Those of you who’ve been online for a number of years may remember Adam Nicholls’ fantastic Nutty Forum – an online web forum where Madness fans could meet and discuss anything and everything related to their favourite band.

Back in the day the forum was extremely well supported, and proved to be a wonderful resource in pulling Madness fans in to one online location. The forum’s been closed for a number of years now, but you may be pleased to learn that it’ll soon be back up and running.

Originally planned to receive a February 28th launch, it’s been delayed slightly. We’ve got no reason to believe that it won’t be online soon, so we recommend you keep an eye on http://www.nuttyforum.co.uk/ and @nutty_forum.

We’ll be keeping our own virtual eyes on the web site and Twitter feed, and as soon as it does spring into life once again, we’ll let you know in a subsequent issue of the MIS.

The original Nutty Forum was a fantastic place to visit, and with support from the fans there’s absolutely no reason why it can’t be like that again.

In the meantime, 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

*** New *** June 28th, Night in the Park, Den Haagm Netherlands, http://www.nightatthepark.nl/

*** New *** June 29th, Tivoli Utrecht, Netherlands http://tivoli.nl/

July 5th 2014, en Normandie au Festival Beauregard

July 13th 2014 Festival Musilac, France http://www.musilac.com/

July 29th 2014, Theatre Jean Deschamps, 1100 Carcassonne City, Festival De Carcassonne

November 21st – 24th 2014 – Minehead – Earlybird tickets can be ordered here: http://www.bigweekends.com/splash-pages/madness2014.aspx

For tickets also see links via: www.madness.co.uk

Our thanks go to the French MIS team for the Normandie and Carcassonne dates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/frenchmis

Suggs Live

April 2014

2nd – Newbury Corn Exchange
3rd – Loughborough Town Hall
4th – Wakefield Theatre Royal
5th – Southport The Atkinson Theatre
6th – Runcorn The Brindley
8th – Mansfield Palace Theatre
9th – Stamford Corn Exchange
11th – Isle of Wight Shaklin Theatre
12th – Aldershot Princes Hall
13th – Wimborne Tivoli Theatre
15th – Bury St Edmonds The Apex
16th – Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall
17th – Stroud Subscription Rooms
22nd – Chelmsford Civic Theatre
23rd – Stevenage Gordon Craig Theatre
24th – Redditch Palace Theatre
25th – Malvern Forum Theatre
26th – Margate Winter Gardens
27th – Northampton Derngate
29th – Bolton Albert Halls
30th – Darlington Civic Theatre

May 2014

1st – Newark Palace Theatre
2nd – Redhill Harlequin Theatre
3rd – Watford Colosseum
4th – Yeovil Octagon Theatre
10th – DUBLIN Olympia Theatre
13th – Harlow Playhouse
14th – Lowestoft Marina Theatre
15th – Eastbourne – Royal Hippodrome
16th – Leamington Royal Spa Centre
17th – Jersey Opera House
19th – Milton Keynes The Stables
20th – Winchester Theatre Royal
21st – Epsom Playhouse
22nd – Kettering Lighthouse Theatre
23rd May at Cardiff College of Music and Drama
27th May at Bury St Edmunds The Apex
29th May at Derry Millennium Forum
30th May at Belfast Ulster Hall

June 2014

*** New *** 1st June, The Garrick, London

The Magic Brothers

Tuesday 11th March, Dublin Castle, Camden, London
Thursday 27th March, Dublin Castle, Camden, London
Thursday 3rd April, Dublin Castle, Camden, London
Thursday 24th April, Dublin Castle, Camden, London

Ticket info at: http://www.bugbearbookings.com/dublin-castle/

Suggs and Friends

The charity fund raising evening “Suggs and Friends” makes a welcome return this coming March. The 2014 fundraiser takes place on March 20th at 6.30pm, with champagne reception and auction.

The £150 donation tickets for pancreatic cancer gain entry to the Porchester Hall event in London W2. There’s no announcement yet as to who is joining Suggs at the exclusive event.

Roger Daltrey has been added to the line-up of this evening.

The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra

Thursday 13th March, Dingwalls, Camden Town, London
More info regarding the above on Facebook at: http://on.fb.me/1mKWGkX

*** New *** May 25 Strummer Camp Manchester

*** New *** June 29 Glastonbury Festival

*** New *** July 19 Summer Breeze Fest Swindon

August 31st, The Big Feastival, Alex James’ Farm, Cotswolds

More festival dates to follow.

Ska Orchestra web site: www.ltso.mis-online.net

Lee Thompson DJ

Saturday 5th April, Ska Night, Guest DJ Lee Thompson, Wilsons, Runcorn, Cheshire

The Lee Thompson Band (Lee’s other band, with Daley)

April 25th. The Hop Poles. Enfield
https://www.facebook.com/events/1387868218100592/

Deaf School

No further gigs or events at present. Keep an eye on http://deafschoolmusic.com for more information.

Near Jazz Experience

March 11, Indo, Whitechapel, London
*** New *** April 29th, Indo, Whitechapel, London

BUY IT

If money’s currently burning a hole in your pocket then perhaps we can help with your dilemma.

The Specialized EP Featuring Lee Thompson

A 4 track vinyl EP featuring Lee’s track from the first specialized album and tracks by the Valves, Rhoda Dakar and Nick Welsh.

Should be in stock this coming week.

Thanks go to Chuck Wren and Jump Up Records, Stan from A&R Texas (pressing plant), and Mike Schneider of Indigo Iguana (design).

LOOK SO GOOD YA COULD LICK EM…. Will be available via

www.specializedproject.co.uk

The Specialized Big One 2. Live DVD.

For those wanting a copy of the DVD of the Big One 2 event we can reveal that you can now pre-order your copy. This will be limited edition and available into the new year. As is the normal spec with Specialized, all proceeds go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

We are very pleased to say that the Specialized Big One 2 DVD has gone to production! So, those of you have ordered a copy, yours will be with you very shortly. Thanks for your patience. The film makers did it all for free, including the editing of over 60 hours of footage. There will be also a small bonus DVD included

Welcome to Specialized Project official website

LTSO, Bangarang, Featuring Dawn Penn

Single release date March 24th.

The Magic Line Album * Out Now! *

Signed T-shirt packages and a deluxe edition.

http://www.magicbrothers.com/topspin-store/all/

A range of Magic Brothers T-shirts, Polo Shirts are now available to buy.

The CD album is available via Amazon and the download via iTunes contains an interview with Phil Jupitus talking to Woody about the album. But if you buy the album via the official band site you can choose a signed option or bundle.

If you’ve a spare £75 and are really into the magic, then there are 25 packs going fast that include all of this….

The Magic Line Collectors Pack – Limited Edition of 25 includes; The Magic Line Signed CD Album. The Magic Line Digital Download. The Magic Line T Shirt. Woodys Drumsticks Signed. Nicks Guitar Paick Signed. Copy of Album Lyrics. “Thank You” Phone Call From Woody & Nick.

Our thanks go to Paul Smart for the above

Suggs “The Close” Signed Book

Suggs is one of pop music’s most enduring and likeable figures. Written with the assured style and wit of a natural raconteur, this hugely entertaining and insightful autobiography takes you from his colourful early life on a North London council estate, through the heady early days of Punk and 2-Tone, to the eighties, where Madness became the biggest selling singles band of the decade. Along the way he tells you what it’s like to grow up in sixties Soho, go globetrotting with your best mates, to make a dead pigeon fly and cause an earthquake in Finsbury Park.

Suggs is a singer, songwriter, DJ, actor and TV presenter. He is perhaps best known as lead singer with Madness, who have had 24 top-twenty hits and continue to tour. Suggs lives in Camden, London.

– Features unseen and exclusive lyrics.
- 352 pages.
- Hardback.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/search.html?term=suggs

Louis Vause – Midnight in Havana

“Oh dear. I’m alive..!” Pianist Louis Vause has always said that his albums are “Gouged out of him by circumstance” but his third album ‘Midnight In Havana’really is a case in point.

Recorded as a valedictory set, a swansong if you like, after he was told that the onset of cancer meant that he had mere months to live, the completion of the work coincided with his liver transplant and the all clear. He was in the pink. The same could not be said for his credit cards which had covered Louis’ uncharacteristically cavalier spending on recording costs.

http://www.cadizmusic.com/2007/index.php?location=/web/Catalogue/CADIZCD119

Mark Adamson of the Deaf School Website gives us an exclusive quote or two from Suggs, on the forthcoming Deaf School Book.

Deaf School – the story is told at last!

“For me, the gigs Deaf School have done recently have been some of the best I’ve seen by any band.”

So writes Suggs in his foreword to a book, published this month amid a flurry of Deaf School gigs and other Book Launch events, charting the creation and career of a band that influenced so many artists that followed – and that still fills venues 40 years after their debut at the Liverpool School of Art Christmas Dance.

Deaf School had a huge impact on Madness (Suggs: “Back in my youth I met some characters who were a right bunch, but what we had in common was that we loved Deaf School.”) – not least, of course, because guitarist Clive Langer’s became Madness producer and because Suggs married Deaf School singer Bette Bright!

Written by leading rock music writer, author and broadcaster Paul du Noyer, a lifetime Deaf School fan, Deaf School: The Non-Stop Pop Art Punk Rock Party, is published later this month by the Liverpool University Press, priced at £14.99. Accompanying the publication of the book is a Deaf School exhibition, featuring original art works by band members, posters, photos, rare films of live performances, band stage costumes and much more.

The book is available from Deaf School’s website at www.deafschoolmusic.com

SPECIALIZED – MEET THE ARTISTS

Meet the Artists

Ladies and gentlemen, Specialized are very pleased to announce that Ska’Lett will be performing on Specialized 3-Mad Not Cancer!

This lady of ska will be appearing on her version of Madness’

“Crying Shame”. Heard a demo and again, adds excitement to the album.

Ska’lett has been gigging for just over 2 years covering ska/soul/reggae/new wave songs.Her debut CD has sold well and she will be returning to the studio very soon to do a follow up. Ska’lett often teams up with mates The Evil Turkeys for a few songs (Another Specialized act) and is hoping to do more in the future …Watch This Space.

We are very pleased to announce that Scottish stompers BOMBSKARE will return to perform on Specialized 3 – Mad Not Cancer! The guys will be giving us their rendition of ” De…ceives The Eye”.

Introducing BOMBSKARE, Scotland’s 9-man ska juggernaut- we have been tearing up stages the length and breadth of the British Isles. Reaching zero to sixty skanking miles an hour in the space of three chords, we combine top quality dance-along songs with well crafted album tunes.

They are the Fat Man and Little Boy of Scottish Ska. Bigger, better, louder, tighter, harder and faster than the competition – we leave every stage like Tokyo following a visit from Godzilla.

Equally renowned for their musicianship and recordings, they are tighter than Fort Knox, their trademark ska rhythms and lush, three-part harmonies work together with choppy guitar sounds and an explosive horn section to truly blow the audience away.

Also…

Just a quick message to say hello and welcome to the teams newsest member, Mr Graham Yates has kindly taken over the control of the Twitter account for us and is doing a stirling job! Cheers Graham!

TWEETS OF A DOVE

A roundup of recent postings and snippets from the Twittersphere

Graham Mcpherson

“Congrats to nick and Daniel woodgate et al, for terrific Magic Brothers gig last night.

Spot on! Merry flanpake day!”

Mez Clough (Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra drummer)

“Ace rehearsal today with the mighty The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra …off to bed now with a head full of new tunes and a daft grin on my moosh”

Andy Neal (Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra guitarist)

“Great day! Didn’t even notice the sun was shining and we were stuck inside.

It was shining brighter in that rehearsal room.”

Magic Brothers

“Unlike myself, brass players need sheet music, so I’m working today with Chris Traves Trombonist to finalise the parts for our live shows.”

LIVE INTENSIFIED

The Magic Brothers – First Live Gig

In the legendary Dublin Castle Camden Town a new live band begins their journey. As I arrive around five o’clock I’m greeted on the threshold by tonight’s lead singer/guitarist/songwriter as Nick smiles at the doorway and we hug a hello. I enter, joining a few fans who have already gathered starting a fairly packed circle of regular gig going Madness fans that expands by late Monday evening time. More band members are sat pouring over the tadpoles, the musical noteage of tonight’s gig on multiple strewn pages that lie across the table. The Trombone player holds open a folder, Steve Hamilton (saxophone) is studying away and I’m delighted to see Joe Auckland, who despite previous rumour, is available tonight and will tune these small blobs intro trumpet blasts. Woody is in the backroom bashing away as sound checking begins, and shifting shades of coloured lights are set up to illuminate this affair in the black walled band room.

For at least the third time I am to witness a large band attempting to fit onto this backroom’s stage. This time it’s a nine piece. The Keyboard player suffers the most, hidden hardly visible behind the brass section. The brass fit to the left, Tim and Dan Drury, guitar and bass, fit to the right. Nick and Siobhan centre front either side of a corner visible Woody with drums and computer setup.

Tonight’s set is 7 of the debut album The Magic Line and 7 or 8ish (if all these listed on the set page were played) from the forthcoming “In Your Mind” album. Roughly half and half then. How strange that a bands debut gig should be showcasing half “The new material”. This studio prolific hardworking songwriting team are well, well ahead of themselves to the point where even their first ever live gig can omit some of the acts first album tunes and showcase the new album they are currently working on and I feel the one they are excited about most. (Writing for the new Madness album having already been achieved in the middle of this too!) When we spoke to Woody last he’d said some of these new tunes are better for playing live, which is another reason for this. I feel perhaps they could have entered stage to a small snippet of The Magic line though perhaps, just played it in as intro music, in the way that Madness used Opium Eaters as a Seven Era intro when taking to the stage. This new album halfshare means amongst the dropped songs are ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Magic Brothers part2’ what a shame, they are big favourites of mine on the record. Tell you what though, I didn’t miss them on the actual night, with so much to take in, it’s only looking back sat here with the album in front of me that I miss those tunes having not reached the live arena yet, having not been rehearsed yet for the live band. This is probably because a couple of the new songs really took my attention. Especially the albums title track ‘In Your Mind’ a song I became happily lost in as it played out. It seems fitting to the band, it was greatly performed and I can’t wait to hear it again when I return to witness more of this residency. I was singing the chorus along during the song and that’s always a good thing with new music to get you like that. I hope my enthusiasm for that track continues on next few hears, I tell Woody later it’s a worthy choice for album title status, a song of imagination really.

The tune ‘We’re all going to Brighton’… “Didn’t we have a lovely time when we went to Bangor” myself and Looby sing to each other as we discuss this song, “it sounded a bit like a children’s song to me that one.” I say. Before we are tangentily then off chatting about Bob Mortimere’s toupee! ‘Magic Train’ is a simple but great vibe rocker, neighbour to the vibe of ‘Downtown’. Paul Rodgers who was with us, calls ‘Something’ “a Madness song in waiting” and it’s got some punchy brass to it that one, no room for breathing as sax and trombone carry constant short burst backing that will make you dance.

For me another new one had small echoes of The Specials amongst many other rock angles. ‘Friday Night, Sunday Morning’, Darren West liked the vibe of this one… “So what of the new tunes? My personal favourite is ‘Friday Night, Sunday Morning’ which has a slight off-beat lilt and has subtle glimpses of Madness although it’s still very much got Magic Brothers style rubber-stamped all over it. ‘We’re Going To Brighton’ was another new tune that grabbed my attention. The mellowness of ‘Smile ‘ and announced as the closing song ‘You Don’t Have To Hide Your Love Away’ are all played well and also received well by the watching crowd.” Smile for me, doesn’t work so well live personally. The long noted chorus word “Smillllleeee” like the Madness song ‘Crying’ I’ve reviewed live before this, it has a sour effect to my ear. I find it unlistenable even though the song has it’s supporters who were shouting for it later. It’s just one of those things I don’t personally get.

“They should have played ‘The River’ nine times” say’s Paul of the debut album tunes heard tonight, so I’m guessing that’s a fave of his. This one was pretty close to as good as the album live. Where as I think the rocking of the encore of ‘Downtown’ was the gigs most upbeat moment and best performance, second perhaps to the brilliance of the single ‘You Don’t Have To Hide Your Love Away’, rightly kept to the end point of the actual gig set.

Always be with you

Downtown

Friday Night, Sunday Morning

Ami Tumake BhaloBashi

The River

Something

In Your Mind

Tysea Hill

Come To Me

Smile

Magic Train

Were All Going To Brighton

They Tell You

Mother

All Aboard The Train

You Dont Have To Hide Your Love Away

Requested Encore: Downtown. Smile.

First Gig Montage

Which leaves Ami Tumake BhaloBashi, as the hardest Magic Brothers song title to spell! Thanks for the set list photo Looby, cus I’d have made a right pigs ear of that one trying to get it from memory. If you see the Magic Brothers at this residency be sure to tell them of their music, Ami Tumake BhaloBashi. Nick explains in his gig banter that it means “I Love You” in bengali, and the track is a wistful breeze of a tune.

There was much love in the room, and much moral support for the gig. Suggs, Mike, Clive, Hugh, Jim from Woody’s other band teams here to check it out too. From us fans, Hazel, Maria, Sharon, Lynn, Paul, Chris, Vicki, Dicka, Sarah, Darren, Gary, Ian, Lisa, Looby, Braxton, Marc, Simon, Donna, Andy, Owen, Mark, Tony and Sean and

Mick from Basingstoke plus more make a very good magic mad meet turn out. Much praise afterwards as we witnessed a professional staging of the full set with no false starts or noticable f**k up’s of any kind. Any sign that this was a first gig really wasn’t visible in the band at all. The intimacy of seeing Woody drum in such a small venue particularly was a delight, and cheap for £10. The skill of the bands back line was clearly that of stadium filling talent in terms of playing the instruments.

There was some questions in the room for this being all new of course. What is The Magic Brothers music? for some. Will I like this? Will it be good? Will it be rehearsed enough? Will they be nervous? The passing present elephant of will Nick cope due to his conditions? Will the gig go ahead, ok? Can Nick be a front man? Lastly perhaps if you had read our preview article, will the backing track elements work with the live band? All adding up to answer the question of, what’s is it like to see The Magic Brothers?

I’m nosing at the glass of The Dublin Castle back room door and chatting with the bands go-to-guy Paul Smart. It’s sound check time, I love watching a band sound check. I did this for The Dangermen so many years ago and I’ve seen LTSO sound check here too. There is a rested purity of a band not playing to anyone. You get a quieter sketched out performance with no pressure on at all and The Magic Brothers are sounding great to me on my first listen. Nick is tapping his toe away while singing as the song progresses and the brass is making it clear that this band’s sound is capable of bigger spaces than this room, all indications are that this is going to be really good rock band, from the starting blocks away.

Where as after the gig I find I’ve the pleasure of a brief word with Clive Langer, and I stand there wishing I could get him to this keyboard I’m at now to answer that first question, “what is The Magic Brothers music”. Wishing there was a Langer brain-plug-in that could give me the insight of what watching this band play was like for Clive tonight, a man who’s musical knowledge from his age and experiences, and from living through the music that Woody and Nick have lived through in writing these songs, is ocean deep. He enthuses holding his hands either side of his head like he’s trying to hold myriad musical influences he’s spotted from a wide era of his youth. Clearly it’s a 70’s childhood thing and clearly my 80’s into 90’s life; born from a 50s 60s loving parentage has a blind spot here. Throwing REM into a pot of copy and paste Woody quotes, of ELO, Beatles, Wings, Pink Floyd isn’t really going to add anything insightful or even be correct in anyway. So I’ll say Magic Brothers is rock from bouncable stomp ones to heart pulling ones, to jolly ones and back again.

Darren West writes…

“The gig starts with Woody’s “1, 2, 3…” and opening bars of ‘Always Be With You.’ It’s a cracking sound and the brass add plenty of depth to the shiny pop production of the LP itself. Nick kicks in with his vocals and anyone concerned needn’t have worried – his delivery sounds great; the same fey, affectionate singing that you get when listening to the LP. The song finishes to much applause; Nick modestly acknowledges this before lifting his guitar which is strapped to him, so he can look at the back of it. Unconventionally, he has the set list written here rather than on stage or on his mike. This continues throughout the show and becomes an endearing part of Nick’s stage personality. He also spends time singing many songs looking at a high placed speaker near to the stage; his total concentration allowing him to get the delivery needed.”

I’d agree it was pretty polished for first time out the box, In answer of the question “was it rehearsed”, and any count calls from Woody felt like fine musical direction from a band leader. It was very, very good indeed. “Nerves”, sure bound to be there, but it didn’t really show that much on the band to be honest, not in any flinching, nothing dropped, and when speaking to the crowd Nick and Woody both were never anything short of delighted to be there, as great hosts. The gig went ahead totally solid are this outfit. Nick was beyond any questioned notion of “coping” he was fully into performing. When I first met him last year at The Dublin Castle for the signing event he seemed a little more withdrawn by that at first, on this day though he was present in the pub and in fine mood, and in achieving what must be his first live gig in a number of years he can be proud that he didn’t look at all like a first timer, which of course he isn’t anyway having had bands in the past. “There is so much History there” Clive Langer says to me after the event, and there are words I can use there. It’s not only the joy of seeing someone who’s managed their way through mental health issues to get to this stage of achieving a live music band so professionally, but also the reuniting of two young brothers who’s musical journey departed on different train lines in life oh so long ago, only to reemerge together now. Equally, Siobhan, I don’t know if she has ever sang before on stage, but she has a sweet and suited voice for this, and her presence added to the scope of the band.

What did Nick think of the gig? …

“I just want to say I had the time of my life last night. Can’t wait for the second gig at The Dublin Castle. The band were just fantastic that is really what I think, Oh by the way which ones Pink? Thanks to all the lovely people that came along and made it so much fun. Thanks to Woody for being such a lovely Bruv”

It’s great to hear from the main man himself, posting about the gig. A talented guitarist, Nick’s solo’s were often captivating, so nice to hear a bit of focus guitar solo when Madness gigs songs move quick and don’t always allow that much time on it, Magic Brothers diverge in approach here and it’s a key element. Vocally Clive Langer said to me of his own band The Boxes, that he would personally have put Nick’s voice a bit higher in the mix, “You have to make the character of it, when you have a weaker voice, like mine,” Clive said. The gig did suffer a little from not hearing words so clearly at times, I do think more can be achieved in the settings here and stage positioning. Nick’s voice wont have won everyone over yet, or some ever it seems, but this band is in that singer songwriter mode where it’s “Take me as I am”, something it was a little easier to do in the 70’s perhaps than today’s Xfactor warbling focused world where the song is forgotten by the masses looking for flash instant voteable noise, this isn’t that world. Paul Rodgers likens one song to Beach Boys, and that seems a fitting influence to mention or if not a comparison then at this point. Nick has a unique gentle view and the songs come from this landscape through him to the audience. The character of his front man, will grow I think, there is more to come, from bands I’ve witnessed personally it’s closer to the charm and concentration of Midge Ure than it is a joking pub man of Suggs, and over more gigs that will flower more and audiences adjust.

At the end of the gig much more cheering and applause meet the band; Woody looks absolutely delighted. Nick modestly takes in the applause with the rest of the band.

Darren continues…

“At this end point of the gig shouts of ‘more’ keep the band on stage. Woody leaves his drum kit and comes to the microphone “We’ve played all the songs we’ve rehearsed. We can only play you what you’ve already heard…” he explains almost half-apologetically. It doesn’t stop shouts of titles to play by the baying crowd who still want to hear more! ‘Downtown’ hollers Looby. Woody points down into the crowd. “as you asked”. We actually get 2 more songs both played with aplomb.”

As I leave the venue I offer congratulations to Nick who’s outside having another cigarette. “Great gig tonight, Nick! I’ll see you at the next one!” A great end to a very satisfying gig.”

The second outing of ‘Downtown’ goes down tremendously. It’s like the band were holding in one small breath all the gig with 10% nerves and focused attention and now into this encore they are playing this relaxed without care and flowing all the more to celebrate the feeling of having just achieved a gig, the knowledge that the crowd want more buoying them on all the more too, they have been appreciated. This points to the fact that despite this occasion of the first gig being special and monumental in many ways, I feel there are greater gigs to come from this band, with accomplishment and skill. As for the question “Will I like this?” I leave that one clearly up to you reader. There were many yes’s you can have from those present, and from multiple posts on facebook. I suspect a couple non returning or non present no’s too from some Madness fans, where the style and presentation means Magic Brothers isn’t their choice of a band, not something they would or could be into. If you can get to London then come and make your own mind up, at any of the four currently advertised residency gigs here, or stay tuned for festival or seaside town rumours to reach fruition. I had a thoroughly brilliant time. I’ve loved this song writing team in Madness and despite my blind spot for 70’s music, I’m at about the 85% level when it comes to loving the tunes they are putting out. Been waiting for the live band to emerge in hope, and now it’s with us it’s a wonderful thing, The Magic of this Monday is it felt like Friday Night by the end of the event. It’s Magic Train Tuesday next week! The Magic Brother play again. With 3 Thursday nights of this residency to come. All aboard the train.

Jonathan Young / Darren West (With thanks to Paul Rodgers. And Set list help from Looby Loo)

MIS FEATURE

Morris Minor Madness is a Mike Barson Mini Movie

This week MIS was contacted by a film maker with some exciting news for us…

“Hi Guys,

I’m a film maker and long time Madness fan, recently I contacted Mike Barson and he agreed to appear in our documentary and talk about the Morris Minor, it’s use by Madness in the early days and the song

“Driving in my Car”.

Here’s the link, it was launched on Youtube on Saturday:

If you need any more info let me know and if you like it feel free to share to get it out to the fans

All the best

Matt”

And what a joyous little film it is. Fans of take It or Leave it will remember the vans that the band used to drive around in as well as the car that featured in the driving in my car song, and this is their little story, video and musical appearance.

Best of all this little film even depicts Mike on his pre-madness job of delivery driver, making him, we think, the first of the band to be played by someone else in a film, even if it’s the long black coat we mostly see!

You’ll also meet some fanatics of the car design made by famous by Morris, and see what the song was all about.

Love for the Morris Minor continues to be a major thing.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

A collection of articles that have caught our eye over the course of the past week or so.

Landlord warns HS2 work could be ‘death knell’ for legendary Dublin Castle music pub

Source: http://www.camdennewjournal.com/, Written by Tom Foot

AN iconic live music venue in Camden Town – the pub which helped launch the careers of Madness, Coldplay and Blur – will “in­evitably fail” if the HS2 high-speed rail line is built, its landlord has told the government.

Henry Conlon, boss of the Dublin Castle pub in Parkway, said the current plan to demolish bridges in Camden Town and the huge upheaval of diverting an underground sewer network will ring the “death knell” for his long-standing family business.

Madness frontman Suggs – one of the pub’s best known admirers – was said last night (Wed) to be “extremely concerned” about the impact HS2 will have on Camden Town.

Read the full article at: http://bit.ly/1cMEJOn

I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN

This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back 5 years to issue 514, and the week of Sunday 8th March to Saturday 13th March 2009, and then back 10 years to issue 252 and the week of Sunday 7th February to Saturday 13th February 2004.

5 years ago…

Issue 514 – Sunday 8th March to Saturday 13th March 2009

No, your eyes weren’t deceiving you. This was indeed a Saturday and an issue of the MIS was landing in your mailbox. Why? Well, this evening Suggs and Zoe Ball would be taking to the dancefloor for the semi-final of Comic Relief’s “Let’s Dance for Comic Relief”, and we wanted you to show your support, either by voting or by making a donation.

Didn’t have all the details? No problem. We had all the information you needed in this very issue. You had absolutely no excuse!

We were hoping to bring you the lowdown on the all singing, all dancing revamped Madness web site this week, but we were unable to as the new site had yet to go live. With very little other Madness news to report on the rest of the issue consisted of the usual lookback and confirmation that Madness would indeed be appearing at the 39th Pinkpop Fesitval, which was due to take place in Landgraaf, near the city of Heerlen, situated in the most South bound province of Limburg, 134 miles from Amsterdam. Madness were down as performing on Saturday the 31st of June.

10 years ago…

Issue 252 – Sunday 7th February to Saturday 13th March 2004

We started this week’s issue with news in from Richard over at Remember The Eighties.com informing us that Neville Staple of The Specials would shortly be releasing his ‘Rude Boy Returns’ DVD. The release would feature performance material from 2003’s Ben Sherman 40th Anniversary party featuring Chas Smash and The Beat’s Ranking Roger. Neville Staple would also be playing a one-off show at the Theatre Royal Stratford East on Saturday March 20.

This month was also four years since Ian Dury lost his life to cancer. The subject of his life and death still continued to generate column inches in newspapers up and down the country in tribute to the man and his music. This week excerpts of the recently published Blockhead’s book “Song by Song” appeared in the Western Mail. Here, the final chapter of Ian’s life was described by the band and those who knew him.

Moving on, and reported that those kind people over on The Madness Trading Ring had been kind enough to upload two rare tracks for the rest of us to download. The came in the form of a live version of ‘Moondance’, and ‘My Mum’s Roses’, which saw Cathal perform the main vocals.

We finished off this week’s issue with a warning to all those who had received emails entitled ‘Please see the attached’, which looked as if they had come from the MIS mailing list. There weren’t sent out by ourselves, and the emails had actually gone out when our computers weren’t even on. We advised those subscribed to the MIS to ensure they had an up-to-date set of virus definitions.

Rob Hazelby

TIME…

That’s almost it from us for this week, but before we go we’d like to finish with a little not-quite-Madness related heads up.

Those of you who attended the various Madness Weekenders held in Butlins may remember that ex-Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton went down rather well when he supported The Magnificent Seven.

Well, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott will be releasing their new album “What Have We Become”, on May 12th, following by a series of tour dates across the UK and Ireland.

For more information, head on over to http://bit.ly/MZ3vE2

And finally, on the 1st of March Darren Fordham of the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra and Ray Gudge of Swagga were interviewed by Mixcloud user bhr1287. The fellas talk about their current projects and what influenced them.

If you’d like to listen to the recording then simply point your web browsers over to: http://i.mixcloud.com/CGcbci

And with that, we’re done.

Until next week, take care,

Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams

(With thanks to Looby Loo, Darren West and Paul Rodgers)