Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 894 – Sunday 26th June to Saturday 2nd July 2016
Hello, and a very warm welcome to this week’s issue of the MIS Online Bulletin.
If you’re one of the many who are still at the Glastonbury music festival, we bid you a wet and muddy welcome.
As the majority of you know, Madness took to the Pyramid Stage yesterday (Saturday) afternoon for an hour long set of old, new, unreleased and cover tracks.
“Mr. Apples” received its first TV airing, and we’re pleased to include a full transcript of the lyrics elsewhere in this issue.
Following Chris’ Showtime song of ACDC’s “Highway to Hell”, ACDC fans took to the Madness Facebook group to complain about the quality of the cover. The fact that Showtime is “meant” to be cr*p was completely lost on these people.
If you missed the band’s performance, you can catch it again on the BBC iPlayer, by going to the following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ewcj5v/acts/andp8g#p03ybdt4
(Note, it’s possible that this may not work outside the UK)
Before we crack on with the issue, you’ll see from our Showtimes section that the Brighton gig on the 3rd of December has already sold out. If you were planning to get a ticket but haven’t done so there’s no need to panic. Why? The band have now added a matinee gig for Brighton on the same date!
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
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 3rd – Crammerock Festival, Belgium
Sunday 4th – Jersey Live Festival, Jersey
Sunday 11th – Hyde Park. Radio 2’s Festival in a Day
Friday 30th – 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 – Matinee – Can’t Touch us Now ** New **
Saturday 3rd – Brighton – Can’t Touch us Now ** Sold Out **
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
Saturday 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
Thursday 21st – Guildford Glive
Friday 22nd – Guildford Glive
Saturday 23rd – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Rescheduled)
August
Saturday 27th – Bangor, Northern Ireland – Talking Musical Revolutions. Part of the “Open House Festival”
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
July
Friday 22nd, Hampton Pool Picnic, Supporting The Selecter * Sold Out *
August
Thursday 18th, Newham Free Festival
Thursday 25th – Album Launch Party – Bite The Bullet – 100 Club Oxford Street London
Sunday 28th – DJ set @ Commoners Against Cancer – Dublin Castle. Noon
November
House of Fun Weekender
The Near Jazz Experience
July 12th, Indo, Whitechapel, London
BUY IT
Madness – New Album – You Can’t 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 (available Signed from the 100 club launch on the 25th)
Pre order link live Available as Download, CD and Vinyl
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.
There is an amazon link for the album with the wrong release date here. We will update as we expect a different pre order link to emerge on the website also. But you can preview the album online.
HEAR TRACKS IN PREVIEW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GM41SM6/ref=dm_ws_ap_tlw_alb7
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/
LIVE AND INTENSIFIED
Glastonbury 2016 Pyramid Stage, Saturday 26th June
The band came on stage to “Gik Nus” by The Beatles , which originally appeared on their “From the Love” album.
Suggs appeared in a wig before passing it to Lee who decided to put it on himself.
We at MIS feel it was a great performance. The band were on fine form, and the set included new songs to TV, and a Bowie cover in tribute.
Set List
Embarrassment
The Prince
NW5
My Girl
Mr Apples
Wings of a Dove
Can’t Touch Us Now
Showtime = Highway to Hell
One Step Beyond
House of Fun
Baggy Trousers
Our House
Madness
Night Boat To Cairo
Kooks
It Must Be Love
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Madness Warm up for Adele
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36629400
While Madness hosted a good-natured singalong in a performance packed with pop perfection – from Our House and Baggy Trousers to their closing number My Girl.
Suggs was full of bonhomie, declaring: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this special edition of Top Of The Pops,” as the band took to the stage.
“When we started this band, Glastonbury was still a twinkle in its grandfather’s eye,” he later reminisced.
The band also threw in a couple of covers, including AC/DC’s Highway To Hell (sung by guitarist Chris Foreman) and David Bowie’s Kooks.
Madness & Mud
https://www.theguardian.com/music/live/2016/jun/25/glastonbury-2016-saturday-live-daytime-adele
Very much a set of two halves from the Nutty Boys on the Pyramid stage. Though they open with Embarrassment, and follow it with The Prince, then throw in My Girl and Wings of a Dove, there’s a lot of less familiar material. That run ends when guitarist Chris “Chrissy Boy” Foreman performs a bizarre karaoke version of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.
After that, it’s hit after hit after hit, and the crowd are getting as nutty as they can. given the fact they can’t move their feet.
They encore with a version of David Bowie’s Kooks, and finish with It Must Be Love, as perfect a moment as you could wish for.
Madness Give Revellers a Wigging
Suggs took to the stage with long, shaggy brown hair – and after performing the band’s hit Embarrassment, he welcomed the audience to Top Of The Pops 1979.
Revealing the joke, he pulled off the wig, saying to the audience: “You didn’t think it was real, you slags!”
Glastonbury It Must be Love Cover
As Madness geared up for their Saturday slot on Glastonbury, one of their tracks was getting the cover treatment in the BBC music tepee.
It Must Be Love was aired on the Chris Evans breakfast live on BBC Radio 2 on Friday morning, performed by British country music band, Ward Thomas and is available here for the next month:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03zbcyj
Simon Walshe
A FUTURE 7”/CD SINGLE? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
You may recall that in last week’s issue we featured an email from subscriber Michael Cowan, asking fellow fans for their views on a future 7”/CD single release in the run up to the next album launch.
Following this, readers David Roberts and Mark Bryant got in touch with their thoughts;
“With regards to the physical format question, I would definitely pre-order any CD single or 7” vinyl.
Maybe if they put a similar offer up as they did with “Sorry” where the 1st 500 (or just at random) were signed, this may help to increase interest.
Downloads are on the decline and I don’t see streaming being big business for new Madness music, so the physical format is where it’s at if they are going to bother at all”
David Roberts
“Regarding the physical release of a song ahead of the new album, I would love it if the band/management saw fit to do this and would absolutely pre-order and purchase a copy”.
Mark Bryant
If any other readers have opinions regarding a future CD/7” single release then please let us know.
Rob Hazelby
MIS FEATURE – CALM DOWN MR. APPLES LYRICS
Mr Apples
He’s a devout and well respected man
Woe betide you if you wander from God’s plan
Square shouldered, straight as a die
The righteous truth, he never tell you no lies
But when that ol’ sun go down
He’s heading off up the wrong side of town
Eyes sparkle in the red light glow
His trousers pockets he’s ready to goooooooooooooo oh
Clam down Mr. Apples
You’re gonna do yourself in
Tell us where you’ve been
Head of the table at the Rotary club
He’s never unsure of who’s shoulders he should rub
A leader, A pillar of the Church, Capital Punishment
He wants to bring back the birch
But when that ol’ sun go down
He’s heading off up the wrong side of town
Eyes sparkle in the red light glow
His trousers pockets he’s ready to goooooooooooooo
Clam down Mr. Apples
You’re gonna do yourself in
Tell us where you’ve been
And ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Clam down Mr. Apples
You’re gonna wear yourself out
What’s it all about
Eyes sparkle in the red light glow
His trousers pockets he’s ready to goooooooooooooo
Clam down Mr. Apples
You’re gonna do yourself in
Tell us where you’ve been
Clam down Mr. Apples
You’re gonna wear yourself out
What’s it all about
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 633 – Sunday 26th June – Saturday 2nd July 2011
We kicked this week’s issue off with the exciting news that a full Ska Orchestra album was now being worked on. Not only that, but you could hear a track from the album in full. The track in question was a cover of Eastern Standard Time, recorded only a few weeks previously at the Iron Works in Brighton.
Moving on, and it was over to The Word Magazine, who reviewed Madness’ recent performance at The Meltdown Festival;
“In the past some of their shows have felt like they were phoning in their performances. Yet with the new energy the success of Norton Folgate has given them, they are clearly having a ball.”
Next we went over to Times and Star who reported on Suggs’ recent visit to Keswick School.
“Keswick School’s drama students were visited by Suggs, front man of the hit band Madness, who were in the area to perform at the Whitehaven festival.
Suggs, whose real name is Graham McPherson, met students who will be putting on a performance of the Madness musical Our House next month.
…
He said: “I agreed to come along because it’s brilliant what the
children are doing.”
We went back to the Meltdown Festival following this, as we featured a transcript of a reviews from the Independent web site.
The writer gave the performance a very respectable four out of five, finishing the review off by saying;
“By the finale, “Night Boat to Cairo”, Peckham’s pearly king and queen and a stage invader lent a mic by Suggs to say his piece are among those dancing with the band. The conversational profundity of Labi Siffre’s “It Must Be Love” and their own tribute to their families, “Our House”, have brought tears before the party ends. It’s always the way for this realistic but indomitable, great London band.”
We brought this issue to a close with the news that subscriber Mick Jenner had bumped into Thommo and Daley in Camden Town;
“Well, well….. Much to my amazement, I bumped into Thommo and Daley in Camden Town.
As many of you will know far better than me, he’s such a nice bloke. He was happy to chat for about 10 minutes or so and he brought up the subject of the Minehead Nutty Train. Lee suggested that Barso should be at the front of it and Lee himself at the rear…… as was the original Nutty Train.
Interestingly though, Lee did say that he hadn’t yet confirmed he would be doing the Butlins gig, concerned at the price for Madness fans…..although he did suggest we should all wear ‘red coats’ !!!!!!!
Let’s make this happen!!!!!!”
10 years ago…
Issue 373 – Sunday 25th June to Saturday 1st July 2006
For the few of you out there who’d missed it, we revealed that the BBC had decided that the long running music series ‘Top of The Pops’, would air its final show on Sunday 30th of July.
While the programme had quite clearly gone down the pad in recent years it was at one time a pretty decent slice of British music TV, and it was that we celebrated in this issue.
In a press statement, BBC Director Jana Bennett said: “We’re very proud of a show which has survived 42 years in the UK and gone on to become a worldwide brand, but the time has come to bring the show to its natural conclusion.
Although we bid a fond farewell to Top of the Pops we remain as passionate as ever about reflecting the vitality of contemporary music across all our channels.
The end of the weekly show does not mark the total disappearance of the Top of the Pops brand from British television screens. It will continue to feature in programmes such as TOTP2, BBC TWO’s archive show based on the Top of the Pops back-catalogue which will sometimes incorporate new performance, as well as one-off specials.”
Since the release of the news, there was much reaction from all over, including DJ’s that Madness once shared the show with, DJ Dave Lee Travis, who hosted the show between 1972 and 1984, said the world is “too fast moving” for the programme.
Mike Read, who was a presenter in the 1980s, said: “It was a situation that was obviously coming because of dwindling audiences.
“There are lots of people who say `I used to watch it years ago but I don’t like the music’. There needed to be a mix of old and new.”
Noel Edmonds called it a ” a tragedy when a broadcaster doesn’t understand such a powerful brand” while Tony Blackburn said the show had “lost its way”.
There were even a few words from Chrissy Boy on the official website that somewhat summed up the mixed feeling of hearing the news.
“Sad but…..It is an absolute pile of s*ite thing these days isn’t it?” Chrissy Boy.
Next, we moved on to a more Madness related note, as we reported that Susaye Green of The Supremes has said some nice things about The Dangermen’s version of “You Keep Me hanging on.”
“As pop anthems go, “You keep me hanging On” is one of the most pleasingly enduring. It conjures up memories of a time when music and life were both a lot more simple and fun. I can look back to those times with gentle associations of love and teenage wishful thinking, long before my personal introduction to life as a Supreme.
As the last of an illustrious line of ladies and mostly as the one whois still considered the rebel, when a group like Madness does a version of a Supreme’s classic and turns it on its head successfully, I’m the first to sit up, listen, and applaud.
Madness’ approach is divine: no sacred reverence and thank goodness for that. They came, saw and conquered the song, in their inimitable way, making it become fresh all over again, and proving that a great pop melody and lyrics translate into whatever a creative modern mind wants it to be. To me, that’s what making music is all about.”
Moving on, and it was something to excite all those t-shirt collectors amongst you, as it was announced that a section had been set up on the Bravado Live web site where you could purchase some of the most recently produced t-shirts.
There was the minimalist yellow on black Dangermen “Live and intensified” shirt that was launched at those oh so fantastic secret Dublin Castle gigs back in 2004.
The more recent, logo on check background, Dangermen T-shirts in two colours. A classic One Step Beyond Album cover design, and the shirt from the forest tour.
We went back to Top of The Pops for our next article as we revealed that now the show was ending, Madness’ final tally on the show weighed in at around 50 appearances!
These included 6 repeat showings of performances and promo videos being played on 21 episodes of the show. Leaving 23 actual performance appearances.
For the anoraks amongst you, we listed every single appearance, and attempted to chart the top 10 of the best, with the band’s first airing of The Prince from 1979 gaining the number 1 spot.
We brought this issue to and end with the fantastic news that Chris was recording with the band once again.
Here’s a small snippet of what Chris had to say at the time;
“you may have seen these rumors about me and the Madness boys.
Well truth is *they [*you remember Mike, Suggs, Woody and…sort of Chas] have been rehearsing, and last time I spoke about this was when I attended a meeting which drove me well away. Anyhow, Barso called a couple of times, and he obviously been put up to it by, probably Suggs. Anyhow, he was a bit apologetic and all but I was just about to move. So Clive Langer calls me and asks if I will participate, and he is a guy I always have a lot of time for
So. to cut a long story short, some 6 new songs have been recorded with [a] stand in bass player, no Thommo, and so on”.
Exciting news indeed!
15 years ago…
Issue 111 – Sunday 24th June to Saturday 30th June 2001
With the British weather being as good as was at the moment, it reallymade you wish that Finsbury Park was once again playing host to The Magnificent Seven, and the nearby tower blocks were rocking along to Camden’s finest.
As you were probably aware, this year that wasn’t to be, as no Madstock had been announced. Instead, you’d have to settle with a few beers in your garden and some Madness tunes on the walkman.
We got this issue off to a flying start with a transcription from The Daily Express, where the magazine interviewed Suggs about the health of the bands’ greyhound, Nutty Boy.
‘We’ve had some bad news.’ sighs Suggs, 40. ‘Nutty Boy was injured in training recently. He cut his paw and was off the track for a few weeks, but he will be back to full fitness in the near future.’
Concerned about Nutty Boy’s health, I call Mick Puzey, who trains the skinny mutt at Walthamstow dog track. ‘He ran third last Wednesday in a race at Romford,’ Mick informs me. ‘He got a bit dehydrated, but he’s fine.’
Moving on, and we passed the batton over to Paul Rodgers, with an update from his merchandize business, PLR Madmail. Paul had just updated his catalogue, and with a quick download, you could get hold of the new list and plan your purchases.
The catalogue contained just about anything you could think of, from basic 7″ singles to gold and platinum discs, via acetates, proofs for posters, Promos, CDs, imports, promotional items, test pressings, press packs, magazines, songbooks, music sheets, cassettes, patches, badges.
With no Madstock in sight we took time out of the Madness coverage to give you the heads-up on a number of other bands/artists we felt you may have wanted to catch. First-up was Prince Buster, who was performing at the Bath Pavillion on the 20th of October, while The Blockheads had a mass of gigs running through July to November.
Continuing on the subject of The Blockheads., subscriber Sophie Nicolas brought it to our attention that a park bench, in memory of Ian Dury had been created by Royal College of Art designer Mil Stricevic. The bench featured solar panels, and would enable you to listen to up to 30 mins of audio via headphones or hands free enabled mobile phones.
It was over to tribute acts next, where we gave the lowdown on forthcoming gigs for Los Palmas 6, Complete Madness, One Step Behind and Badness. There may have no Madstock but these bands would certainly help to fill the void.
Rob Hazelby
THAT FACEBOOK LIVE
Madness – Kooks.
https://www.facebook.com/madnessofficial/videos/10157158148910624/
TIME…
The much-loved Squeeze also took to The Pyramid Stage on the Saturday afternoon of Glastonbury. If you failed to catch Difford, Tilbrook and Co, you can catch them on the iPlayer at the following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ewcj5v/acts/ar4d2m#p03ybkzt
This week, The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra appeared for a gig of sorts at The Dublin Castle, with pictures of of Lee with the pubs staff appearing on Facebook shortly after.
It was an event for filming, an advert of discrete hearing aids no less, which Boots will be using in online and TV promotion. The excitement of Live Ska was the setting for the narrative.
As soon as it’s online we’ll give you a heads-up in a future issue.
Until then Pardon us,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Michael Cowan, Simon Walshe, David Robers, Mark Bryant)
The Author
