes, and was noted for its use of Burundi drums.

Setlist

Nietzsche Baby

Day I Met God

Animals and Men

Cleopatra

Kick!

Never Trust a Man (With Egg on His Face)

Catholic Day

Boil in the Bag Man

Family of Noise

Press Darlings

Zerox

Lady

Puerto Rican

Fall-In