Adam and the Ants

One of the seminal figures of new wave, Adam Ant (born Stuart Leslie Goddard) had several distinct phases to his career. Initially, he explored a jagged, guitar-oriented post-punk with his group Adam & the Ants before giving way to a more pop-oriented, glam-tinged musical direction that brought him to the top of the charts. After that had run its course, he refashioned himself as a mainstream singer, which enabled him to stretch his career out for a couple of years. Once it seemed like his musical career had evaporated, he made an unexpected comeback in the early '90s as an adult alternative artist. During all this time, he recorded several great pop singles and had a surprisingly large impact on alternative rock.

Adam Ant formed Adam & the Ants with guitarist Lester Square, bassist Andy Warren, and drummer Paul Flanagan in London in 1977. The group's approach was more theatrical than most punk groups, incorporating sadomasochistic imagery into their concerts. During this time, the group's lineup was fairly unstable, with Square being replaced by Mark Gaumont. The band released their debut, Dirk Wears White Sox, on the independent label Do It in 1979. Dirk was an ambitious and somewhat dark album, filled with jerky rhythms and angular guitar riffs, and elements of glam rock crept into Ant's vocals; Ant re-acquired the rights to the record in 1983, reissuing it in a re-sequenced and remixed form, with the tracks "Catholic Day" and "Day I Met God" replaced by "Zerox" and "Kick," as well as including a new version of "Cartrouble."

At the time of its release, Dirk Wears White Sox wasn't a critical or a commercial success and the band felt the need to rework their image. Ant hired Malcolm McLaren, the manager of the Sex Pistols, to help redefine their image. McLaren dressed the band in pirate outfits and suggested a more accessible and pop-oriented rhythmic variation on punk. Adam & the Ants followed his advice, preparing material for a new album. However, McLaren persuaded all of the Ants to leave Adam, using them as the core members of Bow Wow Wow. Adam Ant immediately formed a new version of the Ants, adding guitarist Marco Pirroni, bassist Kevin Mooney, and drummers Terry Lee Miall and Merrick (born Chris Hughes). Pirroni, in particular, became very important in the band's musical direction, co-writing the majority of the songs with Ant, thus beginning a collaboration between the duo that would continue into the '90s.

Driven by a relentless driving beat and chanting melodies, the new band's first album, 1980's Kings of the Wild Frontier, became an enormous hit in the U.K., launching three Top Ten hit singles, including the number two "Ant Music." The band's success was helped by a series of visually enticing videos, prominently featuring the skinny, handsome Adam Ant decked out in pirate gear. Prince Charming, released the following year, retained the same formula as Kings of the Wild Frontier, spawning two number one singles, "Stand and Deliver" and "Prince Charming." Even though the album was a commercial success, the formula was beginning to wear thin.

After Prince Charming, Adam Ant ditched the Ants for a solo career, retaining Marco Pirroni as a songwriting collaborator and a supporting musician. Ant's first solo album, Friend or Foe, was released in 1982 and featured the number one single "Goody Two Shoes" and the Top Ten title track. Although his next album, 1983's Strip, had some highlights and hit singles, it marked the end of his reign as one of Britain's top pop stars.

Released in 1985, the Tony Visconti-produced Vive Le Rock had some fun moments, but the performance was too studied and the record didn't earn any hit singles, so Adam Ant pursued a surprisingly successful career in acting. In 1990, Ant made a comeback with the catchy hit single "Room at the Top" from the Manners & Physique record, but the album failed to produce another hit single. For the next five years, Ant concentrated on acting.

By the time Adam Ant returned to recording in 1995, echoes of his music could be heard in the spiky singles of Elastica, the neo-goth industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails, and the pseudo-glam of Suede. Instead of capitalizing on the burgeoning new wave revival, Adam Ant's 1995 comeback, Wonderful, had little to do with the stylish, intensely rhythmic sound he made in the early '80s. Instead, the album repositioned him as a more mature pop-rocker, with crafted songs that featured acoustic guitars as prominently as electrics. The album was a moderate hit in the U.S. and the U.K., as was the single "Wonderful." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Adair

Though the members of Adair had played together under a different name since 1993, the St. Louis-bred rock quintet formally came into existence in 2001. The lineup culled together members from several area bands, namely Rob Tweedie (vocals), Josh Goldenhersh (guitar/vocals), Patrick Baum (guitar/vocals), Matt Tuttle (drums), and Jeff Meyer (bass, ex-Open Hand). After solidifying the lineup, they recorded the five-song EP The Permanent Bruise and relocated to California. Constant touring helped the band assemble a strong underground following; their work ethic eventually landed them on tours alongside bands like Hawthorne Heights, Glasseater, Calico System, and A Wilhelm Scream. With no distribution, the band sold over 7,000 copies of their EP before catching the attention of Warcon Enterprises. Adair inked a deal with the label in early 2006 and hit the road in support of Story of the Year. Performing also on the year's Taste of Chaos tour, Adair's full-length debut, The Destruction of Everything Is the Beginning of Something New, appeared that February. Summer 2006 was spent under the hot sun at the Warped Tour. But as happens with many bands, Adair's members found themselves wanting to explore different musical avenues, and in early 2007, the group announced its dissolution. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide

Acceptance

Acceptance's sparkling rock themes unveil not only their previous musical experience, mostly coming from punk rock ground, but also the crossbred musical wishes shared by each member of the lineup. Forming in Seattle, WA, Acceptance signed their particular view of alternative pop/rock not only due to their pure rocking influences, but also because of their candid pop preferences. Jason Vena (vocals, bass), Kaylan Cloyd (guitar), Chris DeCastro (guitar), and Peter (drums) were the composing members of Acceptance when the band first got together in 1998. Following a period during which the quartet discovered their distinct creative path, they started playing their first shows, enjoying enthusiastic praise. This opened the way to them recording their first disc. The EP The Lost Words appeared in 1999, months before guitarist DeCastro decided to leave the band to pursue his own trail. It was after the band's last gig with DeCastro that Garrett Lunceford, who replaced him, offered to join Acceptance. After the lineup change, Acceptance continued to tour intensively, playing opening concerts for crews such as the Juliana Theory, Element 101, and Bleach, as their debut EP sold upwards of 5,000 units. In 2003, Acceptance returned with another EP, Black Lines to Battlefields, on The Miltia Group. Extensive touring, including dates with Gatsbys American Dream and The Snake The Cross The Crown, followed before the band's Columbia debut, Phantoms, appeared in April 2005. Early 2006 was spent on sold-out dates around the country with peers the Academy Is..., Hellogoodbye and Panic! at the Disco before hitting up May's Bamboozle festival. By summer 2006, however, rumors that had been circulating among fans for a bit were confirmed. Acceptance -- who by now comprised Vena, Cloyd, guitarist Christian McAlhaney, bassist Ryan Zwiefelhofer and drummer Nick Radovanovic -- decided to call it quits. Various band members went on to form new projects. ~ Mario Mesquita Borges, All Music Guide

The Academy Is...

The Academy Is . . . almost never was. Frontman William Becket and guitarist Mike Carden grew up as rivals, in separate bands on the local Chicago music scene. William eventually left his band, wanting to take music more seriously and looking for someone who shared his passion. Mike's band broke up also and the two gradually found themselves talking more and more; engulfed in conversation about music. After realizing that they were very much alike they decided to write some songs together and The Academy Is . . . was born. Since they first came together in 2002, they have added bassist Adam Siska, Tom Conrad (guitar/backing vocals) and Andy Bishop Mrotek on drums and recorded an EP for LLR Records. Pete Wentz of Fallout Boy was so impressed by the EP that he convinced his label, Fueled By Ramen to fly out and see them. They were immediately signed and put to work recording their debut full-length. The ten-track album Almost Here was released in 2005.

Alexisonfire

When a band names themselves after the world's only lactating contortionist, you know you are in for something different; and as with the original act, you know that some people are going to be fascinated, some will be in awe, and some will consider the whole lot to be a complete and utter waste of time. This is a band of extremes: screaming and pleading, ugly and beautiful, poetic and obscene, obvious and sublime. You can think of them however you want. Alexisonfire rose up out of the Southern Ontario underground in late 2001 like some monstrous car-accident-in-progress. Hitting the ground with an immediate full head of steam, Dallas, Wade, George, Jesse and Chris have not only impressed the critics with their sour/sweet approach to performance and writing, but are recognized for their stellar musicianship, and the palpably pent-up tightness of the band live. Alexisonfire knows that their fans aren't stupid. The fans know the real deal when they see it, and in the case of AOF, they seem to have told 2 friends, who told 2 friends, and so on. During the year that followed the release of their self-titled 2002 debut album, the band has shot into the mainstream media like a streaker at an All-Star game: 3 videos reach the top 5 on MuchMusic (the first "hardcore" artist to ever chart at #1), a US deal with Equal Vision Records (cred-worthy home of Coheed & Cambria), a sponsorship with Blink-182's clothing startup Atticus, an MMVA nomination for the "Pulmonary Archery" video, a Best Video Award for "Pulmonary Archery" at The Indies (Canadian Independent Music Awards) , and the everlasting status as the posterboys for hardcore crossover appeal. This may all sound like SOP for an up-and-coming rock ensemble, but wait a minute; this is hardcore music -- often described by members of the band as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls in mid-knife-fight". This hasn't happened before. Nobody is more aware of this fact than the boys in Alexisonfire. Taking it all in stride, they remain guileless, affable, and capable of equal amounts of sarcasm and self-deprecation. They rock the MuchOnDemand studios like it's a sweaty all-age venue in St. Catherines, which in turn is rocked like they did when AOF germinated in the basements and rec-rooms of their now-proud but baffled parents not so long ago. Their songs scream of intellectual fury basted with ladlefuls of vocal pop melody; it's a bipolar magnet, and if you stop and listen or see a live show, it'll all oddly start to make sense. Their long-awaited sophomore album, Watch Out!, is loaded with everything the kids love about them: power, emotion and humor. Resistance is futile.

Alex Gopher

French DJ Alex Gopher joined the ranks of his electronic counterparts such as Daft Punk, Les Rhythmes Digitales, and Cassius with the release of his debut album You, My Baby & I in mid-2000. His combinations of jazz and blues fusion and technology makes for an original demeanor versus his club/dance compatriots. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide

Alejandro Sanz

The most commercially successful Spanish singer of all time, Alejandro Sanz earned a reputation as an industrious hitmaker in his native country during the 1990s, and by the decade's end, he'd expanded his fan base internationally as he broadened his style beyond romantic ballads and began collaborating with fellow Latin superstars, most memorably Shakira. A talented songwriter with handsome looks, Sanz proved immensely popular even with his debut album, Viviendo de Prisa (1991), which was a number one hit in Spain. It wasn't until several albums later, Más (1997), that he was able to break into the international market, however, thanks to a key hit single, "Corazón Partío," that transcended his core female audience. He began focusing on the Americas during the early 2000s, beginning with MTV Unplugged (2001), which was recorded in Miami and subsequently released as an album intended to showcase the highlights of his back catalog as well as a newly written single, "Y Sólo Se Me Ocurre Amarte." He then retreated to his studio to record his most broadly appealing album yet, No Es Lo Mismo (2003), which found him breaking away from audience expectations and exploring his own musical interests. He did much the same on his next album, El Tren de los Momentos (2006), which was highlighted by "Te Lo Agradezco, Pero No," a passionate duet with Shakira, whom he'd collaborated with the previous year on her massive Grammy-winning hit "La Tortura." Even as Sanz broadened his style over the years, he never ventured far from his strength: romantic songs, generally ballads, tinged with flamenco and sung wholeheartedly with his distinct voice.

Born in Madrid, Spain, on December 18, 1968, Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro was the youngest son of María Pizarro and Jesús Sánchez, both of whom are Andalusians. His father played guitar professionally and was a significant influence on Alejandro, who learned to play guitar as a boy. As a teenager, Sanz performed at local venues and eventually became acquainted with Miguel Angel Arenas, a music industry maven perhaps best known at the time for his association with Mecano, a successful Spanish pop/rock group of the 1980s. Arenas helped Sanz find work in the recording industry, and the young performer initially signed a contract with the Spanish label Hispavox, which issued Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos (1989), an album that was met with indifference upon its release and is now a curious collector's item. Sanz was billed as Alejandro Magno on the album. Remaining aligned with Arenas, Sanz subsequently moved to WEA Latina, where he began recording music under his present billing. His early albums -- Viviendo de Prisa (1991), Si Tu Me Miras (1993), Basico (1993), and 3 (1995) -- were loaded with hit singles and consequently were all successful, each reaching platinum status many times over in Spain. Comprised largely of romantic songs, these early albums connected well with sentimental listeners, particularly women, who tended to be as taken aback by the music as they were by Sanz's handsome looks. "La Fuerza del Corazón," from 3, was his first major hit to have an international reach, opening a door to greener pastures.

The stage was now set for the breakthrough success of Más (1997), which boasted "Corazón Partío," a hit so big it changed the course of Sanz's career. Driven by the across-the-board appeal of "Corazón Partío," as well as additional singles "Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella?," "Amiga Mía," "Aquello Que Me Diste," and "Siempre Es de Noche," Más became the most successful Spanish pop record ever, selling millions worldwide. El Alma al Aire (2000) was a comparable commercial success, selling well internationally. However, the album wasn't as solid as its predecessor and accordingly spawned fewer hits: "Cuando Nadie Me Ve," "Quisiera Ser...," and "El Alma el Aire," each of which was a big hit nonetheless. By this point, Sanz had garnered a sizable following across the Atlantic, and his next recording, MTV Unplugged (2001), was a clear effort to further his growing popularity in the Americas. The intimate concert performance featured a newly written single, "Y Sólo Se Me Ocurre Amarte," which became a hit, as did "Aprendiz," a song written by Sanz previously recorded by Malú in 1998. MTV Unplugged moreover showcased the bounty of career highlights Sanz now had to his credit, as one hit after another was performed during the concert.

When Sanz returned to the studio to begin recording his next album, No Es Lo Mismo (2003), he decided to broaden his musical style to reflect his own interests. The album is harder-hitting and more street-savvy than past ones, even including a bit of rap and touches of electronica. The romantic songs are still front and center, granted, but Sanz wrote an album that is far from generic, illustrating his growing reluctance to cater to the expectations of his audience (for the first time, he co-produced the album himself). Though bolder than before, No Es Lo Mismo was yet another international smash success, reaching number 128 on the all-inclusive Billboard 200 album chart -- a notably high ranking for a Latin pop album circa 2003 -- and generating several hits, none bigger than the title track, which broke the Top Five on the Hot Latin Tracks chart (the first time Sanz did so since 1998) and was licensed by Coca-Cola for a promotional campaign in Latin America. Furthermore, No El Lo Mismo won a Latin Grammy in 2003 for Best Latin Pop Album, and Warner Music Latina issued a special CD/DVD edition of the album the following year in commemoration of Sanz's Latin American tour. In 2004, Warner also released a pair of greatest-hits compilations, Grandes Éxitos 91_96 and Grandes Éxitos 97_04, as well as a three-disc package, Grandes Éxitos 91_04, that includes a disc of rarities.

Sanz didn't release the follow-up to No Es Lo Mismo, El Tren de los Momentos, until late 2006, but in the meantime, he was featured in the biggest Latin hit of 2005, Shakira's "La Tortura." He co-wrote the Grammy-winning song and co-starred in its heavily aired pair of videos, which featured the two Latin pop stars in some rather sultry positions. "La Tortura" exposed Sanz to an even greater audience, and when he finally released the lead single to El Tren de los Momentos, "A la Primera Persona," the reception was rapturous. The song was among his biggest hits yet, his first to break into the all-inclusive Hot 100 chart, and El Tren de los Momentos was likewise well received. Stylistically similar to No Es Lo Mismo yet significantly more refined, El Tren de los Momentos is notable for its several superstar features, which include collaborations with Shakira, Juanes, Alex González of Maná, and Residente of Calle 13. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Alejandro Fernandez

One of Mexico's most famous performers of romantic songs, ballads and traditional mariachi favorites, Alejandro Fernandez has played New York's Madison Square Garden and routinely sells out Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional (once for 12 dates within three weeks). He debuted with a self-titled 1992 album on Sony Discos and continued to sell millions of records for CBS/Sony over the course of half a dozen albums in as many years. His album roster includes 1993's Piel de Nina, 1995's Que Seas Muy Feliz, and 1997's Muy Dentro de Mi Corazon and Me Estoy Enamorando. Mi Verdad followed in 1999 and Entre Tus Brazos was released a year later. At the first annual Latin Grammy Awards in fall 2000, Mi Verdad won Best Regional Song. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Alcazar

Producers Alexander Bass and Anders Hansson teamed up with former solo singer Andreas Lundstedt (born 1972) to assemble a club/house-oriented outfit. The Swedish dance-pop project was joined by Annikafiore (born 1971), who began singing in a female group called Dreamettes, and Tess (born 1970), who worked as a backup singer and dancer for different local acts. In 2001, the threesome signed up with BMG to release their debut single called "Crying at the Discotheque," with samples from French disco diva Sheila's "Spacer." Alcazar's debut album was called Casino and featured their second hit single, "Sexual Garantee." ~ Drago Bonacich, All Music Guide