Adam online

3rd March 2009

This week saw Adam online for the first time to answer questions that had been posted over the last fortnight on the adam-ant.net forum Antrap about his recently released Live at the Bloomsbury CD.

The aniticpation was seen mounting on the forum as more and more people logged on and new registrations came flooding in to be there as Adam's answers to questions were being posted under his one word username Adam.
Starting at 1430 (UK time), Adam began reading through the lists of questions before diving in, whereupon he continued answering for the next couple of hours.
Below are copies of the relevant questions from the board and Adam's answer to each.
Adam's answers are in bold.

Adam,
Many artists have a kind of ritual before going on stage, for give them courage or luck. And you ?
(flower111)

Hi Flower,
It's Adam here.
Yes, it's a bit like being in a football team - comradeship and building up the adrenalin to do a great show...

Adam what was your favourite part of the night?
(Andrea Ant)

Hi Andrea,
The entire experience on the night was so amazing that it took me days to take it in. So now all of it is my favourite.

Hi again Adam
It has been said that either/both you and your management tried to disuade fans from dressing in costume for Bloomsbury.
What's the truth behind this rumour? I'll be sorry to miss you "live" on here but look forward to reading all your answers in the morning. Bless!
(smauge)

Hello Smauge,
There's absolutely no truth in this. That will be the last possible thing I would ever wish to do.

Hi Adam,
you and your music inspire me, but who and what inspires/inspired you to do Bloomsbury? (if that is too personal don't answer!)
(Jenny)

Hi Adam,
at the end of your autobiography you wrote that it feels as if life is only really just beginning and you fully intend to live happily ever after.
To what extent your Bloomsbury gig makes a contribution to your intention? What exactly was your motive for doing it?
best regards from Germany.
(Markus)

Hello Markus and Jenny,
This was a very scary but necessary dive back in the sea for me. It's like starting from scratch....

We were all buzzing afterwards and went for drinks, what did you do to chill afterwards, would you have felt comfortable with an after show party with everyone who was there or would that have been too much.
(Cleo)

Hello there.
Had a cup of herbal tea ... a few sarnies.
And thought of pinching myself to check if what had just happened was real.

I assume that Clare was there too...
What was the first thing she said to you when you came off stage? Was she as enthusiastic as we were??? Was she pleased? I bet she was very proud of you?!!!
(Sandra)

Hello there Sandra,
A huge hug and kiss and smile which said it all!
And for Cleo,
All I've ever wanted to do after any gig is find the nearest shower, have a cup of tea and hit the sack...

So, what did Dave say after the show? Was he pleased?
I saw Dave later on that evening when he was walking to his car. I told him it was a great perfomance! Really good!!... It's a pity though I couldn't tell you in person!... You were amazing Adam!!
(Sandra)

After the show, the first thing Dave said was: "That went OK, didn't it?!!"
He's a very calm, cool individual.

Hi Adam,
The Bloomsbury performance so as the album were in some way introduced into the Stand and Deliver last words "There's even been talk of my making 'narrowcast' performances. We'll see. The basic are all still there, you see. An acoustic guitar. A voice. And the song. The main thing is always the song." Does it mean your music orientation will give priority to sobriety, simplicity, complicity, closeness with the audience... by sharing a part of your deep insight?
Love and respect from France,
(nico)

Hello Nico,
It's only rock 'n' roll but I like it...

When you first walked on stage at the Bloomsbury one of the first things that struck me was how good your skin looked (What?? I notice these things!). Good diet, moisturiser or genes?
(Min)

Hello Min,
Thank you for noticing. I've always been guided by that old song It's Your Duty to be Beautiful....

Dave was amazing! How did you decide on him to accompany you for the concert, and how did you ask him?
(Ravenna)

Hello Ravenna,
Dave's musical background is very different from mine, and I thought it would make an interesting combination live.

Did you or Dave know beforehand that some of your old schoolfriends were in the audience, or was it a surprise to see them? And did you catch up with any of them after the show? (Gable Ender)

Dear Gable Ender,
I had absolutely no idea .... I did meet a couple of them at an earlier book-signing.
As for anyone missing, too numerable to mention, but the Bloomsbury can only hold so many...

Would you now have ditched some tracks for more obvious acoustic material?
Did you consider doing obsure stuff like Tabletalk, Mile High?
Did you think of playing acoustic bass alongside Dave?
Would you do an acoustic tour of small venues on the back of this?
(Wixxy)

Is there any song that you really wish you could have included on the set list that night, but were unable to due to it not fitting the acoustic guitar,or for other reasons?
(Andrea Ant)

Hello Wixxy, Andrea and all the rest of you out there,
I just picked out some of my favourite songs that would roughly follow the readings from the book.
Bringing a band in would have defeated the whole purpose of the evening. It could never have been as informal as it was...

your preformance was quite energetic, did you ache much the next day?
(Punkywalrus)

Hello Punkywalrus,
Surprisingly, no. I had made quite a disciplined regime weeks before the show as I've always done.....
It certainly was a fresh start, as I had never done anything like it before in my life. It encourages me to do more of it....

Prior to the triumphant Bloomsbury concert, did you ever peek onto this website and see the building excitement as we looked forward to the event?
(Liisant)

Hello Liisant,
No - that would have been cheating, and would have spoiled the surprise for me ...

sadly, I missed the show but I really enjoyed the CD and I've read stand and deliver loads of times, how did you feel reading parts of your biography to an audience and telling them parts of your personal life?
as I think it must have been a very different feeling than just knowing people have read about your life.
(Apollo9)

Hello Apollo9,
Unlike reading for the audiobook, the words really come to life in front of an audience, and I found myself acting it out instead of just saying it...
I approached it as if no one had read the book and I was reading it specially for them.

Hi Adam, any chance of bringing "Softly As I Leave You" accoustic in the future? You sang that song with such sentiment...fantastic! So beautiful...!
(Sandra)

Dear Sandra,
That song was a memory from childhood which tested me vocally more than any song I've ever sung live.
Had there not have been technical problems on the recording, I would have included it on the CD. You may hear it again in future shows.

Being a classical guitarist, did Dave enjoy showing his inner pop star.
His interview said he was nervous but he seemed to enjoyed it by the sound of his playing
(Mrschief)

Hello mrschief,
I think every guitarist secretly holds this desire, and I think Dave has the ability to do it if he chose to.

With the birth of the artist comes the inevitable afterbirth : the critic. Did you get good reviews?(Karin)

Hello Karin,
Deliberately, no press were invited as all the tickets sold out so quickly and this was an evening for Ant fans. I got my reviews live on stage....

Several people asked whether or not a DVD of the show would be released?)

Hello all of you out there,
There was absolutely no DVD planned or filmed for this occasion.
I thought of it like putting on a play where you don't expect to have cameramen running around in front of the stage, poking lenses up your nose ....
As for the cover, we used the wonders of technology to turn a photograph into a vintage video still reminiscent of Kings of the Wild Frontier.
I'm sorry if it disappoints those of you that didn't make it to the show, but feel that the CD does reflect what happened. And with future concerts, DVDs would of course be planned and released. Just not this time.

Hi Adam,
Which song was the most challenging for Dave to play accustically and which one for you to sing?
My favorite from the CD was the encore of "Never Trust a Man...." when the audience joined in with you. Sounded great all around.
I wished I could have heard all of them, the night sounded magical.
Congrats!!!
(mrschief)

Dear mrschief,
I think the Adam and the Ants later songs were a great challenge.
Dave had to rearrange the songs to fit classical guitar, and I think he did a very good job.
Boz Boorer has remarked that he thought Dave did an incredible job on Goody Two Shoes.

How did you prepare yourself?
Weeks or days prior to the show, how did you prepare yourself? Special day routine? Because you hadn't sung for such a while, did you need any training/coaching on that part?
(Karin)

Dear Karin,
Clare made sure I was eating only the finest, healthy diet. We walked miles, and hit the gym as usual. The biggest challenge was the strain on the voice from reading as well as singing, as the projection required for the two are completely different.

Since no-one else did...I'll be going for the obvious question ...how or why was the date wrongly printed on the inside cover?
(Defi)

Dear defi,
What mistake? The date relates to a mystical and rare confluence of planets at the actual moment of conception of the show ...

Adam, I imagine that getting back on stage rekindled a fire in you that you had not felt for some time. Now that you've experienced this again, and the recent Icon award, what gives Adam Ant, the performer the most satisifaction (i.e. singing on stage, a No1 record, receiving awards or in the recording studio)
(Beaglebum)

Dear Beaglebum,
Going on stage is the most relaxing, unique experience as all the preparation and practice kicks in and you just feel like you've been given the greatest gift on earth.

I thought you looked the best you had for years,I think I remember reading some where that Clare had styled you (very well she did too!) but did you disagree with anything she picked and was the outfit you wore the first choice? regards
michelle
(Punkywalrus)

Dear Punkywalrus,
I think Clare is a fabulous designer and has a keen eye and insight. She styled me in such a way that I felt relaxed and it was easy to perform. A great deal of thought went into it. I will pass your congratulations on to her - thank you.

How long did it take you to autograph all those copies of the paperback book prior to the show?
Also, if Dave Pash didn't agree to perform with you, who else would you have approached to perform with you?
(CaptainCork)

Hello CaptainCork,
It took about four hours.....
As for Dave's agreement, I wasn't really thinking about anybody else, and thank heavens he said yes.

What can I say? Thank you? That doesn't sound enough somehow.
I have been a fan for many years during which time you have been the soundtrack to my life. Your music has made the good times all the more sweeter and the hard times easier to bear.
Although I have been fortunate to have witnessed you perform live before and have been privileged to meet you on occasions, the performance you gave at The Bloomsbury was enthralling and exhilarating. The reading was heartfelt, insightful and personal and we were able to get to know you that little bit better.
The old songs were as magical as if we had heard them for the very first time, and the way you sang 'Softly as I Leave You', was beautiful.
With this style of performance in mind, would you look to do more acoustic recordings of your previous hits, or maybe record other artists tracks such as this in your truly unique style in the future? Either way, once is never enough!
(Wightstripe)

Hello Wightstripe,
Singing songs by my favourite artists live is always a welcome diversion, and it's a chance to arrange them in a way that suits my voice.
It's given me plenty of food for thought....

Dear Adam Ant,
Do you envision yourself doing anything else in the future that has the same format as the Bloomsbury gig, part reading, part music?
Best wishes in all your future endeavours!
(zombiestreetcred)

Hello there,
Never say never. Though I look forward to much amplification behind me in the future ....

Adam,
how disappointed/angry were you when footage from that night started appearing on youtube after it was specifically requested that no recording equipment was to be used during the performance, and do you feel that the security staff at the Bloomsbury could have done a better job?
(Andrea)

Hello Andrea,
I was very disappointed as it defeated the whole purpose of the evening.... I suppose the security stopped it as soon as they could.

Of those songs that could not be included on the CD for technical reasons, which would you most like to have included if possible?"
(Lucifer)

The songs, that you have sing on stage and which do not appear on the cd, could be proposed in download on the net, even if the quality is less good?
(flower111)

Hello there,
There's an old saying: "You don't ruin a suit for an h'appeth of cloth". If the recording is not up to standard it doesn't go out.
I owe that to myself and to my audience. It's a question of quality not quantity.

You wrote that you could see the audience when you walked onto the stage. But could you see us all the time in the back light? Could you see the reactions of the audiences, the faces?
(SIM_Hexe_S)

Hello there,
After a short while, my eyes adjusted to the light and I could see you all quite clearly.That was one of the reasons for choosing a theatre as intimate as the Bloomsbury.

Did the positive reaction, both on the night and from the CD reviews give you the confidence to decide on a new album?
(Antmania)

Hello everybody out there,
First, thanks for the barrage of positive reaction to the show.
After such a long time, you never know what could happen. I'm just glad it happened in the way it did. It has encouraged me to get back on stage, make new music, and do what I think I do best.

Dear Adam,
I wasn't able to go to the Bloomsbury gig but, when I saw that there was going to be a CD I ordered it, and as soon as it came I listened to the whole thing and, I loved it.
Do you think you'll come to the US sometime to do something like the Bloomsbury gig ?
Thank you
(Dirksox)

Hi Dirksox,
I would like to come and play wherever there is a demand, and look forward to doing so.

If you could go back in time and do it all again, what would you change about the Bloomsbury gig??
Were you completely satisfied with the night or now looking back, based on the huge amount of positive feedback and how quickly the event sold out, do you wish you had gone for a bigger venue or maybe added a few extra songs, to make the moment last as long as possible.
(Beaglebum)

Hi Adam,
The Bloomsbury gig was a highly regarded and awaited event for your dedicated fans.
Hindsight is a powerful thing, now with looking back -
Were there any changes you would have made to the gig or the CD?
(Suzz)

Hello Suzz and Beaglebum,
The whole idea was to do one intimate, unique reading with musical accompaniment. I think that was achieved.

why was does cd start halfway into a discussion and not at the beginning of the conversation?
(sputnikfred)

Hello Everybody out there,
That was one of the major problems as the sound man forgot to switch the machine on!!

Hello Adam,
During the show you mentioned how Dave had to have holes drilled into his acoustic guitar so he could have pickups fitted. Who's idea was that? Dave must have been devastated the next morning to find what he had done to his favorite guitar. Some of those vintage classical acoustic guitars are worth a fortune.
(Elias)

Hello Elias,
I implored Dave not to do it, but he assured me that it would prove very useful for him and his live performances.

Hi
We came down from Glasgow for the Bloomsbury Event and the adrenalin rush from the moment we arrived until we left (in fact for quite a few days) was incredible.
It was obvious by the fans' responses; and when I listen back on the CD you can tell that everyone was hanging on to your every word/gesture/movement etc.
In my excitement I left without my signed paperback copy of your autobiography and via Adam-ant.net, I managed to acquire one, a few weeks later from another fan who attended the evening.
This highlights the bond that exists between people who have never met, but are linked by a common interest.
What does the "ant community" mean to you?
Thanks
(Weelassie)

Dear Weelassie,
The Ant community means anybody interested in the work I do, and today is just a small gesture on my part to thank them for their support over the years.

Have you forgiven me for having to walk out during the reading, to go to the loo?
I've never been so embarrassed in my life!
(Jude)

Dear Jude,
Of course I've forgiven you. That's one of the hazards of sitting in the front row.....
If I'd been playing with the band I would never have noticed.

What was the inspiration for the design of the packaging and the CD label?
(Red Moon)

Dear Red Moon,
The skull motif featured on the label and booklet is a close-up of one of my newer tattoos that no one has seen. I thought it would give it an air of mystery, but now you mention it the secret's out....

And so it ended, Adam's first foray in to the world of the forum, hopefully the first many.
Adam seemed amiable, friendly and in good spirits.
The Live at the Bloomsbury CD is still available to buy through adam-ant.net through the following links:

Live at the Bloomsbury

and via Amazon from Essential Works