Hello, and a very warm welcome to this week’s edition of the MIS Online newsletter.
We begin with the news that earlier in the week Lee, his sister and Lee’s niece were featured in a four-minute segment on the BBC’s One Show covering the legendary song “Embarrassment”.
Now, don’t fret. You don’t have to search through an episode of the show on the BBC’s iPlayer to find this recording as MIS subscriber Adam Nicholls has done all the hard work for you.
Simply point your browser here, sit back and enjoy.
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.
An advanced test screening version of the new Mockumentary comedy and life story film, hosted by Lee with A Q&A after the film and a special performance.
As we recently mentioned, Thommo’s film project “One Man’s Madness, A RockuMockuDocumentary”, is now live on Pledge Music
Lee Thompson’s comedy life story film, featuring multiple mad Lee performances, and starring all of Madness and many more well-known voices, is nearly complete and coming out this year. All that remains to make this possible if for you to pledge and help complete the project as planned.
Exclusive Baggy Trousers video prints now available.
Unearthed from the archives are four never before seen prints from the video shoot for the iconic Madness Baggy Trousers video, featuring Lee Thompson flying above the fields of Islip Street School.
Numbered and signed by Lee, these hand printed photographs are limited to a run of only 2…
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 697 – Sunday 16th September – Saturday 22nd September 2012
It’d been a long time coming, but it was this week that we finally learned the name of the forthcoming tenth studio album.
Entitled ‘Oui, Oui, Si, Si, Ja, Ja, Da, Da’, and featuring some simple but unique artwork, it’d certainly been a divisive one amongst the fans, with many venting their disappointment of the name and imagery over on Facebook.
On to something much more important than mere names, and we began our articles with the track listing for the forthcoming album, and the writers behind each tune.
Further on, and we featured the Madness album, Weekender and Tour Press Release. The album was due to be released on the 29th October, with the first single, My Girl 2 due for release on the 22nd.
Fans had already been given a taste of what was to come from the album with track ‘Death Of A Rude Boy’ which was made available as a free download from the official site in August.
The press released explained that the band were now busy preparing themselves for their forthcoming Charge of the Mad Brigade tour, which was due to kick off on November 30th at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena.
Elsewhere, and we reported that the My Camden web site had revealed that Arlington House had now been listed by English Heritage, awarding it a grade 2 listing.
On to Ska Orchestra news, and it was this week we learned that the band would be performing in front of the crowd at the forthcoming House of Fun Weekender.
Lee Thompson commented…
“We have been offered a ‘High Noon’ TLTSO gig in the 1600 capacity room at Butters. Paul Tadman will be standing in for Bedders. I may even slip in a Crunch! song or 2!!!”
The band were due to play around 12 noon on the Sunday of the weekender.
Next, and although it had been many years since an issue of Ian Taylor’s excellent Skazine went to press we were told this week that another had finally rolled off the production line.
The latest issue spanned a whopping 70 pages, and contained a short review of the Death of a RudeBoy download, a Classic Album article on Norton Folgate, an article on some of Ian’s feelings about the band’s gigs over the last 4-5 years and much more besides.
Priced at £3.00 including postage and packing, it was madness to miss it.
The majority of this issue was taken up with fan opinions of the name of the forthcoming album and its rather minimal artwork. It seemed as if you couldn’t keep everyone happy.
We brought this issue to a close with another one of Paul Rodgers’ Madness Stats, Facts and Figures articles, and finally the full entertainment line-up for the forthcoming Madness Weekender.
10 years ago…
Issue 437 – Sunday 16th September – Saturday 22nd September 2007
We started this week’s issue with news that it looked like tickets for the forthcoming tour were selling extremely fast, if the news from subscriber Philip Oldroyd was anything to go by.
Phil told us that he went online to purchase standing tickets for the forthcoming O2 Arena gig, only to discover that they were all gone!
We were both pleased (for the band) and stunned, in equal measures, that the tickets had been snapped-up so fast. If you knew of any web sites still offering standing tickets for this gig, we asked you to let us know so we could publish the information in the following week’s issue.
On to the articles, and we kicked off with a report from the Virtual Festivals web site, covering the band’s recent performance at Bestival. Almost everything went to plan, although the start of their set was delayed by what was thought to be a blown fuse!
Digital Spy also covered Bestival, and the following article reported that Suggs ran onto the stage and took the microphone from Scottish rocker Bobby Gillespie’s hands, before shouting: “F*** the Rolling Stones! This is the best rock ‘n’ roll band in the world!”
Our favourite lead singer had to be pulled off stage by security, while a crowd of around 20,000 watched on, reported The Sun.
The Bestival coverage continued as we passed the baton over to The Madness Trading Ring’s “Mr Wheeze”, who kindly gave us the full tracklisting to the band’s Channel 4 coverage of their set.
The full list of aired tracks was:
one step beyond
embarrassment
my girl
the sun and the rain
the prince
NW5
iron shirt
bed & breakfast man
house of fun
baggy trousers
our house
it must be love
madness
night boat to Portsmouth (Seriously!)
We brought this issue to a close by recommending that you popped over to YouTube to watch “Night Boat to Portsmouth”. Unfortunately, the link we provided now seems to be dead, as the account associated with the clip has been terminated.
15 years ago…
Issue 175 – Sunday 15th September – Saturday 21st September 2002
With only a few weeks to go until the opening of the ‘Our House’ musical, it was nice to read (courtesy of Chris Carter-Pegg) that posters promoting the show were starting to appear across the capital.
Chris also commented, saying that if you were in the area, it was worth making a trip to the Cambridge Theatre, as the outside had been fully decked out with all the posters and signs for the musical.
Before concluding his report, Chris mentioned that fans keen to get along to the ‘Our House’ Q&A session should get their skates on, as 250 out of the 300 tickets had already been snapped-up.
Promotion for the forthcoming Christmas tour was also stepping up a gear as subscriber Liz Maher, reported that an ad for the tour had appeared in the latest issue of Q magazine.
After stumbling upon what he initially thought was a new Madness best of compilation, Jonathan Young gave us all the heads-up on a new Madness tribute album – a CD containing 11 tracks, all performed by tribute artists.
Although unwilling to purchase the album for review purposes, Jonathan commented that;
“MIS will shortly be obtaining a copy of this album, for review purposes and perhaps some much-needed darts practice before donating it to the royal national institute for the deaf”.
With a recent glut of vinyl bootleg, “Camden Cowboys” appearing on Ebay Chris Carter-Pegg treated MIS subscribers to a detailed lowdown on this 18 track LP, described as “The Madness Archive Collection – Part 1”.
Chris finished his review by stating;
“All in all a great item for any collector and very pleasing to see Madness back on vinyl. Its manufactured to a high quality and quite a bit of thought has been put into it, just a shame that the tracks themselves aren’t slightly more unusual as overall it doesn’t really give you a great deal more than you can already find on ‘The Business’.”
With Monday 2nd of September seeing the release of ‘Oranges and Lemons Again’, readers may have wondered as to why we failed to mention the subsequent chart placing of the new release. Well, the sad news was that there was no chart placing. Yes, the single was released, and disappeared without trace.
Further investigation from a certain Vince Foley revealed that it had failed to make it even into the top 75! Many fans were putting the lack of chart entry down to the fact that the release had received absolutely zilch publicity.
We advised those who had failed to purchase the single to rummage through the bargain bins, as this is where we felt most had ended up.
Rob Hazelby
Live Intensified
The Pop-Up Nutty Bar
A few back streets on from Goodge Street in the west of London, in a area rather nondescript and industrial, past a not very clear sign of being in business, then down a tight corridor and descending into an unlikely basement is where you will find “The Social.”
It’s an establishment that barely manages to cling onto such a name then, given its location in this tiny windowless space, in the false internal darkness of a Saturday afternoon that, passes as a night club here. Theres a tiny dance floor, a raised step stage big enough for one man and behind it a DJ booth nestles next to rather angular booth seating and round the corner a hidden bar makes up the small space left to fill in what probably used to be storage warehouse for a long since closed shop above at ground level.
Harry Wandsworth can be found sitting here readying tickets for the day events, with Nick Chesney and Dee Scott helping to write out the raffle tickets and more prep. This isn’t the sunny climes of Spain, but nevertheless The Nutty Bar brand is now being applied here to a London club night (or afternoon) with its reputation of a devotion to the nutty sound well known and understood by the fans that come along today to witness and fill out this venue. Nicky and Wayne, Owen, Ian, James, Maria, Hazel and Andy, shout out to some regular faces and followers of Harry on Facebook. The Clapham common weekend fun starts here on this Saturday, with this original fan-boy at the helm as host.
Music and beers start to flow, and everyone awaits patiently the arrival of Lee Thompson, our second DJ of the event, after Harry’s early play of some tunes. When Lee turns up , fashionably beyond the start time as always, he is in good spirits. It’s amusing to hear the songs he picks, and its very good value for money to hear two of them played at the same time! Until he settles into the right settings on the desk that is and gets the dance floor filled more properly with old school ska and reggae sounds. He’s approachable and fans pop over for a quick chat, photo or signature. The rest of the time Lee’s amusing dancing behind the decks are worth the £5 enter price alone. The classic “Going down stairs” walk, the “deep sea diver” nose holding shimmy into the imaginary pool, knowing winks and impersonating some of the dance floor attendees before later dealing with the heckles he goads out of people who start playing up to this. Everyone is having a lark and it’s a really friendly get together. Ok it is worthy of that “Social” name then, as fans intermingle and discussing the possibilities Monday Madness may bring, this does feel like a social gathering now and not just any old club night.
The Rev toon is our live singing entertainment, and while I have heard him sing with an MIS show at HOF a few years back, I never made it to the Spanish nights of The Nutty Bar, where he was resident entertainment. So I’m only learning today the range of vocal talents he can bring, very much aping the styles of vocalisation on original 2tone bands tracks sung to backing tracks today, with a few good Madness numbers among the classics. Hearing his heartfelt speech about singing today with one of his Hero’s behind the DJ decks here, is a touching moment that peaks the day’s feeling of a nutty fan family of Madness fans hanging out for a nice do.
We even have some visitors over from Jamaica, a man called Joshua is the manager of some Alpha School musicians, Madness have flown this next generation musicians over for Monday’s gig. They work the following radio station playing music in great ska traditions, and they are here today to meet Lee.
Lee returns to the decks to play more, tunes, even throwing in Sky Larking the Dangermen Bside along side all the original ska and reggae tunes. Before this he talks to the audience and fields a few questions. “I’m bricking it” he says of the All Stars gig October 1st which will be a special event he holds next. A screening of his film in rough form and a Q&A as well as some special music of choice. A nutty bar signed polo shirt with all seven madness signatures on is then raffled and Lee presents the winner with his prize, with the money going to the 2tone museum. Congrats to Stephen Boult who won.
The afternoon sadly has to end as the day was just nicely warmed up, and Lee hangs around and talks to us about the guest stars playing with Madness at the house of common, with many an exaggerated tale of wandering Dawn Penn. Then we are ejected passed the time allowed in the venue, out into the street, wife Debbie is next door in the lobster restaurant. But Lee isnt allowed in, still nursing a fine
glass of brandy, he drinks with the fans, with mocking protests against anoracking questions or claims the fans will kidnap him before this big gig on Clapham Common.
A few of us filter off for food at the Goodfare cafe in Camden before the evening’s next adventure, with Mez, Bedders and the Fezzez. Up in Walthamstow… (to be continued)
Harry’s Nutty Bar may return to London this December. Come along to the next one. It’s a real social fun, ska afternoon.
Keep an eye out for future adverts, and we will let you know in our showtimes diary any future events, we leave the final word to the Rev Toon.
“Some men deserve success simply by the very nature of their personalities. Harry Wandsworth and Lee Thompson are up there with the best of them. Thank you Gentlemen.” The Reverend Toon
Jonathan Young
Time
That’s almost it for this week, but before we go we do have one or two last minute bits and pieces to pass in your general direction.
First-up, and it seems that Dave Robinson is going to take to the airwaves, as this recent post on his Facebook page indicates…
“I’m going to have a go at my own weekly radio show on http://boogalooradio.com/ starting Sunday 8th Oct from 12 – 2pm every Sunday. called Free Yourself. Anyone with any ideas please comment and let me have them.”
Like and share this new promotional page (https://m.facebook.com/onebetternight/) from Kye Thompson. Why? Well, it’ll mean you can join the competition to win Madness autographed pictures, two of which will be given away for liking and sharing the page, once 500 people have joined.
Future event information will also be made available via the page, too.
So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself signed-up!
