With a click and a whirr The Happy Machine, The centre of the M.A.D.H.E.A.D was switched on by Chas Smash this Tuesday. Mike was there to check its pulse, and then Thommo hit it with a spanner just to make sure it was on.  It then revealed a glorious new tour poster to the world, which marks the first time all seven have attended the same professional band photoshoot since images shot in 2008 (some later used in new poses up to Madstock 2009 promotion.)

The photoshoot – http://youtu.be/mIUcDY4e0Tk

Following this it poured Mark a beverage, we are informed by him on twitter, which was a nice elderflower cordial.

All for the M.A.D.H.E.A.D Tour. Is on sale now. Check out the Showtimes section for the dates if you haven’t already heard the news and booked up.

Some of you might be wondering how the Happy Machine at the centre of the M.A.D.H.E.A.D functions.  Well it stands for…

M for Molecular;  A, Ansible;  D, Dynamic;  H, Harmonic; E, Entanglement Distillator;  A, Accelerator;  D, Density Matrix.

So it really should be obvious how it’s capable of instantaneous or super-luminal communication with all us Madhead fans.

Speaking of the tour Suggs said:

“I know when to go out, I know when to stay in and get things done,” he said. “Get your M.A.D.H.E.A.D on, we are going out!”

Now, on the rest of the Madheadlines,

Jonathan 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

June 2014

June 28th, Night in the Park, Den Haagm Netherlands, http://www.nightatthepark.nl/
June 27th Jiwapop Festival, Montcada, Spain
June 29th, Tivoli Utrecht, Netherlands http://tivoli.nl/

July 2014

July 3rd, Vienna Arena, Austria
July 31st – 3rd August, Reggae Sun Festival, Bordeaux, France

August 2014

August 2nd, Suikerrock, Belgium
August 12th Mallorca Rocks
August 13th Ibiza Rocks
August 18th, Kubana Festival, Krasnodar, Vesolovka

November 2014

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

December 2014

All for the M.A.D.H.E.A.D Tour

*** New *** Thursday 4th, Capital FM Arena, Nottingham
*** New *** Friday 5th, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
*** New *** Saturday 6th, Brighton Centre, Brighton
*** New *** Monday 8th, Plymouth Pavillions, Plymouth
*** New *** Tuesday 9th, Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth
*** New *** Thursday 11th, First Direct Arena, Leeds
*** New *** Friday 12th, Newcastle Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
*** New *** Saturday 13th, LG Arena, The NEC, Birmingham
*** New *** Monday 15th, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
*** New *** Tuesday 16th, The O2 Dublin, Dublin
*** New *** Thursday 18th, The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
*** New *** Friday 19th, Phones 4u Arena, Manchester
*** New *** Saturday 20th, The O2 Arena, London

Links to purchase tickets for the above tour can be found at: http://madness.seetickets.com/tour/madness/?pre=premad&src=madnesspre

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

Suggs Live

May 2014

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

1st June, The Garrick, London

Suggs Book Reading Appearance

May 24th   Hay Festival, Wales

https://www.hayfestival.com/p-8077-suggs.aspx

The Magic Brothers

Magic Brother Friday Headline set:
November 14th.  The Big One 3.  Park Dean, Sandford Dorset.

The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra

May 2014

May 25th Strummer Camp Manchester
*** New *** May 31st – FB Cup charity football event. Woodside park. South over £10 kids free.

June 2014

June 1st, Wychwood Festival
June 29th Glastonbury Festival

July 2014

July 12th Lewisham’s People Day – Free!
*** New *** July18th Brixton Jamm, London. Tickets from Skiddle.com

July 26th Wickerman Festival

August 2014

(Unconfirmed) August 16th, Newham, Under The Stars – Free!
August 31st, The Big Feastival, Alex James’ Farm, Cotswolds

October 2014

October 2nd, The Jazz Café, Camden Town

More festival dates to follow.

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

The Lee Thompson Ska Band

An appearance at the Boom town festival, Hampshire’s pop up city four day event begins on August 7th into the weekend.

Chinatown district is full of Ska and more bands this year, but we can confirm that this won’t be playing host to the Ska Orchestra

http://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/news/chinatown-district-line-up-released-199

The Silencerz (Featuring Lee Thompson)

June 15th – Dublin Castle.  1.30pm  £7 on the door.

*** New *** 16th November – Confirmed in the Sunday Lineup of bands at Specialized The Big One 3. In Dorset.

Lee will be doing a photo signing session too.

(Under a new name, The Daley fronted Lee Thompson band line up)

Near Jazz Experience

May 27th – NEAR JAZZ EXPERIENCE + Support + Guest DJ 
Indo 133 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1DT *Free* – 8.30 – 11pm

Deaf School

August

9th, The Islington, North London
10th, Rebellion Festival, Blackpool

For details of future gigs keep an eye on http://deafschoolmusic.com for more information.

Clangeratti

June 19th. Dublin Castle – Clive Langer’s new band featuring members of Deaf School.

BUY IT

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

Gorgeous George – Girl’s Night Out Single

Out on May 26th. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Girls-Night-Out-Gorgeous-George/dp/B00K8I9PYG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1399747064&sr=8-2&keywords=gorgeous+george+girls+night+out on Beer Belly Records.

LTSO, Bangarang, Featuring Dawn Penn & Sharon Shannon

Single release download date moved to May 26th. iTunes and Amazon links are now active.

itunes  http://tinyurl.com/p2bquak
Amazon http://tinyurl.com/pwg6du2
Check out the Bangarang-Anim-ad here… http://youtu.be/YCSM9eTe08k

Let’s Skank For England – Specialized World Cup Single.  Mr Scurf’s Koast Train Crew team up with Andy Keys Clark.

We are now very pleased to let you all know that our new unofficial England World Cup 2014 Skanthem “Let’s Skank For England” is now officially released on Friday May 23rd by Specialized, helping to raise money for The Teenage Cancer Trust … Special thanks to Paul Willo … available at iTunes, CDbaby … Please share & let’s get the word out there together!!

https://www.facebook.com/skaforengland

The Suggs Selection.

The new Suggs release we told you about recently, turn out to infact be predominantly a chosen selection of his favourite all time music.

It features one Madness track It must be love, and one solo track – So Tired. Alongside one self produced track The Farm’s – Stepping Stone.

The rest of the 60 track 3cd is his own personal music joys.

Signed copies are available from record store.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/recordstore/Signed/The-Suggs-Selection-Signed/3C6C02BP000

Tracklisting

Disc 1

1. The Upsetters – Return of Django
2. The Jam – Beat Surrender
3. Freda Payne – Band Of Gold
4. Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
5. The Miracles – Going To A Go-Go
6. John Lennon – Stand By Me
7. Faces – Stay With Me
8. The Kinks – Victoria
9. The Specials – Do Nothing
10. Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Israelites
11. Toots & The Maytals – 54 – 46 Was My Number
12. Harry J Allstars – Liquidator
13. The Skatalites – Guns of Navarone
14. Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair
15. Betty Wright – Clean Up Woman
16. Ritchie Valens – La Bamba
17. Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
18. The Temptations – Ball of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)
19. Junior Murvin – Police & Thieves
20. Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)

Disc 2

1. The Who – I Can’t Explain
2. Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)?
3. Dexys Midnight Runners – Geno
4. Booker T. & The MG’s – Green Onions
5. The Beat – Mirror in the Bathroom
6. The Selecter – The Selecter
7. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Watching The Detectives
8. Bobby Womack & Peace – Across 110th Street
9. James Brown – I Got You (I Feel Good)
10. Echo And The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
11. Happy Mondays – Loose Fit
12. Bad Manners – Lip Up Fatty
13. Lou Reed – Vicious
14. Dandy Livingstone – Rudy, A Message to You
15. The Ethiopians – Train to Skaville
16. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers – Egyptian Reggae
17. Max Romeo & The Upsetters – Chase The Devil
18. Georgie Fame and The Blue Frames – Yeh, Yeh
19. Ray Charles – What’d I Say
20. Etta James – At Last

Disc 3

1. Massive Attack – Teardrop
2. Primal Scream – Loaded
3. The Farm – Stepping Stone
4. Teardrop Explosions – Reward
5. The Cure – Close To Me
6. Deaf School – What A Way To End It All
7. Suggs – So Tired
8. Ian Dury & the Blockheads – Sweet Gene Vincent
9. Dave & Ansel Collins – Double Barrel
10. The Pioneers – Long Shot Kick De Bucket
11. John Holt – Help Me Make it Through the Night
12. Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – Express Yourself
13. Jean Knight – Mr. Big Stuff
14. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – I’m Ready For Love
15. Womack & Womack – Teardrops
16. The Coasters – Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)
17. Ken Boothe – Everything I Own
18. Susan Cadogan – Hurt So Good
19. Jimmy Cliff – Many Rivers To Cross
20. Madness – It Must Be Love

SPECIALIZED – Madness at The Movies and More

SPECIALIZED PRESENTS…

THE BIG ONE 3 -PARKDEAN SANDFORD DORSET. –  14-16TH NOVEMBER

“MOVIE MADNESS”

3 CLASSIC NUTTY BOYS FEATURES AS PART OF THE BREAKFAST CLUB.

SATURDAYS FEATURE IS  ” MADNESS LIVE AT ROCKPALAST 1981″ …

AND SUNDAY IS THE CLASSIC “TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT”.

THESE WILL COMMENCE ON THE BIG SCREENS IN THE RESTAURANT AREA AT 10AM.

MONDAYS FAREWELL FEATURE IS THE ONE AND ONLY  “MADSTOCK- LIVE AT FINSBURY PARK” AND THIS WILL BEGIN AT 9AM- PLAYING AS YOU SAY AU REVOIR  ENJOY!

MIS can reveal we will screen a small bonus item too.

—

Phill Jupitus / Terry Edwards “Keep Moving” track just in…Something different for the cerebral types…

—-

We are extremely chuffed to announce that we have…

THE SILENCERZ

FEATURING…THE ONE AND ONLY LEE THOMPSON!

(*** Note this is not the Ska Orchestra but just as big in size)

…

Expect classic MADNESS TUNES AND MUCH MORE! YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT.

These guys play SUNDAY 16TH NOVEMBER and LEE will be doing a SPECIALIZED PHOTO SIGNING SESSION for you guys (Don’t forget Woody is doing same with The Magic Brothers on Friday 14th)

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW FOR THE CHARITY SKA EVENT OF THE YEAR. HOTLINE 0844 335 3501

More info-

www.specializedproject.co.uk

www.specializedthebigone.com

www.facebook.com/specialized3madnotcancer

www.twitter.com/specializeduk1 See more

MIS FEATURE – GLASTO ’86 FOOTAGE FOUND

Glastonbury 1986 home made footage on you tube with a little bit of Madness including them singing Precious One.

It’s far away footage of them.

From about the 19 mins 25 second mark onwards. Pretty cool.

Although from a long way off and not the whole song, this is the only video footage we’ve ever seen of this track that never made it to an album.

(it was only ever officially release as a live track on the My girl 90’s re-issue cds’)

….

Yes, in 2014 we are so used to in audience footage of bands, being uploaded in varying quality to youtube.  But to see 1986 footage for Madness first appearance at Glastonbury is a bit more surreal a sight.  Derek William who uploaded the 20 minutes of the festival he captured, says of the filming….

“Home movie vid of the Glastonbury Festival 1986. This was taken with a stupidly large and heavy camera / VHS recorder arrangement which weighed half a ton and was powered by a lead acid battery that lasted about 20 minutes and it only just worked.”

The clips includes very short parts of ….

Precious One, Yesterday’s Men, Bit of Banter with Suggs and Lee, Night Boat, Time (Check out Chris’s heel kicks!), It Must Be love. (Suggs banter) Embarrassment, One step Beyond, and Grey Day. There are also bits of the set by The Cure, some skiffle band and mostly the crowds walking around.

Mark Bowen / Jonathan Young

SIGN OF THE TIMES

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

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK –  New Radio 2 Supergroup version featuring Lee Thompson
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/showcase/clips/p01z056r/in/mostpopular/mostpopular
Video of behind the scenes of BBC Radio 2’s new version of Rock Around The Clock, featuring 

Vocals: Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs
Guitar: Andy Fairweather of Low
Bass: Mark King of Level 42
Keyboards: Rick Wakeman
Saxophone: Lee Thompson of Madness
Drums: Matt Everitt (Radio 2 / 6 Music music news journalist and former drummer of Menswear)

On re-recording the track, Ricky Wilson said “It’s something different, isn’t it, rock n’ roll? It’s the sound of people enjoying themselves and this is the first time we heard that.”

THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL – RADIO2 Tuesday 10pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b044153p
On 20th May 1954, Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets was first released, a song that marked the birth of rock and roll and became an anthem for the rebellious youth of the fifties. To celebrate sixty years since the track first came out, Bruce Welch of The Shadows looks at the unlikely beginnings of the song and how it became a global phenomenon unlike anything that came before it.
The programme will also see a brand new version of the song created especially for Radio 2, featuring Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs, Andy Fairweather Low, Mark King of Level 42, Rick Wakeman, Lee Thompson of Madness and Radio 2’s own music news journalist Matt Everitt. Together they’ll look at the techniques used to create the original, plus what’s changed and stayed the same in music since rock and roll was born

I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN

This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back 5 years to issue 524, and the week of Sunday 17th May to Saturday 23rd May 2009, and then back 10 years to issue 262 and the week of Sunday 16th May to Saturday 22nd May 2004.

5 years ago…

Issue 524 – Sunday 17th May to Saturday 23rd May 2009

With the new album due to hit music stores up and down the country the following day it would come as no surprise to learn that much of this week’s MIS geared-up for the big day.

Looby and Jon Young devoted a section of the issue detailing the various aspects of album promotion that would be taking place over the coming weeks as the band and management attempted to give Norton Folgate a really good push both on TV and radio.

The highlight (for us fans, at least) of all this promotional work had to be the TV commercial the band had put together. It was was absolutely fantastic, and we’d already received reports of it appearing on UK TV channel “More Four”. If coverage continued on this and other channels we hoped that it could really help to shift copies of the new album.

One thing was for sure, when the dust settled, no matter how sales went, we certainly couldn’t grumble about the lack of effort being put in.

Looking beyond the album launch, the band had added yet another date to their ever-growing list of gigs for the year. This time they’d be performing at the Oya Festival in Oslo, Norway on the 14th August.

The band certainly showed no signs of slowing down!

The majority of articles this week were taken from the national press, which were mainly focused around the forthcoming album release. However, we also took time to run the next stage of our MIS 10th anniversary competition, MIS Birthday Bingo.

We brought this issue to a close with a download link to the band’s recent appearance on Later With Jools Holland and an iPlayer link to a 30 years of Two Tone documentary that featured on a recent episode of the BBC’s One Show.

10 years ago…

Issue 262 – Sunday 16th May to Saturday 22nd May 2004

Mass hysteria was gripping the online Madness community this week with the news that The Dangermen (AKA, Madness) would be playing a number of impromptu gigs at the famous Dublin Castle, and so for one week only, this became the D.M.I.S Online bulletin.

Naturally, with this temporary renaming of our weekly newsletter, it would come as no surprise to those reading that this would feature masses of Dangermen coverage.

So, how did we find out about this gig at the DC? After all, following their re-forming back in 1992, previous performances at the DC by the band had been kept hush, hush.

Things were a little different this time around…

Chatter reached fever pitch across the online Madness community during the evening of Tuesday 11th May when the following messages appeared in many a Madness fan’s inbox.

First, from the mailing list on the official web site;

“You are cordially invited to witness the debut performance of London’s hottest new SKA combo the Danger Men who will be appearing at the Dublin Castle on the 19th/20th/21st/22nd of May.

The band consists of Graham “Suggs” McPherson on vocals Chas Smash on nutty dancing/vocals, Lee “Kix” Thompson on saxophone, Chris “Chrissy Boy” Foreman       on guitar, Mike “Barzo” Barson on keyboards, Daniel “Woody” Woodgate on Drums and Mark “Bedders” Bedford on bass. They will be ably assisted by the Monkey String section, a full brass section and various loop de loops.

Tickets will be available from Bugbear Promotions on 0208-806-2668 or avgleed at yahoo.co.uk

over and out….

Visit us again soon at www.madness.co.! uk”

Then, this appeared on the Chas Smash Online list…

“Dear all

This will be one of the last newsletters to come through this topica list. We’re just too darn big!

So please pop over to www.smashforum.com & once registered in the Smash community you can join our new newsletter.

Now for the ever so slightly more interesting & exciting news….

The seven Members of Madness will be appearing together as the Danger Men at The Dublin Castle in North London’s Camden Town on: Wednesday 19 May, Thursday 20 May, Friday 21 May & Saturday 22 May.

Contact & ticket info on www.chassmash.com

See you in the DC!!

Best

CSO

info at chassmash.com

www.chassmash.com”

Mails were quickly sent off to Tony Gleed at Bugbear, but a few were cautious as this had not only come out of the blue, but also because if the name `Bugbear`, which is also the title of a recent worldwide hitting virus.

Once report of replies from Tony came back in, everyone realised that this was no joke, and that the magnificent seven would be returning to their roots for a number of small gigs in the legendary Dublin Castle.

With the band booked in for a stint at the DC, it would come as no surprise to learn that the money grabbers were quick to act, and a mass of gig tickets quickly appeared on Ebay at vastly inflated prices.

While you were over on Ebay taking a look at the prices the DC tickets were going for we urged you to take a look at an auction for an original Madness flier from the Dublin Castle. Not only that, but the flier was fully signed by the band.

We finished this week’s issue off by reminding the readers that due to all of the MIS team going to the DC gig on the Saturday night, the following issue wouldn’t be going out until the Monday.

Rob Hazelby

TWEETS OF A DOVE & THAT FACEBOOK

Recent nutty posting from Twitter, Facebook and other online sources.

Mark Bedford (@ I_Be_MarkB)

(Being questioned about the House of Fun line up… )

“Henry Cooper; Barry McGuigan; Duke McKenzie; Sugar Ray Leonard; Rocky Marciano; Tommy ‘The Hitman’ Hearns; Floyd Patterson

The serious answer is: I don’t know and won’t know for a few months, as the bill we be put together much nearer the time.”

(On the news of his sitcom pilot being aired on BBC2)

“Have recorded it, so haven’t had the pleasure but will still probably hide behind the sofa…”

Suggs (@ SuggsMcPherson)

“Just come down from attic, In process of trying to compile 3 CD set of favourite tracks, difficult. 45s/cassettes

Right. Found ‘Band of gold.’ Now where’s that ‘What a way to end it all?’

Lee Thomspon (@leethompsonska)

“Can You spot the wife. ‪pic.twitter.com/WTDUGAT9XR”

Chris Foreman (@CBoyForeman)

“Top Film.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t61gx”

Madness  (@Madnessnews)

“pic.twitter.com/z4Z5SsSzHh”

TIME…

That’s almost it for this week, but before we go we do have a few last minute bits and pieces to throw in your general direction.

First-up, and Swanny, from the official Crunch! facebook page, tells us that a rehearsal for a Crunch! set went well Saturday. The rehearsal in question was of the full album from 1990.

Also, XLand small size Crunch! polo’s and can be ordered via the Fascebook page, here:

https://www.facebook.com/crunchbandofficial?fref=ts

Next, and at 10am tomorrow (Monday, podcast from 9am Tuesday) Woody will be interviewed on Croydon radio, talking about Madness.

Lynn Lawlor tells us “The DJ that is interviewing him was really star struck when I recently introduced him to Woody, he’s a big madness fan and became a drummer ‘cos of Woody, so he wanted to do a special madness show.”

http://www.croydonradio.com/schedule/show.php?HistoryID=347cfc3d-6df1-847e-a779-17127c9e25f1

And finally…

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the latest Very Best of Madness CD that was released earlier this year Madchat are running a competition over on their facebook page. For more information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MadnessChat/

Until next week, take care,

Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams

(With thanks to Lynn Lawlor and Mark Bowen)