New Romantics

[mygreen]

I say we bring the look back! It worked for bell bottoms and hip huggers!

[geoffolehane]

I loved the music. I wonder if Adam and the Ants were New Romantics. They looked the part but the sound was more techno.

[mygreen]

[quote][i]Originally posted by geoffolehane[/i]
<br>I loved the music. I wonder if Adam and the Ants were New Romantics. They looked the part but the sound was more techno.
[/quote]

I believe that he started out with the New Romantic look but it didn't seem to catch on and that's when new wave look took over. That's what happened with Duran Duran. Their earlier years were much more feminine and when they became such a huge group then their look had drastically changed.

[Ollie Stench]

Adam and the Ants actually started out as a full-on punk band in 1977. He/they changed to the Prince Charming/Stand And Deliver style about 1980 after failing as a punk band.

[getyourbootson]

Ollie’s right. Although, I don’t think it was necessarily the failing of a punk band. I think it was just all about a new decade and very drastic changes going on in the music and pop scenes.

It seems that McClaren was a really big influence back then with help from Vivien Westwood. It was the eighties and people were tired of the dull punk scene that only seemed to be saying negative things and the look was very torn and tired. Vivien and Malcolm helped a lot with the new "New Romantic" look (as well as the punk look) and put it to the test with bands like Bow Wow Wow and Adam. The bands were more than happy to use the look and cash in on the pop success. Along with the clothes, they then started to lean towards a more poppy and danceable sound too.

As for the New Romantic look “not catching on.” I don’t think that was the case. That scene in general only lasted for a handful of years. Serious bands of the New Romantic era seemed to be getting pegged only as “New Romantics” which hinted a lot at “only in it for the scene and the clothes” so they started to drop that look and move on to newer things to show how serious they really were with their music. I don’t think it had anything to do with it “catching on.” It was a fairly big scene for the time it was going. So that is actually what happened with Duran Duran. ;o) That is the reason for their look changing.

And it wasn’t All feminine. There were other looks to the New Romantics than frilly shirts. Also, just because a guy wear’s a frilly shirt or a piratey type of look doesn’t make him or his outfit “feminine.” Oh well, I guess it’s just a matter opinion.

[Ollie Stench]

Adam actually paid McLaren L2000 (stupid American keyboard won't let me make the "pounds" sing!) for a months' worth of "advice". McLaren took the money, dressed the Ants up in pirate gear and gave them some records of Burundi drumming. He then pinched the band away from Adam, set them behind Anabella Lwin and Bow Wow Wow was formed.

[firefall]

First album of Adam and the Ants''Dirk wears white sox''is a totally underrated art punk classic.Forget everything you know, about the 80s ''glam'' new romantic persona, and get deeply into a strange world of twisted sex,pseudo- religious visions and artschool social ideas.Ithink that together with Magazine and Wire, really opened the doors for a more sophisticated punk opinion.Also first band of Adam Ant and Marco Pironi was The B-Sides,which included members of the then successful Monochrome Set.All these before Malcolm Mc Laren...

[mygreen]

[quote][i]Originally posted by getyourbootson[/i]
<br>Ollie’s right. Although, I don’t think it was necessary the failing of a punk band. I think it was just all about a new decade and very drastic changes going on in the music and pop scenes.

It seems that McClaren was a really big influence back then with help from Vivien Westwood. It was the eighties and people were tired of the dull punk scene that only seemed to be saying negative things and the look was very torn and tired. Vivien and Malcolm helped a lot with that look and put it to the test with bands like Bow Wow Wow and Adam. The bands were more than happy to use the look and cash in on the pop success. Along with the clothes, they then started to lean towards a more poppy and danceable sound too.

As for the New Romantic look “not catching on.” I don’t think that was the case. That scene in general only lasted for a handful of years. Serious bands of the New Romantic era seemed to be getting pegged only as “New Romantics” which hinted a lot at “only in it for the scene and the clothes” so they started to drop that look and move on to newer things to show how serious they really were with their music. I don’t think it had anything to do with it “catching on.” It was a fairly big scene for the time it was going. So that is actually what happened with Duran Duran. ;o) That is the reason for their look changing.

And it wasn’t All feminine. There were other looks to the New Romantics than frilly shirts. Also, just because a guy wear’s a frilly shirt or a piratey type of look doesn’t make him or his outfit “feminine.” Oh well, I guess it’s just a matter opinion.

[/quote]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I mean really what did I know I was 10 in 1981 so I am just going by what I can rememeber from my little young mind.

[getyourbootson]

I was ten too! ;o) However, I later got very into New Ro stuff again in my later high school years. Everything about Vivien Westwood and Malcolm McClaren and the scene fascinated me, so I taped all I could on video and read some too, interviews and what not.

Don’t mean to sound high and mighty, just tryin’ to get the facts straight. ;o)

Now, as for Adam paying Malcolm, wow, I don’t remember that. I always thought that Malcom came to him. That’s funny actually, D Well, I guess not too funny because it worked.

[siouxmoux]

Who isn't a fan of New Romantics.

[mygreen]

[quote][i]Originally posted by getyourbootson[/i]
<br>I was ten too! ;o) However, I later got very into New Ro stuff again in my later high school years. Everything about Vivien Westwood and Malcolm McClaren and the scene fascinated me, so I taped all I could on video and read some too, interviews and what not.

Don’t mean to sound high and mighty, just tryin’ to get the facts straight. ;o)

Now, as for Adam paying Malcolm, wow, I don’t remember that. I always thought that Malcom came to him. That’s funny actually, D Well, I guess not too funny because it worked.

[/quote]

Thanks, I really appreciate your input!

[KYYX4ever]

[quote][i]Originally posted by getyourbootson[/i]
<br>
As for the New Romantic look “not catching on.” I don’t think that was the case. That scene in general only lasted for a handful of years. Serious bands of the New Romantic era seemed to be getting pegged only as “New Romantics” which hinted a lot at “only in it for the scene and the clothes” so they started to drop that look and move on to newer things to show how serious they really were with their music. I don’t think it had anything to do with it “catching on.” It was a fairly big scene for the time it was going. So that is actually what happened with Duran Duran. ;o) That is the reason for their look changing.

[/quote]
yes, that is true. Duran were like several other bands in this cultural time period who changed precisely for these reasons.
I still love the sound and look, tho.

[FightTest]

-waves hand-
Me!

[rotator]

I am proud to say that I considered myself a 'New Romantic'. circa 1982. of course I was 13 years old, and probably didn't know my ass from my elbow. I was HEAVILY into (early) Spandau Ballet, Visage, Ultravox, (early) Duran Duran. Classix Neuveaux(sp)....wore "chinese" slippers, sashes, and anything else I could steal from my older sister.(Makeup included)...I was more popular with the girls then, than 10 years later! sigh.

http://www.gigposters.com/designers.php?designer=47494

[Borneojimy]

Can't say that I ever sported the look, but I do like the music. Most especially very early Adam & the Ants and Ultravox.