We’re only a couple of weeks into the new year and already we’re seeing new dates being added to the Showtimes section of the MIS.

This week we bring news of four new May dates to Suggs’ 2014 tour, and also details of the first Near Jazz Experience gig of the year.

We have no doubt that this section will receive numerous additions over the coming year so make sure to keep an eye on it.

Moving on, and we urge you to tune in to www.koastradio.co.uk on Wednesday 15th January. Why? Well, from 8pm long time MIS subscriber Lee Swandale will be staging a takeover.

Fresh from his skanking audience appearance on Jool Holland’s Hootenanny, Lee will be hosting the long running Koast Train Ska Radio show for just one week. Lee, who is the web site developer and maintainer Crunch! Online will be speaking to Lee Thompson on the phone. We’re also promised a much smattering of Crunch! and Madness, plus an exclusive track. Something live from the Ska orchestra is promised. Tune in.

Along with all this the usual podcast will take place after next week’s broadcast.

Check out http://www.koastradio.co.uk

Now, let’s get this issuer underway.

Enjoy the read,

Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams

SHOWTIMES

See below for all forthcoming Madness and Madness related gigs and events. If there’s something we’ve missed off or you feel should be added then please let us know.

Madness

July 13th, 2014 Festival Musilac, France http://www.musilac.com/

November 21st – 24th 2014 – Minehead – Earlybird tickets can be ordered here: http://www.bigweekends.com/splash-pages/madness2014.aspx

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

Suggs Live

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

December 22nd  – Garrick Theatre, London’s West End.

April 2014

2nd – Newbury Corn Exchange
3rd – Loughborough Town Hall
4th – Wakefield Theatre Royal
5th – Southport The Atkinson Theatre
6th – Runcorn The Brindley
8th – Mansfield Palace Theatre
9th – Stamford Corn Exchange
11th – Isle of Wight Shaklin Theatre
12th – Aldershot Princes Hall
13th – Wimborne Tivoli Theatre
15th – Bury St Edmonds The Apex
16th – Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall
17th – Stroud Subscription Rooms
22nd – Chelmsford Civic Theatre
23rd – Stevenage Gordon Craig Theatre
24th – Redditch Palace Theatre
25th – Malvern Forum Theatre
26th – Margate Winter Gardens
27th – Northampton Derngate
29th – Bolton Albert Halls
30th – Darlington Civic Theatre

May 2014

1st – Newark Palace Theatre
2nd – Redhill Harlequin Theatre
3rd – Watford Colosseum
4th – Yeovil Octagon Theatre
10th – DUBLIN Olympia Theatre
13th – Harlow Playhouse
14th – Lowestoft Marina Theatre
16th – Leamington Royal Spa Centre
17th – Jersey Opera House
*** NEW *** 19th – Milton Keynes The Stables
*** NEW *** 20th – Winchester Theatre Royal
*** NEW *** 21st – Epsom Playhouse
*** NEW *** 22nd – Kettering Lighthouse Theatre

Suggs and Friends

The charity fund raising evening “Suggs and Friends” makes a welcome return this coming March.  The 2014 fundraiser takes place on March 20th at 6.30pm, with champagne reception and auction.

The £150 donation tickets for pancreatic cancer gain entry to the Porchester Hall event in London W2. There’s no announcement yet as to who is joining Suggs at the exclusive event.

Roger Daltrey has been added to the line-up of this evening.

The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra

There are early rumours of a number of Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra gigs that may be taking place around March, around the time of their single release

Southend has been mentioned, but we’ll have more concrete information on any gigs once they are officially confirmed and announced.

Keep an eye on: www.ltso.mis-online.net

Deaf School

No further gigs or events at present. Keep an eye on http://deafschoolmusic.com for more information.

Near Jazz Experience

The NJE play their first show of the year with support from the fragrant Jesus’ Boyfriend, and a DJ set from Barry James.

*** NEW *** 14th January – indo. Pub. 133 White chapel rd.  9pm till late. Free.

BUY IT

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

The Specialized EP  Featuring Lee Thompson

A 4 track vinyl EP featuring Lee’s track from the first specialized album and tracks by the Valves, Rhoda Dakar and Nick Welsh.

Should be in stock this coming week.

Thanks go to Chuck Wren and Jump Up Records, Stan from A&R Texas (pressing plant), and Mike Schneider of Indigo Iguana (design).

LOOK SO GOOD YA COULD LICK EM…. Will be available via

www.specializedproject.co.uk

The Specialized Big One 2. Live DVD.

For those wanting a copy of the DVD of the Big One 2 event we can reveal that you can now pre-order your copy. This will be limited edition and available into the new year. As is the normal spec with Specialized, all proceeds go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Welcome to Specialized Project official website

LTSO, Bangarang, Featuring Dawn Penn

Single release date mid February.

The Magic Line Album * Out Now! *

Signed T-shirt packages and a 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 iTunes 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.

Our thanks go to Paul Smart for the above

Suggs “The Close” Signed Book

Suggs is one of pop music’s most enduring and likeable figures. Written with the assured style and wit of a natural raconteur, this hugely entertaining and insightful autobiography takes you from his colourful early life on a North London council estate, through the heady early days of Punk and 2-Tone, to the eighties, where Madness became the biggest selling singles band of the decade. Along the way he tells you what it’s like to grow up in sixties Soho, go globetrotting with your best mates, to make a dead pigeon fly and cause an earthquake in Finsbury Park.

Suggs is a singer, songwriter, DJ, actor and TV presenter. He is perhaps best known as lead singer with Madness, who have had 24 top-twenty hits and continue to tour. Suggs lives in Camden, London.

– Features unseen and exclusive lyrics.
- 352 pages.
- Hardback.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/search.html?term=suggs

Louis Vause – Midnight in Havana

“Oh dear. I’m alive..!” Pianist Louis Vause has always said that his albums are “Gouged out of him by circumstance” but his third album ‘Midnight In Havana’really is a case in point.

Recorded as a valedictory set, a swansong if you like, after he was told that the onset of cancer meant that he had mere months to live, the completion of the work coincided with his liver transplant and the all clear. He was in the pink. The same could not be said for his credit cards which had covered Louis’ uncharacteristically cavalier spending on recording costs.

http://www.cadizmusic.com/2007/index.php?location=/web/Catalogue/CADIZCD119

Mark Adamson of the Deaf School Website gives us an exclusive quote or two from Suggs, on the forthcoming Deaf School Book.

Deaf School – the story is told at last!

“For me, the gigs Deaf School have done recently have been some of the best I’ve seen by any band.”

So writes Suggs in his foreword to a book, published this month amid a flurry of Deaf School gigs and other Book Launch events, charting the creation and career of a band that influenced so many artists that followed – and that still fills venues 40 years after their debut at the Liverpool School of Art Christmas Dance.

Deaf School had a huge impact on Madness (Suggs: “Back in my youth I met some characters who were a right bunch, but what we had in common was that we loved Deaf School.”) – not least, of course, because guitarist Clive Langer’s became Madness producer and because Suggs married Deaf School singer Bette Bright!

Written by leading rock music writer, author and broadcaster Paul du Noyer, a lifetime Deaf School fan, Deaf School: The Non-Stop Pop Art Punk Rock Party, is published later this month by the Liverpool University Press, priced at £14.99. Accompanying the publication of the book is a Deaf School exhibition, featuring original art works by band members, posters, photos, rare films of live performances, band stage costumes and much more.

The book is available from Deaf School’s website at www.deafschoolmusic.com

A MAGIC UPDATE

Thank you to everyone for all your love & support this past year.

Happy New Year, wishing you all the very best for 2014!

Love and Peace

Woody & Nick x

On the Next Magic Brothers Album project… The earliest foundations are going down…

The hours go racing by when I’m editing, and mixing my drum tracks

Drums are done now. Just got to record everything else. Early days. Sounding great already

Finished in the studio. 15 brand new songs. Drums done, just percussion, bass, strings, piano, brass, guitars, and vocals to go.

Album update. Drums all sorted & sounding great. Next job, send Mike Kearsey the Brass & String parts. Great arranger.

The next Magic Brothers album will be called Magic Train.

—

Though we don’t think Owen from MIS will be needed in the mix…

“You don’t need a bit of thumb piano, do you? Last seen plinking alongisde Louis Vause at Butlins…(Only half-joking haha..)” Owen Collins.

“If our keyboard player hurts his thumb I’ll bare you in mind.” Magic Brothers.

Also checkout last year’s Pin head on a Stick video with Woody, from the excellent Flexipop site.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Rock Interviews

Here’s a French interview from July last year, complete with video clips.

http://www.rock-interviews.com/pageart.php?page=artistes%2FGrahamMcPherson1&id=91&lang=eng

Kix : In the past days, we used to draw graffiti a lot and Chris name was Chrissy Boy, and my name was Kix originally Kyx, and now Kix.

Suggs : Yes, we were writing on the walls and we obviously didn’t write our own names or we would get arrested, so that is how it started.

Kix : Recently my son, his nickname was Clay, it’s his middle name, he did spray art, stood next to it, took a photo and put it on Facebook…

A SPECIALIZED UPDATE

More Bands Announcing – and Even More in Our House

The Specials2 & Specialized Charitable Music Project Presents…

“SPECIALIZED 3 – MAD NOT CANCER” –

ALL PROCEEDS TO TEENAGE CANCER TRUST

www.specializedproject.co.uk

TCTCD003- Specials2 Records

Released June 23rd 2014

In 2014 phase 3 of Specialized project commences with a new album of covers by modern artists. This time, the subject can only be the musical juggernaut that is North London’s finest, MADNESS. Madness have few equals in the pop world as regards their sheer likeability and crafted songs. Their rhythms are infectious, their lyrics personal and adaptable and with the most extensive catalogue of tunes in the business.  These brilliant tracks will undoubtedly raise interest, people’s spirits and money for the charity. The album “Mad Not Cancer” is destined for release in June 2014.

From tomorrow Specialize will announce an act -a-day who will be appearing on Specialized 3! Stay tuned!

https://www.facebook.com/specialized3madnotcancer

Duff guide to ska reviews the Specialized vinyl singles (featuring Lee Thompson)

http://duffguidetoska.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/duff-review-specialized-ii-beat-teenage.html

Following on from last week news of Dave Wakeling contacting some two tone musicians for the English Beat’s cover of “Our House”, there is much more news of musicians on the project this week…

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! May I proudly announce that RHODA DAKAR, of The Bodysnatchers and Special AKA, and JENNIE MATHIAS of the Bellestars have most kindly agreed to be on our version of “Our House” for the Specialized album of Madness songs, to aid Teens with Cancer. A wonderful way to start the year!

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! The icon i am about to introduce has worn the handle Gentleman with style and grace, through years of both the Specials and General Public! HORACE PANTER will join with us on “Our House” for Specialized to Beat Teen Cancers album of Madness songs! Fantastic! Also coming up soon, more astoundingly good news about another top shelf addition you have all been waiting for! dave x
The Specials – A Message to You Rudy (Official Music Video)
www.youtube.com

ALL THE ANGELS WANT TO WEAR HIS RED SHOES!…amazing how we’ve kept in touch over the years, especially since the Facebook, and he’s always been so upful and charming. Ladies and Gentlemen, CHARLEY ANDERSON of the SELECTER will join us on “Our House” for the Specialized album of Madness toons, to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust. Here’s Charley pumping it up at the back. Thanks boss! Dave

…TORAN TAN TAN!! JON READ, trumpeter extraordinaire with the Specials, and the UPTOWN BRASS SECTION, have kindly volunteered their services on OUR HOUSE for the SPECIALIZED to BEAT TEEN CANCER album of MADNESS songs. Wonderful lads, just the powerhouse we needed ! NUESTRA CASA ES SU CASA! dave x

Amazingly, CHARLES SHAAR MURRAY has now also volunteered to join us on “”Our House” for the SPECIALIZED album of MADNESS tunes to benefit the TEENAGE CANCER TRUST! Charles says…..”” great people…great music…great cause…yah mo B there! Do ye likewise! Oh, he always had such a wonderful way with words, didn’t he?! Thank you good sir!, dave

Josh’s Story….

Visit the official website:  www.specializedproject.co.uk  to purchase the previous albums. Keep up to date with the fast moving project which will commence in March and will culminate in a 3 day festival in November at Parkdean Sandford, Dorset. PLEASE NOTE THE PROJECT IS TOTALLY NON PROFIT,  ALL MONIES RAISED GOT TO TEENAGE CANCER TRUST CHARITY. Thank you all for your continued support and hope to see old and new faces at our events

Links

Specialized Mad Not Cancer Facebook-

https://www.facebook.com/specialized3madnotcancer

Specialized Beat teenage Cancer Twitter

www.twitter.com/specializeduk1

Paul “Willo” Williams

I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN

This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back 5 years to issue 506, and the week of Sunday 11th January 2009 to Saturday 17th January 2009, and then back 10 years to issue 244 and the week of Sunday 11th January 2004 to Saturday 17th January 2004.

5 years ago…

Issue 506 – Sunday 11th January to Saturday 17th  January 2009

We got this issue off the starting blocks with the third and final part of our lookback at 2008. This week we covered the last four months of the year, completing out overview of the highs and lows of the year gone by.

Next, and those of you who’d attended the Christmas gigs would have no doubt spotted the projector screens detailing Woody’s entry into the 2009 London Marathon. Following that we’d done some digging and had managed to find his JustGiving page meaning you now had no excuse for not sponsoring him.

What we didn’t realise until the issue went out what that the sponsorship page was for a previous year’s London Marathon fundraiser, and so a swift mini issue followed where we apologized and then promised to give you the updated sponsorship information as soon as we had it.

Moving on, and in the next article we featured transcripts of two chats we originally had with Thommo at a mid year event that the band used to showcase a whole set of new Madness tracks.

The first transcript took place at The Old Ship after the rehearsal the day and before the first gig. The second interview took place the following day when Jon met up with Lee again, this time outside The Hackney Empire.

It was Madness Central news next as we took a look at the efforts of Madness fan Lee Buckley who had been keeping herself busy over the past few months and was now ready to reveal a mass of additions to the “In Print” section of their web site.

The purpose of the ‘In Print’ section was for it to become the definite online archive of all Madness and Madness related magazine and newspaper articles that the band had either appeared in through interviews, or had simply been mentioned in through such things as gig reviews.

Sadly, the site has long since closed, which is real shame as it was a wonderful resource of Madness related information.

We brought this issue to a close with the news that the next gig for North London band MOT would be taking place at Viva Viva on the High Street in Hornsey on Wednesday 14th January.

10 years ago…

Issue 244 – Sunday 11th January to Saturday 17th January 2004

It seemed as if things had started to pick up following the traditional quiet spell we usually experienced during the Christmas season.

Chris Wardell contacted us with news on his latest project, entitled Backdoor Promotions. Run from his home in Darlington, the idea behind this recently formed company was to help and promote ska music in the north east of England, by getting artists record reviews and gigs in the region.

Over the years Chris has helped the likes of Bad Manners, Chas Smash, The Selecter, Butterfield 8 and Desmond Dekker to name but a few, with concerts and press, so you could be sure that the company was in a pair of very experienced hands.

Next-up we had World Darts news in from MIS subscriber Darren Balsden. What did this have to do with Madness? Well, it turned out that darts player Darryl Fitton asked the band if it was OK for him to make his “Oche Entrance” to “One Step Beyond” and wear one of the Madness logos on his shirt at the World Championships. Chris wrote back to say he didn’t mind, but (tongue in cheek?) advised him not to tell the rest of the band in case they wanted money!

The Daily Mirror reported his antics of doing a  “Madness dance” to the oche and wearing ray band shades. Reports that he plans to leave the stage to “Yesterday’s Men” if he got knocked out were unconfirmed.

With the previous year still less than two weeks ago, we continued with our review of 2003, with the second part of our annual lookback. As testament to how much had gone on during that year, the second part of our annual review was a packed piece of writing.

Always one to have his finger on the pulse, Andrew Langmead had sent out the word only a few days earlier, to let fellow fans know that a rare showing of Feargal Sharkey on Top of The Pops would be shown on Top of The Pops 2. What was unusual about this was that Madness joined him on stage for the performance.

Five members of the band were on stage, with Carl in ‘Grey Day’ mirror like shades singing the backing vocals. Suggs wasn’t there, and Mike had left the band by this time (1984). Lee could be found in the 4-piece brass section.

Continuing on the Feargal related note was news that Mr. Sharkey had been appointed the first government music ‘czar’. The 44-year-old Londonderry man had been appointed head of the Government’s Live Music Forum, set up to safeguard the future of live music in England and Wales.

Musicians and the Government had been at loggerheads over new licensing legislation set to come into effect in England and Wales in 2005. Critics said the new legislation would have a devastating impact on the small venue live music scene. Currently, up to two people can perform in a bar without a licence. Under the new legislation every live performance would have to be licensed.

Next-up, we had a transcription of the Madness classic “Don’t Quote me on That”. Nothing out of the ordinary there, you may think, but what was different about this was that this version had originally aired as part of a Madness session from 1980, and featured different lyrics to the final official release.

We finished off this issue with a short article from Graeme Sharpe who, thanks to the aid of an out-of-print book entitled “The Complete Radio 1 Recordings”, was able to detail all of the ‘sessions’ appearances the band had made on radio 1 over the years.

Graeme commented how great it would be if the sessions that were previously unreleased were given an official release, as other bands had already had their sessions re-mastered and sold as official releases.

Rob Hazelby

A LOOKBACK AT 2013 – PART 3

In our third and final part of our lookback of the past year we take a brief saunter through the final quarter of the last part of 2013.

September

September kicked off with the news (albeit, unconfirmed) that Madness would be performing in Dublin on New Year’s Eve, helping to see in the new year. Information relating to this was initially thin on the ground, but in true MIS style we promised to keep you up to date any developments.

One thing we were able to confirm was that MIS and friends would be taking over Jak’s Nightclub on the Sunday night of the Madness Minehead Weekender. With 3 live bands and 4 DJs promised, this was shaping up to be a fantastic end to a very memorable weekend.

With the launch of his autobiography fast approaching, followed shortly after by a string of December dates in his long running “My Life Story” stand-up tour, we learned this month that Suggs had been busy working with his new web team in an effort to expand his online presence.

Already present on Twitter and Facebook, the Official Suggs web site was now being put together. At our time of reporting the web site featured only a splash screen. Now, however, http://www.suggsmcpherson.co.uk is packed full of some fantastic content.

Come mid September, and we finally learned just what the band were planning to do prior to the Ally Pally gig. Fans were told that the plans were to film an alternative version of the Our House video featuring fans. Filming, we were told, would take approximately two hours, and you must have a ticket to be able to take part.

Madness offshoot, The Magic Brothers, were also keeping themselves busy this month, and if you had a spare £75 rattling around in your wallet you may have decided to spend it on the The Magic Line Collectors Pack, a limited edition of 25 including; The Magic Line Signed CD Album, The Magic Line Digital Download, The Magic Line T Shirt, Woody’s Drumsticks Signed, Nicks Guitar Pick, Signed, Copy of Album Lyrics and a “Thank You” Phone Call From Woody & Nick. Phew!

October

The month began with the news that Suggs would be taking part in two signing sessions as part of the promotional work for his forthcoming book release. The first session was due to take place on the 31st October at Waterstones, Picadilly, London, with the follow-up session on November 10th at Newham Bookshop, Stratford, London. If you wanted to get your book signed in person rather than via a web site order then you really needed to get along to one of these evenings.

Yes, after months if not years of waiting October saw the release of Suggs’ long awaited autobiography. Spanning 352 pages, we urged you to go out and get it.

The 1st of October played host to some exciting Blockheads news as we learned that the band’s Kickstarter ended on that day and they were successful in reaching their £10,000 goal. In fact, thanks to the help of fans they achieved the lofty heights of £14,259!

What was so exciting about this? Well, it meant that the band were now able to finance the creation of three music videos as part of their forthcoming new album and single releases.

Woody and Nick (the Magic Brothers) appeared on the BBC TV show The One Show, at the start of the month, where they spoke of working together as a band, growing up, and Nick’s battle with mental health. It’s a truly moving and informative segment, and well worth 5 minutes of your time if you missed it.

The two brothers also appeared in The Mail on Sunday where the paper ran a feature about mental health in the health section. Woody and Nick were addressing the often misunderstood subject of mental health.

October was a moment for yet more Madness re-issues, as Take it or Leave it was re-released for the umpteenth time. Thankfully this wasn’t a true re-release, as this was a double disc package, with the film coming on one DVD accompanied by a CD containing the majority of music tracks featured in the flick. Paul Rodgers donned his reviewers cap and gave the new pack a rave write-up, commenting;

“Sit back, watch and listen. It’ll be a hell of a lot more fun than reading a biography of the band and it might also show the kids that the X Factor is not the only road to success. All they then have to do is decide whether to take it or leave it…”

This was also the month when Carl unveiled a new song from his debut set, alongside Joe duddell at the Number 6 festival. The track Goodbye Planet Earth was uploaded and debuted to fans on the facebook page who commented enthusiastically.

The song was a soul reacting to world events and the tale of people drifting off into space, away from a doomed planet.

Owen Collins commented at the time;

“Has a rather Paul Simon-esque quality but with a bit more darkness, reminiscent of certain facets of Ian Dury, but the strings and instrumentation sends it soaring unlike anything else I’ve ever heard. Something very special”

Suggs fans were no doubt excited towards the end of the month when it was announced that our favourite frontman would be performing a stack of dates throughout April and May, as part of his one man show.

November

November got off to a rather hilarious start as we learned that a New Kids on The Block fan had pinched the famous Blockheads logo and was then passing it off as their own creation.

What then happened was a real car crash of exchanged Tweets and Facebook messages, which eventually ended with the New Kids fan having to make a rather hasty and groveling apology to the mass of Blockheads fans who were no doubt shocked, stunned and amused in equal measures.

With the Madness Weekender mere weeks away MIS co-editor Jon Young, decided to inject some excitement into those who were going by pointing us all in the direction of the 2012 House of Fun fan film. Naturally, it wasn’t up to BBC documentary standards, but if you were planning on going to the 2013 event it would certainly help to bring back some memories or for those who were going for the first time, demonstrate just what went on.

Clearly not busy with running his own business and getting himself prepared for the Madness Weekender, Mark had managed to find time to learn to play the tuba. Learn so much in fact that he was planning to go for his grade 1 exam. With his exam in December Mark was urging us all to sponsor him for his efforts. All monies would go to the Children in Crossfire charity, an organization working mainly in Africa, promoting early childhood care and development.

On to the Madness Weekender, and while the 2013 event was still taking place we were informed that bookings for the 2014 Weekender were already being taken. Those present at the event were giving priority and slightly discounted booking rates while the general public would have to wait a before they could get their hands on tickets.

Naturally, the end of the month was filled with reviews, thoughts and opinions from fans who’d attended the Weekender, and for many the highlight of the who thing was the MIS and friends session on the Sunday evening. All being well, this will return in 2014!

December

By the start of the month the Madness Weekender was no doubt a hazy memory for those who attended, but with 2014 tickets now on sale to the general public the memories of what had gone on at the 2013 event were kept alive for just that bit longer. And, to help keep those memories alive we devoted the majority of the first December issue of the MIS to looking back at the event just gone by. The issue turned out to be so large that the MIS mail server asked us to authorise the mailout as it errored due to the message size!

For those looking for a last minute Christmas present or for items to add to their seasonal wants list, the second December issue of the MIS had a mass of items that you’d certainly want to rip the wrapping paper off of on Christmas morning. The newest of these items were the Specialized EP featuring Lee Thompson and The Specialized Big One DVD. We were hoping that the Ska Orchestra Bangarang single would have been amongst the items, but it was here that we learned that it had been put back to a mid February 2014 release.

As the year came to an end Madness were already adding new gigs to their 2014 line-up. The latest addition was for July 13th 2014 where they were now booked to perform at the Festival Musilac, France. This would no doubt raise a smile on the faces of our French readers.

Our final issue of 2013 came to a close with part one of our lookback at the year gone by. It’s certainly been an eventful one, what with masses of gigs, book releases, TV appearances, one man shows, Madness spin-offs, tuba exams, and much, much more.

2014 is already shaping up to be another memorable year, with Madness having already booked in numerous dates already, and Suggs filling the majority of April and May with further touring of his one man show.

With the band now in writing mode it’s likely that this year will see them performing live far less than in 2013, but perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to hear a few fruits of their labours as one or two of the new tracks are aired to concert goers.

We can but hope.

Here’s to 2014!

Rob Hazelby

TIME…

That almost wraps things up for this issue, but before we go there’s the small matter of one or two last minute snippets to pass in your general direction.

First-up, Lee has revealed that the director of the Bangarang2 video (shot in a taxi!)  was Jeff Baynes. If you’re wondering who he is, Jeff previously directed videos for Drip Fed Fred and It’s Ok I’m a Policeman. It sounds like Lee and the video are both in vary safe and experienced hands.

And finally, the MIS team asked Lee Thompson;

“Who was the little kid who played sax at the end of the gig that you brought on stage?”

Ever the gent, Lee replied;

“Story goes, his school teacher asked him – Who are the 3 people you would most like to meet? He replied – Einstein, Mandela or Lee Thompson.

A no brainer as, the others have moved on to greener pastures!

His name is Johnny (10) and [he] blows a mean horn.

Best, Lee”

Until next week, take care,

Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams

(with thanks to Lee Thompson)