Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 895 – Sunday 3rd July to Saturday 9th July 2016
We begin this issue with a call to arms. Why? Well, earlier today we learned that sales of Nick Woodgate’s latest album hadn’t been particularly strong, and that’s putting it lightly.
Here’s the man himself;
“I released ‘Walk With Me’ album on May 6th this year I have just found out that it sold one copy.”
He then followed up by saying;
“I just realised that I bought a copy, so the number of albums sold is… zero.”
Feedback from fans was swift, with people saying they didn’t know it was available, or that at present as it can only be purchased through iTunes, they weren’t able to buy it.
If you didn’t know Nick had a new album out, you do now!
Entitled “Walk With Me”, the album features 12 songs, and can be purchased from the following iTunes link:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/walk-with-me/id1111808404
You can also listen to a sample of each song while you’re there. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s give the man the sales he deserves!
Now, on with the issue!
Enjoy the read,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
SHOWTIMES
See below for all forthcoming Madness and Madness related gigs and events. If there’s something we’ve missed off or you feel should be added then please let us know.
Madness
July
Saturday 30th – Kendal Calling, Penrith http://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/information/ticket-info/
Sunday 31st – Y Not Festival, Matlock
http://www.ynotfestivals.co.uk
August
Thursday 4th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange * Sold Out *
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Friday 5th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Saturday 6th –Tartan Heart Festival, Inverness, Scotland (headliners)
More info at www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
Thursday 11th – Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire. First day headliner
Saturday 13th – Boom Town Fair – Winchester
Friday 19th – Cyfartha Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/37005067CAE570E4?tpab=-1
Saturday 20th – Titanic Belfast, Belsonic
http://www.ticketmaster.ie/Titanic-Belfast-tickets-Belfast/venue/461375
Monday 29th – House of Common, Clapham Common
More info at: http://www.madness.co.uk/houseofcommon/
September
Sunday 3rd – Crammerock Festival, Belgium
Sunday 4th – Jersey Live Festival, Jersey
Sunday 11th – Hyde Park. Radio 2’s Festival in a Day
Friday 30th – Sweden, Grona Lund Amusement Park
October
Saturday 1st – Norway – Rockefeller Music Hall
Monday 3rd – Germany – Berlin – Tempodrom
Tuesday 4th – Germany – Bochum – Ruhrcongress
November
Friday 18th – Monday 21st – Madness Weekender 6, Minehead
December
Thursday 1st – Bournemouth – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 2nd – Cardiff – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 3rd – Brighton – Matinee – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 3rd – Brighton – Can’t Touch us Now ** Sold Out **
Monday 5th – Groningen, The Netherlands
http://www.de-oosterpoort.nl/programma/madness/
Tuesday 6th – Tilburg, The Netherlands
Thursday 8th – Newcastle – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 9th – Sheffield – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 10th – London – Can’t Touch us Now
Monday 12th – Nottingham – Can’t Touch us Now
Tuesday 13th – Bridlington – Can’t Touch us Now
Thursday 15th – Glasgow – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 16th – Manchester – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 17th – Birmingham – Can’t Touch us Now
Can’t Touch us Now tickets from: http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/madness/
Suggs
July
Saturday 16th – Henham park Suffolk, Latitude Festival – Late night at sunrise (DJ set alongside Mike Skinner Tonga) https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/suggs-1
Thursday 21st – Guildford Glive
Friday 22nd – Guildford Glive
Saturday 23rd – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Rescheduled)
August
Saturday 27th – Bangor, Northern Ireland – Talking Musical Revolutions. Part of the “Open House Festival”
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
July
Friday 22nd, Hampton Pool Picnic, Supporting The Selecter * Sold Out *
August
Thursday 18th, Newham Free Festival
Thursday 25th – Album Launch Party – Bite The Bullet – 100 Club Oxford Street London
Sunday 28th – DJ set @ Commoners Against Cancer – Dublin Castle. Noon
November
House of Fun Weekender
The Near Jazz Experience
July 12th, Indo, Whitechapel, London
Clang
July
23rd The Dublin Castle Camden London.
24th 02 Academy Liverpool LIMFestival.com
BUY IT
Madness – New Album – You Can’t Touch Us Now – Pre Order – October 21st
Pre order now – and get “Untouchable Madhead” Status.
http://www.madness.co.uk/cant-touch-us-now/
Potential Tracks, Based only on last years House of Fun set – Grandslam, I Believe, Soul Denying, Mumbo Jumbo. When Did All The Good Times Go, Herbet, Mr Apples, Blackbird On The Wing, Dont Leave The Past Behind You, Whistling In The Dark, Cant Touch Us Now, Given The Opportunity, Another Version of Me.
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra – Bite The Bullet – August 25th (available Signed from the 100 club launch on the 25th)
Vinyl £13.55 (Includes free mp3 version)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FEA9NYE
CD £11.37 (includes free mp3 version)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FEA9NTY
Mp3 album also available on its own £7.99
Tracks – Based on Amazon – Step It Up Sister, Bite The Bullet, Western Standard Time, Cuss Cuss, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Feel a Little Better, Hongry, The Wickerman, 30,60,90 , I am King, Cry To Me, I’ll be back again.
HEAR TRACKS IN PREVIEW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GM41SM6/ref=dm_ws_ap_tlw_alb7
Nick Woodgate – Kaleidoscope
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/kaleidoscope-ep/id1119928331
Tracks 1, Morning Skies 2, Yvonne 3. She’s The One 4. All The screams in the night.
Dance Crazy – The Best of Specialized Ska Live
A little nod and appreciation as we at Specialized celebrate the 35th birthday in 2016 of the 2Tone movie & soundtrack “Dance Craze”
This album Features original acts & covers bands paying respects to the Dance Craze phenomenon.
All recorded live.
The same songs as Dance Craze by new bands 35 years on. (Including live covers of Madness) pre order now £10 (£2.50 p&p)
http://www.specializedproject.co.uk/shop/
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Liverpool to Celebrate 40 Years of Punk
Buzzcocks, Clinic, Poltergeist, Pete Bentham & The Dinner Ladies, Feral Love, Veyu, Lying Ba****ds, Organ Freeman, Queen Zee & The Sasstones will play the Arts Club on Saturday 23rd July whilst Lightning Seeds, Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah!, The Clang Group (featuring Clive Langer from Deaf School) and Sugarmen will be celebrating the local Liverpool scene at the O2 Academy Liverpool on Sunday 24th July.
An exciting addition to Eric’s To Evol’ will be the Story of Punk and Counterculture Panel in partnership with The Guardian where experts will be discussing the impact of punk and counterculture since the 70’s being held on 20th July at District Liverpool.
Suggs: I’ve lived in same house for 35 years
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/10867358/Suggs-Ive-lived-in-same-house-for-35-years.html
The Madness singer has disclosed that he still lives with his wife Anne in the “modest” family home he bought 35 years ago.
Unlike the property in the band’s best-known song, the terraced house is not quite in the middle of the street it occupies in Holloway, north London.
But the 53-year-old singer does appear to view the house as his “castle” and his “keep”. It has also allowed him to continue drinking in the same pub which he frequented with his friends.
“I’ve never lived lavishly but I’ve lived comfortably,” said the singer, whose real name is Graham McPherson.
He added: “I’m happy with the simple things in life. We weren’t elevated to the status of real rock stars, mollycoddled by management, mansions and swimming pools. I’ve been in situations where people treated us like that and found it very claustrophobic.”
GLASTONBURY PRESS ROUND UP
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3659385/Hello-Glastonbury–Its-Adele.html
The band also gave a nod to the Brexit vote, making clear the country is on the “highway to hell”.
Suggs handed the microphone to guitarist Chris Foreman, who said he had recently learnt how easy it was to fool 51.9% of people – referencing the percentage of Britons who voted to leave the European Union in Thursday’s referendum.
He then led the crowd in a rendition of the AC/DC song Highway To Hell.
http://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2016/0625/798193-madness-bless-bowie-and-slam-brexit-at-glastonbury/
Beneath an Aladdin Sane lightning bolt suspended above the Pyramid Stage at the festival, Madness frontman Suggs said he wanted to celebrate Bowie, who passed away aged 69 in January.
The band brought their families up on stage to dance along to Kooks, which was written by Bowie for his newborn son, Zowie, who grew up to be film director Duncan Jones.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/27/glastonbury-2016-verdict-muse-adele-coldplay
Madness draw an immense crowd to the Pyramid stage. “I’d like to apologise to anyone who’s camping near my family – some of them seemed to move away this morning,” says Suggs, who does have the air of a man who has recently been enjoying himself in time-honoured Glastonbury style. The success of their performance is about as close to a foregone conclusion as you can get – the sun comes out during Our House, It Must Be Love retains its nonpareil ability to make everything seem temporarily all right with the world, the crowd let out a collective “aw” when the stage is flooded with the band’s children and grandchildren. But it’s not without its surprises: quite aside from Suggs’s increasingly wayward between-song pronouncements, there’s both a beautiful cover of David Bowie’s Kooks and a baffling interlude where proceedings are halted in order for guitarist Chris Foreman to sing a karaoke version of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/madness-remember-david-bowie-incredible-8284724 https://next.ft.com/content/5d62559c-3b8f-11e6-9f2c-36b487ebd80a
(Ludovic Hunter-Tilney – Financial Times)
Meanwhile, ska old-timers Madness came across as a banal heritage routine in their afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage, churning through “House of Fun” with automatic jollity. “I must say, I’ve had a terrific weekend,” said their singer Suggs, from somewhere within the deep, deep sleep of England.
A FUTURE 7”/CD SINGLE? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
You may recall that in issue 893 we received an email from subscriber Michael Cowan, where he asked fellow fans for their views on a future 7”/CD single release in the run up to the next album launch.
Last week we had responses from readers David Roberts and Mark Bryant. This week it’s the turn of subscriber Malcolm Stone;
“[I] definitely would be interested in a physical release on vinyl and even CD single.
[I’m] a big Madness collector myself and also owner of one of the few remaining independent record shops.
We participate in [Record Store Day] every year and the release of Lovestruck 7″ was a great idea and very successful
Malcom
https://www.facebook.com/musicmaniaclacton/”
It does seem that there’s some interest in a physical single release, but the three responses we’ve received aren’t going to persuade the band and their management that it’s worthwhile.
Do any readers know how to set-up an online survey? Perhaps we could decide on a few questions to ask and then open it up to the fans. Please get in touch!
In the meantime, if any further readers have opinions regarding a future CD/7” single release then please let us know.
Rob Hazelby
I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN
This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back in time to report on what was going on in the world of Madness 5 years, 10 and 15 years ago this week.
5 years ago…
Issue Number 634 – Sunday 3rd July – Saturday 9th July 2011
This issue got off to a worrying start when we explained that the big news item of the week concerned Lee and him once again getting battered and bruised.
“The show must go on”, were the words from Thommo who started the week flying off a Motorbike, and ended it entertaining a park full of locals at Bermondsey Beat in the south London sunshine, attracting Bermondsey’s coolest young dancers into the bargain, as MKII of the Ska Orchestra took to the bandstand in the park and set the beat.
The Daily Star ran the crash story this week…
“Lee from Madness was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on Monday evening. He was on an outdoor motorbike track with Keith from The Prodigy when he lost control at 75 mph. People who witnessed the crash thought he was dead by the way he was thrown from the bike and crashing to the ground. He went to hospital and was diagnosed with broken ribs and numerous cuts and bruises and was advised to be admitted overnight, but he refused.
He is currently recuperating at home in North London”
It’s news you fear, when you hear of his scrapes. But that sax flying practice and more means he knows how to fall. With some visible black and blue on him, we met Thommo backstage at Bermondsey and wished him well on all our readers behalf, telling him we all wish he’d take more care. He agreed saying that Debbie has locked all motorbike keys away from him. Thanks Debbie!
Having borrowed his mother’s zimmer walking frame. The Ska Orchestra arrived as the last band of the Carnivals Bandstand, to sunshine in the park, full of stalls and even a funfair to over 1000 local Londoners.
After the slow walk on, he kicked away his stage prop, and announced “Good Afternoon Glastonbury”.
Elsewhere in this issue we reported on Suggs’ half hour question and answer session at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. The tent was full capacity with Suggs running late due to the long walk from Shangri-La.
Were you one of many people who’d love to play classic Madness tracks on the piano? If you were two YouTube tutorials compiled by subscriber Dan Fossard would have been right up your street. The first video showed you how to play Le Grand Pantalon while the second took you through Night Boat to Cairo. Check them out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzV_r8U76Os
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiGg9PwViuk&feature=related
We brought this issue to a close with a lowdown of forthcoming gigs for Ska tribute outfit Big 10.
10 years ago…
Issue 374 – Sunday 2nd July to Saturday 8th July 2006
It’d been far too hot to go outside and actually do anything (apart from chilling out with a BBQ, or relaxing in the beer garden), so we’d spent a fair bit of our spare time indoors, in the cool, and in front of our computers, putting together this latest issue.
The biggest nugget of news to hit us this week was that Madness would be performing in Japan, at the Fuji Rock Festival towards the end of July, and that the much loved Madness musical, ‘Our House’ had also hit the land of the rising sun. You could read more about both these items elsewhere in the issue.
Closer to home, and we felt it was probably time to remind you that the European tour kicked off this coming Thursday (6th July) in Munchen.
The full tour looked like this:
Thursday 6th July 2006 – Germany (Munchen – Tollwood)
Friday 7th July 2006 – Germany (Bonn – Museumsplatz)
Friday 14th July 2006 – Germany (Berlin – Citadelle)
Saturday 15th July 2006 – Germany (Ahaus – Tobit Nightclubbing)
Sunday 16th July – Freiburg Int. Zelt-Musik-Festival
Saturday 22nd July 2006 – France Festival des Vieilles Charrues
Sunday 23rd July 2006 – Spain (Benacassim)
Monday 7th August 2006 – Belgium (Lokerse)
Wednesday 9 August 2006 – Monaco
Monte Carlo Sporting Club
Elsewhere in this issue we had the long-awaited results of the first ever Madness World Cup. Whilst UK MIS subscribers drowned their sorrows following yet another embarrassing World Cup defeat they could at least be proud that no matter what album claimed the Nutty crown, Madness were the winners of this contest of the fittest.
Which album managed to beat all oncomers? The one and only ‘Absolutely’, which pipped ‘One Step Beyond’ to the finishing post, 64 to 67 votes.
15 years ago…
Issue 112 – Sunday 2nd July to Saturday 7th July 2001
With Rob busy helping to organise and run his local beer festival editing duties went to the ever capable Jonathan Young, who released this special Blackpool Mad Meet Aftermath Bumper Holiday Special issue.
This edition got underway with news in from Paul Birch, who reported that Suggs was turning his hand to radio comedy in a new show with Bob Monkhouse. The radio show would be appearing on BBC Radio 4 under the name I Think I’ve Got A Problem.
We were told that Monkhouse would be playing psychiatrist Dr Boone who treated Suggs’ character Tom Caine when he wakes to find a band constantly playing in his head and cannot stop singing.
The band, which only Tom could hear, featured impressionist Phil Cornwell of BBC2’s Stella Street, and drummer Andrew McGibbon, the series co-writer, who had performed with acts including Morrissey.
Moving on, and since Simsey announced his lyrics page was up and running, he’d received some excellent feedback regarding the unique service he was offering.
Since then he’d updated the lyrics pages on the site, putting in some of the suggestions sent to him so far, and generally reviewing the pages. Now, *all* lyrics with missing words were flagged by an asterisk.
Next, and if you’d managed to return from Blackpool with some loose change, or like you were unable to get along to the meet, you may be one of the few Maddies who weren’t skint at the moment. If that was the case, we pulled out a few of the more interesting Madness related items currently up for sale on auction site Ebay.
It was on to tribute bands for the next article as we gave a complete roundup of all the July gig dates for Complete Madness. The band had lined up an impressive 19 gigs for the month ahead, and were covering the majority of the UK. It would have been madness to have missed them.
We passed things over to Phil Pugh for the next article, as he announced The Madness Trading Ring Club, explaining how it worked and how you could become part of this recently formed community. If you wanted to buy and sell Madness memorabilia, this was the place to be.
Jonathan took the reigns for the subsequent section, as he gave a detailed review of the recent Blackpool Mad Meet;
“86 Madness fans packed into a hotel. Sounds like a recipe for mayhem. Imagine telling the local policeman on duty of our arrival and you might have had him quaking in his boots. But no fear us Madness fans are a law unto ourselves cus all weekend it was us who were wearing the policeman’s helmets as a Shut up Homage”
We brought this issue to a close by revealing that the one and only Chris Foreman would be getting married again. We wished him all the best on his forthcoming big day.
Rob Hazelby
THAT FACEBOOK LIVE
Chrissy Boy’s comment regarding Mad Not Mad, originally posted to “The Invaders” Group….
“I’m not a fan and I wasn’t happy with the way some of the songs turned out, “Burning The Boats” and “Uncle Sam” in particular as I wrote the music.
Some great songs on there, though. Too many drum machines!
I think it’s the band’s least favourite album, put it that way.
When you work on a song, you get disappointed if it doesn’t come out the way you wanted it to.
CB”
A Controversial suggestion over on the “All things Madness” group courtesy of Dan Fossard….
“Here’s an idea.
If Chrissy Boy likes singing so much (or rather shouting) then why doesn’t he do the intro to One Step Beyond? It’s one of their best known songs and can only sound better with the intro.
Whaddya say Chris? Yay or nae?”
This subsequently received a response from Chris…
“I wouldn’t dream of it. The “long” intro was Mr. Smash, nobody else could do that”
Someone then foolishly thought Carl had copyrighted the intro lyrics somehow…
“Absolute bollocks!”, responded Chris. “It’s his moment and none of us would attempt it but to suggest he would do that is hahahahahah”
TIME…
Last week we incorrectly listed “Gnik Nus” as the band’s Glastonbury intro music. It should have been a different mix from The Beatles’ Love album. In fact it was a version of “Because” which appeared originally on the band’s Abbey Road album.
Thanks to Beatles Madness aka Sharon Staite for pointing that one out.
Next, and radio station “Radio X” have reported that Madness’ Saturday daytime slot on the Pyramid Stage saw them experience a same day increase in sales of 2375 %
We’re not sure what their source is for this stat, but it certainly makes for interesting reading.
Moving on, and this week we learned that up to 16 tracks have been polished in the studio for possible inclusion on the forthcoming “Can’t Touch Us Now” album.
Finally, we send a “Get well soon” to Craig Charles of the regular supporting Funk and Soul DJ show, who this week had an accident involving a laceration on the ankle of one leg.
He’s bandaged and recovering, but not currently gigging.
Get well soon Craig and then get back to the trademark dancing.
Until next the next issue…
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Michael Cowan, Malcolm Stone, Sharon Staite, Dan Fossard)
The Author
