Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 865 – Sunday 6th December to Saturday 12th December 2015
Hello, and a very warm welcome to this latest edition of the MIS Online newsletter.
With Christmas just around the corner, and the Madness Weekender now a dim and distant memory, it’ll likely come as no surprise to learn that this week has been rather lean on the news front. This isn’t to say that we have nothing to report, however.
This week we keep the Weekender memories alive just that bit longer, as we take a look at some of the best photo and video uploads from the event. We’ve got links, and have split everything out into day and band sections, so you should be able to find the goodies with ease.
Also this week, a number of Terry Edwards gigs have been added to our “Showtimes” section, and details of a forthcoming single release from the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra can be found in our “Buy it” section.
Now, sit back and 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
No further gigs planned
2016
November
Friday 18th – Monday 21st – Madness Weekender 6, Minehead
Suggs
March
17th – An evening with Suggs and Friends for Pancreatic Cancer. The Emirates Stadium
April
22nd – Scarborough Spa Theatre
23rd – Lincoln Drill Hall
24th – Carlisle Sands Centre
25th – Ilkley King’s Hall
27th – Bournemouth Pavillion Theatre
28th – Bath The Forum
29th – Worcester Huntingdon Hall
30th – Wrexham William Aston Hall
May
1st – Crewe Lyceum Theatre
3rd – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
5th – 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
January 15th 2016 – Jazz Cafe – Camden Town London
The Silencerz Featuring Lee Thompson
December
19th – Saffron Walden Town Hall – 9pm
Deaf School
December
9th Liverpool – Kazimier
10th Liverpool – Kasimier ** SOLD OUT **
11th – Newcastle, Think Tank
12th – London, Hoxton, Bar & Kitchen
Near Jazz Experience
More info at: https://www.facebook.com/NearJazzExperience
No further gigs planned
Terry Edwards
December
8th – Near Jazz Experience + Guests + Toby Winter (DJ). Christmas Show at Indo, 133 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1DT. 8pm. Free Entry *** New ***
January 2016
26th – Near Jazz Experience + Support + DJ, Indo, 133 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1DT. 8pm. Free Entry *** New ***
FEATURE – THE HOUSE OF FUN VIDEO ROUND UP
We reviewed The House of Fun Weekender at length last issue. With fan with fan footage still emerging we felt it was about time some of the best photographs and videos from the event were highlighted and shared with the fanbase.
Enjoy!
Mr Apples (Friday early soundcheck)
MADNESS FRIDAY
A Madness montage of Friday’s Mumbo Jumbo set
Promises Promises
Rockin in Ab
Soul Denying
House Of Fun
I believe (2)
Whistling in the dark
MADNESS SATURDAY
NW5
Livin on a Prayer – Showtime
Wings of a dove
CRUNCH!
Intro – Here He Comes
Full Gig
WOODY WOODGATE
In Your Mind
Everything is sunshine
CRAIG CHARLES
DD PHOTOGRAPHY
If you attended the Jaks bar MIS Punch and Judy Lovestruck Prize draw and had your photograph taken with the 4ft high version of the pop up theatre diorama from Pollock’ Toy store Covent Garden, you can find the picture of you or you and your friends and loved ones holding it here at DD photography. Look in the lovestruck gallery.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1674010879512080.1073741837.1481301895449647&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/ddphotos1
You’ll find a ton of other photos of all aspects of the weekender in Darren’s other galleries. Check them out.
With thanks to Darren Dixon, Lindsey Davies, Lee Swansdale, Colin Ross, Stav Davarias, John Miles
BUY IT
Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra – It May be Winter Outside *** NEW ***
It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It’s Spring) is now available to pre-order from iTunes and Amazon for release on Christmas Day
Amazon – http://www.amazon.co.uk/May-Winter-Outside-He…/…/ref=sr_1_1…
Itunes – https://itunes.apple.com/…/lee-thompson-ska-orc…/id643860026
Madstock – CD / DVD Edition
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
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.
£19.99 polo shirts delivered.
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
Madness Craft Beer
http://m.bhs.co.uk/h5/product?productId=20960250
An amazing gift for any Madness and Craft beer fan. This gift pack includes a mix of 2 bottles. Gladness Craft Lager and Lovestruck Premium Amber Ale.
Contents:
- 1 x Gladness Craft Lager 500ml
- 1 x Lovestruck Premium Amber Ale
- Madness Brewing Co. Pint Glass
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 604 – Sunday 5th December – Saturday 11th December 2010
We kicked this issue off by thanking Jonathan Young for spending what must have been hours and hours supplying material for this MIS. It was absolutely packed!
Our articles got underway with a review of the recent Madness gig in Leicester, courtesy of Richard Stinson. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite according to plan;
“Unfortunately there was quite a nasty incident to the night. Lee had quite a bad accident whilst on stage (or should I say off stage) and had to be taken to hospital. I didn’t see the incident but two of my good friends were right in front as it happened. About three tracks in he apparently attempted one of his famous stand on the speaker tricks. As he was climbing up though, he grabbed hold of the lighting rig which came away in his hand. He fell the entire way to the floor, below the stage! He never made it back and was taken to hospital.
This obviously sent Madness into some confusion, juggling tracks around whilst hoping he would still make it back. But in the end the other saxophonist (Steve I think his name is) stood in for him and normal service was resumed. Ok, he can’t take the place of Lee but hedid a fantastic job, especially having no notice of course”
It was over to Jonathan next, who reported that so far five brand new Madness songs had so far been aired on the current tour. Black and Blue debuted at Blackpool, as did Big Time Sister and So E La Luna. Meanwhile, My Girl II aired at Glasgow, and Kitchen Floor/I got You aired at the Glasgow matinee.
Unfortunately, along with Lee being taken to hospital, the tour experienced a few weather related problems, with both the Sheffield and Hull gigs being postponed until later dates due to heavy snow brining the road and rail networks to an almost halt.
An explanation of the Sheffield cancellation was announced on the official Madness web site with the following message:
“Dear Madness Fan
Due to some of the nuttiest weather conditions we have encountered on a UK tour the show at 02 in Sheffield was postponed. We had been talking with the local authorities since we arrived in Sheffield, the show was all set up and ready to go and we didn’t want to let anyone down before we had confirmation that it would be impossible for the show to go ahead.
As the show is postponed your ticket remains valid and news of a rematch will be released with in 7 days (of Wednesday’s concert.)
Do Not Adjust your nut
Love Madness”
Moving on, and you’d seen him on the official website, being the teaser for the tour dates. You’d seen him wearing a bowler hat urging you to send in photos for the It Must Be Love Visuals. And he’x been seen dancing on the backdrop tour visuals too, during the song Wings of a dove.
This week we gave you step by step instructions detailing how to make your very own Nutty the Nut.
After this it was over to Chris Carter-Pegg of Retro Madness. Chris has carried out a bit of research and had discovered that the Madness classic Tarzan’s Nuts, had originally been recorded by Marty Manning and The Heetahs for a US TV show.
Elsewhere, and we reported that Madness were kindly dishing out early Christmas presents in the form of free live MP3 downloads of the current tour. Tracks available so far were:
Blackpool: Lovestruck
Glasgow: One Step Beyond
Newcastle: Forever Young & Madness
Manchester: Shut Up & Clerkenwell Polka
We were also promised more to come as the tour continued.
This issue came to a close with news that a great quality live recording of Black and Blue had been uploaded to the web site, and if that wasn’t enough we had the full lyrics to the Thompson/Foreman track Big Time Sister.
10 years ago…
Issue 344 – Sunday 4th December to Saturday 10th December 2005
With the entire MIS team having spent the last day or so in London (all in the name of research, of course) this issue of the bulletin landed in readers’ mailboxes slightly later than usual.
Why, well Madness were booked to play London’s famous Astoria, and it’d have been rude to have missed it, right?
We started off this week’s collection of articles by covering the release of Girl, which finally saw the light of day the previous Monday.
However, it wasn’t the influence of an advertising and promotional campaign that made fans wander into their local music shop to check if the single was in stock. Instead, they were merely there in passing, as the release date had been put back so many times.
At MIS Online, we were still a little puzzled at why V2 were even bothering to release this. With no airplay, and no mailshot from the official Madness web site announcing the new single would be available to buy it left us wondering just many sales V2 thought they could get.
This grumbling wasn’t just limited to us miserable buggers at the MIS. In fact, there were a whole host of devoted Maddies all a little disappointed, to say the least, and a few of their grumbles were re-printed in this issue.
With Christmas just around the corner our next article was from Warrior Clothing, who were reminding us all that the last day for orders made to reach your house in time for Christmas was the 17th of December. Not only that, but their biggest ever sale would begin on the 24th of December.
News of a new Madness tribute band was the order of the day in our next article, when we learned of a new Scottish act by the name of ‘Saggy Trousers’. We had little information to go on apart from that they were a 7-piece act, and that they seemed to be based in Stirling, Scotland.
It was on to The Specials next, when we re-printed an article from a recent copy of The Sun newspaper, where Suggs had revealed that he wanted The Specials to get back together, as he loved the idea of things coming full circle and touring with The Specials again.
We moved back to Madness for the next article, when we gave an in-depth review of the London Astoria gig, which we declared was a storming set at a grotty venue.
We rounded off this week’s issue with competition news. Chas had decided to raise money for communities in Northern Mozambique to help them gain access to safe drinking water. To help out you needed to enter a competition by donating £1.50. If you were the proud winner, you’d then be in with a chance of Carl writing a
song for you.
Not a bad prize at all!
15 years ago…
Issue 82 – Sunday 3rd December to Saturday 9th December 2000
Following last week where we had a shortage of news to relay, this week seemed to have been quite the opposite, with lots of Madness related bits and pieces happening on and off the internet.
MIS Online subscriber, Mike Jackson reported that on the new Eminem album there was a track called “Our House”. If you listened to this song, you shouldn’t have been surprised to hear a sample from the Madness song of the same name. The track could be found on Napster by typing in “Our House”. Remember, this was in the days before the Napster copyright clampdown.
Following on from his recent bout of voice-overs for Fairy Liquid adverts, the legendary Suggs returned to advertising in the all-new Worthingtons beer ad. Chris Mountain told us that the Madness front man was there for all to see selling ice creams and pints.
After a well-earned break, it looked like the BBC’s resident Madness fan was back in the driving seat once more. The ever-helpful Simsey informed us that on the BBC’s consumer affairs programme, Watchdog on Thursday there was an article about the appalling state of the railways. The background music used was none other than the 1986 hit (Waiting for) The Ghost Train.
Following Chris Mountain’s news regarding the Suggs appearance in the latest run of Worthingtons adverts, he returned with details regarding a major 2-Tone reunion gig. This was due to take place at Highfield Stadium, Coventry. The stadium belonged to Coventry Football Club. The bands featured would be The Specials, The Beat and The Selecter. This sounded like a gig well worth getting yourselves along to.
On to the articles, and we kicked off with an article from non other than Carl himself. In it he explained that there was currently no activity in the Madness camp, and that the situation looked unlikely to change in the near future.
Carl went on to say that while it was impossible for him to fill the vacuum left by Madness, he would be dumping all his enthusiasm into ChasSmash.com, and would be getting his new music on to the site as soon as he could.
Next, and as the year was drawing to a close Andrew Langmead decided that now was the time to give Madness fans a chance to vote for their favourite Madness tracks. As with all competitions, this came with its own set of rules and regulations, and we were told that Crunch/Nutty Boys, Suggs solo, Velvet Ghost, Voice of the Beehive or Feargal Sharkey nominations would not be counted.
Moving on, and we passed you over to subscriber Lee Evans (not the comedian), who explained that he’d set up new web site entitled ‘Nutty Gear’. The idea of this new web site was to be the place where Madness and ska fans across the globe to buy, sell and be able to swap records, CDs and general music merchandise.
We rounded off this week’s issue with a prize giveaway competition run by the one and only Jon Young. All you had to do was to tell him
- Which two members of Madness comprise the Fink Brothers?
- What is the name used in 2000ad to refer to the Fink Brothers family?
If you were lucky enough to be pulled out of the proverbial hat you stood to win:
- A copy of the Fink Brothers record on 7″, and 2000AD Prog 403
(the issue the record was launched in, it has the same cover.)
- A copy of Judge Dredd the Mega History, plus a Dredd Graphic novel
- 2000ad prog 193-196 Featuring “The Fink”, Plus some extra Progs
- 2000ad Prog 280-288 Featuring “Destinys Angels”
Rob Hazelby
TIME…
We’re almost done for this week, but before we go we’ve got one final item to pass in your general direction
Currently available for streaming on the BBC web site (so, if you’re overseas you may have difficulty viewing this) is an episode of Top of The Pops from 11th December 1980.
Bands appearing in this episode include Adam and The Ants, Stray Cats, Status Quo, Abba, The Police and Madness.
Check it out at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06qy9l5
Enjoy!
Until next week, take care,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(Darren Dixon, Lindsey Davies, Lee Swandale, Colin Ross,
Stav Davarias, and John Miles)
The Author
