Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 846 – Sunday 26th July to Saturday 1st August 2015
Hello Madheads!
Yesterday, Madness appeared on ITV, coming 8th in the nation’s poll of favourite 80’s Number one.
Song writers Barson & Thompson were on hand (as well as producer Clive Langer) to talk about recording the song, the video locations and it’s inspiration. Toyah chipped in calling the band “naughty boys” for writing about Condoms!
If it wasn’t for Bonnie Tyler and the like placed higher they might have got a fitting 7th!
Speaking of the Welsh though, they were all delighted by The Ska Orchestra this week. If you want to hear that band’s sparklingly new tunes live, get along to the in place to be in London this coming Saturday as the band are booked to perform at the Highbury Islington Garage for their big gig.
Naturally, there will be an MIS Mad Meet in The Legendary Hope and Anchor pub. This starts early evening so come along and join us.
In the meantime there’s this week’s issue to get through.
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
2015
GRANDSLAM
“Sporting theatres jumping with joy is the goal. Grandslam Madness – the greatest open air tour in the history of Rock & Roll…”
The Grandslam is now parked-up and enjoying a well-earned Summer break. The tour resumes in early September.
September
6 – Gibraltar Festival
11 – Canterbury, Kent County Cricket Club
12 – Bristol, Gloucester County Cricket Club
13 – London, On Blackheath
18 – Leeds, Yorkshire County Cricket Club
19th Newbury Racecourse.
25 – Wolverhampton
26 – Chester-le-Street, Durham County Cricket Club
November 2015
November 20th – 23rd 2014 – Minehead – The House Of Fun Weekender Five
Early bird tickets on sale now
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
August
1st The Garage Highbury, London *** This coming Saturday! ***
Deaf School
September
5th – Bingley Music Festival (Headlining Stage 2)
6th – Norwich – Waterfront
December
10th Liverpool – Kasimier
The Clang
August 1st – Port Eliot Festival
The Silencerz
August 15th – Chados Arms, Colindale 8pm
BUY IT
In Your Mind – Woody Woodgate solo album.
Pre-Order Now on Amazon. – *** Out Now ***
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TZEMCMQ
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE A SIGNED ALBUM INSTEAD http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Woody-Woodgate-In-Your-Mind-Ltd-Autographed-Edition-188454
Album released June 1st. 13 tracks with new band line up and vocalist Dan Shears.
The first single from the album will be “In Your Mind”. A release date for this is to be confirmed. Shooting for the video will commence shortly.
Deaf School – Laundarette
http://deafschoolmusic.com/#/shop/4579903328/l-a-u-n-d-e-r-e-t-t-e-cd-the-new-album—buy-now/9766251
The brand new album, a Japanese release, contains 7 brand new studio tracks from the band, a track featuring Sam singing (and Lee Thompson in the band) unreleased from 1988 and 5 live tracks (recorded at the Brighton show 2014)
Lovestruck & Night Boat – Madness Beers – And Win Grandslam Tickets
Find out where to buy the beers here…
http://www.madness.co.uk/2014/10/30/madness-brewing-company/
New Balls! *** New! ***
“After years of research, it’s become very clear that the merch item you all desperately want and need, is of course… a Madness Beach ball. Get this and some other new summer holiday items in the Madstore: http://www.madstore.co.uk “
Hmmm. Is beach volley ball entering the Grandslam?
SIGN OF THE TIMES
News and info from online and offline media sources.
Ben Sherman Brand
Sherman sold the business in the mid-70s and retired to Australia. Ben Sherman shirts remained popular in the late 70s and early 80s as the Jam, the Specials and Madness helped them appeal to the mod revival and rude boy movements.
When sportswear and global designers came to dominate fashions in the 1980s, Ben Sherman’s appeal faded. But the brand revived in the 1990s when it was taken up by Oasis, Blur and other mod-influenced Britpop bands.
Woody Talks to BRFM
http://www.podcast.canstream.co.uk/brfm/index.php?id=23838
Woody tells Dan James, (although it’s not yet announced) that he’ll playing his solo album at The House of Fun weekender in Minehead. Chat covers the solo album and more.
The Herald (Scottish newspaper) Review of “In Your Mind”
Successful solo albums by drummers are a small subset in the great Venn diagram of pop, so congratulations are due to the sticksman of Madness for that achievement alone.
But In Your Mind, in some senses a follow-up to his Magic Brothers album with his brother Nick two years ago, is much more, and possibly this summer’s ideal accompaniment for a road trip to Troon or North Berwick with the top down. This Londoner, naturally, heads to Brighton on one track, in another set suffused with family memories and spiced with interludes that acknowledge his musical past. Woodgate has made contributions to the Madness back catalogue over the years, but these songs are very different – small shiny statements that never over stay their welcome, miniatures that suggest he’d be a very rigorous and useful record producer.
Recognisably in a tradition that includes The Beatles and Squeeze as well as his own band – and nods to more left field talents like Kevin Ayers, on Flower – Woodgate is not scared to recycle over-familiar titles as well as musical tropes.. Yet this remains a very personal album, with things to say about Nick’s precarious mental state as well as the joys of a trip to the beach.
Keith Bruce
Fred Perry Subculture review ” In Your Mind. “
https://www.fredperrysubculture.com/music-news/10993/woody-woodgate-drummer-from-madness-debut-album
Woody’s solo album is an impressive and highly personal collection of songs with Woody’s pop sensibility and big production values ever present throughout the record.
From the power pop of ‘Magic Train’ to the direct, jaunty ‘Something’, it is a collection of songs that offer pure unadulterated fun. There’s a quintessentially British melancholy to a upbeat pop aesthetic throughout.The bright ‘Everything Is Sunshine’ and the playful ‘Flower’ offer woozy ELO influenced psychedelia while the 70s pop rock classicism of ‘Mother’ and ‘Shaman’ are reminiscent of McCartney or Squeeze, with a bit of Pink Floyd thrown in for good measure.
WOODY Talks to Radio Stoke
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02tryc6
Woody discusses music of all types with James Watt.
Win Tickets to Madness’ Only London Show This Year
http://www.madness.co.uk/2015/07/20/win-tickets-london-show-year/
The band’s only London show of 2015 takes place at Blackheath on Sunday 13th September. For the chance to win a pair of tickets, click on the link above.
Winners will be contacted by the 1st August.
MIS FEATURE – THE NEW LEE THOMPSON SKA ORCHESTRA SONGS
The time is now. The second mission is on. The next phase of songs of The Ska Orchestra have now been hitting public gigs, many of them airing successfully in Wales this last week just gone as the band aced the Llangollen festival, reportedly with the ever appearing mini mascot of Cai Roberts opening the show with his little feet dancing on stage happily, being lifted by Fordie to the mic he cant reach to shout “Gun’s Fever!”
Here is that gig’s Set List courtesy of Nicky Evans.
Guns Fever
Ali Baba
Am I King
Hot Reggae
Bangarang
Feel A Little Better
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Hungry
Mission Impossible
Step It up sister
Tunnel One
Fu Man Chu
Cry to me
Western standard time
Soon You’ll be gone
No No No
———–
Broadway Jungle
Hello Josephine
Wickerman
9 of a reported 13 tracks the band have put down recently towards a new album, aired in Llangollen.
Get down to “The Garage”, Highbury Islington London people this coming Saturday and hear these fresh sounds.
Do it. “Bite The Bullet.”
The bands first album established a wide sounding vibe, of triple brass and dual keys (Hammond organ and Piano) ska beats, and a balance between solo switiching instrumental spotlight moment, and some vocal track treats with some Mcing. The classic sound of authentic ska with a touch of the modern from mixer Mike Pelanconi. Mike returns for the second album and so do most of the same band, with a few absent/replacements in place. Some Sax/Drums/Trombone players are different. Of note is the dual guitars now in the band, complimenting each other. Some of the song play to this as well as Andy writing some of the new tunes. There are new covers for the second mission, set to become as classic as the first album and hailing from the 60’s classic era.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Tunnel One
30 60 90
The middle of these 3 has already aired at Dingwalls in 2014, and highlights the twang of new addition Andy’s guitar, in a stop / start riff in this tune originally a Tommy McCook studio one vibe. A bond theme from the John Barry cannon now joins the live set as this albums Mission Impossible moment. There is a great history of James bond meeting the ska world of course. Where as the forthcoming albums other instrumental cover might be familer from Get Carter. It’s got killer bass line for Mark to strut and all the brass hits, and some guitar moments too. It’s a 1962 original by Willie Mitchell. Will that get played in Islington? Come along and find out.
The other two covers are vocal ones.
Cry To Me
Hungry
Darren Fordham’s vocal moment (last focused on with the lucky people EP) comes again in the choice of this song, highlighted on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. A 60’s original by Solomon burke but has been covered before by The Rolling Stones no less. The band have recently put a swing spin on this track, heard before live in 2014. Hungry Thompson excels at singing in exaggerated style and he claims it to be written by Liber/Stoller.
Most exciting is the quality of the bands own tunes. With all chipping in to either pen or shape the new direction.
There are 8 or more tracks this time written by the band themselves. 4 instrumental and 4 vocal tracks.
Wild Western Standard Time (Bob)
Bite the Bullet (Mark)
* * (Louis)
?? ( ?? )
You can hear Bob’s wild western soundtrack tune at the bands official youtube. At the preview show at the DC it took the roof off with a six gun barrel blast. But the album title track Bite the bullet is a fresh new exciting Bedford composition. Piano man Louis Vause has over seen the new albums progress, we will leave his track under wraps for the time being…
I Am King (Andy)
Step It Up Sister (Mez)
The Wickerman (Louis / Lee)
Feel a Little Better (Andy)
Vocal tunes and there are some real belters. Step It up Sister, Mez told us was inspired by the style of Prince Buster songs, and might be out favourite of the bunch. Fordie and Thommo’s vocals combine powerfully on I am King, a tune full of swaggering. Plenty of brass scales in Feel a Little Better. The Wickerman though bring a brand new set of Lee Thompson lyrics icing the cake.
And maybe is there still more? Is there a mystery song? Has Seamus been working on something? He’s often the last to arrive at things you know, and seems to be shrouded in his own mystery, a black hat, a dark horse?. And there was some more music floating around at this years rehearsals with the possibility of lyrics going on it. Something written by Mark that had gospel possibilities, and maybe had some short words added he hinted recently when we saw him. As that one hadn’t even aired at the pre-album session Dublin Castles fans preview gig, we aren’t sure if it’s in or just too early a work in progress to hear on phase two of the bands work. There were some weather related lyrics also floating around, also at rehearsals.
Thats the mission plan in pencil. Follow the next chapter at … leethompsonska.com
The Garage Highbury This Coming Saturday.
Be There.
Jonathan Young
I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN
This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby, goes back in time to report on what was going on in the world of Madness 5 years, 10 and 15 years ago this week.
5 years ago…
Issue Number 586 – Sunday 25th July – Saturday 31st July 2010
It may have been well and truly Summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, but plans were already afoot in the Madness camp for the forthcoming Christmas. Yes, this was the week that tickets for Madness at London Earl’s Court on the 17th of December, went on sale.
At this point in time we didn’t know if this would be a one-off December gig or if a fully fledged UK tour was in the planning. Only time would tell.
On to the articles, and we got these underway with a lengthy review of Big 10 at The Dublin Castle. The band performed there on the 17th July, and thankfully for us, the one and only Mick Jenner was in attendance and had knocked up a write-up.
Next it we featured an article from thisiskent.co.uk, who decided that as it was almost 18 years to the day since the first Madstock took place, it was time to remind us just what went on. What did this have to do with Kent? Well, further on in the article the paper interviewed Suggs, who had a beach hut down there.
“I visit Whitstable most weekends. My wife was one of the last to be born in the town and her family still live in Tankerton.
When I was 18 I did all my courting there. It is one of the few places on the coast to have retained its character over the past 30 years. I was always amazed to find my mother-in-law going for a swim in the sea every day.
When our two daughters, Viva and Scarlett, were small we took them to Whitstable, too. They are two urban kids but they were brought up to appreciate the sea and they love it.
My wife’s family has a beach hut there. It’s been in the family for 40 years, long before they became like the crown jewels. It’s a beautiful place. I can’t think of anything better than sitting in the hut, when everyone else has left the beach, and watching the sunset”.
Moving on, and it was over to Retro Madness who were back with yet another one of their amazing offers.
It wasn’t an item you’d normally think of buying during the warm summer months, but they’d managed to obtain the last remaining stock of “Madness London: official fleece style embroidered scarves from 2006, and were selling them for £7.99 including postage and packing. An amazing price considering they were origninally £20!
It was over to Scarborough next, as the Scarborough Evening News were reporting that Madness would be performing at the open air theatre in North Bay at some point between the 17th and 19th September. Tickets were due to go on sale the Friday after this issue of the MIS went out.
We went over to York after this, as the York Press reviewed the recent York Racecourse gig;
IT WAS complete Madness at York Racecourse as thousands of fans donned fez hats and turned out to see Suggs and his ska band perform.
The pop star obviously hadn’t worn his lucky baggy trousers because, as he told the bouncing crowds, he had won nothing at the races themselves.
“What a beautiful town, what a beautiful racecourse, what a shame about the horses,” he said.
Later in this issue our very own Graham Whitfield also reviewed the same gig, offering a more fan-based reflection on the evening.
“Madness really had the audience in the palm of their hand, with everyone as far as you could see joining in with enthusiasm. From that point of view, it was as good a Madness gig as any I’ve been to.”
On to re-issues, and the next item in the Madness re-issues series was to be Wonderful, which had a penciled-in release date of the 6th September. The tracklist of this two disc release had now been made available, with the excellent bonuses consisted of numerous b-sides and Our House tracks.
Continuing on an album theme, and we (via an article from Music Week) were pleased to report that Union Square were now celebrating the fact that the Total Madness album had passed a whopping 100,000 sales.
The album, which was released on 21st September last year, was supported by an extensive marketing campaign and TV advertising, catapulting it to number 11 in the UK Chart and helping it stay in the top 75 for 14 weeks.
We brought this issue to a close with a number of Dutch Wikipedia Madness related kinks from Tour Madness’ Jermaine, and pointed you in the direction of YouTube where Big 10 drummer, Dan Fossard, had uploaded footage of the band’s recent gig at the South Cotswold Beer and Music Festival.
10 years ago…
Issue 324 – Sunday 24th July to Saturday 30th July 2005
Technology is a wonderful thing. For those of us unable to get along to the Dutch Dangermen gig on Tuesday evening the live web cast provided by FabChannel was a real godsend, beaming out full coverage of the gig across the planet.
However, while many of us were no doubt grateful of this live audio and video stream, it looked as if many people who were at the show itself didn’t quite get what they expected.
Long-time MIS subscriber reported that whilst fans may have expected to have heard one or two of the new Dangermen Sessions tracks, they were also looking forward to hearing some of Madness’ classic back catalogue. Unfortunately, this was not to be, and only one or two Madness tracks were aired that night.
Here’s just a small snippet of what Jacco had to say at the time;
“All in all I’m not saying that the Dangermen sessions are crap: No. I even like them, but it is not what the audience came for and what they could have expected.
Artistic freedom is allowed, but not the smartest move the band could have made. Could the Dutchies honestly have expected Madness?? YES of course! less than 14 days ago they toured England as Madness..”
Moving on, and last week we mentioned that the MIS web site now hosted a discography section. In this issue we took a closer look and revealed what was currently online and how it was organised. It transpired that the discography was the brainchild of MIs subscriber Rob Wheeler, and co-editor Simon Roberts, who had both worked on evenings and weekends to get this up and running, and what a marvel it was.
Following this we re-printed some of the best questions and answers that had popped-up in Chris’ Cupboard over the past few weeks. As usual, you had to take everything Chris told us with a pinch of salt, but there were some nuggets to be found amongst his jokes and witty remarks.
Further in to this issue we have Jonathan Young with a heads-up on a “Best of the Tube” DVD, which was originally released on the 30th of May, but for some reason had been withdrawn, and was now due to be released on the 31st of July.
Here’s a small segment of Jonathan’s original report;
“Apart from plenty of great 80’s pop and presenting from Jools Holland and Paula Yates, Disc 2 was (hopeful still is) to feature Madness – It must be love from an appearance on the show. And indeed Madness appear within the screen montage on the original cover design.
This comprehensive six-hour DVD has been selected and edited by the original producers of THE TUBE to flow as two seamless three-hour editions”.
Jonathan’s reporting continued in the next article, where we were treated to a full review of the recent Dangermen gig at Camden’s Dublin Castle. This 15-track set saw two encores, bringing it up to a very respectable 19 tracks. It certainly sounded like a night to remember. Or at least ‘try’ and remember!
15 years ago…
Issue number 63 – Sunday 23rd July to Saturday 29th July 2000
Since the success of Scatty’s brilliantly organised Ian Dury Day, and Lee Swandale’s top organisational skills before and during the recent Crunch! meet-up in London, there had been much talk on The Total Madness Mailing List with regards to a `2001 Madness Weekend`. As you could probably imagine, it was early days yet, but already the response seemed to be very good indeed and it looked that with or without a Madness concert to organise it around, it would surely be a success.
MIS subscriber Bex, gave us the heads-up on the book “Showbusiness”, by radio DJ Mark Radcliffe, in which he talks about go to see his first ska gig, which, yes, featured Madness.
Bex kindly typed-up the copyright infringing snippet of the book, and throwing caution to the wind we went ahead and printed it. The lawyers stayed away, and hopefully a few more people went out and bought the book.
Moving-on, and we temporarily passed the MIS reigns over to Steve Turner of Madness tribute Los Palmas 6, where he reported on the band’s recent trip across the Channel to Munster, Gutersloh, Krefeld, Gutersloh, Paderborn, Monchengladbach and Osnabruck. All in all, their tour took them on a massive 1900 mile round trip!
Crunch’s very own Tad had his own article to follow Steve’s tour review, where he thanked those who attended the recent Crunch gig, and where he also gave a big thank you to Lee Swandale for all his hard work in promoting the band.
Simon Roberts stepped on board for the next article, where he reported on a new live Madness album. Entitled “Madness – Live at The BBC”, this German release would be limited to a mere 500 pressings. Better get in there quick!
It was back to the recent Crunch! gig for the next article, where Spanish subscriber Mikel Echeberria, gave us his views on the night down at The Underworld in Camen Town. Managing to meet Lee and the rest of the band (thanks to Lee Swandale) made not only Mikel’s night, but the whole trip.
We finished off this week’s issue with a detailed look at issue 9 of Juliet Bulmer’s ska fanzine – Ska Mad. After reading through earlier issues we were of the opinion that it was without a doubt the best issue yet, and we were pleased that Juliet had decided to continue working on the ‘zine.
Rob Hazelby
TIME…
Now that you’ve got to the end of this week’s MIS you may be pleased to learn that Woody’s latest album is now available on Spotify for your listening pleasure. If you’ve yet to hear it then get connected to the music streaming service and have listen.
Tracey Belland, one of Woody’s ex bandmates from Voice of the Beehive, gave a nice mention of Woody’s new album on the “I Love Voice of The Beehive” Facebook Group.
“Woody was a huge part of the band and because of the nature of his work with his brother and his musical projects. He brought many Madness fans to our band and I would like to repay the favor by exposing his current projects through the Beehive grapevine.”
Moving on, and Darren West reports….
“This week 1980 Top of the pops was from (I think) September time. Hence why Baggy Trousers video got shown. I enjoyed the BBC‘s Space Invader style graphics over the end of the video! Following the musician’s strike of the summer of 1980 and also the Savile/Travis episodes not being screened during this run because of the presenters scandals, BBC have whizzed forward a few weeks so the programmes are now not the corresponding week (or close to).”
You can watch the episode again on iPlayer.
And finally, we leave you with a tune from the support band for Saturdays gig – Home Town Hi Fi.
More on them in a future issue.
See you at The Hope and Anchor Saturday, or in the pages of MIS next Sunday.
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Tracey Belland, Darren West and Nicky Evans)
The Author
