Creativity Quote by Adam Ant

Infamy, in Adam Ant's mouth, isn’t a stain to scrub off; it’s a kind of stage lighting. Coming out of the late-70s/early-80s UK pop churn, he understood that being talked about for the “wrong” reasons could still be a power source - especially in a music culture obsessed with authenticity tests and tabloid takedowns. “I like being infamous” reads as a wink at celebrity morality: the system is going to mythologize or demonize you anyway, so you might as well choose the version that keeps you interesting.

The second line sharpens the strategy. “Safe being a cult” flips the usual hierarchy. Mainstream fame is exposed as the more precarious position - the kind that depends on fickle charts, label patience, and a public that turns on you the moment you stop delivering hits. A cult, by contrast, implies a smaller audience with higher devotion: people who show up not because you’re everywhere, but because what you do feels like a secret they’re in on. It’s survival by specificity.

There’s also a sly comment here on persona. Adam Ant’s whole brand was theatrical: pirate swagger, glam provocation, a knowing flirtation with scandal. “Infamous” and “cult” aren’t just reputations; they’re tools. He’s describing a zone where you can keep experimenting, keep misbehaving, and still be held - not by mass approval, but by loyal fascination. That’s not retreat. It’s control.