Kings of the Wild Frontier

Kings of the Wild Frontier is the second album by English new wave band Adam and the Ants. It was released in November 1980 by CBS Records International. This album introduced the "Burundi beat" sound to popular music.[5]

Kings of the Wild Frontier
Photography by Peter Ashworth[1]
Studio album by
Adam and the Ants
Released3 November 1980
Recorded18 February - 30 August 1980
StudioSound Development Studios, London
Matrix Studios, London
Rockfield Studios, Wales[2]
GenreNew wave,[3] pop punk[4]
Length41:33
61:17 (2004 reissue)
Label
ProducerChris Hughes
Adam and the Ants chronology
Dirk Wears White Sox
(1979)		 Kings of the Wild Frontier
(1980)		 Prince Charming
(1981)

It reached No. 1 in the UK Album Chart,[6] and spawned three hit singles: "Kings of the Wild Frontier", which was released in July and reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart; "Dog Eat Dog", which reached No. 4; and "Antmusic", released in December and reaching No. 2,[7] as well as No. 1 in Australia for five weeks.[8] The album was the UK number 1 selling album in 1981 (and the 48th best seller in 1980) and won Best British Album at the 1982 Brit Awards.

Background & recording

After having his previous backing band wooed away by producer Malcolm McLaren to form Bow Wow Wow, Adam Ant recorded Kings of the Wild Frontier with guitarist Marco Pirroni as his new writing partner.

Release

Commercial performance

Kings of the Wild Frontier was released on 3 November 1980 by CBS Records in the UK and Epic records internationally. It reached No. 1 in the UK Album Chart,[6] and spawned three hit singles: "Kings of the Wild Frontier", which was released in July and reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart; "Dog Eat Dog", which reached No. 4; and "Antmusic", released in December and reaching No. 2,[7] as well as No. 1 in Australia for five weeks.[8] The album was the UK number 1 selling album in 1981 (and the 48th best seller in 1980) and won Best British Album at the 1982 Brit Awards.

The album was remastered and reissued in 2004 with several bonus tracks.

A multi-disc "Super Deluxe Edition" was released 20 May 2016. It includes a DVD of the long out-of-print Ants in Japan concert video and a CD of a 1981 concert from Chicago.[9] This edition scraped a single week in the UK Album Chart in its own right at number 69 and is considered to be a separate chart hit from the original album (rather than a 67th week for the album as a whole)[10] Ant performed the entire album live on tour in the UK that year, and in the United States, Australia and New Zealand in 2017.[11][12]

Cover

Photographer Pete Ashworth wrote, "On 5 August 1980, 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..."[13] The US version of the album dropped "Making History" in favour of two tracks penned by Ant prior to teaming up with Marco Pirroni, "(You're So) Physical" and "Press Darlings".

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Classic Rock[15]
Mojo[16]
Q[17]
Record Collector[18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[19]
Smash Hits8/10[20]
Spin Alternative Record Guide9/10[21]
Uncut8/10[22]
The Village VoiceB[4]

Reviewing the US edition for The Village Voice in March 1981, Robert Christgau judged the album as a response to British punk rock nihilism: "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."[4]

In his retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it "one of the great defining albums of its time. There's simply nothing else like it, nothing else that has the same bravado, the same swagger, the same gleeful self-aggrandizement and sense of camp. This walked a brilliant line between campiness and art-house chutzpah, and it arrived at precisely the right time – at the forefront of new wave".[14] Trouser Press cites it as the album where Adam Ant "found his groove".[23]

Legacy

Kings of the Wild Frontier is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[24] It is also one of twenty CDs in the Great British Albums box set released by Sony Records in 2012.[25] In 1992, Nine Inch Nails released a cover version of "Physical (You're So)" on the EP Broken, remade in an industrial rock style with more aggressive guitars and vocals than the original.[26]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni.

Side A
No.TitleLength
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
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Kings of the Wild Frontier"3:56
2."The Magnificent Five"3:07
3."Don't Be Square (Be There)"3:32
4."Jolly Roger"2:11
5."Making History"2:59
6."The Human Beings"4:32
2004 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Antmusic (Alternative Mix)"3:43
14."Antmusic (Demo)"3:28
15."Feed Me to the Lions (Demo)"3:02
16."The Human Beings (Demo)"2:30
17."S.E.X. (Demo)"3:57
18."Omelette from Outerspace (Demo)"3:06

US version
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dog Eat Dog" 3:07
2."Antmusic" 3:36
3."Los Rancheros" 3:28
4."Feed Me to the Lions" 2:59
5."Press Darlings"Ant4:12
6."Ants Invasion" 3:20
7."Killer in the Home" 4:19
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kings of the Wild Frontier" 3:53
2."The Magnificent Five" 3:05
3."Don't Be Square (Be There)" 3:29
4."Jolly Roger" 2:09
5."Physical (You're So)"Ant4:26
6."The Human Beings" 4:24
Cassette version
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dog Eat Dog" 3:07
2."Jolly Roger" 2:09
3."Los Rancheros" 3:28
4."Feed Me to the Lions" 2:59
5."Press Darlings"Ant4:12
6."Ants Invasion" 3:20
7."Killer in the Home" 4:19
8."Beat My Guest"Ant3:12
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kings of the Wild Frontier" 3:53
2."The Magnificent Five" 3:05
3."Don't Be Square (Be There)" 3:29
4."Antmusic" 3:36
5."Physical (You're So)"Ant4:26
6."The Human Beings" 4:24
7."Stand and Deliver" 3:06

Super Deluxe Edition

On 20 May 2016, Sony Music/Legacy Recordings issued a lavish four disc super deluxe box set of Kings Of The Wild Frontier. The box included two CDs, a DVD & a 180g gold newly remastered vinyl LP.[27]

CD 1
No.TitleLength
1."Dog Eat Dog"3.09
2."Antmusic"3.36
3."Feed Me To The Lions"3.01
4."Los Rancheros"3.29
5."Ants Invasion"3.20
6."Killer In The Home"4.21
7."Kings Of The Wild Frontier"3.55
8."The Magnificent Five"3.06
9."Don’t Be Square (Be There)"3.31
10."Jolly Roger"2.09
11."Making History"2.57
12."The Human Beings"4.31
13."Press Darlings"4.11
14."Physical (You’re So)"4.26
15."Fall In"2.08
16."Don’t Be Square (Be There) (KPM Studio Demo)"4.23
17."The Human Beings (KPM Studio Demo)"4.56
18."Los Rancheros (KPM Studio Demo)"3.33
19."Making History (KPM Studio Demo)"3.44

CD 2, Adam & The Ants Live in Chicago, 1981

All tracks mastered by Adam Ant & Walter Coelho. Tracks 1-17 previously unissued on CD. Tracks 19 & 20 previously unreleased.

No.TitleLength
1."The Human Beings"3.35
2."Dog Eat Dog"3.14
3."The Magnificent Five"3.03
4."Don’t Be Square (Be There)"3.20
5."Los Rancheros"3.33
6."Ants Invasion"3.12
7."Killer In The Home"4.15
8."Cleopatra"2.54
9."Press Darlings"3.47
10."Kick!"1.55
11."Antmusic"3.14
12."Beat My Guest"3.04
13."Jolly Roger"2.11
14."Zerox"3.11
15."Cartrouble"3.21
16."Kings Of The Wild Frontier"4.33
17."Physical (You’re So)"5.22
18."A.N.T.S."3.30
19."Antmusic (Rough Cut)"3.24
20."Don’t Be Square Be There (Rough Cut)"3.52

DVD
The Videos
No.TitleLength
1."Kings of the Wild Frontier" 
2."Dog Eat Dog" 
3."Antmusic" 
4."Physical (You’re So)" (Live in Manchester) 
5."Dog Eat Dog" (Live) 
Adam & The Ants at the BBC
No.TitleLength
6."Dog Eat Dog" (Top Of The Pops, 16 October 1980) 
7."Ants Invasion" (Old Grey Whistle Test, January 1981) 
8."Killer in the Home" (Old Grey Whistle Test, January 1981) 
9."Antmusic" (Top of the Pops, December 1980) 
10."Dog Eat Dog" (Top of the Pops, 30 October 1980) 
Adam & The Ants Live in Tokyo 1981
No.TitleLength
11."The Magnificent Five" 
13."Don’t Be Square (Be There)" 
14."Ants Invasion" 
15."Killer in the Home" 
16."Never Trust a Man (With Egg On His Face)" 
17."Kick!" 
18."Press Darlings" 
19."Christian D’or" 
20."Los Rancheros" 
21."Cartrouble" 
22."Dog Eat Dog" 
23."Kings of the Wild Frontier" 
24."Physical (You’re So)" 
25."ANT INVASION: a documentary of the first Adam & the Ants US tour 1981" 

Gold Vinyl LP
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Dog Eat Dog"3.09
2."Antmusic"3.36
3."Feed Me To The Lions"3.01
4."Los Rancheros"3.29
5."Ants Invasion"3.20
6."Killer In The Home"4.21
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Kings Of The Wild Frontier"3.55
2."The Magnificent Five"3.06
3."Don’t Be Square (Be There)"3.31
4."Jolly Roger"2.09
5."Making History"2.57
6."The Human Beings"4.31

Personnel
Adam and the Ants

Chart positions
Album (original releases 1980-1981)
Chart (1981) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 1[6][10]
Billboard 200 44
Album (Deluxe reissue 2016)
Chart (2016) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 69[10]

Singles

Year Single Chart Peak
position
1980 "Kings of the Wild Frontier" UK Singles Chart 48[7]
"Dog Eat Dog" 4[7]
"Antmusic" 2[7]
1981 "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (re-release) 2[7]
"Dog Eat Dog" Billboard Club Play Singles 19
"Antmusic" Billboard Mainstream Rock 14
"Dog Eat Dog" Billboard Mainstream Rock 15
"Physical (You're So)" Billboard Mainstream Rock 19

References
  1. Peter Ashworth: National Portrait Gallery
  2. Ant, Adam. "Adam and the Ants Catalog". Adam Ant. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  3. Jackson, Josh (8 September 2016). "The 50 Best New Wave Albums". Paste. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  4. Christgau, Robert (2 March 1981). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  5. Palmer, Robert (25 November 1981). "The Pop Life; Latest British Invasion: 'The New Tribalism'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  6. "The Official UK Charts Company: All the Number 1 Albums". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  7. "Adam & the Ants | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Adam and the Ants – Antmusic". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  9. Gilbert, Pat (1 April 2016). "Creation Record". MOJO.
  10. http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/kings%20of%20the%20wild%20frontier
  11. http://www.adam-ant.net/2016.html
  12. http://www.adam-ant.net/2017.html
  13. The Guardian, 12 December 2018
  14. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Kings of the Wild Frontier – Adam and the Ants". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  15. Patterson, Sylvia (13 May 2016). "Adam And The Ants: Kings Of The Wild Frontier box set review". Classic Rock. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  16. Gilbert, Pat (May 2016). "Creation record". Mojo. No. 270. p. 100.
  17. Segal, Victoria (June 2016). "Crowning Glory". Q. No. 359. p. 118.
  18. Rathbone, Oregano (July 2016). "Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier". Record Collector. No. 455. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  19. Evans, Paul (1992). "Adam and the Ants". In DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 6. ISBN 0-679-73729-4.
  20. Ellen, Mark (13–26 November 1980). "Adam & the Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier". Smash Hits. Vol. 2 no. 23. p. 29.
  21. Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Adam and the Ants". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 6–7. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  22. Lewis, John (July 2016). "Adam and the Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier". Uncut. No. 230. p. 89.
  23. Young, Jon; Lewis, Kate; Rompers, Terry. "Adam Ant". Trouser Press. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  24. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  25. Paul Sinclair (6 September 2012). "Great British Albums / 20 Disc Box". Super Deluxe Edition.
  26. Ramirez, AJ (9 December 2014). "Caught in the Machine: Nine Inch Nails - 'Physical (You're So)'". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  27. Paul Sinclair (25 April 2016). "Adam and the Ants / Kings of the Wild Frontier Super Deluxe Edition". Super Deluxe Edition.
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