Adam Ant Based His Whole Career Off Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"?

In 1979, Fleetwood Mac recorded the song "Tusk," which they released on the album of the same name. An odd song by Fleetwood Mac standards, "Tusk" consisted of tribal drumming, off-kilter chants of the title word, and a guest appearance by the USC Trojan Marching Band. Most people probably heard this song and thought it was quirky and different. Adam Ant must have heard this song and decided to base his entire recording career around it.



Apparently, Adam Ant's whole sound was a "thundering, infectious Burundi drum beat." He also dressed up like a cross between a pirate and a Native American. For a couple of years in England, Ant was huge, scoring several Top Ten hits, including the #1's "Stand and Deliver," Prince Charming," and "Goody Two Shoes." Pitchfork included his 1980 song "Kings of the Wild Frontier" in The Pitchfork 500. I'd always heard a lot about Adam Ant without actually having heard Adam Ant. After finally listening to him, I can kind of understand why.



I'll say this: Adam Ant certainly created a style of his own. No one else sounds like Adam Ant. That may be his gift and his curse. On a dark and lonely night, when I need music to comfort my restless soul, I don't think I would put on some Adam Ant.

I like his videos, though, which are zany and ridiculous. And very English.





The problem with Adam Ant is that he doesn't really have any ... depth. Adam Ant is like the Rolling Stones, if the Rolling Stones could only do "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and not also be able to do, say, "Ruby Tuesday," or "Gimme Shelter," or "You Can't Always Get What You Want," or "Sympathy For The Devil."

Perhaps if he'd based his entire recording career off "The Edge of Seventeen," Adam Ant might have had better luck.