Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 859 – Sunday 25th October to Saturday 31st October 2015
Evening all!
Reports in from The Dublin Castle this weekend reveal a couple of interesting snippets of news. Firstly, “Home Town Hi Fi” impressed attendees of the weekend’s ska gig, warming up ahead of their appearances at The Big One 4 and The House of Fun in November.
The band played a set of storming ska punk originals, and just a single nod to Madness.
Secondly, we spoke with Henry Conlon, landlord of the DC, last weekend. Henry was was happy and proud of the new Madness “One Step Beyond” mural that has recently been installed in the pub. It’s in the back, near the dressing room. Blur, Supergrass and Amy Winehouse are depicted on the walls elsewhere in the pub having all played there.
This week we launch details of our competition giveaways due to take place at the House of Fun weekend – The Punch and Judy Prize Draw. Check out this week’s “Feature” section for more information.
Lastly, our congratulations go to Andrew Davarias for winning our Rhoda Dakkar Competition. Rhoda launches her album on Saturday at The Jazz Café, singing songs of the Bodysnatchers. Tickets are still available, but are selling fast!
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
2015
November 2015
November 1st – Wembley Stadium – NFL Kansas City Chiefs hosting Detroit Lions. *** Rumour Only – Pre Show before American Football Match. A Short Feature concert couple of tracks***
November 20th – 23rd 2014 – Minehead – The House Of Fun Weekender Five
The Weekender also features sets by Woody Woodgate, Crunch!, Clang and much, much more….
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
January 15th 2016 – Jazz Cafe – Camden Town London
The Silencerz Featuring Lee Thompson
October
31st – Black Horse Barnet 8pm
With support from Reece & DJ Rebsie. In aid of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice
December
19th – Saffron Walden Town Hall – 9pm **New**
Deaf School
November
27th – Preston 53 Degrees
28th – Newcastle, Think Tank ** DATE MOVED, NOW DEC 11TH **
28th – Buckley, The Tivoli ** REPLACES ABOVE DATE **
29th – York Duchess
December
9th Liverpool – Kazimier
10th Liverpool – Kasimier ** SOLD OUT **
11th – Newcastle, Think Tank ** MOVED FROM 28TH NOV **
12th – London, Hoxton, Bar & Kitchen
Near Jazz Experience
More info at: https://www.facebook.com/NearJazzExperience
November
24th – The NJE + Support + DJ @The Indo 133 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1DT – 8.30pm, free entry
More info at: https://www.facebook.com/NearJazzExperience
28th – The NJE + Louis Vause + DJs @Kino Teatr, 43-49 Norman Rd St Leonards, E Sussex – 8.30pm, free entry
More info at: https://kino-teatr.co.uk
BUY IT
Madstock – CD / DVD Edition ** OUT NOW **
Just over 23 years after the famous comeback gigs, and just a month before the live album’s 23rd anniversary of release, Madstock is back.
Last available on DVD in the guided tour boxset only, and last on CD via a crappy on demand print service option many years ago. For around £12 you can now get both together.
The CD contains Razor Blade Alley as a bonus track for the first time on CD from the weekend’s concerts, and collects tracks previously only available from the concerts upon the CD single of The Harder They Come. These 4 bonus tracks have been included at the end of the album, Chrissy Boy has pointed out they aren’t part of the Live Album’s original mixing by Clive Langer being sourced elsewhere and masters are impossible to find nearly 25 years on, so appear as the final bonus tracks on the album.
The album features a new montage of photographs from the weekend as it’s cover, much like the recent CD/DVD edition of Take It Or Leave it.
Grandslam T-Shirt Sale
Did you enjoy this summer’s concerts but perhaps forgot to pick up a souvenir, especially if you went Silverstone where the F1 merchandise overshadowed taking home any Madness goodies. The remaining Grandslam T-shirts are now just £10.
If you’re small you can get them in grey, and all three main sizes are still available in Blue.
http://madness.sandbaghq.com/home/navy-grandslam-t-shirt.html
Lincoln and Pompey specific football T-shirts are also still available at £15.
CRUNCH! Hats and Polo Shirts – Get Ready for Their House of Fun Return
** BACK IN FASHION **
Crunch beanie hats and polo shirts (most sizes available Small / Large / XL / XXL) get them now from the official band page on Facebook, which is run by the ever reliable Mr Swanns.
Order now for pre HOF delivery. Last day November 16th.
If you’re going to the HOF Weekender you can have your itenm delivered directly to you as Swanny will be there from the Friday afternoon.
£19.99 polo shirts delivered. £17.99 collected at House of Fun.
Beanie hats £8
https://www.facebook.com/crunchbandofficial
Punch and Judy Madness Toy Theatre
A pop-up miniature theatre, in card form, featuring Punch & Judy. The collage by artist Peter Quinnell was commissioned by British band ‘Madness’ to celebrate their single ‘Lovestruck’ – it features characters from Music Hall, Punch & Judy and Madness videos. Folds down neatly to the size of a 7 inch single, it can be sent as a card. £8.95
http://www.pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk/index.php/toy-theatres/punch-judy-lovestruck-diorama.html
Jennie & The Slingers
New album from Jennie Bellstar, this time with rockabilly band “The Slingers”. Featuring on one track are non other than Chrissy Boy and Thommo.
MIS FEATURE – THE PUNCH AND JUDY PRIZE DRAW
This year we bring a traditional sea side side show to The House of Fun weekender.
Well, we’re giving away some cool mad prizes to you while dressed in suitably silly hats anyway! That much is true.
Punch and Judy are now stars of the Lovestruck beer bottle and the Madness Record store day 2015 Lovestruck 7 inch.
We’ve taken things a little further and made a short minute long Punch and Judy show in nutty tribute to their recent links to the Mad world we all love. Here is the video…
Madness Punch and Judy Show – https://youtu.be/rfTeNvhhZNQ
Since being on Madness beer bottles, Mr Punch has been a naughty boy and stolen some cool Madness items, now chased down by a Crocodile, a Policeman and worst of all his wife! We recover those goodies and give them to you, the lucky prize winners attending our event at The Madness House of Fun Weekender.
The Prizes
- A Lovestruck Record Store Day 2015 7 inch (With Punch & Judy insert pop up theatre, designed by Pollocks toy store Covent Garden and artist Peter Quinell) one of 1,000 records made available on Record Store day this year.
- Some Lovestruck bottled Madness beer.
- A large Lovestruck T -Shirt.
- An original CD promo of Lovestruck from the 90’s and a unique flyer image promoting the original single.
- More Madness beer items. A Gladness beer pump clip and a Madness Brewery Beer Towel
- A Punch and Judy Madness Lovestruck pop up card 3D theatre. Peter Quinells concept art version. This slightly differs from the final completed art work in a few interesting ways. This is a unique mock up one of only 10.
- A Punch and Judy pop up card 3D theatre. From Pollock’s toy store in Covent Garden, a completely different original Punch and Judy pop up card theatre display that they stock, one that inspried the idea for Madness to do such a thing in a record design this year.
There will also be further impromptu prizes from The Ghost, The Devil and old Jack Ketch!
If you’re attending our show prize registration starts by joining this public event page on facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/events/916551955098706/
You have to be present at the show to win as no prizes will be kept for any names read out but then absent. Those prizes will be redrawn instantly. A bank card with the same name as you are registered under may be required to be shown as proof of identity to our policeman.
Have a seaside postcard photo with the large Madness Punch and Judy Theatre.
The fun starts from around 12 midday when we will be outside Jaks with a 4ft high version of The Madness Lovestruck Punch and Judy theatre Pop up theatre Diorama card (a large version of what was found inside this years lovestruck 7 inch) given to us by Pollocks Toy Store Covent Garden. And it’s your chance to get a photograph with the item. It makes a nice nutty frame moment. You can have a selfie, subject to demand during this hour and DD photography will be creating a gallery online. Thanks Darren. This massive version was part of Transport for London’s In bloom display this year at Covent Garden Tube. (We will also be doing selfies at The Big one 4, for a coin donation to the charity there. )
After your last chance to register for the competition there, join us in our two band tea time show.
MIS Presents Live Bands
MIS Presents two bands in Jak’s bar this year. It all kicks off from 1pm sharp on the Sunday afternoon.
Ska Freshers Home Town Hi Fi start at 1pm, and xlassic ska and reggae hit covers-men The Inflatables are on from 2pm.
Auctions
The Large Punch and Judy Madness Lovestruck Pop up Theatre.
We are also auctioning this openly for Specialized after taking it on tour to the Big one 4 and House of Fun Weekenders.
Bid away on the facebook event page or email us Jonsmad@hotmail.com The final call on this auction will be made at The House of Fun Weekender where the winner will be announced during the show and must collect this. After paying direct to a just giving page for Teenage Cancer trust. So you must be either at that weekender to take part or have someone there willing to collect it on your behalf, no later than Monday early.
Lovestruck 7 inch test pressing
You have one more week to bid in the blind auction for the Lovestruck 7 inch test pressing, before we finalise a winner.
Who will be announced at The House of Fun Weekender.
The Punch and Judy Lovestruck Beer Mat
Lastly you will really want to pop by our live bands show at The House of Fun Weekender early on, to get one of 300 free Lovestruck
Beer Mat’s from us. A cartoon masterpiece depicting Mr Punch falling in love with lamppost while knocking back the Madness beer.
But who’s that with Judy on the Bside??????
The cartoons are drawn by veteran nutty cartoonist Sean Gaskin, who’s work you might know from The Dublin Castle, The 30th anniversary tribute album of Madness and previous MIS endeavours such as Miswas and Mad Inc. Thanks Sean.
Also 50 will be available for a small coin donation at The big one 4 weekender where MIS is DJing and screening the Madness sitcom in the cinema club.
See you there. That’s the way to do it.
Jonathan Young
PAUL RODGERS’ MADNESS FACTS, STATS & FIGURES
All the Latest Madstock Chart News!
Last week I reported Madstock! just missed out on the official albums chart top 100 (the one including streaming), but charted at 55 on physical sales (CDs), 76 on sales (CDs and downloads) and 14 on the indie chart.
Turns out it just missed out on that top 100.
As Madstock is 109 on the official album chart restarting its chart run 23 years and about 9 months after it ended its original run.
Paul Rodgers
MIS COMPETITION – WIN A COPY OF MADSTOCK!
First CD/DVD Pack Won, But a Second is Still up For Grabs!
Thanks to Holly Barringer and the rest of the team at BMG we have two copies of the forthcoming Madstock CD/DVD pack to give away.
There’s still a chance of bagging one more of these beauties as we’ve yet to choose the second winning entry. If you’ve already sent in your entry those are still in the competition pot, so please don’t send in another. If you have yet to send in an entry, you just need to complete the following;
My favourite Madness song live is…
Because…
Send your answer to jonsmad@hotmail.com
Please try and send more than a one or two line response. A few of the best replies will appear in a future edition of the MIS.
Don’t keep sending in multiples. We can only use your first full answer in one email.
One more lucky winner will get the CD/DVD pack in the post soon.
Unfortunately this prize draw is only open to UK-based readers. Sorry!
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 598 – Sunday 24th October – Saturday 30th October 2010
Things were a little quiet this week, and this was reflected in the issue which was slightly shorter than those of the last month or so. With the Christmas tour fast approaching we were hoping that this lull in nutty news was only temporary.
The Mad Not Mad album re-issue had now been available for a few weeks now. Hopefully it was already on your CD shelf, or at least due to head in that direction. With that in mind, we decided to make things a little more interesting by producing our very own Mad Not Mad Easter egg. All you had to do was flick to a specific page, paragraph and two words in the booklet. Armed with those words you then had to use them as part if the URL.
What would all this work give you? A song from a seminal album being practiced, and as you’d never heard before.
On to Dury news next, and we reported on the Blockhead musical coming to the Stratford Theatre, Docklands. Their run of Reasons to be Cheerful was due to run from the 22nd October to the 13th November.
Ever wanted to be on the big screen? Ever wanted to be on stage with Madness? Well, by sending Absolute Radio your photos of what you loved you could do both.
Madness were due to play the legendary Earls Court on 17 December, and during their rendition of ‘It Must Be Love’ a montage of photographs would fill the big screen – photos of you and your loved ones, or indeed anything that you really loved! (Within the boundaries of taste and decency of course…)
But wait, there was more! The first 25 entrants would win a pair of tickets to the Earls Court show, and one very lucky winner would get to meet and greet Madness at the gig!
We brought this issue to close by pointing you in the direction of an interview with Andy Serkis – he who played the role of Ian Dury in the previous year’s Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll move.
10 years ago…
Issue number 338 – Sunday 23rd October to Saturday 29th October 2005
It still amazed us here at MIS Online at just how much information Andrew Langmead and Paul Muscat had managed to dig out of the piles of votes that landed in their mailboxes as part of the recent Mad Charts.
We’d thought that every type of analysis had now been carried out on the latest batch of collated votes, but as you’d see in section 3 of this issue, the two of them had one final blast of statistics to throw our way.
If you were still not sure whether to head down to the next MOT gig at The Dublin Castle on Saturday 29th October, perhaps this latest snippet of news would be the thing that finally persuaded you to get yourself down there.
MOT drummer, Dan Fossard told us that;
“We have decided to give away a free CD of ours to everyone who comes to our Dublin Castle gig on Saturday 29 Oct. So, if you want one, get yourself there. If not, it’ll cost you a lady godiva (which is still p*ss cheap!!!)”
In other gig news, and those of you who fancied doing something else on November 5th instead of standing in a cold damp field watching your money go up in smoke may have wanted to journey over to The Kings Arms in Acton, London, where ‘Los Palmas 7’ would be performing.
As many of you would no doubt be aware, one of the more recent Madness and Dangermen gigs took place at The Olympia in Paris. Well, for those of you who weren’t able to get along to the concert all was not lost, as you could now re-live a small chunk of the magic from that evening courtesy of MTR member Mister B, who had made a selection of photos of the Madmeet and the gig itself available for download.
Ska News editor Jean-Pierre Boutellier had also made a selection of photos of the meet and concert available for viewing, as well as a number of reviews (in French) of the gig.
On to this week’s collection of articles, and we started off with Duff Kelly’s review of the recent Dangermen gig in Paris, where Duff revealed that he’d taken his old man along with him.
“My dad enjoyed it – he’s seen them once before in 1999 but this was much better than an arena.
He’s not up to dancing anymore but Madness is all in the mind anyway right!”
Next, we moved on to the final bit of Madchart coverage (for a while, at least!), as Paul Muscat and Andrew Langmead wound things up with their final batch of facts, figures and stats.
Elsewhere, we had exciting news regarding the sadly cut short Our House musical. If things went according to plan it looked like a UK tour and even a Japanese tour were in the pipeline. The UK tour would (we were told) kick off in July 2006, with the Japanese tour still to be finalised.
Moving on, and the next article was a transcription of an interview with Suggs, taken from the Mail on Sunday’s ‘Night and Day’ Live magazine. In it, Suggs spoke about his clothing influences, and where he goes to kit out his wardrobe.
We finished off this issue with news in from Steve Saunders, who revealed that the forthcoming single, ‘Girl’, would be suffering a delay.
“I came across this tonight on the V2 website The release date for “Girl” is listed as 14th Nov, but the official Madness site still states 31st…..
Either its a “typo” or maybe V2 should give someone a phone call…………and while they’re on the phone, maybe they should apologise for such a poor Madness web-page and also why theres only 1 format available for the new single. You’d think they wanted it to fail wouldn’t you…..?”
In usual MIS style, we promised to let you know as soon as we heard anything further.
15 years ago…
Issue number 76 – Sunday 22nd October to Saturday 28th October 2000
Following the rush we had putting the finishing touches together for last week’s MIS, it was nice to have a bit more time compiling this weeks’ issue.
Something we’d completely forgotten to put in last weeks’ edition was a mention of a radio interview Chris and Lee apparently took part in on the afternoon of the gig. Word went round the DC, initiated by a Mr. Swandale, that the lads would be in the station from 12 noon on 94.9FM – London Live. Obviously no one in the DC managed to catch the show, and if recent postings on the TMML are anything to go by, no one there caught it either. If you were one of the few who did listen to the show, we asked you to get in touch.
Next, it was time for some birthday news as on the 19th of October a certain Daniel Woodgate celebrated his big four-o. The famous birthday was given a quick mention on Virgin Radio, so it was nice to know that at least one station kept track of such things!
Moving on, and it was time for some US Madness courtesy of the the TMML’s Jeff Young, who had finally got round to scanning a selection of snaps from the previous year’s New York and Philadelphia events.
Elsewhere, and a little something for all London pub-goers, as we were told that Suggs would be in The French Pub on Thursday 26th of October. One not to miss if you were in the area.
On to this week’s collection of articles, and with it being a slow month we started-off with the latest news from VIP Events, who were announcing The Wembley Music Fair, which was due to take place at Wembley Exhibition Centre on the 25th and 26th of November.
Next, we revealed that the crash of Boxman had thankfully not cost Suggs and Carl a million quid between them. It was, instead around one thousand pounds worth of shares.
“I hope this clears this story up”, commented Carl at the time.
Drunken weekends were the theme next, as Bex gave us a full lowdown of her the recent Crunch! gig at The Garage. With tales of many beers drunk, much singing done, and many friends met, Bex’s review was certainly really appreciated by those of us who were unable to attend.
We moved away from Madness for our next article, when Vince Foley kindly gave a short review of his recent Glen Tilbrook (he of Squeeze) gig. Here’s what Vince had to say at the time;
“I went to see Glen Tilbrook from Squeeze last night (20th) playing at a venue in Cork City, the venue would normally hold 300-400 people ….our city showed itself up for the uncultured, unappreciative folk they are with a measly 15 people making it to the gig…..
It was so embarrassing, even Glen tried to make a joke of it…… Christ I would hate any other artist of my choice to play here now for the
fear of being so badly supported.
A true showman, he played a blasting set and signed an autograph for me afterwards…I met him a few years back and as ever he is such a gentlemen…..
A Madness connection….I asked him how did he enjoy playing at Madstock 3…..’bizarre, but enjoyable’ was the reply…..
Cork city, hang your heads in shame……Long live good music!”
It was back to Madness next, as we reported that Dotmusic were once again holding their annual Dotmusic Online Awards. Two Madness related web sites had put themselves forward this year – Chas Smash Online and VelvetGhost.com. For either site to be in with a chance of winning, you simply had to visit each one and click on the Dotmusic logo.
We finished off this issue with a review of the edition of Madness Unsugged. Issue 5 spanned a whopping 48 pages, and was what you could describe as a bumper issue.
If you weren’t subscribed, you were seriously missing out!
Rob Hazelby
LIVE AND INTENSIFIED
Deaf School @ The Water Front.
It is Sunday evening in Norwich, and whilst thousands are getting on down to the urban sounds of Tinie Tempah at the Agricultural Showground (a delicious irony), a dedicated, if compact crowd of older-somethings are gathered in the relative comfort of the Waterfront Studio for the long overdue return to Norwich of Deaf School, a band that forty years ago came so close to making the leap from art-rock darlings to household name. Only an unfortunate delay in the release of their debut album, and an untimely tirade of expletives on live television from a certain Johnny Rotten conspired to change the course of musical history.
In a strange week, which saw other classic acts such as Scratch Perverts and Jungle Brothers performing in Norwich to possibly smaller than expected audiences, Deaf School use the opportunity to deliver an ‘intimate audience with…’ set that includes the majority of their debut album 2nd Honeymoon as well as selected highlights from the rest of the back catalogue. The years may have rolled on since 1976, but the stage presence, the stop-start songs, and the jerky dance moves remain, and stand the testament of time. The majority of the audience still remember all the words, and we are singing along.
Ultimately, there was only ever one way to conclude such an evening, and we are inevitably led towards an ‘encore’ from the band that went on to influence the likes of Ian Dury, Madness and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. What a Way to End it All, as well as its appropriateness, still remains one of those great songs from the Seventies that never achieved the massive recognition that it so richly deserved. For those present at The Waterfront, lead vocalists Bette Bright and Enrico Cadillac Jr. have managed to turn back time, and forty years later again leave us wanting more.
9/10 (but then I was, unapologetically, a big fan)
David Auckland For outline Online.
THAT FACEBOOK
As pictures emerge from further studio sessions for the second Ska Orchestra album, we are delighted to see Dave Robinson once again adding something additional to the project. The last time this happened we got Fu ManChu and The Bangarang single version after all. Here’s a few band member comments….
Darren Fordham
“Louis Vause is on your telly-box, on Sunday night, in Jekyll & Hyde…I don’t know if he’s Jekyll or Hyde, but I could hazard a guess……..” (Note: Louis plays the piano in the nightclub and also did music for the series.)
Question: Have TLTSO just recorded their greatest song so far?
Answer: Yes.
“As Marty McFly was stepping into the DeLorean in 1985 to come to this very day (21.10.2015), I was a 17 year old boy and my wife to be was still inside her mother’s tummy. Looking to the future, and this very date, who knew then where I’d be today? But, if you’d told me then that I’d be in a recording studio with Lee Thompson & Dave Robinson I’d have said you were crazy. Crazy days indeed.”
Mez Clough
“Back in the studio today with The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra working on some new stuff.
Made my debut playing coke bottle. Diet, for less bottom end.”
“ETA for the new album. Early 2016”
Steve White
“Spent a couple of days in the studio this week with a great band of musicians and characters who I really enjoy spending time with (The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra ) AND experiencing the enthusiasm and skill of Dave Robinson (stiff records) in the control room was superb ….”
Kye Thompson.
“We are recruiting a ska team to help us find the perfect venues for our band in their town.
We are looking for 1 team member from each city…. Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham….
Please email kyeclay@gmail.com… If we think your the one you will receive a free ticket to a gig +1 and some merchandise!!!
Please share to help get around.”
TIME…
This week Madness revealed The Grandslam Games as further entertainment at the forthcoming House of Fun weekender. Darts, Sumo football, pool and other sports can be entered to win tickets to future gigs or free beer.
Meanwhile, The Silencerz have rebranded their Facebook page to state “Sometimes featuring Lee Thompson from The Ska Orchestra & Madness”, following their recent live festival appearance without Lee,. It’s likely that a number of future gigs will also take without Mr. Thompson as son Daley takes the band forward as lead singer. So, be sure to check their posters for future gigs when making your choice to catch them live.
Yesterday’s Hemel concert and the forthcoming Halloween gig both state featuring Lee Thompson and will do so for any future gigs he attends with the band. If it doesn’t state that it features him, then assume it will be a great gig but absent the mad man. In our gig diary we will always do our best in stating if he’s attending.
Until next week, take care,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Paul Rodgers and Holly Barringer at BMG)
The Author
