Matthew Ashman
Encyclopedia
Matthew James Ashman was an English
guitarist
with Adam and the Ants
and Bow Wow Wow
. He died of diabetes
-related complications in 1995, aged 35.
he attended school alongside Boz Boorer
. He was influenced by jazz
while learning guitar, and joined his first band, Staffix, after learning Lynyrd Skynyrd
's "Freebird".
He joined Adam and the Ants after leaving The Kameras, in June 1978, playing guitar and singing backing vocals. After 18 months, during which the Ants toured the UK twice, visited Belgium
, Germany
and Italy
, and released the singles "Young Parisians" and "Zerox", plus the album, Dirk Wears White Sox
, Ashman, together with fellow Ants Dave Barbe and Leigh Gorman
were persuaded by manager Malcolm McLaren
to leave the Ants and join Bow Wow Wow
, featuring 13-year-old lead singer Annabella Lwin
.
Bow Wow Wow broke up after three albums in 1983 and while Lwin went solo, the other members formed Chiefs of Relief
with Ashman now as frontman. Gorman and Barbe drifted away (the latter replaced by former Sex Pistol
Paul Cook
, and the new lineup released an eponymous album on Sire Records
in 1988 before breaking up. After several years away from the music industry, Ashman joined Agent Provocateur
in the early 1990s, dying in 1995 shortly before the band released their album.
On the fifteenth anniversary of Ashman's death, Adam Ant
topped the bill at a tribute concert for Ashman on 21 November 2010 at the Scala
in London, in a show also featuring later Ashman bands Bow Wow Wow
, Chiefs Of Relief
and Agent Provocateur
. Boorer provided guitar for Ant's set.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
with Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
and Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow were an English 1980s New Wave band created by Malcolm McLaren to promote his and business partner Vivienne Westwood's New Romantic fashion lines.The group's music is described as having an "African-derived drum sound".-History:...
. He died of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
-related complications in 1995, aged 35.
Career
Raised in Mill Hill, BarnetLondon Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
he attended school alongside Boz Boorer
Boz Boorer
Boz Boorer is a British guitarist and producer most known for his work founding the new wave rockabilly group, The Polecats, and later for his work as a co-writer, guitarist and musical director with Morrissey.-The Polecats:The band "Cult Heroes" was formed in 1977 by Tim Worman , Boz...
. He was influenced by jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
while learning guitar, and joined his first band, Staffix, after learning Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
's "Freebird".
He joined Adam and the Ants after leaving The Kameras, in June 1978, playing guitar and singing backing vocals. After 18 months, during which the Ants toured the UK twice, visited Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and released the singles "Young Parisians" and "Zerox", plus the album, Dirk Wears White Sox
Dirk Wears White Sox
Dirk Wears White Sox is Adam and the Ants' first album, released on Do It Records in 1979, before Adam went on to fame with "Kings of the Wild Frontier." Dirk Wears White Sox features a much more eclectic, sometimes brooding sound than Ant's later work...
, Ashman, together with fellow Ants Dave Barbe and Leigh Gorman
Leigh Gorman
Leigh Gorman is an English rock musician, record producer, and composer best known for his work as the bass player for Bow Wow Wow.-Early life:...
were persuaded by manager Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
to leave the Ants and join Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow were an English 1980s New Wave band created by Malcolm McLaren to promote his and business partner Vivienne Westwood's New Romantic fashion lines.The group's music is described as having an "African-derived drum sound".-History:...
, featuring 13-year-old lead singer Annabella Lwin
Annabella Lwin
Annabella Lwin is an Anglo-Burmese singer, songwriter and record producer best known as the lead singer of Bow Wow Wow.-Biography:Lwin was born to a Burmese father and an English mother in Rangoon, Burma .Medina, Maximillian Mark; ChopBlock.com Her birth name in Burmese translates to "High,...
.
Bow Wow Wow broke up after three albums in 1983 and while Lwin went solo, the other members formed Chiefs of Relief
Chiefs of Relief
Chiefs of Relief were a British rock group formed shortly after the demise of Bow Wow Wow in 1984. Led by guitarist-vocalist Matthew Ashman , drummer Paul Cook , keyboard player Duncan Grieg, and bassist Lance Burman...
with Ashman now as frontman. Gorman and Barbe drifted away (the latter replaced by former Sex Pistol
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
Paul Cook
Paul Cook
Paul Thomas Cook is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band Sex Pistols.-Early life and career:...
, and the new lineup released an eponymous album on Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
in 1988 before breaking up. After several years away from the music industry, Ashman joined Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur (band)
Agent Provocateur were a British electronica band, consisting of John Gosling, Matthew Ashman , Dan Peppe, Danny Saber and Cleo Torez...
in the early 1990s, dying in 1995 shortly before the band released their album.
On the fifteenth anniversary of Ashman's death, Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
topped the bill at a tribute concert for Ashman on 21 November 2010 at the Scala
Scala (club)
Scala is a nightclub in London, England, near King's Cross railway station.-History:The Scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of H Courtney Constantine, but construction was interrupted by the First World War and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a...
in London, in a show also featuring later Ashman bands Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow were an English 1980s New Wave band created by Malcolm McLaren to promote his and business partner Vivienne Westwood's New Romantic fashion lines.The group's music is described as having an "African-derived drum sound".-History:...
, Chiefs Of Relief
Chiefs of Relief
Chiefs of Relief were a British rock group formed shortly after the demise of Bow Wow Wow in 1984. Led by guitarist-vocalist Matthew Ashman , drummer Paul Cook , keyboard player Duncan Grieg, and bassist Lance Burman...
and Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur (band)
Agent Provocateur were a British electronica band, consisting of John Gosling, Matthew Ashman , Dan Peppe, Danny Saber and Cleo Torez...
. Boorer provided guitar for Ant's set.