Vive Le Rock

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Vive Le Rock
Studio album by Adam Ant
Released	September 1985
Recorded	Spring 1985
Genre	Rock, Pop
Label	Columbia Records BFE 40159
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Adam Ant chronology
Strip (1983) Vive Le Rock (1985) Manners and Physique (1990)

Vive Le Rock is the third solo album by Adam Ant, released in 1985. This album at first received only minor attention in the United States, peaking only at #131. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at #42. One single from the album was released in the United States - the title track "Vive Le Rock." The 12th track "Human Bondage Den" was released on the original cassette and CD release of this album (as a bonus non-LP track). Most re-releases did not feature this track until Epic Records re-released the album in 2005 (along with seven other bonus tracks). The re-release of this album has finally provided more positive reviews and sales in contrast to 1985.

Producer Tony Visconti, famous for his 1970's work with Ant's heroes Marc Bolan and David Bowie, commented recently on his work with Adam on Vive Le Rock: "What a creative ball of energy! He was great to work with. He's very opinionated and knows what he wants. We didn't quite agree during the mixes, he kind of wanted everything very trebly and I'm a bassey kind of producer."

The album was a realization of the new "rockers in space" ethic and look Adam Ant had begun with the hit UK single Apollo 9 in September 1984, which peaked at #13. Many say Vive Le Rock's failure was that Adam's new concept did not click with the buying public. However, one can attest the failure of the album to the fact that it was so long in coming; Apollo 9 was a hit a year before Vive Le Rock's release. Ant himself has stated, in his autobiography, Stand and Deliver, that Vive Le Rock (the single release of the title track) only entered the charts in the UK at #64, and peaked at #50; the fact that his then-current record label was unwilling to work heavily on promotion for the album left him depressed and unenthusiastic about his future in music. This may have led to his decision to work heavily on his acting career and put his music career on hold until the release of Manners & Physique in 1990. However, in the same book, Ant discusses his performance at Live Aid, where the band before him, having played over their alloted time, caused it so he could only play one song. He chose the current single, Vive Le Rock. While his acrobatic performance left him winded, he states that "as Bowie played 'TVC15', 'Rebel Rebel' and 'Heroes', I gaped in awe. Here was a lesson in how to be a star. How far I had yet to go."

One can argue, based on the contemporary positive reaction the re-release has gotten, that had it been released without the promotion and mis-pressing difficulties it encountered - Vive Le Rock would have been a greater success.

[edit] Album tracks

1. "Vive Le Rock"
2. "Miss Thing"
3. "Razor Keen"
4. "Rip Down"
5. "Scorpio Rising"
6. "Apollo 9"
7. "Hell's Eight Acres"
8. "Mohair Lockeroom Pin-Up Boys"
9. "No Zap"
10. "P.O.E."
11. "Apollo 9 (Reprise)"
12. "Human Bondage Den" (Bonus track)

All songs written by Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni.

The "rockers in space" band who toured behind Vive Le Rock and recorded it were:

• Adam Ant: Vocals and Piano
• Marco Pirroni: Guitars
• "Count" Bogdan Wiczling: Drums and Percussion
• Chris "De Niro" Constantinou: Bass and Vocals

[edit] Epic Records re-release from 2005 included the following bonus tracks

13. "Vive Le Rock (Unreleased 12" Mix)"
14. "Apollo 9 (Unreleased Francois K 7" Mix)"
15. "Doggy Style (Unreleased Demo Track)"
16. "Night They Vietcong (Unreleased Demo Track)"
17. "Rip Down (Demo Version)"
18. "Big Big Man (Unreleased Demo Track)"
19. "Apollo 9 (Francois K Splashdown Mix)"
20. "Vive Le Rock (Unreleased US 7" Mix)"