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Stand and Deliver: The Autobiography
by
Adam Ant
One of the most successful pop stars of the 80s, Adam Ant was a phenomenon. This autobiography tells the full story of his amazing life from his dysfunctional childhood to his key role in the punk movement and creation of a unique musical style that brought him a string of hits, both singles and albums.
Hardcover
,
336 pages
Published
September 15th 2006
by Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd
(first published 2006)
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Community Reviews
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1,046)
I was a big fan of Adam Ant in the late 70s, before he went on to become mega with the whole cowboys, Indians and pirates thing. I first saw the band in an early incarnation at Wardour Street's Vortex Club supporting my other fave ('before they became famous') band Siouxsie and the Banshees. I liked the vaguely dangerous atmosphere at the gigs, loved the edgy show, the frankly weird songs about S&M, Dirk Bogarde, and Hampstead ('not a place for revolutions - you're deprived of being deprived
...more
I found this a very interesting and quite nostalgic read. Although I was never lucky enough to see Adam Ant perform live, I did see some of the other bands he mentions such as Siouxsie and the Banshees. This made this a nostalgic trip back to the heady days of early punk - the excitment of discovering new bands, new music and the thrill of shocking my parents by playing some pretty risque singles extra loud in my bedroom.
He writes very very well, his artistic influences are there in his use of l ...more
I found this a fascinating read. Written honestly, Adam takes you on a journey from his early childhood to the present day, and documents the ups and downs in his life. He writes candidly about his battle with bipolar disorder and, particularly in the later chapters, you really feel for him. However, there are times when Adam seems to skim over months and years, and I felt that he could have talked more about his career in the late 80s and early 90s, when his fame was slipping and his records we
...more
I found this memoir by Adam Ant fascinating, but not totally for the words on the page. The first part of the book is really fantastic, where he describes his family and upbringing, which is border-lined terrible. The last part of the book is horrifying due to his severe manic -depressive state. The middle part (surprising) is not that interesting for some odd reason.
I would like to know more about the recordings, because as a life-long pop music fan I think Adam Ant made some amazing and UNIQU ...more
I would like to know more about the recordings, because as a life-long pop music fan I think Adam Ant made some amazing and UNIQU ...more
view all 7 comments
May 16, 2008
Sharon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Music lovers, people interested in Punk and New Romantics
Recommended to Sharon by:
My friend Sam
A very interesting and sometimes sad history of one of the most enigmatic pop stars of the early 80s and 90s.
As well as his childhood and his rise to fame and the comedown afterwards, he talks about punk at it's peak in London in the 70s. What is also facinating is that he talks frankly of his depression and manic episodes and the truth behind some of his relationships and sexual exploits.
This is a very well written book, honest and truthful. I rather think that this book helped Adam defeat some ...more
As well as his childhood and his rise to fame and the comedown afterwards, he talks about punk at it's peak in London in the 70s. What is also facinating is that he talks frankly of his depression and manic episodes and the truth behind some of his relationships and sexual exploits.
This is a very well written book, honest and truthful. I rather think that this book helped Adam defeat some ...more
A very readable book about a very interesting man. I have long been a fan of Adam Ant's music so reading about his life was very fascinating to me. He is very blunt in his descriptions (from his point of view) about his life and his writing style is engaging. He addresses his lifelong struggled with bipolar illness and how he is coping with it now. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of his music or autobiographies.
Stand & Deliver is a powerful autobiography. You feel as if you are in Adam Ant's head throughout the book. Parts about his bipolar disorder were difficult and and at times upsetting to read, but he is truly a survivor. I would recommend it to anyone who loves his music.
From having an abusive father to being sectioned under the Mental Health Act of 1983, this man has come out the other side with humility and humour. Adam is just about my favourite person on the planet.
I listened to this audiobook, on a whim. I had been aware of this book for years but something drew me towards finally reading it. I loved that the book was read by the man, himself. I was still in primary school when I heard 'Ant Music'. I was too young to enjoy his music and appreciate the well constructed image/persona that was Adam Ant. It was good, fun pop music to me. As I grew up, I was aware that he had gone into acting and I saw him popping up here and there. I saw him on Live Aid, too.
...more
I feared reading this book because it had the potential to be so self indulgent, but Adam Ant writes pretty honestly and not very melodramatically about his life. It's not the most eloquent memoir in the world (or the least), but it took me through Adam's troubled childhood, the punk and post-punk London music scenes and explained more recent, unhappy appearances in the news.
I came out respecting him...
I came out respecting him...
I love Adam Ant and when I found out that he wrote an autobiography I was more than thrilled!! Dealing with fame and super star status, not to mention Bi-Polar disorder, he cronicles his life from the begining all the way to his healthly life now. A wonderful read for thoes who love the music or if you just love the british pop idol.
A talented singer from the 80's, this is his story. There's no pretty words, just straight up truth, hard as some of it is to read. You get the whole story on his childhood, his loves, his music, his fall from grace, his mental illness, all the truth behind the tabloidism. He's a witty, amazing man, and so is the book.
Wasn't a huge adam ant fan, saw the doc on tv and became curious. read the book and just didnt want to put it down. fab honest account of his life and his actions and emotions. it would be an inspirational book for anyone suffering the same illness and i'm so glad he gets his happy ending
I was a HUGE Ant fan from the day I saw my first video (Kings of the Wild Frontier) in the early 80's. The style, music and drums grabbed me and shook up my little pre-teen world. Like many at the time, I spent hours in front of MTV waiting for a video, combed through magazines and jumped on any interview or performance I could find. The highlight of my junior high years was seeing him live in concert for the Friend or Foe tour.
Since we didn't have the internet, Youtube, Twitter etc artists were ...more
Since we didn't have the internet, Youtube, Twitter etc artists were ...more
I love Antmusic. Back in the day, I enjoyed the hits on MTV- since then, I've become much more of a fan. I was excited to read about how it all came to be. The early chapters seemed a little long and I was itching to get on with reaching the music and his later mental breakdown, but he really seemed to cover a lot of ground. He gave great focus to the formation and rise of his rock career and sound. There was a lot of detail on the work - and his sex life. The latter, at times, was too detailed,
...more
I've been a fan of Adam Ant since the early 80's and have always found him to be a very interesting person.
This book was quite enjoyable and gives some good insights into the punk music scene from that time and area as well as into Adam's life.
It was interesting to hear about how he coped with a disorder that he didn't even know he had until quite late in life.
I think it helps to be a fan of his music to enjoy the book, but it isn't required. There are a few places where he assumes some knowled ...more
This book was quite enjoyable and gives some good insights into the punk music scene from that time and area as well as into Adam's life.
It was interesting to hear about how he coped with a disorder that he didn't even know he had until quite late in life.
I think it helps to be a fan of his music to enjoy the book, but it isn't required. There are a few places where he assumes some knowled ...more
Jan 30, 2013
Jeanette
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction
,
auto-and-biographies
I enjoyed this book but in a way I'm sorry I read it. It's a very honest book, he doesn't pull any punches, its a real warts and all tale. However, thats the problem. Theres a saying that you shouldn't meet your idols for fear of disappointment, and it's true. I know he had mental problems with bipolar, and you can see where it began. But I think he also had a big ego, was a control freak and at times quite arrogant. He recognises this in himself, but its almost as though he is making himself lo
...more
Jun 27, 2013
Godzilla
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013
,
biographies
,
growing-pains
,
life-but-not-as-we-know-it
,
memoir
,
music
,
nonfiction
,
sub-cultures
Adam Ant dropped off my radar some time in the late 80s, early 90s, and only pinged back on following his court case for affect. Clearly something had happened in the intervening years, and this book lays that bare and the root causes if it.
There are few affectations in this book, maybe surprisingly for someone who appeared so image obsessed.
It's not a heart warming tale, but it's candid and pulls no punches.
It would garner 5 stars, but the detail of the "glory" years is rather glossed over, alt ...more
There are few affectations in this book, maybe surprisingly for someone who appeared so image obsessed.
It's not a heart warming tale, but it's candid and pulls no punches.
It would garner 5 stars, but the detail of the "glory" years is rather glossed over, alt ...more
Mar 31, 2008
Kdjnet
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Adam Ant fans, people interested in bi-polar disorder
On the surface this book seems to be a standard auto-biography about the new-wave/punk rock star Adam Ant, and about his trials that seem to match many other children of the 50's growing up in rural England. Besides the facinating insight of how he became one of the biggest rock stars of the UK this book takes a left turn and becomes tour de force of how depression and bi-polar disorder can cripple a man. Adam Ant is one of my favorite rock stars of all time and being bi-polar myself, this book
...more
As an Ant fan since hearing a Dirk song at the tender age of 9 in the late '70's, I read Mr Goddards biog back in the 80's, as the hey days were nearing the wane. I lost most of my Ant memorabilia, a function of life and it's misfortunes. Having been kept away from anything so wonderful as a concert by a controlling father, I thought that my chance to see Mr Ant gig was lost forever.
So deep was this disappointment, despite continuing to have bought CD's and DVD's, I refused to hear my friends ad ...more
So deep was this disappointment, despite continuing to have bought CD's and DVD's, I refused to hear my friends ad ...more
Sep 12, 2009
Chooch Schubert
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anybody who grew up in the 80s
Overall I liked it. Slow and dry in some places (simply listing cities/dates of a tour, or people in his childhood), with humor spread throughout. And of course, lots of depressing, sad bits. Its particularly interesting to see him writing about how optimistic he was with a new recording, when you know that it didn't go anywhere.
If you've been a fan of his work, or a child of the 80s, you have some fun and surprises waiting for you in Stand & Deliver!
If you've been a fan of his work, or a child of the 80s, you have some fun and surprises waiting for you in Stand & Deliver!
Even if you don't particularly like Adam Ant, it's such a brilliant read. Really interesting reading about his childhood and especially his relationship or lack of with his dad. Interesting finding about what happened behind the scenes at Top of the Pops and just the general pop world. Definitely recommend.
Unputdownable, honest and emotive, I found myself crying for the child he had been and amazed at how he managed to achieve so much, and I wasn't a fan in the 80s, I just read this out of curiosity.
I loved Adam Ant when I was a teenager! In this book he writes about his battle with manic depression, and how it affected his fame. This book made me feel very sympathetic to him.
I was a huge Adam Ant fan in my youth, so I enjoyed this book quite a bit. If I were just reading it as a biography in its own right would I love it? Hard to say.
Read this book as it came recommended by someone close to me,
to understand not only their music choice but also what dealing with a disorder (Biploar) was like.
I was actually in the UK where the author grew up and went to a couple of the places he lived while reading this book
and that was pretty amazing. Apart from also listening to the albums he mentions working on, was quite an experience.
I dont think I wouldve picked up this book on my own, simple because I didnt grow up listening to Adam ...more
to understand not only their music choice but also what dealing with a disorder (Biploar) was like.
I was actually in the UK where the author grew up and went to a couple of the places he lived while reading this book
and that was pretty amazing. Apart from also listening to the albums he mentions working on, was quite an experience.
I dont think I wouldve picked up this book on my own, simple because I didnt grow up listening to Adam ...more
Sounds interesting and is on my to-read list but I have to say I had no idea such a beautiful face was under all that makeup.
A truly fascinating memoir by an incredibly talented man who has had to deal with a debilitating mental illness.
Crazy life this one had, read it while traveling through the UK, fitting I think.
My favorite coworker gave me an autographed copy for Christmas. :)
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Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard) is a New Wave/post-punk musician from the 1980s.
More about Adam Ant...
