Madpost May 1998

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The Madness Mailing List

M A D P O S T

(1) Month in View A look back over the last four weeks on the list
(2) 1982 Diary by Chris Foreman What the band were up to in May 1982
(3) Richard Branson Speaks! Amazingly, Yvette Reader managed to meet the almighty Richard

Branson and get some words out of him. Find out his plans for Madness!

(4) Audio and Video Material List Nutter – Paul Girling is keen to collect any unofficial audio and video material of the lads. If you’d like to do some swapping then get in touch with him.
(5) New Madness Material Virgin Records insider Ashley is here with details of the NEW MADNESS ALBUM that’s penning in for next year!
6) Kevin’s Nutty Software Kevin Tizzard has been very quiet recently, but now he’s back with a new website, a MS4 screen saver, a Madness Jukebox, and even a Madness game in the pipeline!
(7) Mad Not Mad – New Years Eve – 1985/1986 CD Top Madster, Richard has somehow managed to get hold of a DAT tape of the gig and wants to know if anyone is interested in a CD of the evening’s events. If you’d like a copy then send him an e-mail. If he gets a good response he may get this into production as a MML exclusive release!
(8) Suggs and Carl Interview Taken from a 1983 issue of TWIST magazine, and kindly typed up by Steve. It’s a big article but well worth reading.
(9) Noel Coward Tribute Album It looks like the lads won’t be appearing on this production after all. Alex Ingram is here with the latest news.
(10) One Step Behind Play Bolton After Simon Roberts recovered from his drunken night out with One Step Behind, he’s managed to get out of bed long enough to type up this review.
(11) Don’t Quote me on That Alan Redpath’s top Madness website has moved yet again. Read the article and change your bookmarks.
(12) The MML All Time Fave Albums Poll Thanks to everyone who took part. The results have now been compiled and the chart is ready for viewing. Also included are a selection of album reviews from a number of voters.
(13) Closing Words Next month, thanks etc.

 

 

 

[1]

MONTH IN VIEW

 

Well, here we are again with another Madpost, and another 4 weeks closer to the even of the year – Madstock IV!

From the reviews I’ve read it looks like the US tours were a great success. So much so, that I’m already hearing rumours that the lads are due for a return to the States in the fall. Whether or not this will happen is anybody’s guess, but one thing is for sure some gigs on the East coast wouldn’t go amiss.

I’ve been speaking to a fair number of subscribed Maddies over the past few weeks either on the phone or via e-mail, and they’re all in overdrive (myself included), counting down the days till those famous “Hey You!” words are once more screamed across Finsbury Park.

As it looks like most people who are going will be down in London for the entire weekend, it makes sense that we should get some activities organised for those 2-3 days. I’ve had a few mails asking me what’s been planned, but I have to say that I wasn’t going to plan anything. However, the Madstock going public seem to want things organised and I don’t mind helping out.

If you’ve got any ideas with regards to what we could do that weekend, then please get in touch.

Moving swiftly along now… Many thanks to everyone who has contributed this issue (even if you weren’t aware that your article was going to feature in this issue!). At the start of the month I always worry that I won’t have enough material to put together for a decent sized Madpost, but as the month goes on it’s surprising what bits and pieces crop up. If you’d like to submit something for the next Madpost, please get in touch with me.

And on that note, I’ll leave you to get on reading this month’s Madpost.

Only 5 weeks to go!!!

Stay nutty,

Robert Hazelby (Madness Mailing List Maintainer)

 

 

[2]

1982 DIARY BY CHRIS FOREMAN (MIS comic No. 6)

 

Here’s Suggsylia with the ever continuing saga of Chris Foreman’s 1982 diary. Take it away…

 

MAY

We are still rehearsing – still practice makes perfect.

On the 12th we do Frogwell Flax for LWT. Then we make a rare personal appearance in HMV Oxford Street and sign records, peoples faces, etc.

Then we play in the 5-a-Side at QPR on the 16th. We didn’t have a professional player in the side as some groups did and we drew one match, lost one, and retired gracefully.

On the 20th we leave for Japan. On the 22nd we arrive, which goes to show it’s a long way to Japan. The gigs were Sun Plaza Tokyo (24), Osaka Fest Hall (26) – hang on, the names get really silly – Nagoya-Shi-Kokaido (30) and Tokyo-Koshei-Nekin (31). Phew!

 

Cheers,

Suggsylia

 

[3]

RICHARD BRANSON SPEAKS!

Hi Madfolk,

Tried sending this to the list about a week ago but it seemed to get lost along the way…..

Take two!

Thought I’d wander along to the opening of the new ‘Virgin Vie’ store in Norwich this morning, and guess who was there? Yup – none other than Richard Branson, welcoming people into the shop. I got talking to him about the Virgin record label and asked if there was any chance of more Madness being released in the near future, to which he replied (and I quote!) “Yes – we’ll have to hurry them along a bit!”

I presume he was referring to the new Madness album……. :)

I thought the Maddies had signed to another label? Time will tell…..

I was going to put forward Luke’s superb ‘Madplane’ idea as well but I didn’t have enough time to detail it all! Next time eh? ;)

So there you go! Let’s hope we see some more Madness releases soon.

Grooviness,

Yvette

 

[4]

AUDIO AND VIDEO MATERIAL

 

I want to collate a list of Madness audio & video material that exists other than the officially released stuff.

If you have any items that you want to trade or simply make available to others then please mail me with details including the country you are in.

My e-mail address is paul@ccl-kc.demon.co.uk.

If there is enough response I will put the info onto a web page.

Regards.

Paul Girling

 

[5]

NEW MADNESS MATERIAL

Hi Rob and fellow nutties

Just spoken to my pal at Virgin records and with my constant nagging him for info, he’s come up with some good news. The new material will be released…. but not likely until early 1999 and Suggs WILL be appearing on it, Bedders however is still unlikely to be on it as there will be a tour promoting it, culminating in their final ever gig at the end of the year.

Norman Watt-Roy will be filling the bass playing duties again. Suggs’ availability has delayed the release of this album, as the rest of the band really felt that to bow out in style should really include their main man. So they’ve written the songs but have to wait for Suggsy to add his touches.

They wanted bedders to play on it too, so the original band would be all together, but its his choice! Evidently Norman Watt-Roy is a fully fledged Maddie now!

The record label is still uncomfirmed, Richard Branson`s V2 is leading the pack, with EMI owned Virgin and Warner also interested. The problem being that its only likely that there will ever be the one new album and the 3 or 4 singles released, which record companies being as they are are not too keen about.

Watch this space for more info!

Cheers

Ashley

 

[6]

KEVIN’S NUTTY SOFTWARE

 

Hey all,

After what seems like an eternity being away, it’s certainly good to be back in the land of Nutty Mail !

Anyway, after the success of last years screen saver, I’ve put together, from among other things, another based on the forthcoming Madstock 4 concert (Win’95 only)

This can be downloaded from my new web site, ‘The Nutty Zone’ at:

http://www.netzone.force9.co.uk/madness

This site will in time, host various pieces of Madness related software put together by yours truly, and in the next few days or so, I will be uploading a further 6 screen savers, a ‘Nutty Jukebox’, and a game.

Full specifications,etc on the current saver and other pieces, can be found on the site, along with info on Support, download links (obviously !). and even a newsletter you can subscribe to for details on new software\updates when they’re available.

What you still ‘ere .. go on, be off with you .. ;)

All the Best,

Kev.

P.S Anyone doing anything on June 7th …..?

E-Mail: kevin@netzone.force9.co.uk

 

 

[7]

MAD NOT MAD NEW YEARS 1985/86 CD

 

I recently got hold of the DAT tape for the Mad Not Mad party recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon on the 31-12-85. The track listing for the show is as follows:

 

I’ll Compete

Embarrassment

My Girl

Michael Caine

Grey Day

Uncle Sam

Yesterday’s Men

Listen To Your Father

Madness

One Step Beyond

 

I am looking into transferring the gig onto CD, which should take approximately 2 weeks or so, and wondered if other people on the list would be interested in purchasing copies of the CD. If you think you may be interested then please contact me at:

richard@rcas.demon.co.uk

 

 

[8]

SUGGS AND CARL – TWIST INTERVIEW

Hey Gang,

I’m going to be keying a 1983 interview with Carl and Graham over the next few days.

BTW, the article I’m copying has the autographs of the lads on board, from the 1983 Madness/KROQ baseball game in Long Beach, CA. This is one of the sites my posse and I will be visiting before the Universal gig, if anyone else is interested in joining us. Anyway, here’s the article:

 

by David Lumian

Madness should be familiar to Twist readers. On turntables, dance floors and TV disco shows across America, Madness is the reigning dance band.

While the classic “One Step Beyond…” album was virtually ignored in this country when it first came out, songs like “Madness”, “Night Boat to Cairo”, and “One Step Beyond…” have now established themselves with growing popularity. While the American record label Sire declined to release Madness’ new releases in the United States, their expanding musical vision continued to entertain British listeners. “Our House” and the new Madness compilation (on Geffen Records) caught America up.

Today Madness, getting ready for a major US tour, has broken into the American Top 10. Madness was at the top of my list of people to talk with when I hit London this July.

I took the tube to Oxford Circus where Madness’ manager told me I would find some of the boys. Entering their recording studio I caught a few Pretender’s riffs coming out of a nearby room. Quickly G. “Suggs” McPherson and Carl Smyth (known to many as “Chas Smash”) emerged with their producer Clive Langer. Suggs suggested that we hit a local pub to conduct the interview.

 

At The George we talked about Madness’ history, songs, and concerns. As the interview wore on over 90 minutes, the effects of three pints of excellent lager took its toll. Upon transcribing the talks I not only found that the interview loosened up toward the end, that Suggs and Carl had left several cute songs and skits on my tape while I made a trip to the john.

[Note: T = Twist mag, S = Suggs, C = Chas]

T: Obviously, you were very influenced by the original ska sound of the ’60s. How did you come in contact with ska?

S: At the time it was new in England, most of us were quite young and it was music we grew up with. A lot of the older kids we knew still had records or were still into it. Ska, R&B – even rock n’ roll – that was the original music that Madness adopted because it was easy to play and we all liked it. We never wanted to be, you know, Sons of Two Tone, we wanted to be Madness.

T: Was there some kind of agreement about bands on the Two-Tone label helping each other out?

S: We were probably a lot more ska than we would have been if we had gone our separate ways because, you know, it’s probably the same sort of thing that’s happening in Los Angeles. You go to clubs and they play ska all night, and it would all be part of a movement as such. There was never any agreement, it was just the way it went. We were influenced by each other.

T: Would you put a ska label on yourself now?

S: We never a ska band as such [ND vs. Madness vs. ska Maddies take note! Steve] – we were influenced by ska.

C: We were always doing pop songs. And when we were doing “One Step Beyond…” we were also doing the Kinks’ “Slow Rock”, “Shop Around”, and “Tears of a Clown” by the Miracles. We’ve always been a sort of Reggae, R&B, Motowne and pop influenced.

S: And rock n’ roll.

T: How has your music changed since you began?

 

S: What changes is that you get less interested in how it outwardly appears and more interested in how inwardly you feel about it. We could have continued having ska hits until they came out our ears. But we didn’t, we grew less interested in ska. And consequently, our music became less influenced by it.

C: We’ve learned to play better.

S: It’s a bit more sophisticated but not consciously so. We’ve never been overly political. We don’t write particularly political songs. We do write things that are social comments as such. We’re a bit more subtle. We’ve never liked that pose of being caring.

T: If you were trying to avoid a pose of caring, why did you do something for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)?

S: Because it’s something we believe in.

C: There comes a point I think when you’ve got to do something rather than just feel it. They just needed help in getting youth involved in their movement. Obviously, the best way is to get youth heroes, or whatever. All the bands that were involved, the Clash, the Beat, the Jam – really helped their movement.

T: Why did you pick the nuclear issue over all the other ones?

S: A lot of other issues have gotten a lot of coverage and have a lot of

people already interested in it. Whereas the press treated CND very

badly, and it’s always communist infiltration bullshit, you know, that

they love to give out. And it was just to see that they needed a bit

more help.

T: What was it like touring in the United States?

S: The thing about America is that you can lose yourself. You can spend your whole life touring up and down, up and down and forgetting where you are.

C: Some things are weird. We were playing a club in Boston – The Paradise Club. And you’re doing your gig and there’s people eating hamburgers!

T: How do audiences vary from place to place?

S: The thing is that audiences vary from town to town, not country to country.

C: The difference between L.A. and Portland [Portland, Oregon – Steve] is massive. We got there and they said, “We don’t want any of that Goddam fucking black music here, boy.” So we said, “We ain’t fucking coming back.”

T: It seems like everyone in the band works together equally.

C: When we started we said, “There’s seven of us in this band and that’s it.” We’ve always understood there’s seven of us. We’ve always realized that no matter how much each person does that each person’s addition is as important as the other. There’s no feeling of inadequacy.

S: I think that is why we’ve always tried to push the people who don’t normally write songs to write songs. So as a contributor you are as important as anyone else. If we all write songs we try to keep happy and respect each other, you know.

S: I think in any band it starts out like that but it’s only the public image, what the record company wants. Because that’s the way you make money. You can only get one star’s face on the cover of a magazine. You can’t get seven. There’s no one person with all the ideas. Everyone does as much as each other. It makes live really easy because no one has the stress to be the one thinking of it all.

T: Why do you think your success has come so late in America?

S: I think it’s because the music is more…well, we sold out, to start.

 

C: Who did we sell to? We haven’t got the check yet. We’re waiting for it.

S: I think it’s because our music has become a bit more…I don’t know what the word for it is…smoother. That sounds horrible, the word smoother. We’re not quite as naive as we used to be. It probably put off a lot of people in America. You know you can’t be naive on FM radio in L.A., whereas you can in England.

T: There are a lot of bands in L.A. that are very influenced by your music – the Untouchables, the Effects – having been successful now for five years, what kind of advice would you give to new bands in Los Angeles?

S: Get a good chunky sound, don’t settle for anything less.

C: You make records without really knowing how to make records. Obviously, everyone has to, but get the sound you want and not the sound that somebody else thinks you should have.

S: Get a producer you can rely on, who you can talk to and get feedback off of. If you’ve got an idea, really understand it and make the whole group understand the idea, so they all know what they’re aiming for. In any song you do, explain it to each member of the band so that each person understands implicitly what it’s all about and don’t deviate from your original idea. Because that’s the strongest time.

T: What has Madness accomplished in its five years?

S: Uh, longevity for starters. We’ve settled down to enjoy it.

C: Whereas before I think we were forcing to enjoy it. When we first started we said, “Well, we’re going to enjoy it!” We write a song that we know we all like, not because we should enjoy it.

S: We write to please ourselves. Also, I think we’ve achieved the thin line between crass commercialness and meaningful artisticness. Which may be nothing, but, you know…

T: Do you feel as though you have a burden from your past?

 

S: Actually, that’s why I’m really glad that I was never a real radical punk. Johnny Rotten said, “I’ll never have flat hair and I’ll never do this and I’ll never do that.” He’s doing all the things he never wanted to do when he was a radical punk. Whereas if you start out being a crass commercial pop star you can always go the other way.

C: We started with a dream to make a record. It was like “We might never do it” and when we finally did, it was unbelievable. Each year it’s been unbelievable really. We went and did the states three times and nothing happened and now it’s happening. Each year we’ve had something that’s made us sit back and think twice that there’s still a long way to go and so much to do.

S: What we have achieved is from being nothing other than young kids who wanted to make some money making records, we’ve learned that you can say something as well. Instead of going the other way and pretending that you’re saying something when you’re actually only interested in the money. I think it’s a quite difficult thing to learn and a lot of people won’t ever learn it.

THE END

 

That’s it for today, fellow Maddies! Whoa whoa, for the wings of a dove!

Steve

 

[9]

NOEL COWARD TRIBUTE ALBUM

There have been a number of e-mails to the list recently all asking about the fabled Madness track – “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” that was rumoured to be featured on the Noel Coward Tribute album.

Top Madness snippet hunter – Alex Ingram has the details so I’ll leave him to explain what happened…

 

The main news here in Britain on the music front is a noel coward tribute album and this has already been mentioned on this list, many had speculated that the track played by Space “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” was in fact Madness in disguise, this is closer to the truth than you might believe, in fact, the truth is this:

“I [Neil Tennant] persuaded Madness to reform to record the track [Mad Dogs & Englishmen], but like many other bands we had in to do the track they had a big argument and split.”

I heard this on Loose ends R4, which is always on at breakfast in our house.

p.s. – why don’t we inaugarate a spotters award to go to the person who spots the most madness news over the year.

Alex Ingram – e-mail: alex@good1.demon.co.uk

 

[10]

ONE STEP BEHIND VISIT BOLTON

Well I cant see Madness in the states’ but last night I saw the next best thing.

One Step Behind at the Hawthorns in Bolton, UK. The Hawthorns is a night club in a basement, It isn’t very big, and the dance floor makes The Dublin Castles look like Finsbury Park. I called in early to see what time they went on stage, I stumbled into the sound check around 9pm- a bouncer told me ’round 11.45, so I left for the town centre to meet up with some friends.

I returned later around 11.15pm, It was full of skinheads (not the nazi types!) and 30 odd year old closet ‘Madness’ fans many girls!! – all singing along to ‘On my radio’ which was playing. I then managed to find Ian (Suggsby) and El Mollo who were doing the set list. Said hello etc… Anyway, they said they had to go and get ready. This was the cue for me to get in position in front of the stage.

About 12.15am, they went on stage.At this point there was a massive ‘Madstock’ crush – the band told us to ‘get back!!’ .. and then it was time for Madness!!

They opened with ‘Embarrassment’ everyone seemed just to stand still with just sheer awe! Anyway after a few pints these people where Madness!!. Ian had a red suit on and ‘Suggs’ shades- It was Suggs!. I’ve not seen them for a bit, no ‘Chas’ and I think ‘Bedders’ was new. Curiously the bassist hid himself in a dark corner behind ‘Chrissy Boy’ he played very well.. no need to hide!!

Next was ‘Driving in my Car’ still hardly no-one was dancing!!!- ‘Kix’ (el mollo) threatened to put his sax away!! This all changed on the next number -‘

Hello Bolton! ‘ ‘I cant hear you!!’ ‘Is Bolton deaf?’…. ‘Buster he sold the heeeeattttt.’ then all hell broke loose.

A nice little moment towards the end of the Prince, where he says ‘Bring back the?’ then about 10 seconds of Screaming, running around- then the instrumental,

some improvised lyrics then ‘Bring back Prince Buster ssss ahhh’. Next song was a treat- a rare outing for ‘Cardiac Arrest’ which was played brilliantly. Other songs in the set included: Sun & the rain, My Girl, Bed & Breakfast, Our House, House of Fun, Baggy Trousers, Uncle Sam, Harder they Come, Wings of a Dove, Night boat to Cairo, It Must Be Love, Madness,.. I cant remember them all!.

The Keyboard player was also on excellent form- not sure if he was the original- During the My Girl solo I shouted ‘ Applause all for Mike Barso’ (spot the weirdo!) !! – the keyboard player was sat down for some reason (never seen Mikey Boy sat down!) he did seem to be concentrating an awful lot!- anyway he’d piss

all over Steve Nieve and Seamus. ‘Chrissy Boy’ was also on excellent form-! he had an exact Chrissy Boy early 80s haircut. Ian Soulsby ‘Suggs’ was Suggs! – his movement and behaviour matched the great man himself.- He went through about 6 cans of stella, bummed fags off the audience, and the word ‘f*ck’ was said more than once, so was ‘have we time for one more?’ – he also jumped on a speaker several times! – anyway- the evening ending with One Step beyond.. no time for an encore I think as time was clocking on.

Everyone seemed enjoyed themselves, except for an old bag and her mates at the front who didn’t know who ‘Madness’ where (Huh!). Couldn’t find any of the band later, so I left.

Got some KFC, then the mandatory one hour wait for a taxi. Got in bed ’round 5. Anyway a good night was had by all, no fighting either! Good job as well, as most of the bouncers were dancing!!

So as everyone says .. if you haven’t seen them you have definitely missed! and all for 4!

The UK tour is still full swing – so check out the tour dates on Rob’s page.

(http://www.jabba.demon.co.uk/madness/) Click on the “OSB Section”.

Rumour also has it that a special ‘Mailing list’ gig maybe arranged (if we can get the numbers!)

Simon.

 

[11]

DON’T QUOTE ME ON THAT!

 

Hey there :o)

Just to let you know, my site ( Don’t Quote Me On That ) has a new URL ( yes, again! sorry!! ) it can now be accessed with

http://listen.to/madness

it’s also just been updated, with the link to The Ultimate Madlinks now working, also a chatroom, discussion board and more!….check it out!

Thanks

Al.

 

[12]

IT’S THE MML ALL TIME FAVOURITE ALBUMS POLL

 

Cast your minds back to the start of the month and you may remember that I asked everyone to e-mail me with their choice of favourite Madness album, and if possible, to include a few sentences explaining why they chose that album over the others.

Many thanks to all who took part, I’ve enjoyed reading the reasons why you chose the albums you did, and it’s certainly been very interesting watching one album zoom up ahead, then have another overtake it and so on.

The results have now been painstakingly compiled and here they are…

 

(1) Absolutely – 9 votes

(2) One Step Beyond – 8 votes

(3) Keep Moving, Rise and Fall – 6 votes each

(4) Madness 7 – 2 votes

(5) Mad Not Mad, The Madness – 1 vote each

Total number of votes: 26

Here are just a few snippets that people sent me along with their votes…

Tough decision but I think ‘Rise And Fall’ wins my vote as best album. Not to say the others aren’t brilliant (cos they are!), this one just has the edge.

It’s kind of strange but Rise And Fall was the first Madness album I bought (after listening to Divine) – I bought it on Valentines Day 1994 and subsequently fell in love with Madness…. coincedence? I think not! It’s a superb album – just perfect. :)

Yvette Reader

 

Well it’s taken me nearly a week to decide, but it’s got to be Absolutely.With classic tracks like Not Home Today, In The Rain and Disappear to mention only a few. This album is a must for anybody’s collection let alone us Madness fans.

Jason Nash

 

My favourite Madness album is, without doubt, “Keep Moving”.

Reasons:

Firstly I think it is the strongest collection of songs Madness ever put together. As much as seven of the twelve tracks could easily have been singles (IMHO), so it’s a bit of a travesty that only two of them were released.

Secondly, I think it’s the best, most crystal clear production job I can remember hearing on a record. Hats off to Langer & Winstanley for the amazing job they did. From the opening booming bass on “Keep Moving” this album just grabs you and doesn’t let you go, and in the title track, “Brand New Beat” and “Prospects” it has three of the best songs never to become singles ever! (IMHO)

Cheers,

Peter Gardner

Absolutely_ rocks; there’s no “sophomore slump” here. It’s got all the best traits of early Madness, but without some of the weak spots on _One Step Beyond…

Dave Scocca

 

This is a very difficult task. I love the Rise and Fall but my vote would have to go to Absolutely because it shows the emergence of a darker, more serious side-especially side 2. I also lovingly refer to Absolutely as the piano album (as opposed to the brass albums 7 and Rise and Fall, the strings album, Keep Moving and the crappy backing vocals Mad Not Mad-not really that crappy!)

Anyway, I love Barso’s keyboard playing and I think this is really highlighted on Absolutely…. So there you have it, but if you asked me again next week I’d probably change my mind, there’s an album to suit almost any mood.

Jenny Neish

 

Hat’s off to:

Keep Moving (Stiff release, *sans* Wings of a Dove and The Sun and The Rain, *avec* Time for Tea and Waltz Into Mischief).

The reason: KROQ 106.7 had been plugging the tunes through the airwaves for most of eighth grade, round about 1983-1984. Geffen records state-side hadn’t gotten off their collective ass and release the US version. Madness had come and gone in concert, and played tunes like Victoria Gardens, Brand New Beat, Give Me A Reason, etc., and still the only place to find it was on import.

Trouble was, I was a broke junior-high dude, and each time I had enough cash to buy the album, the local import shops were sold out of the Stiff release. So here’s the happy ending: My lovely sister, Tiare, took a school trip to England the summer of 1984. She knew of my self-imposed torment, and as soon as she stepped off the plane at LAX, she handed me my very own copy of Keep Moving. Ambrosia isn’t so sweet! :^)

In the grand tradition of iron, though, Geffen release the US version of Keep Moving two weeks later. However, it didn’t include WIM or TFT, so I was doubly jazzed/stoked/relieved that I had the Stiff release, too.

So now for more esoteric reasons for casting my vote with Keep Moving. In the years since, I’ve come to realize that this was the pinnacle of Madness’ musical genius. The album retains the Nutty sound of the earlier albums, but also takes on the more “mature” lyrics and music of the later material. I remember reading in Twist an article promoting Keep Moving (by Chas and Suggs), which at the same time laments the leaving of Mike Barson. The quote that comes to mind from this article was, “We all knew Mike was leaving after the album was done, and we all went into it with the goal of making the best album Madness had ever done.”

Well, mon amis, it shows. Album cuts like Prospects, Give Me A Reason, Victoria Gardens, and not to mention the singles Michael Caine and One Better Day (Wings of a Dove and The Sun and the Rain could be included here, too) were such radical departures from the norm of Madness that the album still leaves me floored. They show such a range of style and a depth of layering and arrangement, with strong, dreamy lyrics to tie it all together, that to ignore this album would be a crime against humanity.

So there you go. Keep Moving gets my nod. Enjoy!

Steve

 

[13]

CLOSING WORDS

 

Many thanks to all who contributed to this issue, including;

Suggsylia, Yvette Reader, Paul Girling, Ashley, Kevin Tizzard, Richard, Steve, Alex Ingram, Simon Roberts, Alan Redpath, and All who voted and wrote reviews for the Madpoll section.

Cheers!!!

Next month Madstock IV fever should reach its zenith. As the June issue is released onto an unsuspecting world we’ll have just over a week to go before the big day!!

News just in is that a special Madness Mailing List Meet t-shirt has just been put into production. Adrian Burns is the chap behind the design, and let me tell you – it looks superb! Hopefully if everything goes according to plan, we’ll be able to get a few t-shirts out this week with more to follow.

Time is short, but Adrian and myself will do our very best in supplying a t-shit to all Mailing List Maddies who are going to Madstock and who want a shirt. Prices are unknown at this point, but they’re expected to be no more than five pounds! More news as and when we get it.

See you on the list!

 

Stay nutty,

Robert Hazelby (Madness Mailing List Maintainer)

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