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Kevin Mooney
Kevin Mooney
Kevin Mooney
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Key Information

Kevin Paul Mooney (born 5 May 1962) is an English-Irish bassist and guitarist who has worked with Adam Ant, Sinéad O'Connor, and others.

Career

[edit]

Born in the Greenwich area of London, Mooney began his musical career in 1977 with the English-Irish punk band The European Cowards, in collaboration with John Keogh and rebel rouser John Herlihy. He was then enlisted as the bass player for Adam and the Ants, between 1980 and 1981, appearing on the album Kings of the Wild Frontier. After leaving the band because of personal conflict and creative differences, he formed the band Wide Boy Awake with best friend John Keogh, Harley Price and Horace Carter Allan. Wide Boy Awake released two EPs in the UK, including songs "Chicken Outlaw", "Billy Hyena", "Bona Venture" and "Slang Teacher", some of which appear on 1980s various-artists compilations. The band were managed by Mooney's then-wife Pamela Rooke. "Billy Hyena" was accompanied by a music video directed by Derek Jarman. Wide Boy Awake disbanded soon after without releasing a full album. During this period, Mooney guested on Sinéad O'Connor's album The Lion and the Cobra, writing and playing guitar on one track "Just Call Me Joe", featuring Leslie Winer on backup vocals.

Next, Mooney formed the band Max (not to be confused with the Japanese vocal group MAX) with Leslie Winer,[1] a former associate of William S. Burroughs, plus John Keogh, Kumar Desai, John Wright, Nik Corfield and Bob Thompson.The band recorded an unreleased album, featuring guitar work by Mooney's former Adam and the Ants bandmate, Marco Pirroni. Mooney formed a new version of Max, which released a drug induced soft rock middle-of-the-road album called Silence Running, produced by Trevor Horn, but the band dissolved in the wake of money problems and drug-related deaths. Mooney relocated to Florida and then to Boston with Winer but returned to the UK briefly in 2001. He now resides in Berlin.

Mooney worked with Leslie Winer as part of the electronic group "C" on the albums Witch and Spider.

In the early 2000s, Mooney formed another band, the Lavender Pill Mob, led by Gary Asquith, a former member of Rema Rema, Mass and Renegade Soundwave,[2] with Harley Price and Lee Jason Simeone. This group recorded two albums (The Lavender Pill Mob and Mike's Bikes) released independently; the second album featured guest vocals by Adam Ant on one song, "Black Pirates" (a reworking of "Chicken Outlaw").

References

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Kevin Mooney

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Kevin Paul Mooney (born 5 May 1962 in Greenwich, ) is an English rock bassist and guitarist renowned for his contributions to the new wave and punk scenes. He first gained widespread recognition as the bassist for , joining the band in 1979 and playing a key role in their rapid ascent to fame, including achieving a number one album with Kings of the Wild Frontier (1980), on which he performed . Mooney's tenure with the group ended dramatically in 1981 during a live performance at the Royal Variety Show, after which he received a payoff but no royalties from the band's subsequent successes. Following his departure from , Mooney formed the band Wide Boy Awake in 1982 alongside vocalist John Keogh, releasing the singles "Billy Hyena" (1982), "Chicken Outlaw" (1982), and "Bona Venture" (1983) that blended with influences from dub and sounds. In the mid-1980s, he assembled the art-rock group Max, featuring collaborators like and Leslie Winer, and secured a deal with , though the album remained unreleased. Mooney also collaborated with on her debut album (1987), co-writing the track "Just Call Me Joe" with O'Connor and Winer while providing guitar and bass. In the , Mooney battled heroin addiction but recovered and relocated to Miami, Florida, where he continued musical explorations. By the early , he had formed the outfit Lavender Pill Mob, incorporating members like Tokyo Monsters and , and released their self-titled debut CD on Le Coq Musique in 2003, drawing on themes of , computer-generated art, and underground aesthetics. Throughout his career, Mooney's work has emphasized innovative instrumentation and interdisciplinary influences, establishing him as a cult figure in alternative music circles.

Early career

The European Cowards

Kevin Mooney formed his debut band, The European Cowards, in 1977 at the age of 15 in the Greenwich area of . As a teenager, Mooney took on the roles of and , contributing to the group's raw energy during its short-lived existence. The band embodied the anarchist punk style prevalent in 's underground scene, blending English and Irish influences through collaborations with members John Keogh and John Herlihy. They performed locally in , including a notable gig at the Mayhem event in on 1979 alongside acts like and Tra La La. By the late 1970s, The European Cowards disbanded, paving the way for Mooney's involvement in more established punk and projects. This early experience in the vibrant late-1970s punk scene honed Mooney's skills and connections in the alternative music community.

Adam and the Ants

In early 1980, following significant lineup changes in after the departure of original members, Kevin Mooney was recruited as the band's bassist. Having previously played in the punk outfit The European Cowards, the teenage Mooney was spotted by while practicing bass lines at a disused bus depot in , , leading to his immediate enlistment. This refreshed lineup, including guitarist and drummers and Terry Lee Miall, marked a shift toward a more theatrical new wave sound infused with tribal rhythms. Mooney's bass work became integral to the band's breakthrough album, , recorded in mid-1980 and released in November of that year. His prominent bass lines drove tracks such as the hit single "Antmusic," which reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, and the title track "Kings of the Wild Frontier," contributing to the album's distinctive burlesque-punk fusion that propelled it to number one on the . The album's success, selling over a million copies worldwide, established as leaders in the scene, with Mooney's raw, energetic playing providing a foundational pulse to the band's evolving style. During 1980 and 1981, Mooney participated in extensive live performances and tours that capitalized on the album's momentum, including high-profile shows and international dates that solidified the band's "Antmania" phenomenon. Notable appearances included chaotic gigs where Mooney's intimidating stage presence served as a deterrent to rowdy crowds, such as a 1980 concert that erupted into a after audience provocations. The band's itinerary culminated in the landmark Children's in February 1981, where they performed "Antmusic" and "Dog Eat Dog" before Princess Margaret, highlighting their transition to mainstream stardom. Mooney departed the band in early 1981 amid mounting creative differences and internal tensions, particularly over the group's shift toward pop accessibility, which he found disorienting. His exit, following the Royal Variety incident where his bass strap broke during the performance, paved the way for to pursue a solo career after the band's brief continuation with a replacement . Despite the acrimony, Mooney received a substantial payoff for his contributions over the roughly two-year stint.

Mid-career projects

Wide Boy Awake

Following his departure from in 1981, Kevin Mooney formed the band Wide Boy Awake in the early , taking on the role of lead singer and primary songwriter alongside school friend and guitarist John Keogh, bassist Harley Price, and drummer Horace Carter Allan. The group, an interracial quartet managed by Mooney's then-wife (known as ), emerged from London's scene with a focus on energetic, genre-blending performances. Wide Boy Awake signed with shortly after formation, leading to the release of their self-titled debut 12" EP in 1982. The five-track EP featured "Slang Teacher," "Bona Venture," "Whooping on the Roof," "Chicken Outlaw," and "Ravers Red Light," showcasing Mooney's shift toward a more accessible sound while retaining rhythmic drive. The band followed with the single "Bona Venture" in 1983, and the EP/single Billy Hyena later that year, produced by François Kevorkian and also issued on RCA, which included the titular track alongside "Set Fighter." Associated singles, such as the 7-inch and 12-inch versions of "Billy Hyena" released in 1983 and 1984, further highlighted their output, though commercial success remained limited. Wide Boy Awake's music blended energy with new wave influences, incorporating elements and danceable grooves that evolved from Mooney's punk roots toward a brighter, more pop-oriented style. Despite critical interest in their live shows and recordings, the band disbanded by the mid-1980s without issuing a full-length album, marking the end of this chapter in Mooney's career.

Collaboration with Sinéad O'Connor

In the late 1980s, Kevin Mooney was invited to contribute to 's debut album through mutual connections in the music scene, particularly via his then-wife Leslie Winer, with whom and O'Connor he co-wrote the track "Just Call Me Joe." Mooney performed guitar and bass guitar on "Just Call Me Joe," the album's closing track, which he co-arranged with O'Connor and Winer; the sessions took place at Oasis Studios in Camden, , under the production of O'Connor and engineer Kevin Moloney. Released in November 1987 by Ensign and , The Lion and the Cobra showcased O'Connor's emerging style, blending raw emotional vocals with influences and eclectic instrumentation, earning critical acclaim for its intensity and innovation—such as praise from for O'Connor's unconventional song structures and melodic prowess on tracks like "Just Call Me Joe." This session marked a one-time collaboration between Mooney and O'Connor, with no further joint projects recorded together.

Band Max

In the late , Kevin Mooney formed the experimental band Max, drawing on his prior pop sensibilities from projects like Wide Boy Awake while venturing into electronic sounds and conceptual themes centered on . The group delved into futuristic ideas, discussing AI's potential in creative processes long before such topics gained mainstream traction in literature and media. Max's innovative approach extended to practical experimentation with technology, including the use of early computers like a model to generate randomized text and sounds for artistic inspiration, as Mooney described in later reflections on the band's creative methods. This period marked a pivotal shift for Mooney toward integrating digital tools into music production, blending rock foundations with emerging electronic aesthetics. The band's live performances evoked an electric, arcade-like energy, emphasizing luminous and immersive experiences. Signed to , Max recorded material that resulted in the 1987 single "Little Ghost," a track noted for its haunting, ethereal quality and later covered by . The band also completed an unreleased album, often referred to as a "great lost record," featuring contributions from Mooney's former collaborator on guitar. Around 1989, Max began sessions with producer , yielding additional recordings that evolved into the 1992 album Silence Running—though the band viewed the final product as misaligned with their vision and disowned it amid commercial struggles. Despite these efforts, Max maintained a brief existence, dissolving by the early as members pursued divergent paths, with the project's electronic leanings influencing Mooney's subsequent work in more abstract and tech-driven directions. The unreleased mid-1980s material remains a testament to the band's forward-thinking ethos, highlighting Mooney's role in bridging experimentation with proto-digital music concepts.

Later career

Work with Leslie Winer

In the late , Kevin Mooney formed the electronic duo "C" (stylized as ©) with vocalist and collaborator Leslie Winer, building on experimental elements from his earlier band Max. The partnership emphasized innovative sampling and spoken-word delivery within dub-influenced electronic music, marking a shift toward more abstract soundscapes. Mooney contributed production, guitar, and bass to the duo's debut album , recorded in 1990 but initially released as a white-label pressing before its official 1993 issue on the Transglobal label (a Mute/Rhythm King subsidiary). The album blended trip-hop precursors with dub basslines, hip-hop beats, and punk edges, featuring contributions from member Karl Bonnie on tracks like "The Boy Who Used To Whistle" and "." Mooney's bass work provided a rhythmic foundation, enhancing the genre's experimental fusion of live drums and looped samples. The duo followed with Spider in 1999, a limited-run release issued in collaboration with fashion designer Helmut Lang. Mooney again handled production, guitar, and bass across most of its 15 tracks, exploring sparse electronic textures and non-musical spoken elements in a self-released format that underscored the project's underground ethos. This work connected to broader dub and electronic scenes through shared personnel like engineer Matthew Faddy, reinforcing "C"'s ties to experimental acts such as .

Lavender Pill Mob

In the early 2000s, Kevin Mooney reunited with Gary Asquith, formerly of , to form Lavender Pill Mob, a project that blended rock with , and indie elements in a genre-hopping style. The band's sound drew on their shared punk roots while incorporating hip-hop influences and acoustic ballads, creating a trippy, coiled aesthetic described as dehydrated yet vibrant. Lavender Pill Mob released their self-titled debut album in 2003 on Musique, the independent label co-run by Mooney and Asquith, featuring contributions from artists like and Mick Allen. The album showcased 15 tracks of experimental rock-pop fusion, emphasizing creative control and low-key production. The follow-up album, Mike’s Bikes, arrived in 2004 as a download-only release, further exploring punk-infused with electronic undertones. It included a notable guest appearance by —Mooney's bandmate from the early days of —providing lead vocals on the track "Black Pirates," a reimagined cover from Mooney's Wide Boy Awake era. In 2024, Mooney released the solo single Unconditional Hope, featuring the tracks "My Flag" and "Prayer For My ".

Personal life

Marriage to Pamela Rooke

Kevin Mooney married , the punk icon known as , in 1981. Their union occurred amid the vibrant social intersections of London's early punk and music scenes, where Rooke, a former boutique assistant at and a prominent figure in the era, crossed paths with Mooney during his time as bassist for . The marriage lasted until their divorce in 1984, a period marked by the couple's immersion in the city's underground creative circles, though it was strained by personal challenges including substance use. Following the split, Rooke retreated from the London spotlight, but Mooney continued his musical pursuits.

Residences and later years

Following his divorce from Pamela Rooke in 1984, Kevin Mooney relocated to in the mid-1990s, where he lived for several years as a self-described "" after overcoming personal struggles with drug addiction. He then moved to , , in the late 1990s, sharing a home there with Leslie Winer during their partnership, a period marked by collaborative projects and legal challenges related to a dispute. In the early 2000s, Mooney returned briefly to the before settling in , , a move that shaped his subsequent creative output, including work with the Lavender Pill Mob. As of 2022, he divides his time between and other European locations such as , , and . Born on May 5, 1962, Mooney is 63 years old as of 2025 and has maintained a notably low-profile , with no major controversies or health issues documented in public records.

Discography

Studio albums

Kevin Mooney's contributions to studio albums span his tenure with and his later projects, where he took on multifaceted roles including bass performance, songwriting, and production. His bass work on the seminal /new wave album marked a pivotal early achievement, while his independent releases with the Lavender Pill Mob reflected a shift toward infused with collaborative elements. Mooney joined Adam and the Ants as bassist in 1979, providing the rhythmic foundation for their breakthrough album Kings of the Wild Frontier, released in 1980 on CBS Records. Produced by Chris Hughes, the album featured Mooney's driving bass lines on tracks like "Dog Eat Dog" and the title song, complementing the band's tribal percussion and Marco Pirroni's angular guitar riffs; it propelled the group to commercial success, reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart. In the mid-1980s, Mooney's band Max recorded an unreleased full-length album for , featuring guitar contributions from his former colleague ; the project, developed during Max's initial lineup with vocalist Leslie Winer, remained shelved despite the release of a single, "Little Ghost," which later gained attention through a cover by . Max reformed in the early 1990s with a new lineup including ex- guitarist , releasing the Trevor Horn-produced album Silence Running in 1992 on Red Dot Records. The soft rock record included the title track as a single and aimed for mainstream appeal, though it achieved limited commercial success before the band's dissolution in 1994. Mooney co-founded the Lavender Pill Mob in the early 2000s with Gary Asquith (formerly of ) and Andrew Gray (of ), leading to their self-titled debut studio album in 2003 on Le Coq Musique, Mooney's own independent label. Self-produced by the band, the rock-oriented record incorporated eclectic influences, including guest appearances by artists such as and Mick Allen of , blending edges with atmospheric textures across its tracks. The Lavender Pill Mob followed with Mike's Bikes in 2004, also on Musique, where Mooney handled bass, vocals, and production duties alongside Asquith and Gray. This album featured a notable guest vocal performance by on "Black Pirates," a reworking of Mooney's earlier Wide Boy Awake track "Chicken Outlaw," highlighting Mooney's ongoing connections to his punk roots while exploring lo-fi rock experimentation; it was initially released as a limited CD and digital download.

Singles and EPs

Wide Boy Awake, led by Kevin Mooney, released their debut EP Wide Boy Awake in 1982 on , featuring a blend of new wave, , and eclectic rhythms that showcased Mooney's songwriting. The EP included five tracks: "Slang Teacher," "Bona Venture," "Whooping On The Roof," "Chicken ," and "Ravers Red Light." "Chicken ," the standout track, fused twang with electronic elements and received positive critical notice for its infectious gumbo-like rhythms. Produced by , the EP marked Mooney's post-Adam and project and was later compiled in various formats, including a US vinyl edition in 1983. Wide Boy Awake also released the single "Bona Venture" / "Come Back Friday" in 1982 on . The band's follow-up, the Billy Hyena EP in 1983, continued their experimental sound under RCA, produced by and emphasizing dance-oriented extensions. Key tracks included "Billy Hyena" (with extended dance and instrumental mixes) and "Set Fighter," highlighting Mooney's shift toward club-friendly grooves. The title track served as the lead single, accompanied by a that contributed to modest underground reception in new wave circles, though the band disbanded without a full-length album. Versions appeared on 7", 12", and international formats, reflecting limited but dedicated airplay on stations like KROQ. In 1989, Mooney's band Max issued the single "Little Ghost" on , an early effort from the late-1980s lineup featuring Mooney and Leslie Winer, which later influenced covers by artists like . The title track from Max's Silence Running was released as a single in 1992 on Red Dot Records.

References

  1. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-mooney-mn0001823085
  2. https://www.discogs.com/artist/307830-Kevin-Mooney
  3. https://www.3ammagazine.com/musicarchives/2004/sep/interview_kevin_mooney.html
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  7. https://www.musicvf.com/songs.php?page=artist&artist=Kevin%2BMooney&tab=songaswriterchartstab
  8. https://4ad.com/forewords/rema-rema/
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  10. https://music.apple.com/ca/song/antmusic/378723463
  11. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/26/adam-and-the-ants-heroic-sexy-warrior-bravado-kings-wild-frontier
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  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDMtR3RB2WU
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  25. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/31/arts/recordings-out-on-a-limb-shouting.html
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  27. https://thequietus.com/interviews/leslie-winer-witch-interview/
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  30. https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/reissue-cds-weekly-leslie-winer-when-i-hit-you-youll-feel-it
  31. https://www.discogs.com/release/15202695-LW--Spider
  32. https://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/lavender_pill_mob.shtml
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  34. https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lavender-pill-mob/876990164
  35. https://www.discogs.com/release/5107603-The-Lavender-Pill-Mob-Mikes-Bikes
  36. https://music.apple.com/gb/song/black-pirates/1482695340
  37. https://music.apple.com/us/album/unconditional-hope-single/1748086978
  38. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/04/05/pamela-rooke-punk-muse-known-jordan-whose-in-your-face-sartorial/
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  40. https://www.vogue.com/article/pamela-rooke-jordan-obituary
  41. https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/pamela-rooke-jordan-punk-sixties-b2063417.html
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  45. https://www.oocities.org/hiphopinterview/lpm.html
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  47. https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv10-83.php
  48. https://www.discogs.com/master/184690-Wide-Boy-Awake-Bona-Venture
  49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbKSdLzX4S4
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