With the new year fast approaching, you may be thinking about what to do on New Year’s Eve.
If you’re planning to stay at home then you could do a lot worse than tune into Jools Holland for the annual year end Hootenanny, as Rhoda Dakar will be guesting with the English Beat (Dave Wakeling) who is also joined by Jennie Bellstar.
If the above interests you then this week’s main feature may also as we catch up with Rhoda’s funding campaign for the Lo Tek 4 EP volume II which is near its half funded goal.
Now, if after all your Christmas shopping you’ve still got a few quid spare you may be interested to learn than The Bed and Breakfast Men have just released a new charity single (with all profits going to CLIC Sargent) and a certain Mr. Thompson stars in the music video.
Check out our “Buy it” section for video and order links. It’s for a very worthy cause.
As 2017 is almost at an end we continue to look forward to numerous live shows taking place during 2018. This week, a further addition was added to the mass of gigs already planned to take place next year with a brand new Deaf School gig in the works
Taking place on Thursday 22nd March 2018, at The Islington, London, you can be certain that tickets to this will sell out very quickly indeed. Don’t delay. If you want to get your ticket find the link in this week’s Showtimes section, and then come back here one you placed the order.
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
July 2018
July 28th/29th – Car Fest. Announced on Chris Evans’ Radio Show!
November 2018
Friday 30th Nov – Monday 3rd Dec – The House of Fun Weekender
Ticket hotline 08450261274 / http://www.butlins.com/madness
Suggs
What a King CNUT Tour 2018
A life in the realm of Madness.
Wed January 31 2018 – SWINDON Wyvern Theatre
Thu February 01 2018 – ST ALBANS Alban Arena
Fri February 02 2018 – GUILDFORD G Live
Sat February 03 2018 – SALISBURY City Hall
Sun February 04 2018 – CHATHAM Central Theatre
Tue February 06 2018 – SOUTHEND Palace Theatre
Wed February 07 2018 – BASINGSTOKE Anvil
Thu February 08 2018 – LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
Fri February 09 2018 – COVENTRY Arts Centre
Sun February 11 2018 – HASTINGS White Rock Theatre
Tue February 13 2018 – SALFORD Lowry
Wed February 14 2018 – BUXTON Opera House
Thu February 15 2018 – LEEDS Town Hall
Fri February 16 2018 – STOCKTON Princess Alexandra Auditorium
Sun February 18 2018 – BRIGHTON Theatre Royal
Tue February 27 2018 – MERSEYSIDE Floral Theatre
Wed February 28 2018 – DUNFERMLINE Alhambra Theatre
Thu March 01 2018 – GLASGOW Pavilion
Sat March 03 2018 – HULL City Hall
Sun March 04 2018 – YORK Opera House
Tue March 06 2018 – PRESTON Guild Hall
Wed March 07 2018 – NORTHAMPTON Royal and Derngate
Thu March 08 2018 – SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall
Sun March 11 2018 – BIRMINGHAM Alexandra Theatre
Tue March 13 2018 – AYLESBURY Waterside Theatre
Wed March 14 2018 – POOLE Lighthouse
Thu March 15 2018 – CHELTENHAM Town Hall
Fri March 16 2018 – BATH Forum
Sun March 18 2018 – NOTTINGHAM Theatre Royal
Mon March 19 2018 – IPSWICH Corn Exchange
Tue March 20 2018 – CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
Thu March 22 2018 – LONDON Palladium
Suggs – My Life Story The Movie, Premier
Koko Camden – January 17th
Simultaneous Cinema link of film and Live Q and A with Suggs talking to Keith Allen.
Beverley Parkway Cinema
Blackpool Odeon
Bluewater Showcase
Bristol Showcase
Cardiff Tramshed
Cleethorpes Parkway Cinema
Coventry Showcase
Derby Showcase
Derby Quad
Dudley Showcase
Edinburgh Lothian Road
Odeon
Glasgow Glasgow Film Theatre
Herne Bay Kavanagh Cinema
BOOK NOW
Hull Odeon
Leeds Showcase
Leicester Showcase
Liverpool One Odeon
London Camden Odeon
London Crouch End Art House Crouch End BOOK NOW
London Wimbledon Odeon
Manchester Great Northern
Odeon
Milton Keynes Stadium Odeon
Newcastle Silverlinks Odeon
Norwich Odeon
Nottingham Showcase
Peterborough Showcase
Pontardawe Arts Centre
Reading Showcase
Sheffield Odeon
Shrewsbury Theatre Severn
Southampton Showcase
Stockton on Tees ARC (Stockton Arts Centre)
Teesside Showcase
Walsall Showcase
Wotton Under Edge Electric Picturehouse
(with replay screenings in Cardiff in later January)
It’s £5 for a CD and £2.99 for a download (plus a bonus track of Dublin Castle. All money is going to CLIC Sargent, which is Mad Chat’s current cause. Thank you!
Behind the sceneshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnSHNq-0heg&feature=youtu.be
Madstore 20% Discount
Get 20% off all clothing for the entire month of December. Just enter DEC20 at the checkout.
Full House – The New Madness Best of Album – Review
Available to order now from Madness.co.uk & Pledge music. Out now!
2 CD’s and 4 LP’s make up a house full of Madness hits as the new best of reaches it’s Pledge shipping date, to be store available later too. But my house is already full of Madness Hit’s albums! is the shout of many fans that prefer a lesser milking of the back catalogue. So apart from Complete, Utter, It’s, It’s too, Divine, Divine, Divine, Heavy Hits, The Business, Our House the original songs, The incomplete digital singles collection, Total, Ultimate, Total Olympics, A Guided Tour, The Very best of, imports, The Ska Collection, The Take It or Leave It out not again soundtrack and Chris Foreman sings the hits LP, what has Full House ever done for us?
Brought Apples?
Yes, This is the best of with added CTUN & OUI OUI. Maybe it will settle pub arguments as to what counts as the singles from those last two albums now. Maybe it will start even more arguments.
So given the truth that ” Hit’s happen ” lets leave that fact to one side now, and address the fact that this isn’t Madness the complete singles. Though it nearly is. It’s 42 tracks neatly split into 21 each CD or set of LP’s. That includes the biggest singles and songs of the FULL band era on Full House part one. Then Mike leaves home. Uncle Sam starts part two which brings us up to carl-less date with the band still making great music in a house occasionally with someone who’s not home today. In fact the CD mirrors this fact slightly, a beautiful cover bulging with multiple mad men all together in our full house of fun then opens up on the CD version to reveal just Woody inside another version of the house on the inner image, where the full band are driving away in their car, and a business man runs for the buss. The Vinyl is even more stunning, housing a black and white checkered floor and an upstanding 3D pop up design of the full house cover.
Most singles are present, mostly in chronological order, of course lets not forget to say pretty much all of this music is bloody brilliant. 42 career spanning tracks does stand up very well in quality of tuneage being consistent and delightful at least 95% of the time. As a best of it really does give a very long and satisfying listen. Certainly for the general music listener who is often the consideration with these things.
Lets nitpick this apart then, fans size-ably probably wanted a complete chronological singles collection. Where does this house fall down? Missing is “Sorry” (perhaps a blessing!) Live Harder They Come (It’s self a live oddity in the UK singles line) Sweetest Girl (Maligned not Mad) and most Scandalously perhaps Shame and Scandal being out leaves only a Girl to represent the danger covers, a shame that. These tunes feeling a little less than Full Madness be it for live, production sound or reasons of writing or reaction perhaps ultimate explains why this album is aiming to slightly distance its self from being The Full Singles Collection and instead live next door to that idea.
There are other arguments of omission like double A sides, Herbert’s or promoted tracks or pressings of various kind’s. Consider too many of those and you unbalance the album and overshoot the maximum CD or Vinyl time slots. I feel I would have possibly finished with slow trousers down as a Grand ending though, as version of me would have been propped up by another version of Baggy Pantalons echoing earlier days.
Fair enough then if because of things like all this, you don’t want to live here. I hope it sells well though and lands in many houses across the country. Firstly cus this music sounds great, secondly the album looks great. Paul agar once again achieve a great cover montage, using images that recall, One Step Beyond, Seven, Cant Touch us Now, Driving in my Car, Oui, Oui boxset, and some recent tours like Madhead & before. There are some neat art touches. My favourite is Lee Thompson, known for a nudey moment or two, depicted on the cover as Twickenham 1974 Michael OBrien, the famous England vs france Rugby streaker with policeman’s helmet cover up. Priceless scene stealing again! Bedders top hat chimney pop up is nice too and really sweet in the lucky dog looking up at the classic black and white photo on the inner sleeve of the boys during house of fun days, and the nod to the newly installed heritage plaque status of Madness.
Even if it’s far too standard for fans not completist enough to give a home to the hits yet yet yet yet yet yet yet yet yet again, this album’s biggest plus points (beyond looking and sounding good) is its chance to get some of the second part of Madness’s career into the homes of people only likely to listen to Divine or Total in the past.
This will bring the rare overlooked Sarah’s song and Simple Equation into the ears of even people who never saw a version of the musical and are unlikely to buy wonderful. Promote interest in Cant Touch us Now, Oui, Oui and Folgate even further, and most criminally the single Drip Fed Fred brings this Ian Dury featuring tune to the most prominent position it’s ever had. It seems crazy that despite listing so many hits albums, it’s only the poor selling Guided Tour that has ever hosted this track in a hits collection before despite being released 17 years ago. Here is a chance to get that track across again to the masses and then please bring it back for the Full house tour 2018 Christmas? You are a bonafide two CD’s hits album band now Madness. Quality 21 song sets, in two eras of Madness for the masses, music from the very best band, no wonder at gigs the house is always full.
Product description: Ladies and Gentleman, for your drinking pleasure Madness bring you one of the fines beers to ever pass your lips. An idea born in the Dublin Castle (the very pub where we played our first gigs), Madness Beers go one step beyond with flavour and style.
ABV 4.2%, Units 2.1
MIS Feature – Checking in With Rhoda
Rhoda Dakar started her musical career in all-female 2Tone band, The Bodysnatchers. Then went on to perform with The Specials and was a member of The Special AKA, who released ‘The Boiler’, a tale of date rape before there was a term for it, and ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. She continued her association with the former 2 Tone alumni, guesting on vocals with Madness’ ‘On The Town’, from ‘The Liberty Of Norton Folgate’, and as a tour DJ for The Specials’ UK tour, joining them on vocals for the encore.
Next She is recording a new crowd funded EP. The second in a series.
“YOU helped to fund ‘sings The Bodysnatchers’, the lost 2 Tone album of tracks we played live, but never recorded for release! It was a great success and we are still very happy with the resulting CD and vinyl LP.
Then, YOU took a chance on funding an EP, not knowing what it would contain, in a musical sense, but YOU trusted us and we delivered! ‘The LoTek Four, Vol I’ was released fully earlier this year on limited edition CD and 7” vinyl EP. Nearly sold out now, it has been very well received, especially by our live audience.
Now, we are asking YOU again. Will YOU trust us once more? ‘The LoTek Four, Vol II’ is waiting to be laid down for your listening pleasure. We may have played at least one of the tracks live and it/they may have gone down very well. For those of YOU having faith in us, there will be a free bonus track!”
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 710 – Sunday 16th December – Saturday 22nd December 2012
This week we learned that the next single, “Never Knew Your Name”, would be released some time in January, and that an official video for the song was now available for viewing on YouTube.
Shot in black and white, using footage from recent gigs, the production looked extremely professional and very stylish.
On to the articles, and these got underway with a short review and setlist of the band’s recent gig at at London’s O2. This came courtesy of our own Jonathan Young. Jonathan commented at the time;
“A fine selection of classic singles (some recently returned to the set) and new album songs, makes for a great crowd pleasing show and a promotional push for the Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da era. As advertised beforehand with the TV advert, and on ballons thrown at the crowd near concert end.
Next single Never Knew Your Name, was being mentioned outside the venue with fans being urged to capture the song on the night, so that the footage and angles might be utilised later.”
Following this, we went over to the Echo News who were reviewing the recent gig which took place at the Liverpool Echo Arena. Despite what the author of the article stated, we were assured by subscriber Looby that Lovestruck was not performed at this gig.
It was on to Chris following this as we looked at some of the recent posts and responses which had appeared in Chris’ Cupboard. Chris chatted about the new album and the forthcoming single due out in January.
Next, we moved on to Suggs, and a short review by Vince Carden, who covered our favourite front man’s recent appearance on Dublin based radio show, John Murray.
Following this we featured press articles which covered recent gigs at The Newcastle Metro Arena, the SECC in Glasgow, before we finished off with Mick Allen’s Minehead Highlights & Lowlights and Carl’s Charge of the Mad Brigade Tour Diary.
10 years ago…
Issue number 450 – Sunday 16th December – Saturday 22nd December 2007
We kicked off this issue with the news that Madness had been booked to perform at The Palace Nightclub on January 8th, to celebrate the life of former Sedgemoor musician Joe Strummer.
The event, organised by the Strummerville charity, would coincide with the fifth anniversary of the death of former The Clash legend Strummer and would also be held as part of a fundraiser for the redevelopment of Bridgewater Town Hall.
Next, it was over to Concert Live, who announced that they’d be recording Madness’ London O2 Arena show, which was due to take place on the 14th of December. Not only that, but the company were now taking pre-orders for the CD album via their web site.
Like all Concert Live productions this would be a limited edition affair, so you were advised to get your order in ASAP.
With the legendary Hammersmith Palais having closed its doors back in April of this year, the BBC had decided to screen a documentary on Christmas Eve, charting the history of the legendary venue.
Interviewees included Dame Vera Lynn, Mick Jones, Andy Summers, Phil Jupitus and father and son Ross MacManus and Elvis Costello. Pauline Black and Robert Elms, both of whose parents met at the Hammersmith Palais, also contribute.
The documentary included fantastic archive footage from throughout the venue’s history and was narrated by Suggs, who himself had performed and attended memorable gigs at the Palais.
Moving on, and it was over to Gavin Allen of the South Wales Echo, as he interviewed Suggs and Carl prior to their Cardiff International Arena gig.
Carl commented at the time;
“We are a great live band. I’m not Stevie Wonder and neither is Suggs but when you put us all together we’ve got something, although I’ve no idea what that thing is.”
We continued with gig coverage for the next article, as reporter Mark Langford reported on Madness’ recent gig (13th Dec) at the Birmingham National Indoor Arena;
“Madness were on fine form and seemed to be enjoying themselves too, Suggs waxing lyrical between numbers and even recalling an early gig at the New Street Odeon where a posse of bouncers jumped on anyone daring to dance in the aisles.
But last night the crowd were up and dancing from the off. With one of Britain’s best bands of recent decades in this kind of form it would have been madness not to”.
We passed things over to Steve Saunders over for the next article, who, as part of work, had to journey down to Camden Town. While he was there he picked up a DVD of the current tour’s Astoria gig.
Nothing too special about that you might add, but in an effort to beat the bootlegger and share the Madness love he’d ripped the footage and had made it available for free on The Pirate Bay.
In other news, Darren “Dicka” gave us the heads-up that the Madness “Our House” musical was due to go on tour. Not only that, but the dates for the Birmingham run of the show had now been announced.
Elsewhere, we had a fan review of the O2 Arena gig from Tony Stratton with Jonathan following-up with a lowdown of the aftershow gig, which took place at Indigo O2;
“All in a very eclectic mix of artists, I’m sure some people thought the whole thing was a load of crap, but I found it a very enjoyable variety.
I mean nothing was ever going to be able to really follow Madness in a big way anyway, but some of this was very entertaining.
From the start in the lobby to the point we left the 02 we had had around 15 hours of fun, it felt like a Madstock day in reverse in many ways”.
We brought this week’s issue to a close with the news that Steve Turner’s wife had given birth only a day or so beforehand. It looked like they’d have an eventful Christmas ahead!
15 years ago…
Issue number 188 – Sunday 15th December – Saturday 21st December 2002
Whilst many fans were well enjoying the 2002 tour, we started off this issue with a lookback a decade to 1992, when The Man in The Mad Suit tour was in full swing. As usual, this was all made possible thanks to Jermaine and his wonderful ‘Tour Madness’ tour bible.
Moving firmly back to the present (2002), we then went into a full transcription of an article from the latest issue of GNER’s free in train magazine, which had been painstakingly typed-up by subscriber Iain Mason. Interviewed was one Chris Foreman, who kindly gave a year by year lowdown on what the band had been up to from 1984 to the present date.
Elsewhere in the issue we featured a lowdown of the band’s recent performance in Graham Whitfield’s wonderful lowdown of the Manchester gig, which took place on the 13th of December. As he knew many fans were still waiting to get along to subsequent dates, he issued spoiler warnings before his review got underway.
Chris Byrne wrote in with his lowdown of this tour’s selection of merchandise, and warned fans that if they found something for sale they particularly wanted they should buy it before the performance starts, as many items were selling out by the end of the evening, meaning many went away empty handed.
MIS co-editor and massive comedy fan, Jonathan Young took a look at the recently released Stateside DVD box sets, The Young Ones – Every Stoopid Epidsode, which featured both Madness appearances, and the Blackadder DVD, which contained an interview with writer Richard Curtis who talked briefly about the lost Madness sitcom.
Rob Hazelby
MIS Feature – Jamboree Bag – Lyrics Pt. 1
A Place in the Sun
We begin the first in a series of lyric sets from the Jamboree Bag Night at the recent House of Fun Weekender.
Here we have just of the songs never before released by Madness on record. It’s the Stevie Wonder Motown number “A Place in the Sun”. (Reggae version originally by David Issacs). Written by Ronald Miller and Bryan Wells in 1966
“A Place In The Sun”
Like a long lonely stream
I keep runnin’ towards a dream
Movin’ on, movin’ on
Like a branch on a tree
I keep reachin’ to be free
Movin’ on, movin’ on
‘Cause there’s a place in the sun
Where there’s hope for ev’ryone
Where my poor restless heart’s gotta run
There’s a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun
Like an old dusty road
I get weary from the load
Movin’ on, movin’ on
Like this tired troubled earth
I’ve been rollin’ since my birth
Movin’ on, movin’ on
There’s a place in the sun
Where there’s hope for ev’ryone
Where my poor restless heart’s gotta run
There’s a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun
You know when times are bad
And you’re feeling sad
I want you to always remember
Yes, there’s a place in the sun
Where there’s hope for ev’ryone
Where my poor restless heart’s gotta run
There’s a place in the sun
Where there’s hope for ev’ryone
Where my poor restless heart’s gotta run
There’s a place in the sun
Where there’s hope for ev’ryone…
MIS Feature – Jamboree Bag – Lyrics Pt 2
I’m Walkin’
Second in our “Lyric” series from Friday Nights set at The House Of Fun comes the band’s tribute to Fats Domino, which was written in collaboration with David Bartholomew in 1957.
I’m Walkin
I’m walkin’, yes indeed and I’m talkin’
About you and me, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me, yeah-yeah
I’m lonely as I can be, I’m waitin’
For your company, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me
What you gonna do when the well runs dry?
You gonna run away and hide
I’m gonna run right by your side
For you pretty baby I’ll even die
I’m walkin’, yes indeed and I’m talkin’
About you and me, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me
I’m walkin’, yes indeed and I’m talkin’
About you and me, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me, mm-mm
I’m lonely as I can be, I’m waitin’
For your company, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me
What you gonna do when the well runs dry?
You’re gonna sit right down and cry
What you gonna do when I say bye-bye
All you gonna do is dry your eye
I’m walkin’, yes indeed and I’m talkin’
About you and me, I’m hopin’
That you’ll come back to me
Time
That’s just about it for this week, but before we go, MIS subscriber Mark Bryant tells us that;
“Suggs has been pictured with Pete Meadows, Ray Bundis and Perry Benson.
Pete wrote the book “To Be Someone ” and it’s being turned into a film.
I think I mentioned it when we went to see the Madness Q&A at King’s Cross in the summer that they were hoping to get Suggs to play the gangster role.
It’s not announced, but I’m asking Pete to see if its on the cards. Apparently there will be more news on the film after Christmas.”
We’ll be back next week for our Christmas Eve edition of the MIS. Until then, have a good week,
