The Adicts

The Adicts emerged in the late 1970s as an influential and idiosyncratic British punk outfit from Ipswich, Suffolk, assembled by lead singer Monkey (Keith Warren), guitarist Pete Davidson, bassist Mel Ellis, and drummer Kid Dee (Michael Davison). The quartet first operated as Afterbirth & the Pinz before adopting the Adicts name in 1979 and swiftly earning recognition for wry lyrics, a ferocious yet upbeat sonic attack, and a signature look modeled on the black boots and bowler cap-adorned droogs from A Clockwork Orange. Their concerts further stood out through liberal use of streamers, confetti, playing cards, beach balls, joker hats, toy instruments, bubbles, and glitter.

The group issued its debut EP, Lunch with the Adicts, in 1979 on the Dining Out label. Two years later it delivered the inaugural full-length, Songs of Praise, on the band’s own Dwed Wecords imprint; Fallout Records reissued the LP in 1982, spotlighting the single “Viva la Revolution,” which became one of the Adicts’ best-loved tracks. Their second album, 1982’s Sound of Music, entered the British charts, while the 1983 single “Bad Boy” achieved major success and secured a Sire contract. Sire persuaded the band to shorten its name to ADX, under which only two singles appeared: “Tokyo” and a cover of Marlene Dietrich’s “Falling in Love Again.” “Tokyo” surfaced on 1985’s Smart Alex, released through Razor Records, and the following year the quartet unveiled its fourth studio album, Fifth Overture, before entering a stretch of inactivity.

Cleopatra ended the hiatus in 1992 with the album Twenty-Seven and reissued the band’s first three LPs the next year. Another quiet period ended in 2002 when Captain Oi! Records put out Rise and Shine. Rollercoaster followed in 2004, and in 2008 People Like You Records issued a re-recording of Songs of Praise along with 2009’s Life Goes On. Subsequent releases saw the Adicts move to DC-Jam Records for 2012’s All the Young Droogs and to Nuclear Blast for 2017’s And It Was So!