Ant: Music has 'made me stronger'
Adam Ant says music has made him "stronger" following his mental health problems.
The 58-year-old star – who was sectioned in 2002 after confronting a man with a starting gun following a pub argument - admits working on his latest album, ' Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar In Marrying The Gunner’s Daughter' – his first since 1995's 'Wonderful' - has been great therapy for his problems.
Adam – who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged 21 – said: “Music and the reaction I’ve had at my shows from this album have made me stronger.
“A lot of articles have been written about me as if I was a tragedy, about my difficult period, but now the focus is back on the music and I’m pleased about that — though I have no shame talking about my mental health.
"The past few years have been a ride and it’s obviously been a long time. Not just the incapacitation of ill-health but I’d made the decision to get out of music, do acting, write my book. I never realised how much I’d miss it or needed to make this album.”
Adam - whose real name is Stuart Goddard – says making much is "easier" thanks to his new band The Good, The Mad and the Lovely Posse, who he performed with on 'Jools Holland’s Hootenanny' show on New Year's Eve, and he has been "overwhelmed" by the positive fan reaction.
He added to The Sun newspaper: "Appearing on Jools was the first chance I’ve had to show off my new band The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse.
“We’ve done loads of touring but it’s the first time we’ve played to the British public. I’ve got such a good line-up now which makes the job easier. We played 22 shows across the USA last year, which was a lot of work, but it went brilliantly.
“Getting such a response from the live shows in the US, Australia and Britain has just spurred me on. It’s been a 16, 17-year-long wait to play live but it’s a bit like falling off a bike. A different bike though.
“And I do play the hits as well as the new stuff. I’ve been playing sets up to two hours long and every night the set list has varied. I’ve had such a response from the fans, I’ve been overwhelmed.”
