Rock and Pop Costume thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Rock and Pop Costume

ca. 1981 (made)

While attending Hornsey College of Art on a graphic design course Adam Ant (born Stuart Leslie Goddard) joined ‘50s influenced pub band Bazooka Joe as bass player. The band headlined the first concert played by the Sex Pistols and this new raw sound appealed to Adam Ant. He afterwards formed the band Adam and the Ants which failed to win favour with the British music press, despite that they toured the UK extensively. Around this time Adam appeared in Derek Jarman’s film Jubilee and caught the acting bug.

Adam and the band asked Malcolm McLaren to manage them, which soon led to the separation of Adam and the band. With a change of line up, the Ants returned with a new sound and look and became one of the most successful British acts of the early 1980s. After a string of hits, Adam dissolved the band and continued with a solo music career, interspersed with acting rolls on TV, film, and stage. Adam then started touring his new music, followed by a world tour showcasing his hit albums.


Object details

Category
Object type
Brief description
White cotton poet shirt worn by Adam Ant in the Kings of the Wild Frontier music video.
Physical description
White cotton poet shirt with white frills on the cuff and along the neckline. Worn by Adam Ant in the Kings of the Wild Frontier music video.
Dimensions
  • Shirt weight weight: 0.3kg
  • Shirt, collar to cuff, laid flat length: 75cm
  • Shirt, shoulder width, laid flat width: 68cm
Credit line
Given by Stuart Leslie Goddard (Adam Ant)
Summary
While attending Hornsey College of Art on a graphic design course Adam Ant (born Stuart Leslie Goddard) joined ‘50s influenced pub band Bazooka Joe as bass player. The band headlined the first concert played by the Sex Pistols and this new raw sound appealed to Adam Ant. He afterwards formed the band Adam and the Ants which failed to win favour with the British music press, despite that they toured the UK extensively. Around this time Adam appeared in Derek Jarman’s film Jubilee and caught the acting bug.

Adam and the band asked Malcolm McLaren to manage them, which soon led to the separation of Adam and the band. With a change of line up, the Ants returned with a new sound and look and became one of the most successful British acts of the early 1980s. After a string of hits, Adam dissolved the band and continued with a solo music career, interspersed with acting rolls on TV, film, and stage. Adam then started touring his new music, followed by a world tour showcasing his hit albums.
Collection
Accession number
S.60-2011

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Record createdMarch 30, 2011
Record URL
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