The Adicts

mrJim

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In 1985 The Adicts begin to experiment with more mainstream music and release Smart Alex. The band is pressured by their label and temporarily changes their name to ADX. Clearly around this time the group the Sire label is putting the screws to them. Moves were even made to get the band to get rid of Monkey the lead singer under the fact that he can’t sing. The Band basically tells them to piss off.

Smart Alex is significantly more mainstream oriented and starts to slip in some new wave type elements. This is significantly different than the first 2 albums.

Smart Alex opens as any Adicts album would, an “England” type Intro that transitions directly into the title track Smart Alex. The Intro, transition and Smart Alex are good with no hint of what to come. The 3rd track “Troubadour” it’s clear something is different.. a softer sound searching for polish. The next track is “Tokyo” and is forgettable and generally sounds like someone couldn’t stop mixing it.

Then there is huge run a run of excellent tracks “Crazy”, “Bad Boy”, “Jelly Baby” “Maybe or Maybe Not”, “Rockin Wrecker” and “Runaway” which are all songs that clearly have Adicts elements but all have been softened and readied for the mainstream mindset.

Overall, I think the Album is really great regardless if it isn't “what the Adicts are” Smart Alex is actually a pretty good album. It fits in their total body of Adicts work as an experiment that produced really good music. The tracks are catchy and well put together and exhume the have fun attitude. Different as it is I like the album and the reissued CD version on SOS records has some cool Bonus tracks including 2 covers of “Falling in Love Again” which is nice!

Gone is the raw punk sound and ripping guitar. Gone but maybe not discarded.

Smart Alex


Crazy


Bad Boy


Jelly Baby

 

mrJim

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The New Wave

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The Adicts next release is Fifth Overture in 1986 and it is a completely different album from anything that they had done to that point. The album was originally a Germany release but was only out for just a very short period of time, so from what I have read the original is almost impossible to get a hold of. I would personally love to get my hands on an original copy myself :D But most folks that even have the album will likely have the Captain Oi! CD reissue.

Fifth Overture pretty much contains new wave songs that use synthesizers and very “softened” vocals. When you listen to it you think of the music that was in those 80’s teen movies like Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club or at least a sort of movie music “wanna be” of some kind.

The lead singers (Monkey) vocals are completely killed in this thing. Monkey’s vocals had a very unique sound that is not text book accurate but it gives the Adicts their character. Whoever drove this thing completely destroyed what the band had going.

There is very little information out there on this album and what little I have read doesn’t lead me to believe the band was trying to do this by choice. There was tremendous label pressure exerted on them during this time. I would also think given their age and aspirations they likely had a genuine desire to “make it”. Given the year was 1986 the industry and genre was swinging away from what they were and the pressure was probably tremendous.

Within their fan base the album is popular to collect. I have it and do listen to it from time to time. It has it's place in Adicts history and it does demonstrate their talent to be able to pull off an 80’s new wave/pop type album that really isn’t all that bad in the context of what was being created at the time.

“I am Yours” is IMO a solid track then “Na Na Na” and “Daggers” will tell you what your getting with this album. Like it or not.

There are nice Bonus Tracks on the reissue. “Champs Elysees”, “Sound of Music”, “Who Spilt my Beer” and “Cowboys” all of which can be found as singles or EP’s.

If you are following this thread give these tracks a listen and compare the difference between them and those I have posted in the earlier album reviews.
It is fascinating.


I am Yours


Na Na Na


Daggers









 
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mrJim

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The Live Releases


After the 1986 Fifth Overture release the band does not produce another studio album until 1992. During this time the band releases 2 Live albums “Live and Loud” and “Rockers into Orbit”

These are what I call “typical live albums” with varying quality that give a good sense for what the band delivered in a live setting. (pretty deep huh?)

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“Live and Loud” was released in 1987 and was recorded in 1981. Originally it was a combo Live release with a band called Vice Squad.

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“Rockers into Orbit” was released in 1990 and was recorded in Germany in 1987 (I believe). The interesting thing about this album is that it was clearly recorded on tour in Germany to support the Fifth Overture release. But the band was delivering their roots with hard ripping guitars and the works and not the new wave sound of Fifth Overture. I am sure at that point the relationship with the Label was destroyed for good.


Also about the time of the release of “Rockers into Orbit” the band (as I recall) reissued their first three albums and officially got them into the US.

At the point that they were touring Germany in 1987 I believe they made a decision on what they were going to be going forward.

It wouldn’t be until 1992 that they made that fact completely apparent.
 

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Return with a Message

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In 1992 The Adicts release their first studio album in almost 6 years and it is clear from the very first moment that this album turns a note that the Adicts are making a statement.

Twenty-Seven represents a return to classic Adicts form….hard driving raw have fun punk. The first note is slammed out and from there the album just drives. From the first time I heard this album I said Wow! They are trying to send a message or make some statement about their music. And it is. Gone is the New Wave, softened vocals, synthesizers and thoughts of top 20 80’s.

The first note cranks open the first track called Angel. What’s somewhat interesting is typically Adicts albums start with some kind of deliberate intro like... carnival organ music, English hymn or Classical music. None of that here just a power cord kicks this one off and a “G” I believe… a hard one.

Angel


I pretty much like every track on this album but my favorites are Breakdown, G.I.R.L, Love Sucks, Rockers in Rags and the best 7:27. 7:27 is a kind of sister song or sequel to an earlier song called Steamroller. If you listen to Steamroller and 7:27 this will be very apparent, this really just makes me like this song even more.

7:27


Breakdown


G.I.R.L (my baby left for a)


Love Sucks


Rockers in Rags


This is a return of The Adicts to the classic form of their first album Songs of Praise. But it is not Songs of Praise, the music has moved forward and uses a variety of sounds and instruments wrapped around power cords it’s just pure Adicts. Great energy raw and hard!

Twenty-Seven is exactly what I would have thought the Adicts would have evolved their music at their 3rd or 4th studio album by about the mid to late 80’s. I would very much recommend giving it a listen.​
 
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mrJim

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^^ Hey Buck, Yep F#%k it up is good :****: I could see us listening to that one in the bar

there is nothing on that whole album that I am down on :grinthumb

It's not like all time favorite Adicts album, but there is nothing I don't like on there.

Jim
 

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Twenty-Seven came out and for me it was a great album but The Adicts will go another 10 years before releasing the next studio album. As the 90’s marched on it got more and more difficult to catch information on them, but I knew they had toured into the mid 90’s timeframe. Every once in while I came across an article or old picture of them but only bits and pieces of information.

Here is some tough to find footage of The Adicts in the post 27 90’s.

1992'ish


1994'ish


Then here is a bit of footage from early 2000’s.


Significant changes in the show but they continue adapt what they had when they start started. Notice the introduction of more bright colors and the accentuated fun time. They also will change how they construct their material as well, introducing more polish "to and around" the traditional chords and anthems.

The next release wouldn’t be until 2002.

Jim
 

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The Adicts still touring and I am planning to catch them in Winston Salem NC.

The Adicts &
Reverend Horton Heat
w/ The Creepshow

Saturday Sep 12, 2015 7:00 PM
Ziggy's Winston Salem North Carolina

also looking forward to seeing the Reverend Horton Heat, I have heard on of them but never seen live

Jim
 

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The Adicts - 9/12 Ziggy's Winston-Salem NC

What an Awesome show in Winston Salem last night. The Adicts were nothing short of stupendous and put on one heck of an entertaining show. We took the 2-1/2 plus hour ride up to Winston-Salem North Carolina got dinner and headed to Ziggy’s to get in line early. As it ended up we were the only people in line with Stub Tickets and were admitted into the venue first. I’ll say Ziggy’s is a great music venue nice setup and sound. After The Creepshow (who blew us away, these guys can rock) started the show and The Reverend Horton Heat seemed a local crowd favorite The Adicts took the place over and put on one heck of an entertaining blast of a show. The Adicts assumed the stage and never looked back, playing a frenzy of songs (some 25 or more) like they were on a rail. Opening with Lets Go the confetti and streamers started to fly and immediately the mosh pit started. The moshing continued through some fast paced classics like Numbers, Tango, Songs of Praise among others. Then it was really cool as they delivered songs from the mid 80’s like “Troubador” and “I am yours” a surprise from the Fifth Overture album, the way they did wound things up as these songs have a bunch of audience participation. From there they turned things up a notch and brought out the really fast stuff. At this point every time The Adicts hit the first cord of a song I am calling out the song name to my son. They break into Chinese Takaway and the place goes absolute bedlam, the moshing takes a frantic pace, confetti cannons spew streams of colorful confetti and at this point the three cord blitzkrieg is in full overdrive. Then the next song chord… I grab my sons shoulder and tell him “Oh crap backup.. Steamroller” who’s complete title is My Baby Got Run Over by a Steamroller, the perimeter of mosh pit widens, canons send confetti flying again, Monkey is now launching countless rolls of streamers over the lighting framework and streamers are falling everywhere and if it weren’t enough; out comes the large beach balls creating a chaos of moshing, hanging streamers and bouncing beach balls getting kicked-hit-thrown while they tear through more three chord mayhem. Friggin Awesome! You didn’t know what to watch: the balls, the mosh pit, the stage…. so you just try to absorb it. Here comes Joker in the Pack, playing cards come out and Monkey is now wearing lights on his hat, glasses, wrists, hands more of the bedlam on a rail ensues. I have no idea where all the stuff was coming from and how he was getting it put on so fast. More fast paced bedlam then comes “Who Spilt My Beer” and “You'll Never Walk Alone” it’s near the end of the show and folks seem to be looking to gather up the energy for audience participation during these classics. I glanced at the mosh pit and it too seemed like it wouldn’t mind a bit of mercy from the onslaught; some participants were putting in the effort but it was clear it was no longer what it was only few minutes earlier.

After the show we made the trek home and got in at 3am, and rest assured it was worth the trip. Every bit of it!

It was a great show and entertaining on so many levels, The Adicts really know how to have a good time and put on a show. In the end The Adicts didn’t end the show and leave the stage, they really performed an act of mercy in not allowing the place to take in that extreme amount of a good time! Unforgettable!

If I get the chance I will see them again, if they come through your area I highly recommend it.

Jim
 

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Youtube Video of the show at Ziggy's is beginning to appear.

Who Spilt My Beer


Chinese Takeaway



Again what a show!
 

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