Hello and welcome to this packed issue of the weekly MIS Online newsletter.
We begin with news of a very kind gesture from the one and only Nick Woodgate. Nick has very generously made 4 of his albums available for free via his web site. The albums are Goofball, Hi, JoJo Man and The JoJo Man Band.
Next, and you’ll notice when you read further on that our “MIS Feature” this week is the same as the one in last week’s issue. This is not a mistake. The “Save the Dublin Castle” crowdfunding campaign as https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savethedublincastle remains live, so there’s still chance for you to make donation to the cause and get yourself in the running to win a new XL Record Store Day Night Boat Double 7 Inch Gatefold Edition. Check out our feature article for more information.
We bring you further Dublin Castle fundraising news this week, as subscriber Kieron Murphy has been in touch to give us a heads-up that on the “MadChat” Facebook group there’s an auction of items with all monies raised going towards the crowdfunding campaign. Numerous items have already been sold via auction, but there are more still to come. Currently running is XL sized “Gladness T-Shirt”, signed by Suggs and Carl. This belonged to landlord of the DC, Henry Conlon, and he is donating it to the cause. Coming up is an auction for a top hat ice bucket signed by 6 of the 7 members of the band.
Continuing on a Dublin Castle related note, and you’ll find an excellent article from the Camden New Journal in this week’s “Sign of the Times”. If you’ve even a passing interest in this famous venue it’s well worth a read.
Also in this week’s “Sign of the Times” are details of Chris Foreman’s recent guesting on Mr. Scurf’s Koast Train, accompanied by a download link if you missed it.
If that wasn’t enough, the same section also has details of Rhoda Dakar’s new radio show.
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.
In Before We Was We Madness tell us how they became them. A story of seven originals, whose collective graft, energy and talent took them from the sweaty depths of the Hope and Anchor’s basement to the Top of the Pops studio.
In their own words they each look back on shared adventures. Playing music together, riding freight trains, spraying graffiti and stealing records. Walking in one another’s footsteps by day and rising up through the city’s exploding pub music scene by night.
Before We Was We is irreverent, funny and full of character. Just like them.
Record Store Day – Work Rest and Play ** revised date **
Release date: TBC. Was 18th April then 20th June
Format: Double 7″ single
Cat No. BMGCAT430DSV
Overview:
Fortieth anniversary re-issue of Madness’ “Work Rest & Play EP” – the follow-up to their debut album, 1979’s “One Step Beyond…”
Limited edition Record Store Day 2020 release on double 7” format with a triple gatefold sleeve including photos from the time of the original release.
Track listing:
Side One
Night Boat To Cairo
Side Two
Deceives The Eye
Side Three
The Young And The Old
Side Four
Don’t Quote Me On That
Record Store Day – Dance Craze 40th Anniversary Edition ** revised date **
This is a new half-speed master exclusively for RSD and part of the Two Tone Records 40th Anniversary celebrations. This is a soundtrack to the live movie of the same name featuring exclusive live recordings by The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers. This is also first vinyl repress since its original release in 1981.
Tracklisting:
Concrete Jungle
Mirror in the Bathroom
Lip up Fatty
Razor Blade Alley
Three Minute Hero
Easy Life
Big Shot
One Step Beyond
Ranking Fullstop
Man at C&A
Missing Words
Inner London Violence
Night Boat to Cairo
Too Much Pressure
Nite Klub
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, 10, 15 and 20 years ago this week.
5 years ago…
Issue Number 838 – Sunday 31st May to Saturday 6th June 2015
It was here! The Grandslam tour officially kicked-off on Friday night when the band took to the stage in Lincoln.
The band’s largest tour to date; this UK-wide extravaganza would see Madness travel the length and breadth of the British Isles over the next four months. We just hoped the weather would play nicely!
With the band on the road once more, it would come as little surprise to learn that this week’s “Sign of the Times” section was absolutely packed with articles we’d found online. From competitions offering free tickets to forthcoming gigs and details of how much the local Lincoln football club were hoping to raise from hosting a Madness concert at their club, we had it all. We even had MIS subscriber and Madness superfan Adam Fowler pointing us in the direction of the interview he’d held with Suggs which was published by the ITV news web site.
Moving on to “Live and Intensified”, and with the tour well and truly underway the fan reviews were starting to flood in. This was an absolutely massive section thanks to the typing efforts of multiple fans. The section covered the first gig of the tour which was held at the Lincoln Football Club. Reviews were glowing, and this no doubt got fellow fans excited to see their favourite band later in the tour.
This week’s “MIS Feature” covered the recently launched Kickstarter campaign by Free Seed Films who were hoping to crowd fund £50,000 to get a definitive documentary of the legendary backing band of Ian Dury; The Blockheads. Unfortunately, the campaign would only manage to raise £28,000 meaning the film wouldn’t see the light of day.
We brought this issue to a close by reporting that the MIS Team would be attending the Chelmsford gig where it would also be a certain Mr Young’s birthday. Hopefully one or two of you treated him to a birthday beer!
10 years ago…
Issue Number 578 – Sunday 30th May – Saturday 5th June 2010
It was time to get the plastic at the ready, as we got this issue underway with the latest offer from those nice people at Retro Madness.
This week they had further reduced the price of the deleted hardback version of Suggs and The City. This was reduced from the retail price of £17.99, to a mere £9.99 including postage and packing. Madness indeed!
Next, it had been a fair old while since we’d heard from the one and only Vince Foley, so it was nice to see that he was still around and digging up the Madness related news and tidbits as and when he could.
This week he’d emailed in to tell us that Woody had recently been interviewed by Dave Fanning, on RTE2. Not only that, but a podcast link had been made available, so you could listen again (or for the first time if you’d missed it).
On a more exciting note, Vince told us that over the next two weeks Suggs and Woody would be getting together to work on a few songs. Not only that, but Lee and Mike were writing together, and Woody was due to do some work with Lee very soon. These tracks may appear on an album to follow The Liberty of Norton Folgate.
Moving on, and it was on to Scarlett and Viva news. It transpired that our very own MIS contributor Emma Southerby had put their new site together, and you were urged to pay the hallowed pages a visit and sign up to their mailing list. (FYI the web site is no longer running).
Ian Dury news next, and MVD Visual and Wienerworld announced this week that the release of Ian Dury “Rare and Unseen” DVD would be taking place in North America on July 27th.
This brand new DVD release – to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Dury’s death – was a collection of rare footage, featuring original film and videos of the singer, newsreels and photographs from private collections.
Featuring:
– The earliest known TV performance from the London Programme 1976
– Three great interviews with much missed Mancunian Tony Wilson who died in 2007
– Final Richard and Judy interview and live performance restored for widescreen
– Includes EIGHT live musical performances with the Kilburns and the Blockheads: ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’, ‘Sweet Gene Vincent’, ‘Upminster Kid’, ‘Rough Kids’, ‘Billy Bentley’, ‘England’s Glory’, ‘Blockheads’ and ‘Geraldine’
Continuing on a Blockhead related note, we (well, we transposed the article, The Hereford Times web site actually reported it) reported that Phil Jupitus and The Blockheads would be headlining the Nozstock Festival on Saturday July 10th.
It was on to the Our House musical next, and the news in from Ben Jaggers of the Griffin Players Amateur Dramatics Society, Luton, was that their next production was going to be be non other than the “Our House” musical.
The production was due to be staged at the Luton Library Theatre from the 16th to the 19th of June 2010. Tickets were a very reasonable £11 for adults and a mere £9 for concessions. (OAPs and children, we assume).
We brought this issue of the MIS to a close with news from Dan Fossard, who announced that the next Big 10 gig would be taking place at Camden’s Dublin Castle on July 17th. The band would be on stage for 90 minutes and entry was a mere £5!
15 years ago…
Issue number 316 – Sunday 29th May to Saturday 4th June 2005
With the advertised release date of the forthcoming album mere weeks away the promotional bandwagon seemed to have shot off the proverbial starting blocks with news of the band popping up here, there and everywhere.
Last week Suggs and Mike appeared on Radio 2’s `Drive Time`, whilst this week Suggs played two Dangermen tracks on his Virgin Radio Show; the proposed single `Shame and Scandal` and `John Jones`. OK, so it was his own show, and he did give himself a little stick for airing the tracks, but as he was in the position to do so we felt that he may as well have taken advantage of it.
What was nice to read was that the forthcoming album and initial single were not only getting mentions in the UK press, but we had also received reports from Jean-Pierre Boutellier of Ska News and Steve Bringe of The Madness Trading Ring of Madness receiving coverage in both France and the US, respectively.
This issues’ collection of articles started off with a certain Lee Thompson revealing just who would be standing in for Chrissy Boy now that he had left the good ship Madness.
Out of respect for Chrissy Boy’s wishes, Lee had gone for Boris Riffcheque (an old working partner of his father, ‘Mr.John Foreman’).
A banjo & harp enthusiast from the Baltics. Although he had a web site, little was known about him as he got out of the folk/music business in the mid 70s’
He would perform at The Forest Shows, but would leave his options open as to what he would do after the tour had completed.
Exciting news appeared in the MIS this week, detailing the proposed track listing for the forthcoming Dangermen album. According to the Virgin web site, the track order was as follows:
1. JOHN JONES (Rudy Mills)
2. YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON – (Diana Ross & The Supremes)
– Dangermen version based on an arrangement by John Holt
3. SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD (Bob Marley)
4. DANGERMAN AKA HIGH WIRE ( Bob Leaper & His Orchestra)
5. GIRL WHY DON’T YOU? (Prince Buster)
6. YOU’LL LOSE A GOOD THING (Barbara Lynn)
7. TALLER THAN YOU ARE (Lord Tanamo)
8. SHAME & SCANDAL (Lord Tanamo)
9. ISRAELITES (Desmond Dekker)
10. LOLA (The Kinks)
11. RAIN (Jose Feliciano)
12. I’M READY FOR LOVE (Martha Reeves & The Vandellas)
13. I CHASE THE DEVIL AKA IRONSHIRT (Max Romeo)
Jon Young and myself both gave our thoughts on the proposed track list, with the two of us commenting that we were surprised that “Wonderful World, Beautiful People” failed to make the cut. Apart from that, we both felt that the album played host to a real mixture of tracks, and it was a release the two of us were looking forward to.
Next, we passed the reigns over to French MIS editor, Jean-Pierre Boutellier, who brought us news of V2 France’s Dangermen promotional efforts. The band would apparently be in the country from May the 30th and 31st, then June the 8th, 27th and 28th. A sampler album containing 5 tracks would be doing the rounds shortly.
Following this we moved over to a Virgin press release (kindly dug out by Kev Tizzard) promoting the new album. One of the more interesting pieces of the article was the words:
“The Dangermen will be playing a few selective not-to-be-missed hush-hush shows around London next month. Watch this space for details”.
In last week’s issue we asked those of you who managed to catch Suggs and Mike on Radio 2 to write in and let us know what you thought of the two new tracks aired on the show.
We had a huge response (well, one!), courtesy of subscriber Andy Balhatchet. Andy explained how he really enjoyed the new tracks, but felt that they were too raw and simply not poppy enough to succeed in today’s charts.
Andy finished by saying;
“Hate to be killjoy, but I’m gonna really make the most of this tour/album because I have a bad feeling it’ll be the last we’ll see”.
Thankfully, and we’re sure Andy agrees, his prophecies of the bands’ demise didn’t come to fruition.
We finished off this week’s issue by urging you to buy the forthcoming single, “Shame and Scandal”. We were aware that singles these days cost about half the price of a full album, but we had to try something to keep the truly terrible Crazy Frog (remember him?) off our airwaves.
20 years ago…
Issue number 54 – Sunday 28th May to Saturday 3rd June 2000
It was nice to see the MIS team weren’t alone with this one; Fans of the Saturday music show on BBC1, `A Question of Pop` were amazed when on the `guess the year` round, the classic `Baggy Trousers` video was shown and Suggs failed to get the correct year. Here’s what the Total Madness Mailing List’s Peter Gardner had to say at the time;
“I think it has been very noticeable that Suggs is shockingly BAD at that guess the year thingy. Completely and utterly useless. Very often I’ve found myself throwing things at the telly in disbelief at how bad he is as I tend to get it 90% of the time (and 100% if it’s in the 80s;-)) and at worse am only a year out. And what amazes me is when the other team have got it wrong and Suggs has a go and usually ends up further off than Noddy [Holder] was !!! Unreal”
Moving on, and we had some studio news, courtesy of Adele Hargreaves, who told us that;
“Next week Madness go into the studio to record ‘My Old Man’ for the Brand New Boots & Panties album for Ian & Cancer Bacup”.
And continuing on an Ian Dury/Madness related note Adele also revealed;
“For the 16th at the Brixton Academy, Suggs will sing with the Blockheads & Madness are scheduled to do a mini Madness set”.
If you were umming and ahhing about going along to the gig before, surely the prospect of a mini Madness set had got you rushing to order those concert tickets.
A number of issues back we’d announced Suggs’ appearance on London’s XFM radio station. Well, it looked like that this would be a permanent placement as a number of Total Madness Mailing List subscribers said that he was still presenting the weekday morning show.
And finally, Adele Hargreaves and Jenny Payne had this exciting news;
“GREAT news today (25th) …. the Ivor Novello Awards honoured Madness with a Lifetime Achievement Award for song writing.
The award is entirely chosen by the industry, for dedication, talent & song writing craft, it is a far greater & more significant award than say that of the Brits, which comes down to money & current popularity. It’s a very exciting and well deserved accolade I’m sure you’ll agree.
The award has been given today & the boys have been partying since lunchtime and will continue to do so well into the night at a second function”.
We that out of the way, we got underway with this weeks’ collection of articles, and began with the latest news surrounding Scatty’s Rhythmstock day/night. Starting at 12 noon at The Dublin Castle, this event would consist of a mad walk around Camden, an auction, the Ian Dury tribute concert, and a Ska/Two Tone/Dury disco, which would run into the early hours.
Next, we had a preview of issue 4 of the ‘Madness Unsugged’ fanzine. Although not quite ready for release, we were able to give subscribers a heads-up on the contents.
A number of issues back we announced that Virgin were well and truly underway with new Madness book entitled, `DON’T WATCH THAT – WATCH THIS! THE OFFICIAL STORY OF MADNESS`. Penned by loyal Madfan, and respected music journo, Adrian Thrills, this promised to be one of the most anticipated Madness releases of recent years when it was due to hit music store shelves in November.
Many had criticised Virgin during recent times over the lack of support given to the band during their recent batch of releases but this looked set to change with a barrage of media coverage planned in the run up to the release of the new book.
Thanks to Jake Stavrindes at Virgin Publishing, we could reveal what the company had planned to promote the book.
Next, it was over to Madness tribute band One Step Behind, and their lowdown of the gigs they had planned from now until the end of the year. With so many gigs lined-up there was simply no excuse for missing them.
We finished off this week’s edition of the MIS with news of the confirmed auction lots for the forthcoming Rhythmstock auctions, due to be held on Saturday 16th of June.
Prizes so far included “A Roadie’s Tale Documentary”, a DVD Player and DVD of The Sixth Sense, a Doctor Marten’s book, and much more.
Rob Hazelby
MIS Feature
Win New XL Record Store Day Night Boat Double 7 Inch Gatefold Edition
We are giving away an advance copy of The Work Rest and Play Gatefold Double 7inch. XL anniversary edition. Not officially released until August. Get it now in June.
A track made famous from its live beginnings in grassroots music venues including The Dublin Castle.
It’s one of the places where songs like Night Boat first sailed into the ears of future Madness fans, and now due to operating costs while closed due to covid 19, that pub is under threat.
Madness information service & All things Madness page ask you here to consider the cost of a pint, send it over to the above music venue trust lead crowd funding page link for The Dublin Castle. Let’s give one to the house, that home of many mad times before and hopefully more to come, such as the still forth coming Madness book club event. When times allow.
So We’ve a raffle prize incentive for you to consider doing this. Send just a few quid as every thing helps, to their crowdfund page this week. Leave your pub memory comment on that page when you do so and mark it “MIS”. Reply that you’ve done so by emailing
Jon@madness-mis.com or replying to the thread in the All things Madness Facebook group. Or the MIS twitter.
We will raffle a copy of the new Work Rest and Play gatefold 7 inch Madness double pack XL edition on June 7th to one lucky pub punter. Thanks if you can help in hard times. Please share the above link to friends.
Jonathan Young
Sign of the Times
Famous Camden Town music venues appeal for help to survive virus crisis
Dublin Castle landlord leads calls for rescue package
CAMDEN Town’s historic reputation for live music is hanging by a thread, venue owners have warned, amid new appeals for help to survive the coronavirus crisis.
After missing out on other business rescue packages, licensees want discretionary grants to help keep them afloat and a suspension of a late-night levy. Venues are still being asked to pay the charge even though they have been closed since the end of March.
While other businesses, such as shops and car showrooms, are slowly getting the green light to reopen under the government’s easing of lockdown measures, gig venues face one of the longest waits to get people through the door.
Henry Conlon, who runs the Dublin Castle in Parkway, one of London’s most famous pubs, said: “Not only is Camden’s live music culture famed the world over, it’s the key to Camden’s economic recovery following this pandemic. “Tourism shall eventually return but only if there is something to return to.”
The pub’s legendary music room provides a platform for up and coming bands, and has perhaps most famously been a launchpad for House of Fun and One Step Beyond hitmakers Madness. The band often namechecks the venue as being pivotal to its big break. Blur, The Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse all gigged there, and industry spotters join the crowd looking for the next big thing.
Mr Conlon is at the forefront of the appeal due to his position as chairman of the Camden Inner London Licensees Association (CILLA). He has written to Sir Keir Starmer, the Holborn and St Pancras MP who is now leader of the Labour Party, urging him to intervene and tomorrow (Friday) he will make his views known again on a “Zoom call” with council chiefs.
“Camden Town may be world famous but a lot of its celebrity was created by small music venues and the opportunity they presented,” said Mr Conlon.
“Our operational costs are tremendously high just to keep these doors open for business. The rules and regulations of the licensing policy mean that the chances of being a profit-making business are very low. Closure will be a loss to Camden’s recovery and its attraction to tourism.”
He said that CILLA members were now “desperate to keep their businesses” afloat but had not been eligible for a small business grant scheme, only open to those with a rateable value below £51,000. Mr Conlon said pub and music venue owners were facing some of the highest bills among businesses in the area. The night-time levy, a charge to pay for policing and the clear up after the weekend rush of revellers, was introduced four years ago as a bill for anybody serving drinks beyond midnight.
A point of controversy, some venue owners believe off-licences should also be forced to pay, or the levy should be suspended during a time when there is no income for bars. Camden Council is currently offering business rates holidays, but is being urged to do more.
The crisis hit just as the Music Walk of Fame, a celebration of Camden’s contribution to music, was getting started. Paving slabs paying tribute to Ms Winehouse, Madness and Soul II Soul had been laid in the High Street amid party scenes. Other noted venues in the area include the Jazz Cafe, also in Parkway, the Electric Ballroom in Camden High Street and Koko, the former Camden Palace, near Mornington Crescent.
Mr Conlon said: “Often you could be sitting in a coffee shop in another country and they’d be playing a song from a musician or band that performed in one of our venues – especially our very own Amy Winehouse.”
“The last time we had jeopardy, she was collecting her fifth Grammy Award and she announced: ‘Camden Town ain’t burning down’. If only we had Amy to help us now. I’m sure she’d be doing all that she could to help us.”
The Dublin Castle is among scores of venues across the country raising money through crowdfunder appeals and is part of a campaign by the Music Venue Trust charity to raise awareness over what is at stake.
The New Journal reported earlier this month how the Fiddler’s Elbow in Prince of Wales Road was also asking for help amid concerns that even if pubs are allowed to reopen with social-distancing rules in place, it would still be a long time before live music gigs will be permitted.
Amy Lamé, the former Camden mayoress hired by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to be Night Time Czar, wrote to councils earlier in the outbreak asking for breaks. “
The Mayor and I are asking all London local authorities to consider providing their licensed premises with a licence fee holiday for 12 months,” she said. “This could include suspending collection of annual licence fees and late-night levy fees where applicable. It mirrors the business rates holiday for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.”
Camden Council’s finance chief, Labour councillor Richard Olszewski, said: “As in the rest of the country, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted across all areas of daily life, including on Camden-based businesses. We are working hard to support them, both during this initial period and going forward towards an eventual recovery.
“Unfortunately, local authorities like Camden do not have the legal powers to suspend or vary fees such as the Late Night Levy. The requirement to pay an annual fee for a premises licence is set out in legislation and the government has so far not relaxed this requirement.”
He added: “The policing that the levy pays for is still deployed within the borough to deliver services to Camden’s business community as a whole. The council’s licensing team will work with businesses to ensure a smooth transition to normal operations as restrictions are eased.
“Our dedicated coronavirus web pages include all the latest information on the support available to businesses in Camden including grants, loans, wage support, rent support and other assistance. Businesses can also call us on 0207 974 5717 for further advice.”
Chris Foreman on Mr. Scurf’s Koast Train
This week Chris appeared on Mr Scurf’s Koast Train Show on Koast Radio for a chat.
Chris hinted that the band are working on a couple of forthcoming things for us during Lockdown but remained professionally tight lipped about what they may be. He also talked slightly about the current “Our House” online new video of fans alongside a discussion about his song writing process and the work that he has currently been doing and the next Madness album, even adding that Suggs has sent his music to Paul Weller instead!!!
You can hear the interview back at the below link:
As suggested by Chris, The MIS and Mr Scurf are currently working on a possible Chris’s Cupboard Zoom quiz for lock-downed fans with Owen Collins & Seven Ragged Men’s Iain Mason hosting a few Questions with Chris. If that sounds of interest to you during your lockdown get in touch at Jonsmad@hotmail.com and we will keep you posted on it.
Jonathan Young
Rhoda’s New Radio Show
Hello there!
Yes, I have a new radio show and it starts tomorrow 1st June at 12noon (GMT +1) on TWR, Totally Wired Radio. It’s called Pork Pie & Mash Up, is two hours long and will appear on the first Monday of the month.
Please join me for the inaugural instalment. I am joined by Dub Pistols frontman Barry Ashworth, on the phone, to keep the chaos to a minimum. Not for nothing is there a beer named ‘Bad Uncle Barry’ in his honour! Listen in to hear just a few of his stories and how he helped get The Specials back together!
Coincidently, I have recorded a track with the Dub Pistols called ‘Stand Together’. It will be debuted on BBC6 Music on Tuesday 2nd June by Steve Lamacq and then Wednesday 3rd June by Lauren Laverne. The official release date is Thursday 4th June, with more details available soon on the Dub Pistols website https://dubpistolsmusic.co.uk/home/. As soon as I have any further information I shall let you know!
A quick reminder – the Pork Pie & Mash Up logo competition is still on, for mailing list subscribers only, and runs until 30th June!
Take good care of yourselves!
Rhoda x
Time
We’re just about done for this week, but if you’d like some further reading then we urge you to check out the following link:
It’s a beautifully written piece covering the US version of the 1984 album “Keep Moving”, and is definitely worth five minutes of your time. You won’t regret it.
