Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 891 – Sunday 5th June to Saturday 11th June 2016
Hello, and a very warm welcome to this week’s edition of the MIS Online newsletter.
We begin with Suggs, who recently commented;
“I’m pleased to say, the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire roof is now fixed, so my show has been re-scheduled for Saturday 23rd July.
If you already had a ticket, it is valid, if you can’t make it, you can get a refund from where you bought it. Or if you want a ticket, they’re available now here: http://bit.ly/1RT2Yxw”
Now, before we get on with the various sections and articles, how do you fancy winning a pair of VIP tickets (or a VIP upgrade) to the forthcoming House of Common gig? All you need to do is submit your email address.
For more information, go to:
http://madness.co.uk/houseofcommon/blog/2016/06/01/mad-ticket-tombola/
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
June
Weds 8th – 100 Club, Oxford St
Saturday 25th – Glastonbury Festival, Main Stage
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
Friday 19th – Cyfartha Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/37005067CAE570E4?tpab=-1
Saturday 20th – Titanic Belfast, Belsonic
http://www.ticketmaster.ie/Titanic-Belfast-tickets-Belfast/venue/461375
Monday 29th – House of Common, Clapham Common
More info at: http://www.madness.co.uk/houseofcommon/
September
Sunday 4th September -Jersey Live Festival, Jersey
Friday 30th September – Sweden, Grona Lund Amusement Park
October
Saturday 1st – Norway – Rockefeller Music Hall
Monday 3rd – Germany – Berlin – Tempodrom
Tuesday 4th – Germany – Bochum – Ruhrcongress
November
Friday 18th – Monday 21st – Madness Weekender 6, Minehead
December
Thursday 1st – Bournemouth – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 2nd – Cardiff – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 3rd – Brighton – Can’t Touch us Now
Monday 5th – Groningen, The Netherlands
http://www.de-oosterpoort.nl/programma/madness/
Tuesday 6th – Tilburg, The Netherlands
Thursday 8th – Newcastle – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 9th – Sheffield – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 10th – London – Can’t Touch us Now
Monday 12th – Nottingham – Can’t Touch us Now
Tuesday 13th – Bridlington – Can’t Touch us Now
Thursday 15th – Glasgow – Can’t Touch us Now
Friday 16th – Manchester – Can’t Touch us Now
Saturday 17th – Birmingham – Can’t Touch us Now
Can’t Touch us Now tickets from: http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/madness/
Suggs
July
16th – Henham park Suffolk
Latitude Festival – Late night at sunrise (DJ set alongside Mike Skinner Tonga)
https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/suggs-1
23rd – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Rescheduled) ** New Date **
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
July
Friday 22nd, Hampton Pool Picnic, Supporting The Selecter * Sold Out *
August
Thursday 18th, Newham Free Festival
November
House of Fun Weekender
Rhoda Dakar
June
Saturday 18th – 100 Club London
(Also appearing at The London International Ska festival, Glastonbury, & European festivals this year)
The Silencerz
June
Friday 10th Bull Theatre, Barnet (note, this does not list Lee Thompson as appearing)
The band have also recently set up their own Twitter account. Follow @The_Silencerz
BUY IT
Madness – New Album – You Cant Touch Us Now – Pre Order – October 21st
Pre order now – and get “Untouchable Madhead” Status.
http://www.madness.co.uk/cant-touch-us-now/
Potential Tracks, Based only on last years House of Fun set – Grandslam, I Believe, Soul Denying, Mumbo Jumbo. When Did All The Good Times Go, Herbet, Mr Apples, Blackbird On The Wing, Dont Leave The Past Behind You, Whistling In The Dark, Cant Touch Us Now, Given The Opportunity, Another Version of Me.
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra – Bite The Bullet – August 25th
Pre order link coming. Available as Download, CD and Vinyl
http://leethompsonska.com/bite-bullet-release-date/
Potential tracks – Based on recent live shows – Step It Up Sister, Bite The Bullet, Western Standard Time, Cuss Cuss, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Feel a Little Better, Hungry, The Wickerman, 30,60,90 , I am King, Cry To Me, Tunnel One, I’ll be back again.
Nick Woodgate – Kaleidoscope EP – June 10th – i tunes.
Tracks 1, Morning Skies 2, Yvonne 3. She’s The One 4. All The screams in the night.
Dance Crazy – The Best of Specialized Ska Live
A little nod and appreciation as we at Specialized celebrate the 35th birthday in 2016 of the 2Tone movie & soundtrack “Dance Craze”
This album Features original acts & covers bands paying respects to the Dance Craze phenomenon.
All recorded live.
The same songs as Dance Craze by new bands 35 years on. (Including live covers of Madness) pre order now £10 (£2.50 p&p)
http://www.specializedproject.co.uk/shop/
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Suggs on BBC Breakfast
Suggs recently appeared on BBC Breakfast. Catch him again here; http://bbc.in/1XzDk7J
LIVE AND INTENSIFIED
Madness @ Indigo 2
The lads played an unofficial gig last week at a small venue which is part of the 02.
I got to chat to Mike and Lee backstage (what nice men). They sounded great, no new stuff was aired but Mike and Lee now seem to be doing more harmonies which was great to see…obviously picking up the slack now Chas has left. I asked Bedders about the new album but he was tight lipped though it looks like “Rag and Bone Man” may not make it on as quote “it’s a bit old” he did say that “the new album sounds like us”
House Of Fun
Embarrassment
The Prince
My Girl
My Girl II
Take It Or Leave It
Where Did All The Good Times Go
Sun and The Rain
Dust Devil
Los Palmas 7
Tomorrow’s Just Another Day
Lovestruck
Bed and breakfast man
Shut up
Girl Why Don’t You
One Step Beyond
Wings of a dove
Baggy Trousers
It Must Be Love
Our House
It Must Be Love
Madness
Night Boat To Cairo
There was an event film in which the lads feature if it becomes public I will send you a list. It was great to see Mike again and he seems in real good spirits even mucking about for camera back stage with his towel….
Many thanks
Alan Smithee
MIS FEATURE – COMMONERS AGAINST CANCER FULL LINE-UP
Commoners Against Cancer, with DJ Lee Thompson
It’s three months until our Specialive event Commoners Against Cancer.
August 28th Dublin Castle. Camden. Noon till late.
Our afternoon line up of entertainment starts Noon Sharp with Mr Lee Thompson Specialized Ambassador opening with a DJ Set.
We will be hearing tunes from Bite The Bullet the New Ska Orchestra album among other Ska choices.
He will be alongside Madness tour DJ Darren Bennett who will also be spinning discs in his own DJ Set.
Madam Scorcher will be spinning discs too, classic Ska and Reggae sung by female vocalists.
Our DJ line up is completed by Swanny returning to the DC to spin a few Crunch! rarities and more.
We’ve live bands to announce, too.
MEZ AND THE FEZZEZ
Thrilled to be bringing Mez & The Fezzez to The Dublin Castle. As our opening band.
Fronted by drummer Mez known for his role in holding down the beat of Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra, (and now fresh from a touch of Madness sessions too), you can now witness further talents in a tight team up of tune smiths purveying tracks in a Rhythm and Blues, Lounge Swing and 50’s rock n roll mode. Other Fez wearers in the band have hailed from Madness brass section, The Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra & The Si Cranstoun Band. With influences like The Markeys, The Champs, Prince Buster, and Billy Haley’s Comets, they add a touch of whimsy and frolic infectious as their choice of classic ear worms.
Appearing to warm us and themselves up before a major festival appearance the next day at Tinwood. We can’t wait to hear their vintage grooves.
INDEED
I’m delighted to be importing for the afternoon French band “Indeed”.
They are appearing on this year’s Specialized album. One Heart. Covers of Bob Marley. Indeed will be performing their cover of “Crisis”.
They have a light and refreshing sound ranging from lullaby stylings to new wave pop that’s a perfect afternoon discovery if you are unfamiliar with them from their appearances also on the Specialized Mad not Cancer album, and a previously praised (by Suggs) appearance on the 30th tribute album to Madness. When they performed with MIS at the third House of fun Weekender, I likened Emilee the lead singer’s vocals to that of the Cardigans. Let Indeed Warm you with indoor sunshine before our more energetic rhythms of our evening bands take over.
THE ONE DROP CARTEL
Along with The Offbeat & The Inflatable, We bring you an evenings trilogy of Ska with The One Drop. Not much is known of The One Drop Cartel. They are rising from the ashes of other musical pyres, being not home today and their races run, they find themselves in Camden Town, this brand new band may well make their debut at Commoners against Cancer, the first of many. Here’s a brief glimpse…. More on them later…
OFFBEAT OFFENSIVE
Second on our bill for the energetic evening bands is Portsmouth’s Offbeat Offensive. If the Oxford lot are veterans this lot are experienced but new to MIS circles. Brass man Stewart Rennie (also know in orange street circles) brought this band to us for the bill, with original ska hits check out their most recent gig entertaining the masses, down their way, here. I look forward to welcoming, witnessing and reviewing the offbeat sound. I dont know if they swear a lot. and Thats how they got their name? 
or more likely they launch an insurgent attack to capture you ears and move your feet.
THE INFLATABLES
Once again Oxfords finest headline our MIS endevour, after three years of shows together at The House of Fun some of you will know the bounce of this band already. Or if you happen from Oxfordshire you might have over 35 years of experience of these lads. Crowd pleasing 2tone, ska and reggae cover from the 80s eras of radio hits or jamacian 60’s. Cheers Tony and the boys
….
The full line up and day will be hosted by MIS’s resident Poet Owen Collins.
This Specialive event is already a mad meet of over 100 heads. Who have all contributed and donated to teenage cancer trust raising over £1,000 so far, and their entry wristbands are waiting for them to enjoy the day.
If you haven’t been in touch with us and donated. You can’t come and join the entertainment. There won’t be sales on the door.
The remaining 15 wristbands are on sale now. Get in touch now. Once they are gone, we won’t be able to squeeze another fezzhead through the door.
Email. OperationMIS@Outlook.com
Jonathan Young
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 630 – Sunday 5th June – Saturday 11th June 2011
Receiving its first TV airing during Saturday’s football match of England v Switzerland, you could now catch the new Kronenbourg commercial, featuring Madness, on YouTube.
Looking at the comments on the video sharing web site, it was clear to see that this conjured up mixed opinions from the music loving public.
While most seemed to enjoy this re-imagining of Madness’ classic ‘Baggy Trousers’, there were those who weren’t quite so keen.
Meanwhile, the Suggs One Man Show was continuing to tour the UK, and we passed proceedings over to Steve Saunders with his write-up of the recent Milton Keynes show.
“…Suggs he is obviously so very proud of his family that he wants to tell everyone what a family man he is. From the dedication of the “Three Pyramids Club” album (to my three wonderful girls) to getting married to Bette Bright, Suggs is a family man’s “man of the people”. Sure he likes his beer and fags (who doesn’t?) but beneath that there is a man who thinks about family first and foremost (be it the 3 girls or the extended Madness family).”
Back on a Kronenbourg1664 related note, and it was announced that Suggs would take part in a live question and answer session for the company. All you had to do was send in your questions and he would answer them at 9pm on the 6th June.
We moved back to One Man Show news next, as we re-printed an article from the Sussex Express, who covered the recent Brighton performance;
“There is a cosy, intimate feel to the show, with his mum sitting in the audience along with everyone else, and Suggs occasionally including her in his story, showing a close relationship between the two which is heart warming to see.
During the performance, there is a real sense that people know Suggs, it’s like everyone has gone to have a cup of tea with him, and a good old chat about his life and experiences.
And the great thing is, it doesn’t matter how old you are, or if you are a die hard fan, Suggs caters for everyone.
Hats off to the Theatre Royal for housing this wonderful performance”
Now that the four preview One Man Shows were over, we dug up an interview with Clifford Slapper, pianist from the show. Yes, it really was his name!
We brought this issue to a close by admitting that we were no longer down with the kids, and as such, had no idea who Olly Murs was. However, subscriber Paul Mckay returned from Olly’s Sheffield gig, which took place on the 29th of May, to tell us that Olly had sung ‘It Must be Love’. The assembled crowd were told that it was in tribute to his parents who played it a lot.
10 years ago…
Issue 370 – Sunday 4th June to Saturday 10th June 2006
We started off with a big thank you to anyone who read the MIS and who had then voted for Orange Street’s ” A Message to you England”.
Their re-working of A Message to you rudie had got through to the quarter finals of the wave radio best world cup song competition.
Following this the competition was getting harder, and they needed your vote to make it into the Semis.
At the time of typing, Orange Street were in the lead (but only just!) with 56% of the votes. This meant that Three Lions could easily pip the OS guys to the post, so they needed you to go online and vote.
On to the articles, and we got these underway with a review of the Deaf School reunion gig, which took place on Saturday 27th of May for the reopening of Liverpool music venue the picket. We featured a re-print of a fan review from one of the warm-up gigs, and then featured a re-print of Sam Lister’s article of the main gig, taken from the Daily Post web site.
With The World Cup fast approaching, stat-man Paul Muscat decided to run his own World Cup competition which would see albums from the Madness back catalogue being pitted against each other, with winners going through to the next round, with eventually a winner being announced.
The initial groupings were as follows:
GROUP A
MATCH 1 – Keep Moving Vs The Dangermen Sessions
MATCH 2 – One Step Beyond Vs Seven
—-
GROUP B
MATCH 3 – Absolutely Vs Wonderful
MATCH 4 – Rise and Fall Vs Mad Not Mad
What you then had to do before the following week, was vote for one winner per match.
It was back to Deaf School for the next article, where we featured an interview with Mrs Suggs, Bette Bright. The original interview was conducted by Simon Barber of BBC Liverpool.
We moved back to our very own Madness World Cup for the following article, where Jon, Paul and Rob took an in-depth look at the albums in the tournament, and those such as ‘Madstock’ and ‘The Lost’ that for various reasons failed to make the grade.
This issue was brought to a close by Emma Southerby, who reported that she’d bumped into Chas while in Brighton. Mr Smash, together with guitar, had just finished playing a 40 minute set that afternoon as part of the UK songwriters festival, and that he’d been trying out some new material he’d been working on.
15 years ago…
Issue 108 – Sunday 3rd June to Saturday 9th June 2001
Following last week’s batch of Madness tribute band gigs dug out from the depths by our esteemed deputy ed, Jonathan Young, Complete Madness’ Claire Keegan dropped us an mail with their latest batch of dates, as more had come in since we printed them.
This seemed like a good way to get the issue started, so we kicked off with the Complete Madness gig line-up for the rest of July.
Next, we passed things over to Jerney and Bex, who thanks all those who had enquired about subscribing to the Crunch fanzine ‘Saints and Sinners’. The first issue had now been published, and copies were now in the post to those who had already paid.
The fanzine cost a mere £8 per year. This covered four issues of the fanzine, plus updates on any forthcoming gigs.
It was over to One Step Behind’s Brendan Phipps next, who emailed in to tell us that Steve Turner, saxophonist of Madness tribute outfit Los Palmas 6, had temporarily joined the One Step Behind crew to help the band out at short notice. Little did Steve know that years later he’d be playing as part of the real thing.
Moving on, and we decided to take a slice of material from that Madness bible – ‘Tour Madness’, where we looked at December the 22nd and 23rd 1999. Here, the band sold out of two Wembley shows.
There was something for collectors next, as we reported that Suggs’ recent Ian Dury cover of the classic ‘My Old Man’, was being featured on a two track promo. The other track featured Cerys from Catatonia, singing ‘If I Was With a Woman’, alongside the Blockheads.
We brought this issue to a close by asking those who managed to get hold of the recently released Crunch fanzine, Saints and Sinners, to knock up a review and send it in.
Rob Hazelby
THAT FACEBOOK
Here’s Lee in the studio, showing the band (including Mez on extra percussion) working on the start of a track at Toerag studios.
https://www.facebook.com/lee.thompson.121/videos/905695292897732/
…
“Muhammad Ali – Man Of The People. Memories of watching him on TV with my Dad in 60’s RIP” – Lee Thompson
TIME…
That’s just about it for this issue, but we do have a few last minute snippets to pass in your direction.
First-up, and if you fancy a laugh check out the Can’t Touch us Now UK Tour Outtakes at the following link on YouTube;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgJdbwU0Oxc&feature=youtu.be
And finally, many Madness fans were made to feel old this week when Elizabeth Maddox tagged a number of people in an old Madness Mailing List group photo taken at Finsbury Park on the 4th June 1998.
Ignoring the fact that many people in the photo no longer have hair, the most touching thing was that a large number of them were still in touch with each other some 18 years later.
Here’s to many more nutty memories being made at the forthcoming House of Common and Madness Weekender events. Perhaps in 18 years time we’ll be commenting on photos taken from those gigs.
Until next week, take care,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Alan Smithee and Elizabeth Maddox)
The Author
