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Unplug the jukebox! Adam & The Ants’ classic Kings of the Wild Frontier is coming back as an expansive deluxe edition, to initiate another Ants invasion.

Kings of the Wild Frontier remains a pivotal album in post-punk history, as well as a major turning point for Ant himself. Having attained nominal success with his debut Dirk Wears White Sox in 1979, Adam Ant had to start from square one when producer Malcolm McLaren spirited away his original Ants to form Bow Wow Wow. Ant and producer Chris Hughes pressed on, forming a new band with guitarist Marco Pirroni and Hughes himself on drums (under the name “Merrick”).

Pirroni’s delightful guitar tone, Ant’s campy lyrics and stage presence and Hughes’ immaculate production (coupled with hypnotic drumming inspired by the tribes of the African nation Burundi) made for a killer combination, and the cult of personality that Ant pitched ended up coming true. Kings topped the British charts and became 1981’s biggest-selling album, thanks to the Top 5 hits “Dog Eat Dog” and “Antmusic.” (The title track, released as a single before either, would also go Top 5 upon re-release.)

While the Adam Ant catalogue was overhauled under Pirroni’s supervision in 2007, Adam Ant is in full control here, sharing mastering credits with engineer Walter Coelho, selecting the bonus audio content (including three B-sides, four unreleased demos and a full show recorded in Chicago in 1981) and penning the set’s liner notes. A super-deluxe box adds a DVD packed with rare footage, including videos, BBC clips and a rare, pro-shot show in Tokyo released on VHS and laserdisc decades ago) as well as the original album on gold vinyl.

Don’t tread on this ant when it’s in stores May 20! The full track list and order links are below:

Adam & The Ants, Kings of the Wild Frontier: Deluxe Edition (Columbia/Legacy 88875 08584-2 (U.K.), 2016)

2CD/DVD/LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2CD:  Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
LP:  Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Disc 1: Original LP (CBS Records 84549, 1980) and bonus material

1. Dog Eat Dog
2. Antmusic
3. Feed Me to the Lions
4. Los Rancheros
5. Ants Invasion
6. Killer in the Home
7. Kings of the Wild Frontier
8. The Magnificent Five
9. Don’t Be Square (Be There)
10. Jolly Roger
11. Making History
12. The Human Beings
13. Press Darlings (B-side to “Kings of the Wild Frontier” – CBS 8877, 1980)
14. Physical (You’re So) (B-side to “Dog Eat Dog” – CBS 9039, 1980)
15. Fall In (B-side to “Antmusic” – CBS 9352, 1980)
16. Don’t Be Square (Be There) (KPM Studio Demo) *
17. The Human Beings (KPM Studio Demo) *
18. Los Rancheros (KPM Studio Demo) *
19. Making HIstory (KPM Studio Demo) *

Disc 2: Live at The Park West Club, Chicago – 4/16/1981 (previously unreleased on CD)

1. The Human Beings
2. Dog Eat Dog
3. The Magnificent Five
4. Don’t Be Square (Be There)
5. Los Rancheros
6. Ants Invasion
7. Killer in the Home
8. Cleopatra
9. Press Darlings
10. Kick!
11. Antmusic
12. Beat My Guest
13. Jolly Roger
14. Zerox
15. Car Trouble
16. Kings of the Wild Frontier
17. Physical (You’re So)
18. A.N.T.S.
19. Antmusic (Rough Cut) *
20. Don’t Be Square (Be There) (Rough Cut) *

Disc 3: DVD

The Videos

–       Kings of the Wild Frontier

–       Dog Eat Dog

–       Antmusic

Live footage

–       Physical (You’re So) (Live in Manchester)

–       Dog Eat Dog (Live)

BBC footage

–       Dog Eat Dog (Top of the Pops – 10/16/1980)

–       Ants Invasion (The Old Grey Whistle Test – January 1981)

–       Killer in the Home (The Old Grey Whistle Test – January 1981)

–       Antmusic (Top of the Pops – December 1980)

–       Dog Eat Dog (Top of the Pops – 10/30/1980)

Live in Tokyo 1981 (from Home Video Productions VHS VPB-034, 1981)

1. The Magnificent Five
2. Don’t Be Square (Be There)
3. Ants Invasion
4. Killer in the Home
5. Never Trust a Man (with Egg on His Face)
6. Kick!
7. Press Darlings
8. Christian D’or
9. Los Rancheros
10. Car Trouble
11. Dog Eat Dog
12. Kings of the Wild Frontier
13. Physical (You’re So)

ANT INVASION: A documentary of the Adam & The Ants U.S. invasion in 1981

LP: Original album on gold vinyl