The reason I enjoyed the following two songs back to back on mix tapes is obvious. In 1980, Malcolm McLaren convinced Matthew Ashman, David Barbarossa and Leigh Gorman to leave Adam and the Ants (or Antz, as they were known then) for his latest venture, Bow Wow Wow. Adam Ant, using much of the advice McLaren had given him as he was swiping his band, upped his game with the hugely popular album 'Kings of the Wild Frontier.'
At about the same time, Bow Wow Wow was putting out its first recording. McLaren, in one of his brilliant semi-failures, released the anthem "C·30 C·60 C·90 Go" as the first ever cassette single. Needless to say, EMI didn't get behind the ode to home taping, and the label wasn't real fond of the blank B-side either (another genius McLaren moment). Still, it was a hit with the NME crowd and, to this day, I think it works really well with "Antmusic." Both are anthems and fantastic singalongs, especially in the car. I think it's clear to say Ant won this opening bout with his old band. Only the re-release of "Imagine," following John Lennon's death, kept "Antmusic" from the top spot in the UK. "Dog Eat Dog" also went Top 10 that year. Bow Wow Wow would have to wait until 1982 and "Go Wild in the Country" to have such a moment.
Adam and the Ants - "Antmusic"
Bow Wow Wow - "C·30 C·60 C·90 Go"
Friday Night Music Club Vol 75
3 hours ago