Dave Barbarossa the founding drummer for Adam And The Ants and then Bow Wow Wow is famed for his progressive tribal drumming style that directly influenced post-punk, new wave and electronic music of the 90s. Whilst still a musician he’s also a writer and has just released his new novel Mute.
Questions by Dave Carroll
Edited by Bridget Veal
Dave Barbarossa, third from left, with his Bow Wow Wow bandmates Leigh Gorman, Annabella Lwin & Matthew Ashman wearing his The London Leatherman LW10 Cone Stud Wristband Cuff.
Q. Dirk Wears White Sox, your first album with Adam And The Ants encapsulates the punk rock, leather, fetish fusion of the 1970s. What’s a key memory from working on the album your fans may be surprised to discover?
A. There are no surprises. It was simply hard work. Adam was a perfectionist and expected his band to have the same attitude. I found that an easy attitude to adopt, as I wanted to play on the album to the very best of my ability. We rehearsed hard and diligently. The album appears to have stood the test of time.
Adam fronting Adam & The Ants in 1977 wearing a The London Leatherman LW19 Head Mask.
Q. For the 1977 Adam And The Ants gig at the ICA in London Adam wore The London Leatherman clothing and accessories including the LW19 leather head mask. Do you remember the leather mask and what impact it had on the gig(s)? And what did you wear for this moment in music history?
A. I was not in the band for that gig. I joined the one after. But he did wear masks (rubber and leather) in the early days. The impact was always strong, especially when he took it off. There was an element of theatrical reveal.
I cannot remember what I wore. I know I had every little money (certainly not enough for fashionable clothes). Adam gave me some cast - offs. I had my trusty leather bikers jacket, of course.
Q. How would you describe your clothing style whilst in Adam And The Ants, were you self-styled?
A. I think Adam was very into sharpness, tonic strides, crisp shirts. He was not a fan of that ‘dog on a string’ punk look in the slightest. Our look mirrored our sound, contained, sharp, bordering on explosive.
Q. Cosy Powell used to wear early The London Leatherman wristbands for style and as wrist-strengtheners whilst drumming. Who would you say are the top three best-dressed drummers in history?
A. I really haven’t a clue. I’m more of a ‘form follows function’ sort of person. I want to hear, before I look.
Q. When you formed the post-punk band Bow Wow Wow you were styled head to toe by Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McLaren. Matthew Ashman the guitarist wore his The London Leatherman LW10 studded wristband cuffs and LW3 belt with these looks and looked amazing. Did you ever wear any studded leather as a punk rocker or post punk?
A. No. I had no accoutrements, I don’t even wear a watch or a ring. Matthew was by far the most concerned with image, he always looked great. I just did as I was told. It was all about the music for me, still is.
Q. In 2012 you became a published novelist. What was the catalyst that made you start writing?
A. I had a rather depressing episode in a band on a huge tour of The States and decided I’d had enough. My daughters were very young and I’d missed my sons growing up when they were that age because I was on the road a lot. I still had a strong desire to express myself artistically, so as I wasn’t drumming, I began to write. It’s a far less immediate, physical buzz, but it filled that place in me that has something to say.
Q. Your new novel Mute has just been published, what can your readers expect when they pick up their copy?
A. I guess ‘authenticity' as it’s set in bands and the music industry, and that has been my life. It’s about tyranny (in a band) love, people re-inventing themselves, weakness, redemption and justice.
Q. Where can readers pick up their copy of Mute?
A. They can buy from local book stores, Amazon or direct from the publisher on the 'Astral Horizon' online shop.