Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 885 – Sunday 24th April to Saturday 30th April 2016
We begin this week’s issue of the MIS with a brief roundup of gig news.
First-up, and the news in from Dutch fan Dinant Dondertman is that the Dauwpop Madness concert scheduled for the 28th May is now sold out. If you were hoping to go but had yet to purchase tickets it looks like you may now be too late.
Moving on, it’s over to Sweden where Mark Charlesworth tells us “Madness are playing here in Stockholm at the amusement park on the 30th September……..not a ticket venue as admission to the park allows you to see the band…..price is 199 krona I think which is around £15…….don’t think it’s gone up from last year’s price but will check. Amusement park is called Grona Lund”
Finally, before we move on to the articles, we bring you news that the Suggs One Man Show performance for the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on the 5th May has been postponed. The venue is currently undergoing maintenance, and the work won’t be finished in time.
As soon as a revised date is announced we’ll let you know.
Now, on with the issue.
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
May
Saturday 21st – Hastings, The Pier
Saturday 28th – Dauwpop Festival, Netherlands (headliners)
More info at: http://www.dauwpop.nl
June
Saturday 25th – Glastonbury Festival, Main Stage
July
Saturday 30th – Kendal Calling, Penrith http://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/information/ticket-info/
Sunday 31st – Y Not Festival, Matlock
http://www.ynotfestivals.co.uk
August
Thursday 4th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange *** Sold Out ***
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Friday 5th – Edinburgh Corn Exchange
More info at: http://m.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/028964-madness/
Saturday 6th –Tartan Heart Festival, Inverness, Scotland (headliners)
More info at www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
Thursday 11th – Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire. First day headliner
Saturday 13th – Boom Town Fair – Winchester
Friday 19th August – Cyfartha Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/37005067CAE570E4?tpab=-1
Monday 29th – House of Common, Clapham Common
More info at: http://www.madness.co.uk/houseofcommon/
September
Sunday 4th September -Jersey Live Festival, Jersey
Friday 30th September – Sweden, Grona Lund Amusement Park * New *
November
Friday 18th – Monday 21st – Madness Weekender 6, Minehead
Suggs
April
24th – Carlisle Sands Centre
25th – Ilkley King’s Hall * Sold Out *
27th – Bournemouth Pavillion Theatre
28th – Bath The Forum
29th – Worcester Huntingdon Hall * Sold Out *
30th – Wrexham William Aston Hall
May
1st – Crewe Lyceum Theatre
3rd – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
4th – Sheffield Lyceum
5th – 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire * Postponed * Venue undergoing restoration
7th – Brixton Jam Rock – Suggs plus guests
Tickets: http://bit.ly/TheNextmenSuggs
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
July
Friday 22nd, Hampton Pool Picnic, Supporting The Selecter
August
Thursday 18th, Newham Free Festival * New *
Rhoda Dakar
June
Saturday 18th – 100 Club London
(Also appearing at The London International Ska festival, Glastonbury, & European festivals this year)
Near Jazz Experience
August
Tuesday 3rd, Near Jazz Experience + Support + DJ, Indo, 133 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1DT. 8pm. Free Entry * New *
The Silencerz
June
Friday 10th Bull Theatre, Barnet * New * (note, this does not list Lee Thompson as appearing)
The band have also recently set up their own Twitter account. Follow the, @The_Silencerz
WIN IT
Win Suggs Tickets
Like and share a post over on Suggs’ official Facebook page for a chance to win tickets to his One Man Show. At the same time you’ll will be helping the big man promote the forthcoming dates into the bargain.
https://www.facebook.com/thesuggsmcpherson/
BUY IT
Deluxe edition of The Lone Ranger.
https://www.discogs.com/Suggs-The-Lone-Ranger/release/8172245
A Deluxe Edition release of Suggs’ first solo album “The Lone Ranger”.
Originally released in 1995 this much requested reissue is the most comprehensive collection available of the original album and all the related bonus material.
Other bonus material includes the b/sides – ‘Bedazzled’, ‘Animal’, ‘When You Came’ and ‘I Feel Good’. The CD booklet features the original artwork, a UK Discography, lyrics of the original album tracks all in a 16 page colour booklet.
Out now!
Buy it if you don’t have the original classic album or want those original collected B-sides together or if you want Suggs to consider another solo album in future support this release, but if you want it for all the remixes please stop taking E and consult a doctor. Some were as dreadful as the Macarena.
MIS FEATURE
Lee Knits Thompson
There’s a new addition to The Dublin Castle. Up in the roof next to the large It Must Be Love poster a toy Thommo is now suspended in his Classic Flying Baggy Trousers look.
How did he fly there? Well, it seems Mr. Thompson might have given him over for pride of place. The fan responsible for its origins has been in touch….
Matt Batstone
I gave knitted Lee to Lee at the Garage gig on the first of August.
It was made by one of my residence who knows I love Madness and LTSO. She is her 80s and I really hope you guys look after him.
Bite the bullet. x
Absolutely Brilliant!
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Suggs: ‘Making music was a by-product of our friendship’
Most of his bandmates came from dysfunctional families. They met in their teens, drawn together by fashion and music. “During that period, pretty much everyone looked like Kevin Keegan. The band was just something to do.”
“We were hanging around in a pub called the Hope & Anchor in the Angel [north London] and it was a very fertile music scene in the mid-Seventies with what they now call ‘pub rock’. There were lots of great bands like Dr Feelgood and Ian Dury’s first band.”
Full article: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Making-music-product-friendship/story-29153103-detail/story.html
LIVE AND INTENSIFIED
A Concert for Norton Folgate
“Just back from my second Madness related evening of the week – a fundraiser held by The Spitalfields Trust to help save Norton Folgate from the demolition ball. Hosted by Griff Rhys Jones the variety of performances included Suggs reciting the lyrics to “The Liberty of Norton Folgate” and was interspersed with informative presentations about the Trusts’ past achievements. A great night” Chris Carter Pegg
“Well we’ve done our bit and donated to saving Norton Folgate. To be in church with Suggs and hear him recite the famous song was very unique, Griff Rhys Jones was there too , interesting night to hear about all the heritage surrounding this part of London…” Darren Jones
Video from the save norton folgate concert last week.
Suggs – Reciting Norton Folgate
Five Years of the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra
The five year journey of The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra takes them from the bold but flat opening gig of Oxford 2011 through to a posh Jazz Restaurant in London’s financial district Canary Wharf. This journey came via such highlights as Jools Holland, a hit debut album and a Glastonbury streaming BBC broadcast. We said Happy birthday to Lee and his band last Saturday Night at Boisdales.
I think everyone who’s a regular band follower who turned up for the gig, felt Boisdales was a strange venue for the band. Seated tables and terminally delayed cocktail waiters and the most confusing ticket ordering system even implemented, that required a dinning time for a non-dining ticket, and worst of all perhaps the smallest of focus on having a dance floor. It’s a setting that beard stroking jazz bankers no doubt thrive in. But Mr Thompson tells us, he’s having to watch his language tonight or face a fine! (He managed a “FFFFFFFFFFF ‘s sake”, and a “Wanker!”) and got away with it we think, cus the guy isn’t for taming.
In fact, despite being in these posh environs and overlooking the Thames and the district’s tall glass buildings his stories were as down to earth, as ever. He regaled us with tales of an old mattress and some characters from the 2tone era. Our crew had a fine view of the stage and most filled the four row dance floor once the band had struck up, because it’s Ska, not Jazz, and you just gotta dance when it’s the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra.
The highlight of tonight then is the further performance of material from the forthcoming Bite the Bullet LP. While newly penned songs written by the band, “Step it up Sister”, “I am King”, “Western Standard Time”, “Wickerman” and “Feel a little better” are starting to establish themselves now in the live set nicely. Tonight we also get the debut of album two’s title track “Bite the Bullet” played publically live. Mark Bedford’s own composition a smoldering instrumental anthem.
Hearing the Leiber and Stoller track “Hungry” in such a setting with it’s tale of breadline starvation seems highly ironically juxtaposed! Indeed.
While “Cry to Me” has perhaps never gone down better than in a romantic setting of couples dinning under glass chandeliers. “Cuss Cuss” is my track of the night though. This debuting Horace Andy cover destined for the new LP could be the new Bangarang. It’s catchy reggae groove with a similar slang title about life’s hassles is something to get lost in. The live rendition does not disappoint.
“You’ll Never Know” This cover comes from Beatles heritage, It’s on a hard days night under the title “I’ll be back again” but a 70’s reggae reworking is involved here by obscure artist Brooks, enough to warrant a forthcoming album credit. It’s a slower number, an alternative mood, and weirdly it’s bass seemed to sound like Madness’ “We are London” to the point we are left wondering if The Beatles laid down riff’s for Norton Folgate now! All in all a fitting birthday party evening, once the sounds were flowing that’s what took the attention.
The album is currently said to be a July/August time frame from Axe Attack. As the band approach Year Six they are still firing on all barrels.
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 624 – Sunday 24th April – Saturday 30th April 2011
Following last week’s super-slim issue we were pleased to report that this MIS was a complete opposite. Thanks to subscribers who had sent us in stacks of material we had an absolutely packed issue for you.
Kicking off the issue, we got the articles underway with a round-up of promotional text and tour dates for the Suggs One Man Show, which was now down to its final four perfomances.
Did you have money burning a hole in your pocket? If so, a mass of additions to the official online Madness store may have been of interest to you. There was a real variety to this new stock, and a with huge range of prices there should have been something that everyone could afford.
On to tour news, and France-based Maddies, or those who fancied combining a short break abroad along with a Madness concert may have been interested to learn that the band had been listed to appear at Le Trainon, Paris, on Friday 7th October. Tickets were priced at 45 Euros.
Earlier in the week we received an email from subscriber, Jay Loring, asking us if we knew anything about a Madness slot machine on the William Hill web site.
As this was the first thing we’d heard of this, we decided to pop over and investigate.
The blurb on the William Hill web site read;
“One of the biggest selling acts of the 1980’s and recently enjoying a revival, Madness have fully approved ‘The nuttiest slot around’.
An entertaining and innovative game packed with classic songs, music videos and iconic imagery it has an unrivalled feel-good factor and retro appeal”.
We were (and still are) keen gamers here at the MIS, but when it came to fruit machines and games of a similar ilk, we were absolutely clueless. Even after a few goes (you could play for free, but obviously received no winnings), we had absolutely no idea what was going on, and the whole thing seemed to be totally random.
Presentation wise, the game looked and sounded great, with lots of classic Madness imagery, and a number of tracks from the Madness back catalogue playing in the background.
Next, it was back to gig news as Vicki Lee reported that the band had been booked to play at this year’s Northern Lights music festival.
The event was due to take place on Saturday and Sunday 30th/31st July. Madness were booked to play the headline slot on Sunday 31st.
It was on to Blockhead news next as This is Lancashire reported that Clitheroe was treated to a little Bank Holiday magic as “The Blockheads brought their infectious rhythms to the Ribble Valley rock and blues weekend.
In a two-hour set the band served up many treats from the back catalogue including Reasons to be Cheerful, Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll and a rocking Sweet Gene Vincent.”
Following this we reported on Thommo’s recent appearance on BBC Radio 6. Looby had kindly transcribed the entire interview carried out by DJ Malcolm Boyden. What dedication!
We brought this issue to a close by wishing MIS subscriber Dan Fossard a quick recovery. We weren’t entirely sure what happened to him, but it seemed that he’d suffered an extreme illergic reaction to something, making him look like he’d gone several round with Mike Tyson, and needing a short stay in hospital.
10 years ago…
Issue number 364, Sunday 23rd April to Saturday 29th April 2006
It may have been late April, but we’d dubbed this the 2006 Christmas Tour Edition of the MIS, as tickets for the Christmas tour had now gone on sale.
Entitled, ‘To The Edge Of The Universe And Beyond… Tour’, the tour would kick off at Dublin’s The Point, on the 10th of December, and finish off in London’s Wembley Arena on the 20th.
The full list of dates were as follows:
DUBLIN, The Point on Sunday 10 December 2006
GLASGOW, S.E.C.C. on Tuesday 12 December 2006
MANCHESTER, Evening News Arena on Wednesday 13 December 2006
NEWCASTLE, Metroradio Arena on Thursday 14 December 2006
BIRMINGHAM, National Exhibition Centre on Saturday 16 December 2006
BOURNEMOUTH, Int’nl Centre on Sunday 17 December 2006
BRIGHTON, Centre on Tuesday 19 December 2006
LONDON, Wembley Arena on Wednesday 20 December 2006
With little other Madness news to report on this week, the majority of the issue was taken up with a tour press release, and details of where you could purchase tickets.
15 years ago…
Issue number 102, Sunday 22nd April to Saturday 28th April 2001
We got this issue underway with the sad news that the forthcoming Madness book ‘Don’t Watch That, Watch This’, by Adrian Thrills, had sadly been cancelled.
After much digging around, emailing and phoning, co-editor, Jon Young, was put through to someone at Virgin Publishing who explained that the book had been canned, and would not be seeing the light of day.
As to why. Well, Jon did ask, but was told that “there are reasons, but I can’t say”.
A real shame, as this was one book the fans were really looking forward to reading.
Next, and on Friday night on Later with Jools Holland, Suggs joined The Blockheads and they played 2 songs
1) My old man and
2) Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll to close the show with.
Chris foreman was there in the crowd when Jools was talking to Mo Mowlam. Carl Smyth joined Suggs on stage for the songs in a long black coat, hat and shades with a green silk scarf, which meant a few madness fans didn’t recognise him as you couldn’t really hear him during the songs. After Robbie Williams sang “sweet Gene Vincent” with the band, Suggs was interviewed by Jools.
Remember when mobile ringtones were all the rage? Well, we’d received a heads-up from Adele Moore informing us that there an ‘Our House’ ringtone was now doing the rounds on tones4fones.com. Also available was a House of Fun ringtone. No doubt both sounded worse than a ZX Spectrum’s barely audible beeps.
It was on to the subject of tribute bands next, as we reveals that both Badness and Complete Madness had gigs coming up in the next week.
As with all gigs, we asked that if you managed to get along to knock up a review and send it in.
We’re not sure if he was roped in to it, or if he volunteered, but for those booked-in on the forthcoming Madness weekend in Blackpool you’d be having one Jonathan Young as your quiz master.
This issue was brought to a close by Jon explaining that Rob would be back from his hols in time for next week’s issue, but promised that you hadn’t heard that the last from him.
Rob Hazelby
TWEETS OF A DOVE
Chrissy Boy @CBoyForeman
“I’ve #justsponsored Steve Turner, who’s fundraising for The Butterfly AVM Charity Limited on @JustGiving. Donate now
https://www.justgiving.com/Steve-Turner9”
Chrissy Boy @CBoyForeman
“I’m sad to announce my departure from Madness. I’ve been offered a far better job.
(If you don’t get the above, read this….
Mr. Bedford on Mixlr
Listen back to one of Mark Bedfords hour long broadcasts from his Record Collection. http://mixlr.com/markbedford/showreel/lets-get-a-takeaway/
TIME…
That’s almost it for this week’s issue, but before we go there are a couple of last minute snippets of info to pass in your direction.
First-up, and Darren West reports that Pollocks Toy Store, Covent Garden have some remaining Punch and Judy card dioramas themed around Lovestruck. If you want one then get in quick as they won’t be stocking this item again after the current stash are gone.
And finally, to finish, Andy Shoultz tells us that Carl is interviewed in the current edition of Classic pop magazine.
Until next week, take care,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
The Author
