Hello.

This week we review The Magic Line by The Magic Brothers in full, as our feature.

Here’s the video for the single, which is out now.  Pre order the album and more at the links in our Buy It section.

And we also give a brief band or DJ guide to The House of Fun Weekender line up that announced this week packed with stuff to hear and see this November.

Enjoy the Paris gig if you are going, the French MIS and our own Paul Rodgers are out that way.
If you are thinking more of the Northants gig, (“First time in my local area!” Jon ) you can win tickets by liking this bar/cafe page on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheBusStop As well as a competition over on Madness.co.uk

On with the news, dive in…

Enjoy the read,
Jon Young, Liz Hazelby, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts

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

September 15th Rockhal, Belval, Luxembourg
September 16th L’Olympia, Paris, France
September 22nd Northants CCC, UK
September 28th Alexandra Palace, London, UK

October 12th Esprit Arena, Duesseldorf, Germany

November 22nd – 25th House Of Fun Weekender, Minehead, UK

December 31st – Dublin New Years Eve gig.

For tickets see links via: www.madness.co.uk

Suggs Live

Suggs My Life Story, the West End of London December Run.

http://www.nimaxtheatres.com/garrick-theatre/suggs_my_life_story_in_words_and_music

December 1st     – Garrick Theatre, London’s West End.
December 8th     – Garrick Theatre, London’s West End.
December 15th  – Garrick Theatre, London’s West End.
December 22nd  – Garrick Theatre, London’s West End.

The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra

October 2nd Brighton, Concorde 2
October 3rd Cardiff, Globe
October 4th St Albans, Arena
October 5th Norwich, Waterfront
October 18th Ipswich, Corn Exchange
October 25th Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
October 31st (Halloween)  Jazz Cafe, Camden Town.

November 1st, Komedia, Bath
November 8th, headlining the Friday of Specialized, The Big One 2, Parkdean, Sandford, Dorset

See ticket links via: www.ltso.mis-online.net

Near Jazz Experience

September 21st The Stag’s head. 55 Orsman Road London. 8pm. £5 plus support from Tuner & DJ’s

Deaf School

Saturday, 19th October, Liverpool, East Village Arts Club
Thursday 24th October, Jazz Café, Camden Town, Book Launch

More info at: http://deafschoolmusic.com

BUY IT

If money’s currently burning a hole in your pocket then perhaps we can help with your dilemma.

New. Pre-Order The Magic Line Album. Signed. T-shirt packages and Deluxe edition.

http://www.magicbrothers.com/topspin-store/all/

A range of Magic Brothers T-shirts, Polo Shirts are now available to buy. The CD album is available via Amazon and the download via I tunes contains an interview with Phil Jupitus talking to Woody about the album. But if you buy the album via the official band site you can choose a signed option or bundle.

If you’ve a spare £75 and are really into the magic. Then there are 25 packs going fast that include all of this….

The Magic Line Collectors Pack – Limited Edition of 25 includes; The Magic Line Signed CD Album. The Magic Line Digital Download. The Magic Line T Shirt. Woodys Drumsticks Signed. Nicks Guitar Paick Signed. Copy of Album Lyrics. “Thank You” Phone Call From Woody & Nick. Physical items ship 30th September. Downloads available 30th September.

Our thanks go to Paul Smart.

The Blockheads Three Video Kickstarter

This project is to help fund three music videos as part of the band’s forthcoming new album and single releases.

Backing benefits include a thank you video from the band, signed photos, badges, a signed CD album, T-Shirt, stickers, video appearance, guest passes and more.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/therealblockheads/blockheads-music-video-campaign?ref=live

Pre-Order Available – Take it or Leave it Re-release With Soundtrack CD

Following the sell-out of the Gogglebox box set, the Madness movie has been sadly unavailable. From October 7th it’s back, thanks to those lovely people at Salvo sound and vision.

This is being re-released for the first time with a nearly complete soundtrack CD of all the tracks from the movie, including a couple of old rock and roll numbers by the original artists. Namely Fat’s Domino, and The Four Tops, along with all of  Madness’s tracks which are heard throughout the movie.
There’s new packaging for this re-release which will be available from music stores and online outlets, for under a tenner. This release also and contains a booklet containing information about the film.

Mad Not Mad Fanzine – Summer 2013 Edition

Reviewed in issue 743 of the MIS, this latest edition of Ian Taylor’s Madness/Ska-zine spans a whopping 70 plus pages and features a CD covermount in the form of “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”, by Too Many Crooks.

Priced at a mere £5 delivered (for UK readers. Those oversees will need to check), this is amazing value for money and is absolutely bursting with content.

For order enquiries and more information, you can contact Ian Taylor of Mad Not Mad at bige70@blueyonder.co.uk

Hopefully, the bigger response Ian gets the less of a wait we’ll have until the next issue surfaces!

MIS FEATURE

A TRIP ON THE MAGIC LINE – WOODGATE BROTHERS ALBUM REVIEW

“Hi. We thought you might like to hear this” read my email earlier this year, as the man behind The Magic Brothers website introduced himself for the first time, and started to fill MIS in on some of the bands plans for promotion and release of their début solo album. I was sat on the platform of my local train station, heading off to some event or other and there, on my phone with my headphones in, I listened to the track “The Magic Line” for the first time. It just so happens it’s an instrumental opus, about a different train station or two. It depicts a different era. The 70’s. As the ambient noises flooded my ears I was impressed with the atmospherics and equally baffled as my own train arrived into the station and I really didn’t know what era I was sitting in! I could have fallen through a Harry Potter like platform 7 and ½ perhaps right there and then and found myself in the land of The Magic Brothers. Perhaps you dear reader would like to do that too. As somewhere between that old Norton Folgate and the Small World know as OOSSJJDD, there is a wonderful place if you keep moving past abbey road under the cover of the shadows of the dark side of the moon, you can grab a ticket for gospel oak and take a trip on The Magic Line. It’s a side line of equally well crafted and greatly written tunes that any fan of the wider fuller travelled Madness catalogue might enjoy, and equally it’s got some brand new and different scenery to take in too.

Always Be With You.

Press play, and Woody counts in 1 2 3 4.

The earlier to mid period Beatles influence is present in this simple song, lyrically declaring devotion.  I’m reminded of a Rutles tune infact called “I must be in love” that starts similar to my ear, just on the opening lines.  Sometimes La La La is all you need to infect your head with the need to sing a tune, and this track has it. Opening with  Woody’s drum count intro, is a nice touch, drum counts are normally cut from final album tacks, but here it’s a declaration of his presence on the album, his vocals appearing on the work, even though he’s not the singer, his brother and wife cover that throughout this album. The brass arrangements and one of many guitar solo’s from Nick feature and set out the sound. “One thing that is true. I will always be with you.” You can sing that to anyone you love in this world, classically boy meets girl is a recipe for a billion songs, but given the set up of this band, it’s just as appropriate to see it as about family I think. Later a phone call message will start a song too and it’s clear the character of the brotherly team is set there in those moments, as it is the music and as clear as it’s been in the promotion and photography thus far.

Down Town

“I’m going down to the place that I live down town

There’s a place that we can always know
Hold me closer never let me go”

So, No! it’s not that Dusty Springfield cover song! All the tunes are originals written by the brothers on this whole album. We are going down deeper and down into some kind of 70’s funk here, it’s track two and Woody’s got a drum beat with a kick to get his teeth into here, this will make a great opener if they play live, the looping intro sound arrests your attention imediately. Nicks vocals on this track have a reverb and echo effect on that works as perhaps the most suited to his voice on the album. It’s atmospheric and electric this track. They rock here. In my imagination this is what Steel Erection would have sounded like when the brothers first started but here’ it’s polished with brass, and clean for a record as opposed to trashy young and punk, but has the same thrust to it. Let’s go Downtown. Car windows down, music up.

You Dont Have To Hide Your Love Away.

Looby Loo wrote back in MIS 743 in her single review of the guitar work on the album…

“What I really like about this song is the amazingly smooth and melodic guitar sound.  To produce this unique tone, Nick used a Custom Epiphone Gibson Les Paul guitar (which he likes to point out is tobacco-coloured).  He tells me he would turn the action down low enough to enable him to bend the strings.  Okay, this sounds far too technical for the likes of me, but it obviously has the desired effect reflecting the overall theme and background behind the song effortlessly.

The guitar solo is short, but it’s also very sweet.  Whilst I appreciate the time constraints involved with a single, I would have loved to hear a lengthier solo.  As a lifelong and somewhat obsessive fan of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, the similarities between his and Nick’s playing style are clearly apparent.  It’s a joy for me to hear that distinctive sound in the subtle chord changes. “

For me, I agree with her about the beautiful guitar sounds through out this album. Moving on Woody’s wife’s vocal backing, especially on the line “in her head all day” is the most beautifully haunting sound, it’s like the quality of silk, and reminds me of Kirsty Maccoll here, ive been a fan of Soibhan since the backing of Small world on the last Madness album. While Nick’s vocals are lead on the album, as is the right of any singer song writer to approach tracks that way in their voice, and it’s a new voice to get used to for most listeners coming in to this album, one that is top of it’s natural ability on The Magic Line, in conveying the emotion written so personally and beautifully on these songs, but it’s not a voice with a wide singing range or vocal talent that in isolation would score in the upper end of peoples ratings, he’s a bit more a man in the sort of Billy Bragg or Ian Dury sing your song in your voice kind of school, while writing songs his approach is more Paul McCartney or Brian Wilson in their singing style, and so the sound is enhanced by having that 2nd voice to mix with on some tracks on this album.  It’s a bitter-sweet masterpiece of a song that Madness are fools to have let go if this track ever went through their demo listening camp for OOSSJJDD, though equally it’s not a song suited to where Suggs emotional range is either,  so perhaps they are wiser to have spotted it’s grandeur chorus.   It’s verses are better than Eleanor Rigby, as they add depth to the idea of a lonely woman, who in this tale has had a chance but it’s sailed, the happy past is contrasted to the lonely present, where as the chorus and the lesson learned adds a hint of promise to the listener, this isnt you, you can have your Scrooge is redeemed Dickensian turn around moment, any time, and not be what this song is singing about.  It’s as good as NW5. Seriously. it’s a grade stuff.

Sunshine

Forgive me for jumping ahead one track. But after the moody “The River” comes the bright Sunshine track. It’s one of my favourites on the album and it’s got the next point I want to make written throughout it. Thunder and rain fxs begin here, but a quite happy bouncy waltz of a tune follows. This album being promoted alongside the charity Rethink, and the mental health issues of Nick Woodgate’s life being spoken about in interviews, in  terms of the past, and of his recovery, and the continuing management of his illness as a topic, it’s inevitable that this album might come across in print at least as if it might be made up of stories of personal trauma, a therapy of inward turrmoil, poured  out into lyrics, like a Dave Gahan drugs story informing a Depeche Mode album, or someone might come to this collection looking for such tales in the songs as a result. Sure there might be personal hidden moments about that somewhere amongst this album, and I can spot one clear reference, but Nick’s song writing however is for the most part more in The Beatles and Madness mode of drawing from life around you and making a character from places and people, being that observer, so quite a lot of it is external thinking, and predominantly it’s upbeat and happy imagery too, if forever touching. The interviews really explain the process and not the content, that the music colaboration of The Magic Brothers is a joy and that helps thinking focus, rather than these tracks being about the difficulties experienced in life all the time. On the tracks where Nick writes more personally it’s with a touching fondness of memories past and the qualities drawn from things more often than it is of any burdening feelings, the lyrics often depart wisdom too. Sunshine then is perhaps a song you’d go digging in looking for something under the surface the result of happy pills on first listen, but the song is really a smaller lament I think “things aint what they used to be” is the down part meets a bit of “be sure to smell the flowers as you pass by” wisdom, it’s just simply beautiful, and celebratory. It’s mixed with applause and kids voices and crowd FX’s and ends with nice bird song. And It’s very sing-a-long-able. If anything it’s a children’s playground or a fun day trip out into the world. Rejoice.

The River

“From the darkness to the rain
To the dirty window pain
See the people in the square
The’ve been searching everywhere “

Tranquil and mellow sounds of water begin…

Are we dealing with a lost person here? Someone is looking for something, and it’s a rainy grey day. Downbeat and orchestrated with a complex guitar line behind some of the track.  It’s quite peacful though, if it’s a sad story, this feels like a calm moment in winter. The river its self is ever flowing and ageless and what ever the human story is flows along it. This song constrasting with Sunshine which follows it works very well in sequencing. They partner each other in the Fx’s.

Through out this album the orchestration goes beyond brass and strings, into flute, piccolo, french horn, and bassoon. The flute on this track is particularly flowing and atmospheric.

Tysea Hill

A local loaction near to where Nick Woodgate lives. Nice track, but for some reason not one of my favourites, has some nice bouncing piano and bass work on it, bit bowie esque in places perhaps. It’s probably just still growing on me. It’s perhaps holds a personal resonance as a location as some of the album does mention local locations to Nick. It has a light waltzy beginning and middle and a more piano thumbing verse.

Welcome to the world

A great reggae dub intro false foots you into believing this might be a normal reggae track worthy of dubwiser or crunch perhaps, it has bounce, but it quickly turns a bit darker, it reminds me of grey day in backing. Lot of guitar solo over it though. The red rooster day in the lyrics, which even Nick has been unable to re-explain in an interview online about the album, marks this song out as lyrically abstract as late period Beatles material, whatever it is Let It be.

They Tell You

While slipping past me on most listens, this one is now starting to grip me and slide into maybe 4th or 5th place in my favourites on the albums ranking. It’s lyrically very strong and clever. The world is full of people who want to tell you what to do. Who do they think they are? Be it the stars on tv preaching, call centres, councils, instruction booklets, adverts or politicians perhaps. “They sell you to the highest bid” Musically the brass stabs, the drumming beat and the changes and spaces are all perfect fanfares to the noisy people in your life, and the need to escape them. It’s a happy little march of a tune. Vocally it’s all most spoken at times, which works well, Nick sounding like the only sane voice of wisdom in a world full of people’s crazy rules they are applying to you, us, all. It’s an anthem to the modern middle aged man who knows their common sense is better than the worlds nonsense. It’s brilliant it’s totally brilliant.

“They tell you it’s the latest sound.” Of course you shouldn’t believe me telling you this. You
should hear it for yourself after all it’s about your own mind!!!

“why dont you try and sing this silly little song.” But hey it’s not as if a lyricist knows everything that’s right about this world you know!!!! The whole commentary folds inwards thus. Love it.

The Magic Brothers part 2

All you really need to know about this track, possibly my favourite along with the single. Is that Woody and Nick cried when they heard the finished track. God it’s that good. The most personal and summing up track on the whole project. It’s fantastic. Again family love comes back from the opening track’s theme. Lines like “if you’re lucky da da’s home” and “talking to myself to help my mental health” add in rich parts of the true family history past with both a longing and a deep affection too. “The football in the park” and the small swirling organ sound add a hint of classic Madness feel into the song. Could never have been a Madness song though, cus it’s just too personal it has to be Nick singing this no one else has lived it, it’s a lived song, orchestrated it pulls at the heart strings. But then just as the song is ending it changes and becomes an anthem to the arrival of the current brothers band. It’s like a super hero tv theme song. “Magic Brothers here today.” The best guitar solo on the album, is right at the end. It fades too early, dam it!!! 12” mix now please. or part 3? The part two comes from a previous track called magic brothers appearing on a previous Nick Woodgate solo album. In fact I think there might have been two previous tracks with a similar part of this music in or title on previous albums. It’s nothing short of quintessential for all our readers this track.

Smile

The last two vocal tracks from the 12 are a bit album filler for me, just in that way that you never quite sometimes get through some albums all the way. They perhaps dont stand out enough to my ear. This next one is quite similar in the middle at least to track 7. It’s perhaps about the need for comfort, and the struggle of losing that which makes you smile. There is a twisted guitar noise in there that sounds a bit like human crying at one point. Like most of the album, strings, drums, piano, are all orchestrated quite perfectly.

Frank

Has an almost oriental beginning, nice keyboard sounds. A local tale of talking to your elders and taking their knowledge on the matters of life. Some nice keyboard sounds. Frank is a treasure. Over all the 11 vocal tracks all hold together in a great overbidding sound the band have created together.

THE MAGIC LINE

They slightly missed a trick perhaps by not bookending the album with this final instrumental track. The journey beginning as an opening sounding piece, “ticket please” then ending with a reprise version of the longer track as the final piece perhaps. Either way you can listen that way should you wish when you buy the album and see what you think. My journey on the Magic Line that began at that train station, that day, and a first listen, followed into some attempts to promote the album, with radio questions, more chats with the men behind the scenes, competition, and then a mad meet idea. Until one day in my junk mail folder of all places I found a direct message from Woody “give me a ring, I’ll answer the questions” it simply said. And so I found myself excitedly on the phone organising a little Camden meet up, in celebration of this albums release, next week at The Dublin Castle, getting this CD installed into the pub’s jukebox, and chatting about the album, including it’s title track. We will begin our day slightly south of the pub because there overhead runs The Magic Line which this album is named after. Camden Town To Gospel Oak explains Woody, is where the brothers used to train ride to school, back in the 70’s. The ambient train sounds on this track and even the fire engine are era authentic sounds. He went on to explain the fire at Kentish Town west station that the track incorporates into its sound narrative.

“I never knew why it was called The Magic line, just everyone called it that and we used to travel it all the time, as school kids, and even when Madness was starting that line connected up where most of us lived at the start of the band.” Woody told me, “Then for some other reason I was on that train line recently on a journey for some reason and I happened across an old train guard working on the line, and asked why it had always had that nick name back in the day?”

“Because no one ever used to buy a ticket!” The train guard replied, said Woody with a chuckle.

So that last track completes the album nicely in a soundtracky kind of mode, making a fitting package on which to hang the sound art of this album. A journey of childhood 70’s. Beyond this last track. This idea is in other lyrics and the influences of the music. Over all, as the album itself manages to convey through it’s childhood photo art, and then the train line image on the reverse of the two brothers walking on the tracks, it’s been a journey of two men in their fifties looking back at how far they have come. (We dont recommend walking on train lines by the way!!! and neither do the magic brothers ha ha!!! makes a really great photo though when its a disused line!) The ride is a loop in many ways a journey of the brothers once playing in bands together long ago, and now returning to complete the potential that that partnership always had. That Journey is now complete. “We are here.” Well. What It actually is, is it’s ready to board. Get yourself a ticket. September the 30th buy your ears a trip on The Magic Line.

Further Magic Brothers Timetables will be forthcoming in the future. Check the station for details.
http://www.magicbrothers.com/

Jonathan Young

After he purchased one of the £75 deluxe bundles from The Magic Brothers website, we sent MIS subscriber Rob Kasimer a couple of tracks to preview the album and see if he liked what he was hearing…

“I tried to put some review on the songs which you send me.. It`s a bit hard to translate it in English.
Cheers from The Netherlands
Rob

Here is a review fot the two songs The River and Magic Brothers pt 2.  I had the opportunity  to listen to two of the songs of the forthcoming album The Magic Line by the Woodgate Brothers ( Magic Brothers)

The first track which I have listened to was The River.. Track  no 7 on the forthcoming album.  After a few times of listening to this track, it got me.  I putted my headphone on and closed my eyes. It took me to a river,  with running water and piano. Then the sound of the piano, mixing with guitar and straight drums. I play the drums too and like straight drumming. The first time when I heard this song, I had to take some getting used to. But what I wrote before, after a few replays, it got me.. It`s a very melodic song with   a catchy chorus, Nick`s great voice and guitar play and a lovely flute.  I personally think it has some Beatles/ Graham Gouldham  influences.

Take me down to the river, Where I Iay my soul..

The second track, Magic Brothers part two, the third track on the album (Rob review here is going from a listing on amazon for the download which features a different track order), is a lovely slow motion track.. Easy listening, beginning with an organ and drums.. It`s a different song than The River but very nice indeed..   It gives me a calm feeling..  Again with Nick`s great voice and a sweet organ sound. After 3 minutes, with a fill in for drums and a guitar solo, the song ends in an uptempo.. Really like that..   Magic Brothers prt 2 is a song with different instruments working together.. with  nice guitar chords.

Oke, it`s very different than  Madness, but I personally think this is a great cd with lovely songs on it..
I`m looking forward to it.. With the single You don`t have to hide your love away, and the songs above, it will be a great cd…

It`s a pity that the Track Do what you wanna do, didn`t made the album..  I love that song…  It`s available as a free download
on their website, which is very nice. ( for more information :http://www.magicbrothers.com/ )

If you decide to buy this album on cd or download, I think you won`t be disappointed..

Rob K

I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN

This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back 5 years to issue 489, and the week of Sunday 14th September to Saturday 20th September 2008, and then back 10 years to issue 227 and the week of Sunday 14th September to Saturday 20th September 2003.

5 years ago…

Issue 489 – Sunday 14th September to Saturday 20th September 2008

We kicked off this week’s issue with an MIS exclusive. On 17th September at London’s 100 Club, a very exciting event was due to take place, for it was the live debut of a group of  extremely talented musicians, who together back in the Summer of last year formed a band called The Dance Brigade.

The MIS caught up with singer/songwriter Jennie former lead singer of 80’s all-girl group The Bellestars) to talk about her career so far, her current collaboration with Madness saxophonist Lee Thompson and how she felt about the up and coming live debut of her latest project The Dance Brigade.

Next, and we’d covered its run in London’s West End, Japanese and current UK touring incarnations in much depth, but we now learned that last year an Australian production of the Our House musical had taken place in Perth.
For a three day run, the Entertainment Factory had showcased a version which took place on the 15th, 16th and 17th of March.

From the little detail that existed about this incarnation we understood that it may have been performed as the final workshop theatre project of a group of theatre students as their final exam piece, culminating their studies in a musical theatre qualification of some kind. As such it was probably the most scaled down prop and set version of the show ever to be performed for an audience. But equally was probably performed rather excellently by a group of young people utilising their recently honed skills.

The majority of this issue was packed to the rafters with Paul Muscat’s Madchart, which this year took us from positions 60 all the way down to number 11, with a new entry at 11 of NW5. Impressive stuff.

10 years ago…

Issue 227 – Sunday 14th September to Saturday 20th September 2003.

With the UK in the midst of a September heatwave, news was unsurprisingly a little thin on the ground.
This issue started off with news of a Madness fansite closure. Normally this sort of thing would only benefit from a passing footnote, but when it was up to the standard of Steve Harris’ madness.info web site, it really was a noteable item of news.

Maintained by long-time Madness fan Steve Harris, `Madness.info` tried and succeeded in doing something different with a Madness fan site. The site was nice to look at, and full of information (as are the majority of other Madness fan sites out there), but where the site stood head and shoulders above the others was its massive video download library.

Steve had encoded and uploaded entire concerts, TV appearances, and even TV adverts that featured Madness or the music of Madness. The site gave people the opportunity to see footage they otherwise may never have had the chance to see.

The message on the web site bluntly read;

“This website has now closed. We have not taken this decision lightly, and know that there will be many disappointed fans who regularly visited the site, but we now feel it is time to move onto other things and the website has run it’s course.

We thank you for your support over the past few years and for your kind comments”.
Moving on, and we had much happier news courtesy of Jonathan Young, who reported that recently released boules related comedy ‘Behind The Blackball’ featured non other than The Return of The Los Palmas 7 as part of it’s soundtrack.

With news still rather thin on the ground we decided to once again take a look at what the Madness tribute bands had lined up for the months of September and October. This time we looked at One Step Behind, Badness, and Los Palmas 6.

This issue closed with a final reminder that the Great Yarmouth Madness Weekender was a mere two weeks away, and that if you wanted to come you needed to get your skates on.

Rob Hazelby

HOUSE OF FUN – LINE UP ANNOUNCED

The House of Fun Weekender Line up was announced this week, the packed line up boast over 30 bands/singers and DJ acts, more than this time last year had been announced. Here’s our shorthand guide to who’s what….

BANDS / SINGERS

MADNESS
Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra. (Playing on the Sunday again)
Deano – The guy from the rifles, who’s been on Suggs solo touring show. Acoustic mod music and more.
Little Roy – Bob marely era Jamaican reggae star – Presenting his 2011 album, covers of Nirvana songs in reggae style.
Gentleman’s dub club – Current dub reggae band from Leeds.
Dennis Alcapone – 70’s reggae singer star (though he’s DJ’s as well)
Buster Shuffle – London indie pop ska band
The Skints – East London reggae band
The Talks – Ska and reggae band with punk, from Yorkshire
Dean Parish – Vintage era American northern soul singer, forgotten star, rediscovered in the last decade.
Jeremiah Ferrari – Roots reggae rock band from near Manchester
Tommy Hunt – American northern soul singer
Gorgeous George – South London acoustic, gypsy music meets the streets lyrics attitude.
Bullet Proof Bomb – current young london indie band, bit of that folk pop thing going on.
Smoove and Turrell – Funk band from the north. (or could be funk DJ’s as it says soundsystem on the poster)
MIS Presents  Indeed – French band, laid back chill pop music in english vocals.
MIS Presents  The Inflatables. – Oxford bases reggae covers bands.

————————————-

MIS top tip…

Prince Fatty (Mike Pelaconi producer of the ska orchestra album, as DJ plays his own produced records
ska funk and soundtrack, had a hit album with hollie cooke recently) Featuring Horseman – Live vocal MC

OTHER DJ ACTS

Craig Charles – Funk and Soul DJ (And Smeghead )
Adam Prescott – Reggae Dub DJ
Russ winstanley – Northern Soul DJ Presenting a record label named after historic disco venue.
Reggae Roast – London Dub reggae DJ’s
Channel One – Notting hill – dub reggae DJ’s
Rootikill DJ’s- Dub Reggae DJs – Oxman – Vocal MC
Vibration Lab – Dub Reggae DJ’s london
Natty Bo – Ska and reggae with a cuban latin world music mix DJ.
Darren Bennett – Classic pop, R and B soul Reggae DJ
Mr Happy – DJ (children’s entertainer, in his evening party mode.)
The Cuban Brothers – Night Club spoof dance act.
MIS presents – DJ’s Owen collins, from student radio. Mr Scurf from North East community radio, MIS podcaster presenters and new comers.
Playing Madness tunes, nutty tunes, and pop music beyond.

————————————————- Other and Novelty stuff.

Musical Bingo – Bingo with songs on cards.
Silent disco – headphone based dance floor antics
Comedy & Films To be announced. (Last year comedians were announced later on a separate poster)
Squeaky hill – Street theatre performance people
DJ wheelie bag – sort of roaming entertainer
Bring and share – A disco where you give them the music to play.
Face painting. And More* * See half/man half/biscuit song A Fun day in the park for information.
Fancy Dress. Song titles.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Various articles that have caught our eye over the past week or so…

Madness and Dublin – It Must be Love

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/madness-and-dublin-it-must-be-love-29560002.html

“Can you imagine it? Madness on New Year’s Eve in Dublin? Even Flann Obrien would baulk at that one!” laughs Suggs in an interview with the Irish Independent. “I don’t know what it is about Dublin. I remember we played the Olympic Ballroom in 1979 and people were throwing themselves from the balcony. The people of Dublin seem to get it right when they come to see us. There’s a mutual understanding of what life’s all about.”

TWEETS OF A DOVE

Various posts on Twitter, Facebook or official band blogs that have caught our eye over the past week or so…

Woody.

Phil Jupitus and I talk all things Magic Brothers and The Magic Line. For an interview as an extra track for the album available on the i tunes version.

Carl

On his Cathal Mo Chroi page he wrote a poem to this weekends gig, ending “up market busking nothing like it.”

While on his more regular Chas page carl wrote about a possible book idea…

So much has been going on since Blackpool. its rather difficult to figure where to begin. I will just have to put it in the book. Having had a squint at Sugg’s up and coming epic I have come to the conclusion that its time for me to put pen to paper. So I will start to pick the correct quills, sharpen them to the suitable and required points, mix and blend my ink and select the proper paper, for it shall be written in ink and on paper. Suggested title please? A gobstopper to the winning title ( if it is used ) Suffice it to say that at present. I am getting the voice in good order for the forthcoming shows, its Rotterdam, Luxembourg & Paris or bust! with friends to see, songs to sing and good company to keep. Lets cross our fingers, make a wish and with a little bit of luck and the sufficient pile of spondoolicks we might have the pleasure of Mr Wheeze & his Electric Banana…..

do come along, be merry and skank for joy x

love
laughter
&
lunatics

Chas
x

Bedders.

RIP Ray Dolby, audio noise reduction pioneer. I think a moments silence might be apt?

Posting about Gil Scot Heron Mark said..

We were lucky enough to be on the same bill has him at festivals during the 80s. Good band behind him – always great.

TIME…

This week we’ve made a few adjustments to our MIS Presents show, for the Sunday of The House of Fun Weekender. Sadly The band Shut Up can no longer make it, but Andy Keys Clark guest of The Live Koast Train Broadcast will be performing a couple of numbers, and we’ve small sporadic appearances by the compact toogood orchestra, and a guest appearance on a track by Darren Fordham from The Ska Orchestra included in the varied Sunday show.

https://www.facebook.com/events/661809580496133

Our Gladness competition has now closed and the names of the elephants are with Mark Bedford. A shortlist of 15 is being scribbled on and crossed out as we speak until a name is given. Come back soon. winners will be notified.

Vince Carden. Ally Pally Ticket Spares.

Tickets for Ally Pally are nearly £42.35 including fees if you book through Ticketmaster. Vince Carden has a couple that he will sell for £38 each so a saving of a few quid if you are interested. It is first come first served via payment by paypal (not payment on the day). Email Vince at vincecarden@yahoo.co.uk to check that there is one still available. You will have to collect your ticket from Vince on the day either at the Dublin Castle between 12 and 1pm or at the venue. He will give you his mobile number to make arrangements.

We leave you with this solo piano video from Louis Vause. A track from his forthcoming solo album
Midnight in Havanna.

See you all next week.

Why not take a visit to like this wonderful page that’s devoted to the old magazine Flexipop from the 80’s. That once contained Madness. They are currently doing their 10 tops of the 80’s It’s excellent stuff. They have even published banned photo stories from the magazine on their website.

https://www.facebook.com/Flexipopmag

Simon Roberts, Jon Young, Liz Hazelby, Rob Hazelby

(With thanks to Vince Carden and Paul Smart)

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YOU DONT HAVE TO HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY

All she does is sit alone and wonders where it went wrong
All she has is a photograph of a man who sang he love songs
Lives alone with her memories and her feelings pushed down under
Sits alone in her head all day, but no one cares, no one does

You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away

Once her house was full of joy, and the streets would ring with laughter
No one lives here anymore, and there’s no one to look after
Pride of passion, war of words, if she could understand how
She could have her time again, she wouldn’t hide her love now

You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away

You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away
You dont have to hide your love away