Seems to me we’ve got a new aristocracy – Seems to Me.
Seems to me we’ve got a new aristocracy – Seems to Me.
Adam Ant – Persuasion – 1993
Finally, we get to the album that inspired this Reflecting Pool series in the first place. The Adam Ant Record you don’t know about.
There is a book called “The Greatest Music Never Sold” written about a few of the great unknown or unreleased records. Juliana Hatfield’s tragic story of her unheard masterpiece, God’s Foot, is probably the impetus for the book, closing out the sad tales.
Mick Jagger’s work with The Red Devils is in there. Ray Davies soundtrack for the aborted stage production of Around the World in 80 Day. Seal’s attempt to break free from Trevor Horn. David Bowie’s album of resurrected songs that he wrote and recorded prior to Space Oddity. Other.
But the reason I wanted to read the book is for the chapter on Adam Ant’s Persuasion.
You didn’t know there was an Adam Ant record called that, huh? Didn’t even know there was an unreleased Adam album, right? It’s hard to imaging that there is actually Adam Ant music that has not been marketed somewhere.
This is a guy who just a few years ago put out a box set called “Antbox” (which I have) that traces his career through demos, remixes, alternate versions, from his early days just after Bazooka Joe to the very last record which I will cover here next.
This is the New Wave icon who has been repackaged and remarketed so often it’s hard to keep track. There’s the Peel sessions. The B-side collection, B Side Babies. Then there is the granddaddy. The remastered, repackaged box set of the first albums, carefully and lovingly produced by Marco. Each of those discs contain MORE additional material PLUS one last CD called Redux, which has even MORE material.
HOW COULD THERE BE MORE ADAM ANT??? And if there was, why wouldn’t someone put the damned thing out?
Labels. Marco has tried over and over to buy back, license, steal, the recordings of Adam’s lost album.
So, what is it? And, moreover, how is it?
It’s so hard to be objective about a treasure like this. Because who wants to slam someone’s lost baby?
On the other hand, coming after the abortion that was Manners & Physique, it’s hard to get excited and look forward to another dance oriented Adam Ant record.
The production: Adam & Marco were responsible for the song which was to be left off the album, “Seems to Me” as well as Survival of the Fetish, All Girl Action. Larry Blackmon; Little Devil, Brain Candy. Leigh Gorman (Ex-Ant!!!) did Persuasion & Headgear, while Bernard Edwards handled Charge of the Heavy Brigade, Sexatise You & Obsession and Don’t Knock It.
The work with Blackmon did not include Pirroni. He was busy reigniting a relationship with the ex-ant Gorman.
So, how does the mishmash of production sound?
Let’s just examine the songs:
Gorman was the bassist for the original Ants and Bow Wow Wow:
“Persuasion” is a grinding, sexy, wide sounding, piece of dank club dance rock.
“Headgear” is very reminiscent of what Vive or (even parts of Strip) would have sounded like if they were written in the era of Bobby Brown and the big R&B stage shows.
Larry Blackmon was the front man for Cameo:
“Brain Candy” is one of the most listless dance tracks Adam’s ever recorded. He tries to overcome the “Word Up” sound but he’s not up to it. “Little Devil” combines the big, glam sound of Adam’s bigger successes with an uninspired song, with an unfocused rap in the middle that conjures up another Adam fixation, namely a Jim Morrison lyric.
Bernard Edwards was the bassist for Chic. Why Adam decided to use R&B producers after the failure of Manners speaks to the sound of the day.
“Obsession” is a trite, synth laden song wherein the subject matter is covered in the title and explores it no further. I will admit that I have a soft spot for “Charge of the Heavy Brigade” with its nonsense backing vox by Adam and the soulful backing vocals. It’s an ego trip but it’s fun. And “Sexatise You” could have been an attempt to reclaim a lost sound. But that sound was heard on Vive Le Rock and it wasn’t exactly “lost”. No one wanted to hear it. Sadly.
Don’t Knock It is more of that sound. Crunchy guitars. Pounding bass drum. Funky bass. Almost, anti-Antmusic. But the song itself is one of the better on the record. A track where Adam sounds as close to the Prince Charming narcissist we loved.
Now for the Ant/Marco songs:
All Girl Action is the first time I’ve heard an Ant song that at least tries to sound like an Ant song. There’s no double drumming, no “antmusic” and it’s still a little steeped in dance rhythms. But it works. “Survival of the Fetish”…hmm… I can’t help but think, as Adam sings, “Going, round and round and round and round”, that that’s just what we’re doing here. Marking time. Going round and round. The record seems more like a job than an inspiration. While neither Adam nor Marco cared for “Seems to Me” it’s actually one of my favorite songs on the record. It’s the one where they seem to be less interested in the sounds of “the day” and are entertaining themselves. It was actually dropped from the original track list in favor of “Charge of the Heavy Brigade”. I don’t know why. But I’m glad I have it. And now you can hear it, too.
I suppose I am being kinder to Persuasion than I might be if the record actually came out. It’s not that great. While it’s a vast improvement over Manners & Physique and in many ways preferable to Strip, it’s ultimate just not that great.
Grade: C
A-Side: Persuasion, Headgear, Seems to Me
BlindSide: Charge of the Heavy Brigade, Sexatise You, All Girl Action
DownSide: Brain Candy
