Classic Albums: Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam And The Ants

Back to the 80’s again today to kind-off to make up for the lack of it so far. It’s like chapter twenty now in my Classic Album book and it’s pretty much the very first album I got/buy as a very little kid.

It’s Adam’s birthday today too so hope he has a happy one, maybe I should do this more often but I didn’t plan it just happen be I was writing and I posted it up. Now I could skip something like this but the idea is simply writing about my fave albums and one time this was it for me but I still dig it really too. It’s very telling what your first album I think, maybe I’m wrong but it does seem to shape your taste later on in life. By some miracle I still have the copy I got too, for years I didn’t but Dad gave me a handful of record a while back and there it was. What happen was it was my dad birthday coming up and he was always listening to music or was it Christmas? I always get them mixed up. So Mum said while in the shop “buy a record…for Dad” I think I must have missed the last bit because I want this for a while but never had any money so I had tell Mum in the end he really likes this or some bullshit so I could get it. I then had to give it to Dad for Birthday/Christmas too, he was like “what the hell is this rubbish?” Mum was like “I thought you like that?” and he was saying “why would you think that?” and they both looked at me, fuckin’ funny hey?

The stuff I do to get my hands on a record/album. So that’s how I got my first one and I played it too dead too. It’s my first real discovery by myself after digging Marty Robbins record from my old man stuff but was his, it did made a first impression on me even younger and write about it in that post but that was his this one was mine. So I just think I’ve just got to included everything in this list, OK? It’s all important to me one way or another really. I even got the next years follow-up called Prince Charming too but it wasn’t as great as this one. Kings Of The Wild Frontier did make it to number one in Australia for five weeks which I must of helped with that happening I guess. I picked a $10 The Essential CD a little while ago too, you know? Even read his Autobio a few years which I found in a book sale somewhere and then read in an interview with him some years later half of it not even true because the publisher wanted to sell more copies and that was the best way to do it.

So now a little about the album it was released early November 1980 and recorded in less than month in August 1980. It was pretty quick from back then, it had to do something with Malcolm McLaren stealing his music or not or something about his band leaving too but who cares it is/was great and the point is it was done so quick. It’s the second album by them after the late-70’s Dirk Wears White Sox which is more New Wave maybe Post-Punk but signing to CBS for Kings of the Wild Frontier album becoming straight up pop band album but it does introduced the Burundi Beat to the western pop world too. The tracks (You’re So) Physical and Press Darlings are on U.S.A. album track listing as well later Nine Inch Nails would covered Physical on their 90’s Broken EP The artwork sleeve is cut for the video clip above and you can really all the TV dots on the vinyl cover because I guess it’s so big. As a kid it did look like he was just about to jump out of the cover into your living room so you could dance around together!

The length of the record is a little over forty mins. with a dozen tracks on it and I recommend the old vinyl to listen too. So this is the third English artist/band here on my list after David Bowie and Pink Floyd off course but why not? Pretty much the very first pop album, back then it was called/labeled New Romantic. It’s the very first album for the 80’s in the book 1001 albums you must hear before you die.

Right now as I writing this Adam is going on an American tour playing Kings Of The Wild Frontier album in full and if he does Aussie tour next year or something I would go and see that too, wouldn’t you?

Kings Of The Wild Frontier track listing and times:

1. Dog Eat Dog – 3:11
2. Antmusic – 3:37
3. Feed Me To The Lions – 3:03
4. Los Rancheros – 3:30
5. Ants Invasion – 3:19
6. Killer In The Home – 4:22
7. Kings Of The Wild Frontier – 3:56
8. The Magnificent Five – 3:07
9. Don’t Be Square (Be There) – 3:32
10. Jolly Roger – 2:11
11. Making History – 2:59
12. The Human Beings – 4:32

My Classic Albums are, so far:

Tales From The Australian Underground – Volume 1 & 2 by Various Artists

Station To Station by David Bowie

Unplugged In New York by Nirvana

Rust In Peace by Megadeth

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs by Marty Robbins

Henry’s Dream by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Whatever You Love, You Are by Dirty Three

Gala Mill by The Drones

Black Monk Time by The Monks

Ex Tropical by Lost Animal

Work (Work, Work) by HTRK

In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn by Pink Floyd

Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen

Warm Leatherette by Grace Jones

The White House by The Dead C

Silence Is Sexy by Einstürzende Neubauten

Lulu by Lou Reed & Metallica

Kaira by Toumani Diabaté

So, this was the reason I started this blog. The idea is simply to write post about one of my fave album each that I consider a classic album. Please leave your comments below about each album because I would love to hear what you think about each album too, cheers!

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