Search - Adam & The Ants :: Antbox: The Definitive Story

ANTBOX - THE DEFINITIVE ANT COLLECTION

12/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to sum up 23 years of a man's career and ANTBOX, the 3-CD box set does accomplishes just that! Antmusic gained it popularity in the early 80's but this box focuses on everything from 1977 up to 1995. This box set contains 66 songs including the 22 hit singles and over 20 unreleased versions including some never-before-published rare tracks.CD #1 focuses on the early years - 1977 to 1981. The first CD contains 23 pure gems - starting off with the scratchy yet rare, Young Parisians and ending with an unreleased version of Kings of the Wild Frontier. An Antfan who has never be as fortunate to collect rare tracks will be delighted when the hear some of this raunchy punk tunes, ever pre-Dirk Wears White Sox. Plastic Surgery, Lady, Hampstead, Bathroom Function, Rubber People and Deutsher Girl just about sums up with the true roots of Antmusic. Picture the scene - London, early 1977 - 1981. You have CD #1.CD #2 The heart of Antmusic This CD contains everything from Antmusic, Dog Eat Dog, Kings of the Wild Frontier and the other tracks from the Burundi beat Antmusic that stormed North America in 1981. Also, before the Ants officially disbanded, the extremely popular and fashionable Prince Charming tracks were recorded. Only a mere handful are featured here it must be noted that due time constraints, both SEX and Scorpions were panned at the last minute. If you are a large Prince Charming fan, you may be disappointed in the lack of featured songs. After Adam went solo, Friend or Foe was released and not only are the hits such as Goody Two shoes, Friend or Foe and Desperate but Not Serious featured on this CD but three unreleased tracks from these sessions including I WIN ZULUS, COUP D'ETAT and ZYDYCO. Why there weren't on the original album is beyond me. These songs are better than a few of the original album tracks. CD #3 - Strip, Vive, Manners and Physique and Wonderful. The last 20 songs of the album are perhaps the low point of the CD collection. Although the hits from the Strip, Manners and Physique and Wonderful albums are featured here, the unreleased material is a bit of a downer. Steve McQueen just doesn't have that expected punch (probably why it never made the first cut on the Vive album. However, the never made it to Manners track, High Heels in High Places is a rare gem as is the alternative better than the album title track, Manners and Physique. In 1995, when Wonderful was recorded, there were several versions of songs that never made it to the final take but it's beyond me why they weren't selected for the boxed set. Fans would surely be delighted.All in all, Antbox is a real treat and it is the definite collection. Pure and simple - unplug the jukebox and do yourself a favour - buy the Antbox. That music hasn't lost its taste - don't try another flavor - Antmusic.Lastly I cannot forget to mention - included in the Antbox is a 64 page booklet which features liner notes for most songs (compiled by Adam and Marco), a brief history, wonderful pictures (including baby pictures of Adam and Marco) and an excellent retrospect of Antmusic included in a detailed discography. GET BOXED. BUY IT NOW."

The Best Box Set I Ever Heard

Jason M. Carzon | bowie, maryland United States | 01/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of all the box sets I have, this one is one of my all time special Box Sets because it's a well rounded set with everything you may need for both the casual Antfan to the rabid collector: rare early punk tracks, all of his major hits, definitive album cuts, demos, alternate versions and unreleased tracks. This is Antmusic in a nutshell, from the naughty S&M-minded early punk years through his Pirate years and commercial heyday to his overlooked sporadic later years. All the essential stuff. The three discs mainly go like this:DISC ONE: early punk fun with the original Ants, songs like 'Zerox', 'Cleopatra', 'Ligotage', Car Trouble', etc. Also the heftiest helping of rarities are here, including the excellent 'Rubber People' and 'Bathroom Function'. Some sound quality issues here, but the material itself more than compensates. A couple tracks were actually lifted from scratchy vinyl bootlegs, giving them that authentic 1978 punk atmosphere. A whole load of tracks, worth the money of the whole box.DISC TWO: covers his commercial heyday and includes his Pirates and War Paint years and MTV success. The hits are here: 'Goody Two Shoes', 'Antmusic', 'Strip', 'Stand & Deliver', etc. Also demos, alternate versions and unreleased gems like 'I WIn Zulus' and 'A.N.T.S.'(a punky 'Y.M.C.A.' with 'altered' lyrics) and more.DISC THREE: covers the next ten years from 1985's 'Viva Le Rock' era to his last studio album 1995's 'Wonderful'. On here there's a lot of material from the 'Viva Le Rock' period, a lot unreleased, and some unreleased stuff from 'Manners & Physique'. The only thing keeping this Box Set from getting eleven stars is that they could have added material from Adam's aborted unreleased album 'Persuasion' which is an excellent album. Also, only two tracks represent the 'Strip' album from 1983(the two hits, no rarities or album cuts). Clearly this may be Adam's least favorite album of his and perhaps he's disowned it(He didn't play anything from it in concert on his 90's outings either). But all in all this is an essential Box set."