Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 878 – Sunday 6th March to Saturday 12th March 2016
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days you can’t have failed to have noticed that this was the week that tickets for Madness Clapham Common gig went on sale
Monday 29th August 2016 (Bank Holiday Monday in the UK) is the date of the group’s one-day music festival, which, so we’ve been informed in promotional snippets, will see them supported by 20 like-minded bands and DJs.
In a statement to The Guardian newspaper the band said “We are honoured and privileged that London found us a place where for one day every year we can have our very own festival. We hereby name that day House of Common. See you in Clapham, Madheads. For the love of the common people.”
Fan pre-sale tickets were launched with a large batch going for the value-tastic price of £27.50 plus booking fee.
Asked how many sold in the 24 hours of presale at this generously low price Chrissy Boy replied;
“It was at least 6000. Thanks to everyone that bought one”
A day later, once the general but still reasonable £37.50 plus booking fee tickets had started selling, he continued…
“We’ve sold about 8000 now plus 800 free kids tickets”
It likely by the time you are reading this the event will be around 60% or more of the full festival area capacity sold.
Some of this 60% includes the previously mysterious VIP tickets. We say “mysterious” as fans had to contact Ticketmaster to try and find out what these actually got you. Ticketmaster responded with the following
“Your VIP ticket will gain you site entry via a bespoke entrance lane via the box office event entrance – the quickest route into HOC! You get a VIP wristband + a HOC programme. The wristband gets you access into the VIP Lounge where you’ll find a large VIP tent bedecked with comfortable furniture, private cash bar, smart clean loo trailers & outdoor wooden garden furniture.”
As you can see, this scheme doesn’t offer any view-based incentive as the Madstock 5 Golden Circle did. Or “oblong” or “triangle” or anything of shape-based nature, clarified our favourite online helpful guitarist.
Now, on with the issue!
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
May
Saturday 28th – Dauwpop Festival, Netherlands (headliners)
More info at: http://www.dauwpop.nl
July
Saturday 30th – Kendal Calling, Penrith http://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/information/ticket-info/
Sunday 31st – Y Not Festival, Matlock
http://www.ynotfestivals.co.uk
August
Thursday 4th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange *** Sold Out ***
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Friday 5th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Saturday 6th –Tartan Heart Festival, Inverness, Scotland (headliners)
More info at www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
Thursday 11th – Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire. First day headliner
Saturday 13th – Boom Town Fair – Winchester
Monday 29th – House of Common, Clapham Common *** New ***
More info at: http://www.madness.co.uk/houseofcommon/
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
4th – Sheffield Lyceum
5th – 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
April
Saturday 16th, Boisdale, Canary Wharf, London
July
Friday 22nd, Hampton Pool Picnic, Supporting The Selecter
Rhoda Dakar
Saturday 18th June – 100 Club London
(Also appearing at The London International Ska festival, Glastonbury, & European festivals this year)
WIN IT
Win Suggs Tickets
Like and share a post over on Suggs’ official Facebook page for a chance to win tickets to his One Man Show. At the same time you’ll will be helping the big man promote the forthcoming dates into the bargain.
https://www.facebook.com/thesuggsmcpherson/
BUY IT
Deluxe edition of The Lone Ranger.
https://www.discogs.com/Suggs-The-Lone-Ranger/release/8172245
A Deluxe Edition release of Suggs’ first solo album “The Lone Ranger”.
Originally released in 1995 this much requested reissue is the most comprehensive collection available of the original album and all the related bonus material.
Other bonus material includes the b/sides – ‘Bedazzled’, ‘Animal’, ‘When You Came’ and ‘I Feel Good’. The CD booklet features the original artwork, a UK Discography, lyrics of the original album tracks all in a 16 page colour booklet.
Out April 22nd
Buy it if you don’t have the original classic album or want those original collected B-sides together or if you want Suggs to consider another solo album in future support this release, but if you want it for all the remixes please stop taking e and consult a dr. Some were as dreadful as the Macarena.
MIS FEATURE
Operation MIS
With the sun shining brightly on the newly announced Madness House of Common poster, and the promise of Bank Holiday mutually assured dancing successfully set up, operation M.A.D closed their doors and happily retired to the local watering hole, leaving their backroom henchmen to handle the posting of the masses of tickets that had started to sell for attendance of their master plan event taking over Clapham Common on Monday August 29th.
Elsewhere?
In a darkened shed, a much more down market affair and unable to afford retro telephones or a world map backdrop, a similar group of 6 individuals huddled around a small card table, with the gig poster displayed on an iphone4 and some old Madness pin up’s from Look in magazine adorning the splintered walls.
“So it is Clapham then” said one.
“Yes” replied a dulcet female voice. “Confirmed”
“Yes, and Crucially it’s that bank holiday Monday.” Piped up a keen young squeak of a voice in the shadowy room.
“Is the Castle secured?” Asked a centrally seated laidback figure.
“Yes the landlord has spoken, and The big man, too. He says it can be done for Specialized, Boss.”
“This feels like the Blackpool job all over again.” Chimed the female, smiling.
“Good. Then It’s on. Contact some of the usual suspects, these outfits are already back onboard, ” said the figure pointing to a crayoned piece of paper containing a half worked out list “… outfits from the west and the east… & southern disc spinners too… ” he said, pointing at three of the look in posters wishing they really did own a world map backdrop to work with and those picture reflected the mentioned directions from London.
“And I’ve alerted The Ambassador, and this time… I want these in the frame…”. He slid a group photo across the table.
“oooh….. …. nice hats.” All replied in approval.
This August the 28th. Sunday at the Dublin Castle, Camden Town. MIS presents a mad meet for Specialized.
A “Specialive” event with Bands, DJ’s and more fun to be announced in the coming weeks.
Come and make a weekender of your House of Common bank holiday, by joining us in The Dublin Castle.
A PUBLIC HOUSE OF COMMONERS. Afore the Madness gig a warm up of alternative entertainment in the company of like minded mad fans.
Register your intent for entry or inquiry now by joining the Facebook event group page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1075341815850266/
Or by emailing jonsmad@hotmail.com
A donation entry for teenage cancer trust will be collected, later in the year. Thanks for coming.
More information and line up announcements in future editions of MIS email, or on the ATM event page.
Jonathan Young
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Madness to stage one-day music festival on Clapham Common
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/01/madness-music-festival-clapham-common-london-august
They will be joined at the festival on Monday 29 August by 20 like-minded bands and DJs chosen by Madness.
In a statement, Madness said: “We are honoured and privileged that London has found us a place where for one day every year we can have our very own festival. We hereby name that day House of Common. See you in Clapham, Madheads. For the love of the common people.”
You’re Having a Laugh
Nick Godwin of The Silencerz has been in touch to reveal his band’s new video for a self penned song.
Here is “You’re Having a Laugh”
https://m.facebook.com/TheSilencerz/videos/?mt_nav=1
With chuckles, lyrics sung by Daley, a sweet Sax solo by Thommo and a close shave in the video
It’s a nice watch. Give it a look.
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 617 – Sunday 6th March – Saturday 12th March 2011
The big news this week was that on the band revealed that a weekend of Madness had been planned for Butlins Minehead for the last weekend of November.
The planned dates were Friday 25th to Monday 28th November, and the official band email newsletter described the event as featuring;
“Live bands, DJs, Comedy, Cinema, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Madness in a 6,500 capacity standing indoor arena”
Tickets were due to go on sale on the 7th March, and if you were to order your tickets by the 21st you’d receive a 10% discount.
We were promised that details of other performances, acts and entertainment across the whole weekend would be announced soon. The ticket included access to all entertainment, 3 nights accommodation and full access to Butlins facilities from the Friday to the Monday.
It was over to some Ian Dury related news next, as the Chorley Citizen web site reported that Chorley Empire Community Cinema’s next screening would be the Dury biopic “Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll”.
The film would be shown on ultra high specification projection and sound equipment, and entrance would be a mere £4!
Moving on, and we reported that following a successful Ska Mania Night, on 29th January, at the Winning Post, Twickenham, the organisers were now busy organsing the next event.
The night in January had been headlined by the one and only One Step Behind. For the next Ska Mania evening fans were promised a set of Ska and reggae from tribute act Skalextric.
We brought the issue to a close with the news that Warrior Clothing were having a historical week. First, the web site was to receive a complete re-vamp, and secondly, they would stop selling Fred Perry, Ben Sherman and Dr. Martins. Instead they would concentrate on selling only Warrior branded merchandise.
10 years ago…
Issue number 357 – Sunday 5th March to Saturday 11th March 2006
This week seemed to be rather thin on the ground for Madness news, but as always, anything Madness related that had landed in our mailbox over the past seven days appeared in this issue.
We reported on how Virgin Radio were giving you the chance to write the next ‘Three Lions’ single, in time for the year’s World Cup, whilst we also gave you the rundown on the next batch of forthcoming gigs from Madness tribute outfit, One Step Behind.
Elsewhere, and we had news on a hybrid Madness/Ordinary boys music video. We felt it would go down great in the clubs, and reckoned a single release would probably do very well.
Further on in the issue we took a look at some of the more interesting questions and answers to come from the official Madness messageboard, and if all that wasn’t enough we had got news on how Liverpool wanted to emulate the success of Camden’s market scene.
Before we let you get on and read this issue of the MIS, we gave you a quick heads-up. Jonathan would be away from the keyboard from this issue, for a whopping six weeks. It was alright for some!
15 years ago…
Issue number 95 – Sunday 4th March to Saturday 10th March 2001
This issue started with news that a number of people, including ourselves at the MIS, had received an email earlier in the week, regarding a recently formed band who went by the name of “20 Dead Camels”. The email told us that “If you like Madness, you’ll love these”, and that their song “Boy”, had been number one in the Australian Ska charts for the past four weeks.
Next, we passed the MIS reigns over to 15 year-old subscriber David Workman. Born between the single releases of Yesterday’s Men and Uncle Sam, David had only been reading the MIS for five issues, but already felt compelled to write in with his views on the youth of today, and a possible Madness comeback.
David finished off his report with “If we can get people to realise and discover Madness, then the charts surely could get better!”.
Wise words indeed!
It was on to Suggs for the following articles, as the Evening Standard reported that our favourite frontman had launched a fund raising web site to help bring people in developing countries access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation.
The site www.givewater.org, was by Thames Water, aimed to help the quarter of the World’s population who suffer poor sanitation and shortages of clean water.
Suggs, who would be joining a two-week aid project in southern India, said: “We’ll be going to one village that has never had water and seeing a pump being put in for the first time.”
With little Madness to shout about this week we continued by looking at the latest list of forthcoming record fairs lined up by Rob Lythall and his team at VIP Events. With two large London fairs, one in the Midlands, and an online store you now had a very good chance of trying to track down that elusive item for your collection.
We rounded off this week’s issue with a brief roundup of some of the best Madness goodies currently for sale on auction site Ebay, before finishing off with the news that The Blockheads would be performing two gigs. The first would be at The Concorde 2, Brighton on 22nd of March, and the second would be the day after at The New Mean Fiddler, Charing Cross Road, London.
We were also told that the band’s own debut album was being prepared for a December 2001 release.
Rob Hazelby
TWEETS OF A DOVE
Chrissy Boy @CBoyForeman
“You’ll never guess who I just met down the pub.
(photograph of a Dali Lama a like)
Mark Bedford
“Eerily alike! Are you sure you’re not doing the Dalai Lama gig on the quiet?”
Terry Edwards
“The Dalai Lama’s been Chris’s dep for the last two Madness gigs Mark. Didn’t you notice?”
TIME…
We’re almost done for this week, but you may be interested to learn that Nick Woodgate has released a free EP via soundcloud. This freebie came via his web site mailing list, which we recently urged you to sign up to.
Pop over to http://www.nickwoodgate.com for more information.
We’ll be running a feature on the tunes in next week’s issue, including one written as a tribute to his Brother.
Moving on, and…
Madness began as a band in Mike’s Bedroom, and the first song they ever attempted was Carole King’s “It’s Too late Baby”, so its really nice to see Chrissy Boy Photographed attending the “Beautiful” musical in London’s theatre land, which is the story of her life and music.
Next…
We were amused that yet again Madness got a play in the new – Alan Partridge – Mid Morning Matters (Series 2 episode 1 now airing on Sky Atlantic). Here’s how Norfolk’s mock day time DJ introduced a hit song…
“They perfectly describe the council’s policy for building affordable housing on green belt land … It’s.. Madness.”
Finally, and just for fun, here’s Paul Rodgers’ mash up of Pulp and new Madness… Mulp!
“In a brave new world where only the stupid have imaginations, I am the stupid. This is how imagine it would sound if someone edited the brilliant new Madness song Blackbird, with Britpop band Pulps classic track “Underwear”. Armed only with a love of both bands and a limited grasp of audacity. Come to think of it ive probably used more cheek than audacity. anyway….”
Underwire – Mulp
Wow. Well that’s Un-common people!
Until next week, take care,
The Author
