February 1998 — Bow Wow Wow, who hit it big in 1982 with a cover of Strangelove's classic "I Want Candy," are at it again after 15 years, packing in fans by the truckload on its Barking Mad tour, a two-month US jaunt.

The difference though, between now and the days of mohawks and Malcolm Mcclaren, is that the band is currently doing it all by themselves: no infamous manager, no record deal, no corporate financing or advertising, and no new records in the stores that need promoting.

"You say this is our 'reunion,' but truly, me and Leigh are doing this tour for fun," says singer Annabella Lwin (she and bassist Leigh Gorman are now the only original band members). "We're doing it because for one, I missed performing; I hadn't done it in two years, [although] Leigh and I had always worked together."

Bow Wow Wow was recently set to tour as part of an '80s package that would have included the likes of Berlin, Human League, the Fixx and others. The plans fizzled out, however: "It was sort of the end of June or July last year, and Leigh asked me if I was interested in doing live work as Bow Wow Wow," remembers Lwin. "I told him, 'Sure! Just let me know when it's going to be because I just started some solo work,' but then when the tour didn't come together, he said 'How do you think about doing our own tour?' and I said, 'A tour of America? Yeah! Let's do it!'"

With little publicity and no promotion, the band hit the road in January under their own tutelage and have been tearing the roofs off of small venues in cities big and small. Most dates have suffered from overcrowding.

"Yeah, it's great," comments Gorman. "We get kids as young as 14, and older people as well. They're all singing along and getting down. I've been overwhelmed by it, like when after the show they come backstage and say hi. I didn't expect it like that at all!"

"Also, the team of people we've got around helping us are brilliant," adds Annabella, "and they really care about our welfare, which for us is something new."

A bit of history...
Bow Wow Wow was born when the remaining members of Adam and the Ants, Leigh Gorman, Dave Barbarossa and Matthew Ashman, sought the advice of Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McClaren, who for £1000 inspired them to form Bow Wow Wow. McClaren discovered Rangoon-born Myant Myant Aye (Burmese for Cool Cool High) in a London dry cleaners, christened her Annabella Lwin, put her in front of a microphone, and the band's line-up was formed. Concerts and recording began, highlighted by the band's unique sound of a twangy Duane Eddy-like guitar dueting with an African tribal drum corp.

In 1981, Bow Wow Wow released their first LP titled See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah! City All Over! Go Ape Crazy! The album cover featured a nude 15-year-old Annabella in the infamous recreation of Manet's 1863 "Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe" (Lunch on the Grass). The cover caused more of a splash than the record itself, but the track "Go Wild in the Country" did become a huge hit in the UK.

In the 1982 EP "Last of the Mohicans," the public got its first taste of "Candy." Following this, the band released a second LP titled, of course, I Want Candy, and then a third, titled 12 Original Recordings.

Bow Wow Wow Original Line-up

The final LP, 1983's When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, was a slicked-over production effort that repelled the fans away in droves. Despite a catchy first single "Do You Wanna Hold Me" and an appearance on the legendary Solid Gold, the sound was too over-produced for original fans and it marked the end of Bow Wow Wow.

In the interim, Annabella embarked on a solo career, scoring a modest hit in 1986 with Peggy Lee's "Fever" while Gorman, Ashman and Barbarossa formed Chiefs of Relief. Despite Ashman's death from diabetes in 1995, Annabella and Gorman now feel no void.

"Although he can't be replaced," says Annabella, "Dave Calhoun is doing his best."

"They [the new band members] have got a good vibe about it, the old stuff and the new stuff," says Gorman. "I wasn't quite sure if it would work out at first, but I just happened to bump into the right people. As for Eshan K., Dave Barbarossa [original Bow Wow Wow drummer now playing for Republica] coached him on the old stuff.

"We put this together very quickly. The guys had just two weeks to learn everything and they were incredible about it."

A full month after its start in Los Angeles at Billboard live, the Barking Mad tour hit New York City's Wetlands for two shows on February 11th and 12th, both small and sweaty gigs.

On the second night, the on-stage energy was relentless. Opening strains of "W.O.R.K...", the first song, were turned into an instrumental allowing Annabella to make an unforgettable entrance. Bouncing out in a Jamaican beeny with fake dreads dangling from the sides, she was a bundle of adrenaline from the word go, energy dripping from every fiber of her tiny frame.

Songs like "Louis Quatorze," "(I'm a) TV Savage" and "Baby Oh No" were given a vigor not seen in years. Annabella's constant party chants ("The boys say 'hubba hubba!' the girls say 'lovah lovah!') and nonstop banter drove the crowd into a frenzy. She even went as far as to throw out candy for guess which song.

Judging by the strength of this performance, it seems like fifteen years ago was only yesterday, and the band didn't age a minute.

"It feels like we never went away," says Annabella. "When we see the audience reaction during and after the show, it's been incredible. Who would have known?"

"Yeah, in a strange way, it's like yesterday," says Gorman. "It kinda stopped there and now we've started again."

Some Barking Mad shows are being recorded and a possible live LP is in the works. Stay tuned.