Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 919 – Sunday 18th December to Saturday 24th December 2016
Hello, and a warm Christmassy welcome to this final issue of the MIS before the big day.
Talking of “the big day”, we just want to make you aware that issue 920 will be going out on Christmas Eve. Why? Well, after much discussion the MIS team decided they’d be too busy stuffing their little fat faces on Christmas Day to be bothered with final editing and sending out of a weekly bulletin.
Normal delivery service will resume for issue 921. We hope this doesn’t come as too much of an inconvenience for you.
With the Christmas 2016 tour at an end, Jonathan Young gives us his thoughts on how it went, and how it developed from the early planning stages to watching it at House of Fun on the Saturday Night, and then going to the Brighton and 02 concerts.
Elsewhere, subscriber Jacek Gajewski has been kind enough to send in and translate a number of Polish and German articles, which have been included in this issue for your viewing pleasure.
If that wasn’t enough, we have the latest in-depth chart news from Mr. Paul Rodgers, and the line-up of gigs so far announced for 2017.
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
April 2017
Sunday 16th – Byron Bay, Australia http://www.bluesfest.com.au/schedule/detail.aspx?ArtistID=873
Further Southern Hemisphere dates including Japan should be announced soon!
August 2017
Monday 28th – House of Common, Clapham ** Not on Sale Yet ** Announced in the current tour programme booklet as happening again
November 2017
17th – 20th November – The House of Fun Weekender – Minehead
The Sliencerz
December 31st – The Dublin Castle
https://www.facebook.com/events/608418956033992/
BUY IT
Madness – New Album – You Can’t Touch Us Now
** OUT NOW! **
16 Track CD, 12 Track Vinyl
30 Track Box Set Edition (with demos) ** Now Sold Out **
One Step Beyond Cherry Red Vinyl ** OUT NOW **
At the moment, a limited number are available to pre-order through Pledge Music (http://www.pledgemusic.com/artists/madness). You can also purchase it from branches of Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
If you order through Pledge you’ll be in with a chance of winning some test pressings!
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra – Bite The Bullet ** OUT NOW **
Vinyl £13.55 (Includes free mp3 version)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FEA9NYE
CD £11.37 (includes free mp3 version)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FEA9NTY
Mp3 album also available on its own for £7.99
HEAR TRACKS IN PREVIEW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GM41SM6/ref=dm_ws_ap_tlw_alb7
Rhoda Dakar – The LoTek Four Volume 1. ** OUT NOW **
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/rhodadakar
- Fill The Emptiness (Lovers)
- Tears You Can’t Hide
- You Talking To Me?
- Dolphins
- Fill The Emptiness (Reefa)
MIS FEATURE – WHY DON’T AMERICANS LIKE THE LETTER U?
Last week’s appearance on the final of The X Factor led to much debate ranging from whether Madness were ‘legendary’ enough to appear on such a ‘prestigious’ show to why Madness should stoop so low as to appear. Within hours of their appearance, however, the re-appearance of four Madness albums in the iTunes and Amazon charts suggested it was a wise promotional move. Can’t Touch Us Now, Complete Madness, Total Madness and The Madness were all surging up the download charts, whilst The Very Best Of Madness budget CD sold out on Amazon. At various stages over the last week the CD and vinyl sold out on Amazon too. They are back in stock now, but it is worth pointing out that the links from format to format on Amazon can take you to a version of CTUN on vinyl which is described as an import and priced at roughly double the cost of the standard vinyl. I’m not sure if it is different in any way, but it is unlikely to be £17 worth of different!
When the first midweek chart (covering sales from Friday until 23.59 on Sunday 11 December) was issued on Monday evening CTUN had already risen from number 46 to number 44. Now you might think this is barely worth a mention, but the X Factor appearance had finished roughly 3 hours before the end of that sales period. By Wednesday’s midweek chart (Friday to 23.59 Tuesday the album was back at number 40.
Come Friday’s actual chart CTUN had climbed again to number 39 in the official album chart. It now has been on the chart for 7 weeks, with 6 of them in the top 40.
Earlier this year an album reached number one with 7,948 sales. This week EVERY album in the top 40 has exceeded that figure. Music Week also report that CTUN’s sales are at least 50% up on last week. Therefore I estimate the minimum sale figure for CTUN this week is 8,250. This week’s sales figure is comfortably the second highest weekly sale for CTUN, beating off the previous second best week (week 2) by around 2,150. It is also at least 2,750 more sales than last week.
In terms of total sales I reckon CTUN has sold at least 55,750 in 7 weeks. This amounts to very nearly two thirds of the total sales of Oui Oui from release until August of this year. It is roughly 15-18k ahead of Oui Oui’s sales after the same number of weeks. The album should be awarded a silver disc this coming week, as it is largely unthinkable that sales will dip below 5,000.
On the indie album chart Total Madness rises from 33 to 17. It looks like it has narrowly missed the top 100 chart. On the official download chart Total Madness is a re-entry at number 60. Can’t Touch Us Now re-enters the chart at number 82. On the sales chart CTUN is number 36 up from 42. This includes all sales: CD, vinyl, box set and downloads. On physical sales (no downloads) it is at 35 up from 38. In Scotland CTUN soars from number 66 to number 44.
Moving even further abroad I’ll pass you over now to the William Board who is the editor of American chart magazine ‘American Chart Magazine’ for this important update on Madness’s runaway stateside success:
“no-one saw this coming. One minte Madness were apparently not important enogh to be on the X Factor over there in London, England and the next we’re having to create new chart positions for them, sch is their sccess. The nmber of albms they’ve sold over here in the last 3 weeks is trly impossible to cont. I feel sorry for everyone else, having to follow in their wake. Bt Americans have been hngry for change and I think they have now shown that the thing they most wanted changed was the perception that Madness were a one hit wonder in the Good Old S of A, even thogh It Must Be Love was a hit here too. Well now yo can see for yorselves that the people of America love a bit of CTN!”.
The new chart position Board was referring to is reserved just for them. Proving themselves to be untouchable they are now at the cube root of plus or minus one. Not even The Lighthouse Family managed that. The best they ever achieved in America was with their debut album, which peaked at 12b.
Looking forward there’s the new single from Madness called Can’t Touch Us Now. Released on Friday of last week it could be a contender for the Christmas number one. Of course when I say “could be a contender” what I actually mean is “I’ll be amazed if it makes the top 150”. The single would appear to be download only as part of the CTUN album. The radio edit doesn’t appear to be commercially available anywhere. So if any label monkeys are reading this I’d like a copy of the promo please. Same goes for Mr Apples. Ta. Theoretically Radio 2 should have issued a new playlist yesterday (17 Dec), but they are yet to update it online. This means the single is on their C (TUN) list until further notice. I heard Steve Wright play it the other day and he said it was brilliant or something. I dunno I wasn’t listening. I was waiting for a ghost taxi that never came.
Going back to the album it seems likely that the album will continue to enjoy the success that the X Factor appearance brought as there will be very few new releases in the next two weeks. The charts will be largely static, but sales will be higher because of Christmas. Having your album show up on the top 40 boosts its visibility in record shops, supermarkets and online. I would expect another 15-20k to be sold by the end of the year. I’m sure a few people will receive the dreaded ‘unwanted Christmas present’, but plenty more will be happy campers!
Before I close I’d like to bring to your attention a new campaign group on Facebook, 4MPA4M7. It exists purely to try to right the wrongs in the shouty big screen bullet points used to introduce the band onto the X Factor stage at Wembley Arena. The claims made were either wrong, erroneous, debatable, outright porkies or guesses. The group name relates to one of those claims: Four multi-platinum albums. Madness actually only have one. I would urge readers to join the group and await further instructions on how to get Madness another three multi-platinum albums. The group can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1872791966266012/
Warning. Joining the above group could lead to you being asked to buy several thousand Madness albums. Come to think of it, that Christmas number one is more likely…
Merry Christmas and an untouchable new year readers.
Paul Rodgers
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Still the Best of British – Telegraph O2 Review
The venue’s website billed it as a night with “Britain’s favourite pop band”. It’s a bold claim, but indeed, the Camden gang’s enduring popularity can often be underestimated. Much of this stems from the fact that Madness have never taken themselves too seriously, but that has also worked in their favour. With a heavier touch, the nostalgic vein of Britain that frontman Graham “Suggs” McPherson constantly taps into – all clumsy coppers, Routemaster buses and Tommy Cooper gags – would run the risk of jingoism, but instead it celebrates that wistful, world-renowned sense of kookiness instilled in the nation at large.
A patriotic fervour had been whipped up long before the band even appeared on stage, with support from the Lightning Seeds prompting a jubilant sing-along to their 1996 football anthem Three Lions (which, unlike the English national team, remains unbeatable). When the lights finally turned to the headline act, they did so to the squeal of air raid sirens as Suggs and co emerged from an elaborately staged jail cell. Suited and booted, with a smattering of shades and pork pie hats, it was business as usual from the band Rolling Stone magazine once cruelly dismissed as “the Blues Brothers with English accents”.
Opening with Can’t Touch Us Now, the underwhelming title track of their latest record, it was a gentle start to the evening, but the confidence Madness have in their new batch of tracks is clear. “Even if we say so ourselves, it’s a masterpiece,” Suggs bellowed. However, a euphoric rendition of 2008 single NW5 remained the shining light of their recent hit-and-miss output.
The encore performance of Night Boat to Cairo saw a conga line of exotically dressed friends and family take to the stage, sending the veritable Red Sea of fez hats in the audience into waves of delight. Yes, it was all rather predictable, but after a year of such seismic social upheaval, it was a comforting slice of normality, like coming home for Christmas.
Keep Moving Modern Bands
http://tv.bt.com/tv/tv-news/madness-advise-x-factor-finalists-to-just-keep-going-11364120638313
Madness performed some of their hits during the X Factor final.
The band treated the audience to their new single, Mr Apples, from their latest album Can’t Touch Us Now, before launching into their hits Our House and It Must Be Love.
Lead singer Graham McPherson, also known as Suggs, plugged their new album before departing his advice for the finalists.
He said: “I always say the same thing and it’s basically just keep going.
Nutty Boys Return to Newcastle
“Don’t watch X Factor, would you ever see us on X factor?!” vented frontman Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson.
Acts such as Madness could never be born out of such a manufactured talent show. They’re so brilliantly unique and unorthodox that their performances become timeless and tour after tour the Camden wide-boys put on a flawless show.
Their set was, as expected, flawless. It consisted of a fusion of beloved classics including Our House, Baggy Trousers, Shut Up, Wings of a Dove, House of Fun and equally as enjoyable new tracks such as Herbert and You Are My Everything.
Their performance of Mumbo Jumbo was aptly complimented by on-stage visuals of Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, and brexit related newspaper headlines.
The Nutty Boys then took a more sombre turn, as one of London’s finest lyricists paid tribute to another in the song Blackbird. A poignant tribute to ‘fallen angel’ Amy Whinehouse on the new album.
Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena
Getting off to a bad start on Herbert resulted in Suggs suggesting we bought the CD and listened to it properly, before starting it again from the beginning.
It’s hard to sit still when the music hits you and you’ve not a chance when House of Fun, Baggy Trousers and One Step Beyond are part of the menu.
Don’t get me wrong, these are the ones more familiar to me and favourites of a time and still are, but the new CD has even more to love and time to make more memories on the back of these tracks.
After four decades together, some have been friends since they were 12, they have lost nothing of the character that has made them so much fun to see and endeared them to their fans.
Can’t Touch the Single Now
The single “Can’t touch us now” is out now. At least that is to say its promotional release date has passed. It was Friday. Evidence of the single beyond this falls to Radio 2 who have been play listing it as the most prominent radio station to do so and playing it for a little while. All good promotion for the parent album where all the focus is good and a return to the top 40 sees it continue to gain more listeners heading into silver disc for sales.
The good news if you are me, and were critical of the chosen mix of the album’s opening track, the radio have been playing a clearly different radio remix. Even beyond the truncated version heard over the recent band video, this radio mix thank god does away with the reuse of a middle section as pompous album intro and also omits a sax buzz effects noise that always sounded like a family fortunes game show incorrect fart. Beyond this radio push sees a little more re-arrangement and polish to the tune to make it more instant to the ear. Good job done. Sounding less live studio take and more classic Madness single material and grabbing you.
Shame then that my best advice in 2016 is tape the radio play! As I see no download link yet evident for an alt mix 99p purchase of any kind, and a small number of promo discs out there are the only physical existence of course going for eBay prices, and even they don’t feature a new cover art to be worth any investment in unless you suffer the burden of completist.
Jonathan Young
Nowe Płyty Ennio Morricone i Madness
Translated by Jacek Gajewski
(http://cojestgrane24.wyborcza.pl/cjg24/1,13,21023395,0,nowe-plyty-ennio-morricone-i-madness.html; accompanied by an official video: Mr Apples)
So far and so close at the same time. The Londoners’ success made fiendish, impish (however, melancholic from time to time) hits, like “Baggy Trousers”, “Our House” or “Night Boat To Cairo”.
From three bands of the second wave of ska avant-garde (with The Specials and The Selecter), it’s Madness who got a mass social consciousness and popularity, in Poland as well. But 30 years have passed since that time. The older men aren’t seeming to behave like frolicked teenagers (however they are perverse, still have flash in their eyes and sting in their lyrics).
A new, just released album is full of afterimages of older songs – instantly recognizable piano, choruses well-cut to sing together in choirs, moving ballads. Despite that, “Can’t touch…” is much more closer to a modern urban, frolic and excellent swing, than to a classic ska.
Polish Radio Trójka – Programme Three (public radio)
Translated by Jacek Gajewski
An author programme “Songs without borders”, aired in every Sunday between 10,00 and 12,00, is led by Wojciech Mann. He is a Polish journalist who stood behind inviting Madness to Poland in January 1984 and recommended and helped them to donate some part of their royalties for the Solidarity movement.
Wojciech Mann presented “Can’t Touch Us Now” album on November 6th ( http://www.polskieradio.pl/9/353/Artykul/1689147,Piosenki-bez-granic-6-listopada-godz-1107 ). Together with the title song he aired “I Believe”, “(Don’t Let Them) Catch You Crying”. He mentioned that:
– Madness is a band instantly recognizable after first tones played;
– a band is composed of very musical and composing gifted men, who started from ska, but now one can found also several jazz influences in Madness’ music;
– they have very smart lyrics full of humor and optimism;
– Madness play non-aggressive music, making listeners smiling, what is quite unique and important today;
– Madness is not a group for 100% – not all songs are hits. He likes 5-6 songs from CTUN.
Next Sunday, November 13th, he presented album “Bite the Bullet” and played “Cry to Me”, “Hongry” and “Step It Up My Sister” ( http://www.polskieradio.pl/9/353/Artykul/1691594,Piosenki-bez-granic-13-listopada-godz-1109 ).
He called LTSO as “a little branch of Madness”, a side project of Lee Thompson, Madness’ sax player. He underlined that LTSO, regardless of its own compositions, uses to play covers (like this one of Solomon Burke) in its own way of interpretation. It’s nice and funny music of swinging ska, music played with a smile. Listening to LTSO “converts a cloudy day into a sunny one”. LTSO plays music what is really loved by them. While presenting LTSO songs, Wojciech Mann made a mistake: he announced “I am King”, but aired “Step It Up My Sister” J.
In addition, “Mr Apples” was aired several times as song of the day on September 30th in the Polish Radio Programme Three.
Madness – Can’t Touch us Now Universal
Musikexpress Dezember 2016 (p.108/109)
Translated by Google Translate., with some editing by Rob
Passed on to us by Jacek Gajewski
No more ska, but Kitchen-sink-pop in the tradition of Kinks: The Nutty Boys experience a second spring.
[The launch of] their twelfth record [was] announced [by] Madness with a Q & A session – in [a] retirement [home for] veterans of the British Army. “We were looking for an institution that was older than ourselves,” says Suggs. “[There was] only the Rolling Stones – [who] did not want to give a press conference.”
Madness are really an institution. In the ancestry of English kitchen-sink pop bands they stand with 15 UK top ten singles as a link between the Kinks and Blur. At the end of the 80s, the collective of Camden Town came to an end, and in the 1990s it was reunited. [Since then], Madness [have] released albums like the epic THE LIBERTY OF NORTON FOLGATE (2009) and QUI QUI SI SI JA JA DA DA (2012), which not only expand the musical boundaries of the band, but [are] also the best of their career.
The title of the new record, CAN NOT TOUCH US NOW, is therefore appropriate and is supported by a total [of] 16 songs. With wind instruments, piano and strings they are arranged in many layers. But youthful Madness has given way to a dark side.
Today, Suggs employs the old Ray Davies question: “Where did all the good times go?” The influence of the former mastermind of the Kinks ghosts through the record.
After nearly 40 years Madness want [to play] more to the world [than the] Greatest Hits.. This makes [them] one of the most honorable instructors of the pop world.
LIVE INTENSIFIED
Mr. Young’s CTUN Tour Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed the CTUN tour – seeing it develop from early planning of visuals and the sound checks, then watching it at House of Fun on the Saturday Night, and then going to the Brighton and 02 concerts.
In recent years, HOF has been so amazing for the fans that can go there and hear the unique Friday sets, that it has been eclipsing of the Xmas tour gigs that some years have followed shortly after.
I’m not feeling that’s the case this time around with this tour. Brighton shredded my voice the atmosphere was so good there, and the 02 shed showed just how well the screens are integrated on this one. They have the best large scale Madness presentation I’ve ever seen, I think, at the O2.
With so many new tunes in the set from opener to encore and the returned rare singles it’s transformed Madness once again. This was a bolder approach to new material than say the 2010 Do Not Adjust Your Nut Tour, which revolved only two new songs each night. Then you had the Rag and Bone Man singular new tune of last Xmas, or the least memorable Charge of the Mad Brigade Tour which, although touring songs from the newly released Oui, Oui in 2012 felt more like it was very late to the party of that album. That turned out more memorable now as we heard Carl’s Michael Caine for who knows, maybe the last time.
The CTUN tour by comparison is airing “You Are My Everything” only two months old to any memory from its album debut, and new singles like “Can’t Touch us Now”, and “Mr. Apples” still feel fresh even if they’ve had a years’ life since first arriving live. “Mumbo Jumbo” and “Blackbird” feel as if they are now being definitively presented wide screen and surround sound, when the Grandslam or Mumbo Jumbo night at HOF gave only a glimpse of what they could become in a stadium setting.
With a helping two hands from Mez new sounds enhance old hits. From Cardiac’s xylophone, NW5’s chimes, Wings of Doves’ bongo and extra drumming, and some cheeky apple shakers on the new single. The front man presence of Mr Thompson on Mumbo Jumbo, and the less flabby approach to Showtime returning to a quick joke around before a fitting new way of moving into the hits with One Step Beyond, all the band in their right spot and space for a tight unit of sound, and Paul Agar’s animated now familiar graphics and the clever use of cage set, it’s all fitting.
The haunting nature of the chosen Amy visuals, and sadly the passing of legend Prince buster, have given the live show some genuine poignant moments. These moments have always been in the pain of Madness songs, but they are now performed with a genuine old world gravitas earned by the band, as the years show on them. “It must be get better in the long run”, then from Yesterday’s Men echo’s a melancholy not so present on its release in the 80’s or even the last time I heard it live previously, in the 90’s. It seems Madness can touch us now. Emotionally, because we are in deep as fans.
This tour more than many others has stamped the NOW of Madness onto their other achievements and given them a rewarding new chapter.
Jonathan Young
Set List for London O2 Gig
Our thanks to Jacek Gajewski for the below…
CTUN
Embarrassment
The Prince
NW5
My Girl
Herbert
Wings of a Dove
Good Times
Cardiac Arrest
Blackbird
Sun and the Rain
Yesterday’s Man
Mumbo Jumbo
Grey Day
Tomorrow’s Just Another Day
You Are My Everything
OSB
House of Fun
Baggy Trousers
Our House
It Must Be Love
Encore: Mr Apples, Madness, Night Boat to Cairo.
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 658 – Sunday 18th December – Saturday 24th December 2011
As this year drew to a close, many were now looking to the year ahead, and our favourite band were no exception.
Having already made gig bookings for The Isle of Wight and Mexico in 2012, we discovered that earlier this week tickets for concerts at the Newmarket and Carlisle Racecourses were now on sale!
Although details were non-existent at the moment, perhaps the most exciting news to reach us in the past seven days was that MADNESS WERE PLANNING TO TOUR AMERICA. Dates, venues, and in fact, any other details had yet to be revealed, but as soon as they surfaced we promised to let you know.
US based Madness fans had been starved of Madness live performances for so long, so this was really exciting news for them.
With a new album promised and gigs already stacking-up, 2012 looked to be a fantastic one for the band and fans alike.
On to the articles, and Chris took time out of his busy schedule to talk Brighton Radio about Butlins and the next album, due for release in 2012.
The band were currently sending tracks around to producers. We knew that Langer and some other Britpop producers were working on album tracks, as this week Chrissy Boy mentioned Stephen Street’s involvement on the radio show.
As well as explaining the polished pro tools rehearsal rooms high standards of recordings thus far approach, Chris talked about the new tracks being played at Butlins, as well as his drinking, western watching, Miswas, The nutty train and all the buggers who stole all the banners!!!
He said the new album would be out in the first quarter of 2012.
Further on, and we featured a full transcript of “How Can I Tell You”, painstakingly typed-up by the ever capable Jonathan Young.
Elsewhere, and we were pleased to announce the brand new opening of the MIS brotherhood. We already had the MIS and the French MIS, Now we had the Mexican MIS Online hosted by the one and only Domingo Munoz.
Moving on, and ahead of their Jazz Cafe appearance in Camden this coming Christmas week (21st) in support of Deaf School, we brought you news Of The Ska Orchestra performing a special session for BBC radio. Not only that but there were rumours they might be appearing on a forthcoming charity album, too. Exciting times!
We brought this issue to a close with a reminder that on Thursday 22nd December Suggs and Mike would be appearing on Absolute Radio where they’d be playing a number of session tracks. This was recorded as part of Absolute Radio’s Christmas sessions.
10 years ago…
Issue number 398 – Sunday 17th December to Saturday 23rd December 2006
This final issue before Christmas was an absolute monster. Weighing in at an impressive 16 articles, we had both quantity and quality for the those subscribed to plough through.
With the band’s Christmas tour having drawn to a close, much of the issue was taken up with fan and press reviews of the gigs that had taken place over the past couple of weeks.
This edition of the MIS featured reviews of the Brixton, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and Newcastle gigs, and as most were from the press they were packed full of cliche after cliche.
The issue wasn’t just related to covering the recent tour. Oh no. We also took time out to cover Lee Thompson joining the Aggrolites on stage for pretty much their entire set, at the Underworld Venue in Camden Town. Roving reporter Duff Kelly was there, and managed to fill us in on just what went on.
Elsewhere we revealed how North London band JAG, had won the O2 Undiscovered tournament, which saw a whopping 4,791 acts taking part.
The lads have found their O2 Undiscovered experience to be a busy but an inspiring one. “The last two months have been pretty hectic” said Dan. “We’re absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity by O2 and Polydor.”
It was back on to Madness next, as Jonathan Young gave us the lowdown on the new videos that Chris had uploaded after recently recording them on his legendary AxeCam, and we continued with Jon for our last article. It was here where those of you who still had money left after buying all your Christmas presents could find out how to purchase digital copies of all tracks from The Singles Box sets one and two.
15 years ago…
Issue number 136 – Sunday 16th December to Saturday 22nd December 2001
After working so hard on the last few issues of the MIS, Jon took a well-deserved week off, and instead spent the time putting together a new computer. If all went to plan he’d be back up and running in time for the following issue.
We began with news that Saturday 15th of December saw the airing of an episode of the `Night Fever` quiz show which featured not only Suggs singing, but an appearance by the legendary Blockheads as well.
Although the MIS team didn’t catch the show subscriber Simsey did;
“Watched Suggs’ Night Fever tonight. Crap show, great guest band though. Unfortunately, I missed Suggs’ opener cos my brother was watching another channel.
However, I still got to hear it, because Mike H came up trumps with the mp3 about 15 minutes after the programme finished. Good stuff all round – although Suggs’ singing the wrong words even when they were printed on a screen for him is a bit much”.
With the Christmas Madmeet taking place in Camden the same time this was aired, it was highly likely that many Maddies missed this.
Continuing on a Blockhead related note, Simsey emailed in to report that the band would be performing at the Colchester Arts Centre on the 22nd. Amazingly, the event was organised by a member of The Blockheads Mailing List. He’ persuaded and cajoled the Blockheads into appearing and had now sold enough tickets to start making a profit for CancerBACUP.
We moved on to tribute outfit news next, as we reported that Ian Soulsby, better known as Suggsby from ONE STEP BEHIND, would be unveiling his new band on the 18th December.
The band, called THE IMPACT, would be on the bill at THE 100 CLUB, OXFORD ST, LONDON, and promised some very mod sounds, quoting THE FACES, SECRET AFFAIR amongst their influences. Headlining the night will be none other than SECRET AFFAIR.
Ian told us;
“I’ve been into the mod scene for years, so it’s great to be fronting an originals band and get the chance to sing in my OWN voice.
To do our first gig supporting SECRET AFFAIR is a welcome bonus.”
In other news, One Step Behind had been booked to play the FRIENDS REUNITED website party on Monday the 17th. The organisers had been in talks with SUGGS’ agents to get him to join the band on a couple of numbers. This had unfortunately fallen through so OSB would now be supported by 80’s popsters – Go West.
Next it was over to The Total Madness Mailing List, who announced that the Magnificent 7 web site had just undergone a re-launch. The site first went live in 2000, and since then had developed a small but loyal fanbase. It had now been relocated and revamped. Originally the new site was due to go live on the 2nd of January, but after much hard work the launch came three weeks early.
While many of us were still waiting for Christmas, Chris Mountain was already looking to March, when the Complete Madness weekend at Butlins Bognor Regis would be taking place. The weekend would feature tributes to Madness, The Specials, The Jam, The Police and UB40, as well as the following real bands – Bad Manners, Selecter and Dr & The Medics.
Chris told us at the time;
“ITS NEARLY SOLD OUT so get your skates on if you are thinking of going. Phone up & book it !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m booked up and I know quite a few others are either booked, planning to book or thinking about it.
So get on with it!!!!!!!!!!
The prices are so cheap ITS UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!”
We brought this issue of the MIS to a close with a look at some of the more interesting Madness related items currently up for sale on Ebay UK.
Rob Hazelby
MIS FEATURE – LYRIC DENYING
Those of you enjoying the track “Soul Denying”, might like to know about some of its lost lyrics.
I remember this being on the Butlins Dublin Castle stage set Friday night when the song first finally aired live. Between this rendition and the album some side lyrics by Thommo seem to have been not fully utilised in the decided final mix. You can hear the beginning of those lines still. “Joy for me” is still audible, but the rest truncated, with other vocal and instrumental sounds occupying the space.
So what were they? We ask Thommo, and here are the lines which further emphasise the forlorn love lost nature of the tune.
…
“I just couldn’t bring myself ,I should have been more forward like the boy next door,
Instead I hit the floor running, Never really knowing what was next in store,
Joy for me was wide open spaces, a deep blue velvet with a thousand eyes,
A rolling stone never gathers moss, fulfilment now would be my hand in your hand.”
Lyrics by Lee Thompson.
Jonathan Young
TIME…
We’re almost done for this issue of the Madness Information Service Newsletter, but we urge those of you who can get to the Camden area on new year’s eve, and who are stuck for something to do, to get along to The Silencerz at The Dublin Castle.
Tickets can be found here:
https://www.wegottickets.com/sct/X97EprtqDk
And finally, as we draw yet another edition of the MIS to close we leave you with this little nugget…
Tony Maudsley (Kenneth the hairdresser in TV show “Benidorm”) and Paul Chuckle (of the Chuckle Brothers – to you to me!!) were among the cast on stage for Night Boat to Nottingham due to them currently appearing in Panto in the city.
Suggs closing words were “It is better to have one Chuckle a day than none at all!”
Something that maybe we all ought to take to heart a little more.
All the best,
Jon Young, Rob Hazelby, Simon Roberts, Paul Williams
(With thanks to Paul Rodgers, Jacek Gajewski and Nick Godwin)
The Author
