1 – THIS IS WHERE THE MADNESS BEGINS – The obligatory intro.

2 – MADNESS MEDALS OF GRATITUDE – Madness were awarded Medals of
Gratitude last Monday at the Polish Embassy, London for their help
in supporting the solidarity movement. Simon Roberts reports.

3 – MADNESS, O2 ARENA, SE10 – REVIEW – Suggs gets the party started,
says John Aizlewood. From The London Evening Standard web site.
Published 17th December 2012

4 – SUGGS MY LIFE STORY DATES FOR 2013 – Written by Graham McPherson
and Toby Follett. Directed by Owen Lewis. Dates for April, May and
June 2013

5 – MADNESS, O2 ARENA, LONDON – From http://www.independent.co.uk.
Written by Nick Hasted. Date published 17th December

6 – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS – This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby
goes back 5 years to issue number 451, and the week of Sunday 23rd
December to Saturday 29th December 2007, and then back 10 years
to issue number 189 and the week of Sunday 22nd December to
Saturday 28th December 2002.

7 – ALL READY FOR THE 25TH? – It’s the Christmas album from Terry
Edwards’ record label, and thanks to the wonders of modern
technology you can still download it and add it to your music
collection before the big day on Tuesday.

8 – THE CHARGE OF THE NEW ALBUM BRIGADE TOUR – It was a tour that
began at The House Of Fun Weekender, unveiling the final (1CD)
album version of Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da as a full Live show,
and a smattering of greatest hits. It then charged it’s way
around the UK, into Scotland, Ireland, The North and South of
England, filling massive arenas, and ended with two nights
packed out at the 02 in London. The biggest tour Madness have
ever done here. Report by Jonathan Young.

9 – THAT’S YER LOT – A few last minute words before we finish for the
week.

[1] – THIS IS WHERE THE MADNESS BEGINS

Evening all,

Earlier this week the band took time out of their busy tour schedule to attend an award ceremony at the Polish Embassy, London.

The medals, entitled “Medals of Gratitude”, were given to each of the band members in recognition of the group donating their gig fees to help the Solidarity Campaign Movement, back in the 1980s.

It’s taken almost thirty years for the band to be recognised for their efforts, but at least they got there in the end. You can read our insider report in the first of this week’s articles, so let’s get this issue underway.

Enjoy the read!

Liz Maher, Simon Roberts, Rob Hazelby, Jonathan Young
Email us at: liz, simon, robert, jonathan @mis-online.net

[2] – MADNESS MEDALS OF GRATITUDE

Madness were awarded Medals of Gratitude last Monday at the Polish Embassy, London for their help in supporting the solidarity movement.

http://bit.ly/TfItl4

The band played a gig in Warsaw, Poland in January 1984 and donated all the proceedings to the Solidarity movement. The band were now without Mike Barson who had already left.

Coverage of the Polish jaunt was recorded with a front page and report in the 21st January’s edition of NME by NME Journalist Paolo Hewitt.

The gig was also televised and shown on state run Polish TV station (TVP 2) on 21st January 1984 called ‘1-2-3-4 zespół Medness’ (thanks Jacek for the info)

The whole gig still does exist on VT, but apparently TVP2 want a small fortune to release it.

MIS were privileged to attend and it seems from most of the band Poland at the time was a gloomy place. Woody was astonished at the empty shelves and queues and people buying milk in plastic bags like the bags you get with Goldfish in at Fairgrounds. He also said ‘I was in this store, someone opened a box and then there was a massive queue of 100 people trying to buy what was in it, I was fascinated to find out what this luxury item was, I asked some bloke and he said it was socks, only one pair each per customer though!’

Official pictures at ceremony can be found at:

http://on.fb.me/12yTJg5

Also a great podcast with the Ambassador and Suggs can be found at

http://www.orla.fm/

MIS have taken some photos, along with a video of the presentation.
Please follow @MIS_Online for more info as the footage as not been uploaded yet.

Simon Roberts

[3] – MADNESS, O2 ARENA, SE10 – REVIEW

From The London Evening Standard web site Published 17th December 2012

Suggs gets the party started, says John Aizlewood.

Like a shopping trolley that refuses to work when it leaves the vicinity of its supermarket, Madness’s appeal has always come to a grinding halt the moment they skank through United Kingdom passport control. After 36 years, it still rankles and when singer Graham “Suggs” McPherson announced “we’ve just got back from our world tour of Great Britain”, everybody understood that Madness is a strictly British institution. No matter: the world’s loss is Britain’s gain.

Half an hour late and taking an extra half hour to warm up, this threatened to be a few crinkled but amiable old duffers shrugging towards another pension top-up, rather than a reminder of past and current glories. But five songs in, as if they suddenly remembered their good-natured live act power, the evening began to soar with the double whammy My Girl and its new cousin My Girl 2, which sounded more like Tainted Love 2.

From there, aided by string and brass sections and an audience packed with erstwhile geezers and children, it was a slalom.

Most of the hits were aired but for an archetypal singles band they’ve become adept at albums of late and the newer fare, especially the jolly Misery and the unblinking Never Knew Your Name, slotted in seamlessly.

Grey Day proved again to be Madness’s great, underrated moment but a punked-up Shut Up ran it close, while the lachrymose but uplifting Our House was always all you could ever ask for from pop music.

When Suggs introduced Wings Of A Dove with “what’s wrong with a little peace, love and understanding?”, for a moment Madness had gone politically correct.

[4] – SUGGS MY LIFE STORY DATES FOR 2013

Written by Graham McPherson and Toby Follett.
Directed by Owen Lewis

Dates for April, May and June 2013

April 2013

APRIL 2ND 2013 PORTSMOUTH KINGS THEATRE 0239 282 8282
APRIL 3RD 2013 CHATHAM CENTRAL THEATRE 01634 338 338
APRIL 4TH 2013 ST ALBANS ALBAN ARENA 01727 844 488
APRIL 5TH 2013 BASINGSTOKE ANVIL 01256 844 244
APRIL 6TH 2013 DORKING HALLS 01306 881 717
APRIL 7TH 2013 CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL 0844 576 2210
APRIL 9TH 2013 TRURO HALL FOR CORNWALL 01872 262 466
APRIL 10TH 2013 BARNSTAPLE QUEENS THEATRE 01271 324 242
APRIL 11TH 2013 WESTON SUPER MARE PLAYHOUSE 01934 645 544
APRIL 12TH 2013 SALISBURY CITY HALL 01722 434 434
APRIL 13TH 2013 HASTINGS WHITE ROCK THEATRE 01424 462 288
APRIL 14TH 2013 HAYES BECK THEATRE 0208 561 8371
APRIL 16TH 2013 CRAWLEY THE HAWTH 01293 553 636
APRIL 17TH 2013 DUNSTABLE THE GROVE 01582 602 080
APRIL 18TH 2013 CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE 01223 357 851
APRIL 19TH 2013 DUDLEY TOWN HALL 01384 812 812
APRIL 20TH 2013 TELFORD OAKENGATES THEATRE 01952 382 382
APRIL 21ST 2013 MONMOUTH SAVOY THEATRE 01600 772 467
APRIL 23RD 2013 CANTERBURY MARLOWE 01227 787 787
APRIL 24TH 2013 CORBY THE CORE 01536 470 470
APRIL 25TH 2013 DERBY ASSEMBLY ROOMS 01332 255 800
APRIL 26TH 2013 CHESTERFIELD WINDING WHEEL 01246 345 222
APRIL 27TH 2013 BRADFORD ST GEORGE’S HALL 01274 432 000
APRIL 28TH 2013 SALFORD QUAYS THE LOWRY 0843 208 6010

May 2013

MAY 7TH 2013 LEICESTER DE MONFORT HALL 0116 233 3111
MAY 8TH 2013 NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL 0115 989 5555
MAY 9TH 2013 READING HEXAGON 0118 960 6060
MAY 10TH 2013 NEWPORT RIVERFRONT THEATRE 01633 656 757
MAY 11TH 2013 SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE 01792 475 715
MAY 12TH 2013 HEREFORD COURTYARD 01432 340 555
MAY 14TH 2013 PETERBOROUGH CRESSET 01733 265 705
MAY 15TH 2013 SCUNTHORPE BATHS HALL 0844 854 2776
MAY 16TH 2013 FOLKESTONE LEAS CLIFF HALL 0844 871 3015
MAY 17TH 2013 POOLE LIGHTHOUSE 0844 406 8666
MAY 18TH 2013 WORTHING PAVILION 01903 206 206
MAY 20TH 2013 HARROGATE THEATRE 01423 502 116
MAY 21ST 2013 BRIDLINGTON SPA THEATRE 01262 678 258
MAY 22ND 2013 STOCKTON ARC 01642 525 199
MAY 23RD 2013 WHITLEY BAY PLAYHOUSE 0844 277 2771
MAY 24TH 2013 DURHAM GALA THEATRE 0191 332 4041
MAY 25TH 2013 GLASGOW PAVILION THEATRE 0141 332 1846
MAY 26TH 2013 BARROW THE FORUM 01229 820 000
MAY 28TH 2013 NEW BRIGHTON FLORAL PAVILION 0151 666 0000
MAY 29TH 2013 LANCASTER GRAND THEATRE 01524 646 95
MAY 30TH 2013 WARRINGTON PARR HALL 01925 442 345
MAY 31ST 2013 PRESTON CHARTER THEATRE 0844 844 7710

June 2013

JUNE 1ST 2013 SPALDING SOUTH HOLLAND CENTRE 01775 764 777
JUNE 2ND 2013 IPSWICH CORN EXCHANGE 01473 433 100

For more information, go to http://www.suggslive.com/

[5] – MADNESS, O2 ARENA, LONDON

From http://www.independent.co.uk/
Written by Nick Hasted
Date published 17th December

At some point between Madness performing at the Diamond Jubilee and
as one of the redeeming features of the Olympics Closing Ceremony,
the penny started to drop.

These always underestimated purveyors of bittersweet pop have again
become one of Britain’s biggest and best bands. Excellent London
concept album The Liberty of Norton Folgate (2009) helped hugely,
pulling them partially free of what Suggs calls “the black hole of
‘80s nostalgia.” Its new follow-up, Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da,
relaxes into further pop songs, as if their chart progress was never
interrupted by the band’s exhausted 1986 split.

During this first of two nights at the O2 Arena, Madness’s south
London peers Squeeze are under the same roof, at bijou sister venue
Indigo2. You hope the last middle-aged white working-class Londoner
to leave home tonight turned out the light. You might also wonder
where the current equivalent is of such intelligent working-class pop
bands, able to passionately unite and inspire the sort of families
filling this arena. Elbow aside, a dangerous gap has opened in pop’s
possibilities, triumphantly filled by Madness, just for tonight.

“Embarrassment”, about a mixed-race child, describes teenage hard
knocks and melancholy they didn’t need to grow into. “Bed and
Breakfast Man”, another youthfully experienced vignette, relishes a
master “loafer” who “never showed his hand”. “The Sun and the Rain”
sees umbrellas twirled in the crowd to a hit summing up English
manic depression. “NW5”, a Norton Folgate song of enduring
middle-aged love in which “people change just like the weather”, and
the new “Never Knew Your Name”, about the displaced, faltering
feeling of “going into a discotheque on your own, at our age”, take
such stories on. Suggs, moving with almost athletic vigour, embodies
the renewed confidence of a band bolstered by string and brass
sections, and swaggering with slick power.

The set-list includes songs from Madness’s incremental, eccentric
1980s decline after crucial songwriter Mike Barson quit – basically
fine, odd singles such as “Michael Caine”. The big hits are though,
unusually, the best. “Baggy Trousers”’ schoolyard memoir is
recognisable to the bouncing kids here tonight. “Our House”, the
finest song outside of The Kinks about English family life, finds a
perfect balance between the autobiographically specific and the
universal. The second coming of the band who wrote it sees them
finally claiming their dues.

[6] – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS

This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby goes back 5 years to issue
number 451, and the week of Sunday 23rd December to Saturday 29th
December 2007, and then back 10 years to issue number 189 and the
week of Sunday 22nd December to Saturday 28th December 2002.

5 years ago…

Issue 451 – Sunday 23rd December to Saturday 29th December 2007

While a lot of you had been out buying the last of those presents and
scrawling on mountains of cards, we’d been hard at work putting this
week’s issue together. This meant that when you’d finally found five
minutes in your pre-Christmas rush to put your feet up, you had
something to read.

This issue kicked off with a transcript from the Time Out web site
where they’d interviewed Chris and Woody, and asked them to nominate
their musical wonders of the city of London.

There list looked like this:

– Immigration
– Street Hawkers
– Buskers
– Mobile Phones
– Big Ben
– Fairgrounds
– Notting Hill Carnival

It was over to the Barking and Daghenam Recorder next, as they
interviewed Suggs and asked him what the band’s secret was to
the band’s enduring popularity;

“I don’t really know. We thought we’d made it when
we got a residency at a pub in Camden in 1979 so
to be still here and loving it is pretty special.
I think it’s probably the fact that we are all
still mates and we still ‘feel’ the music. Can you
feel it? Come and see us and find out”

The Financial Times was our next port of call, as they reviewed the
band’s recent performance at the 02 Arena. The reporter noted that
such was the athleticism of the band that if their next album failed
to do well they could always put out a fitness video instead.

We passed the baton over to Colin Galbraith next, who being the
author of several poetry books, had decided to treat MIS readers to a
new piece of poetry devoted entirely to our favourite band.

It was a time for an almost non Madness related note for the next
article as we reviewed The Young Ones 25th Anniversary Box set.
Naturally, with Madness appearing on the show not once but twice, the
article did feature many mentions of North London’s finest.

We brought this issue to a close with the news that Woody had updated
his section on the official Madness web site, and so we urged you to
take a look behind his door.

10 years ago…

Issue 189 – Sunday 22nd December to Saturday 28th December 2002

The Christmas 2002 edition of the MIS proved to be a lengthy one,
with reader reports from a number of the recent gigs providing much
of the bulk, and at the same time, making a nice change from all of
the press reviews we’d seen of late. After all, it’s nice to get a
lowdown of a Madness concert from a fan rather than a member of the
music industry.

On the subject of the concert, it was nice to see that the general
consensus from the online Madness community was that the band had
given some of their best performances since their 1992 comeback at
the original Madstock. Not only that, but the sheer effort the band
had put into the impressive sets had gone down very well indeed, with
the string of concerts proving to be a treat for both the eyes and
ears.

Those who had consumed far too much at the McMadmeet, and had only
hazy memories of what went on would now have an opportunity to fill
in the blanks, thanks to Wee Stoo and Stevie Ward, who kindly
uploaded a batch of photos taken from the event.

Meanwhile, MOT drummer Dan Fossard got in touch with us with a
fantastic tale of how, at the recent Newcastle gig, Carl had
dedicated a song to him. The track? Non other than the legendary
Night Boat to Cairo, and on Dan’s birthday of all days.

Moving on, and it was the turn of Andrew Langmead to write in with a
heads-up of Madness’ next TV performance. On Boxing Day, the band
would be appearing on BBC1 as part of the ‘It’s the Number One Party’
celebrating 50 years of the UK singles charts. On the same day Virgin
Radio repeated their Virgin Superstars edition with Suggs as the
guest.

Elsewhere, and on a slightly worrying note, Steve Chapman wrote in
with a review of a recent Bad Manners gig, which did not sound good
at all. Here’s a snippet of Steve’s original post;

“Douglas Trendle is NOT a well man, he should not
have been on stage tonight. He stood proud for
only one song before making a hasty exit one line
into Fatty Fatty, leaving the band to finish the
song instrumentally (save for the chorus, which
they did themselves!). The musicians battled on
with a couple of instrumental numbers before
following the big man off the stage

In short to let this man go ahead with his tour
in this state is (excuse the pun) madness. He
may need the money but first and foremost he needs
to recover. Perhaps he will do in time for the
next live appearance, but walking onto a pokey
little stage at the late time of 11:15pm, in a
very smokey venue, having just had meningitis
doesn’t seem a sensible way to achieve this!!!”.

The sad news continued, with the news from Jonathan that Vince
Carden’s stunning fanzine “Madness Unsugged” had just hit it’s final
ever issue. Keen to help maximise sales of this woefully underrated
but much loved fanzine, MIS co-editor Jonathan Young compiled an
in-depth review of this ultimate edition, and declared it a “Madness
Masterpiece”.

With a conscious effort to not finish the issue on a downer, we
rounded off this edition of the MIS with reviews of the Docklands
gig and Madmeet by a certain Rob Hazelby, with one Jonathan Young
providing a blow-by-blow review of the NEC concert.

Rob Hazelby

[7] – ALL READY FOR THE 25TH?

It’s the Christmas album from Terry Edwards’ record label, and
thanks to the wonders of modern technology you can still download it
and add it to your music collection before the big day on Tuesday.

Yuletide means many things to many people. Sartorial’s Christmas Album
“All Ready For The 25th” reflects this perfectly, from traditional
readings of carols by saw-player David Coulter to chart classics
covered by Department S (I Believe in Father Christmas) & Serious
Drinking, a brilliant take on Human League’s December chart-topper
Don’t You Want Me Baby (Jesus)?.

Mark Bedford, member of The Near Jazz experience, cover legendary
Christmas carol, “We Three Kings”, on the album. Mark has also
performed with Department S before, who are also on album.

Phil Jupitus appears on the released as Porky the Poet, and there’s
also a solo Terry Edwards track.

For more information and to buy and download the album, point your
web browsers over to:

http://sartorialrecords.greedbag.com/buy/all-ready-for-the-25th/

Rob Hazelby / Jon Young / Satorial Records

[8] – THE CHARGE OF THE NEW ALBUM BRIGADE TOUR

It was a tour that began at The House Of Fun Weekender, unveiling the
final (1CD) album version of Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da as a full Live
show, and a smattering of greatest hits. It then charged it’s way
around the UK, into Scotland, Ireland, The North and South of England,
filling massive arenas, and ended with two nights packed out at the 02
in London. The biggest tour Madness have ever done here.

The first christmas tour in two years. The first full arena tour since
2007. It will be remembered though not for it’s pre album announced
title of “The Charge of the Mad Brigade,” but much more for the
touring of the new album “Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da,” and of the
triumphant return of Keep Moving era single Michael Caine, and for
bringing the wonderful sound of Madness to another new generation of
fans, spurned on by this year’s high profile appearances and varied
activities.

Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da was everywhere on this tour. Circus Freaks,
Small World, Black and Blue and So Alive, didn’t reappear beyond
Butlins. But Kitchen Floor, Powder Blue, La Luna and Leon all dipped
in and out the set list at various points during the tour, while My
Girl II, Never Knew Your Name (next single), Misery, How Can I Tell
You, and encore placed Death of A Rude Boy where near ever present
regulars.

The new album had a blue T-shirt, later a design matching the album
cover colours, mugs, and badge sets. The programme displayed the
album art on it’s cover too. 100 signed albums were available at the
end of each night. There were sandwich board sellers. There was a
poster competition or two during the tour with Never knew your Name,
(buy the album and leave your number and one lucky winner receives
a call from the band.) as well as Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da 6ft
stands and posters a plenty, for the last gig one saying Oui Oui Si
Si Ja Ja Da Da Ho Ho Ho! New single Never Knew your name, was the
subject of a fan camera video.

Lastly Balloons massive and bouncing into the crowd for Showtime to
Night boat, again with the album artwork were produced, as well as
some Madness logo branded condoms for one of the 02 shows!

OUT NOW! shouted the TV advert as well regularly inside the gigs, on
screens used to project annoying chocolate adverts and a mixture of
great warm up videos, from Annie Lennox, The cure, Bluebelles, The
Police, The Specials, The Beat, The Smiths, The Jam and more.

Screens where a black and white old filmed Hamlet would proclaim “To
be or not to be?” as the intro, before the band were unveiled behind
their velvet curtain. (well, unless it was the first night when the
curtain wouldn’t move!) The tour also threw Man Like Me to the front
of stage with a Clive Langer guitar intro and their brand of
eccentric, grime and Johnny Langer clothes losing performances, with
the finely chosen grooves of Darren Benett bridging the middle gap.

The new Madness songs were backed up with great video visuals, from
Chrissy Boy’s edited film montages, through to a cartoon Mr Ben moping
his way in and out of sunshine for Misery and varied effects. Wasn’t
so keen on the rotascope animation of under table cats eye view for
Kitchen Floor, but the infinite camera effect some times used to show
a string of live pictures of a band member or the whole stage was a
wonderful effect. Who wouldn’t want an infinite number of Madness’s!!
Red pouring heart effect for It Must be Love and a set of clown faces
for House of Fun, which also appeared on the trim of the lush velvet
curtain set, assured.

Grey day and Take it or leave it returned to the set once Tour
momentum started. (The Former with a varied almost jazz tenor sax solo
from Steve Hamilton that divided opinion amongst fans.)

Showtime remained a regular feature. Most often spouting Karaoke Tom
Jones in the form of Delilah. Though human league, Elvis,
Lindisfarne, AC/DC and more received the treatment.

Lee received a smoke machine, and turntable used for both
Embarrassment and Night Boat, and more. He was seen sporting an Elvis
wig often, or the gold fez and jubilee suit made a reappearance, as
did Johnny Gauld, the piper at some encores, and at the last 02 shows
string quartet girls.

The return of Michael Caine though was the one bonus of diehards. We
believe it was last heard on the Mad Dogs Tour in 1995 before this
tour started, and while it was fumbled a little at Butlins and early
dates, but the middle to tour end it was a delightful less heard gem
to the ear. All we wanted was to hear something a little different
and with new album out and the return of this single we got it.
Madness played finely on form and delighted the crowds as they always
do.

Well done if you charged along. It’s time to re-charge and have a
merry Christmas now. That goes for the band too. Merry Christmas guys
and thanks. Next time Madness play could well be racecourse summer
in 6 months time, by which time we might have a bigger version of this
album to be celebrating.

Finally, in the last few moments of the tour, last night in London,
Dr Feelgood guitarist and fellow stiff records artist Wilko Johnson,
joined the band on stage for a great version of “Madness”.

Dublin One Step Beyond and curtain malfunction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8g7KQif1j0 –

Misery Brighton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDgzYkJ1oRg –
Showtime! Delilah Cardiff

Leon (from the gods)

Michael Caine

Jonathan Young.
Videos Sharon Staite.
Michael Lambert

[9] – THAT’S YER LOT

That’s just about it for this issue, but before we go we’ll quickly
pass you over to Paul Rodgers for some last minute chart news. We’ll
be back next week bringing you the first part of our lookback at 2012.

Here’s Paul

“Another impressive chart week for Madness sees Oui
Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da drop two places to number 93
on its 8th chart week. It is now only 16 points
behind the Tesco only compilation Ultimate Madness,
which has been on sale since June 2010. Within the
next three weeks it should be in a battle to
overhaul Utter Madness, Mad Not Mad and Madstock!
as well.

In the indie chart it drops to number 11, but this
fall is more than made up for by Complete Madness
jumping from 28 to 18. As Complete Madness was
number 173 on the album chart last week it is fairly
safe to assume that ten place indie chart climb will
see it remain on the top 200 albums chart for its
40th straight week.

Our thanks to Paul for the above. Have a fantastic Christmas. We’ll
see you again on the 30th.

Merry Christmas,

Rob, Liz, Jon, Simon
(With thanks to Paul Rodgers, Sharon Staite and Michael Lambert)