1 – THIS IS WHERE THE MADNESS BEGINS – The obligatory intro.

2 – CARRY ON CHARGGGGING UP THE KILT – OLYMPIC OUTFIT AUCTION – Lee
Thompson has been in touch with news that he’s is thinking of
raising some money for charity this coming tour by auctioning the
Kilt he flew in during the closing ceremony of the Twenty Twelve
Olympics.

3 – TRAILERS FOR MIS 2ND FAN FILM – HOUSE OF FUN: HAPPY RETURNS – It’s
under two weeks to go until The House of Fun starts at Butlins,
so here are the details surrounding one of the events the MIS are
staging at the Minehead Madness Weekender. It’s a unique fan film
party experience you can join in and have fun with on the Saturday
morning. Here’s Jonathan Young.

4 – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS – This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby
goes back 5 years to issue number 445, and the week of Sunday 11th
November to Saturday 17th November 2007, and then back 10 years
to issue number 183 and the week of Sunday 10th November to
Saturday 16th November 2002.

5 – LEE’S SAX FOUND AND SKA ORCHESTRA EP NOW AVAILABLE – Here are a
couple of great snippets of news, courtesy of Darren Fordham, who
posted this over on the MIS’s Ska Orchestra Group Page of
Facebook. Lee’s X factor stolen sax is returned and Lee’s new EP
is now available. Darren Fordham is here with the details.

6 – NEW MADNESS FAN FORUM NOW ONLINE – News in from subscriber Jim
Lavery, is that there’s a new Madness fan forum in town, and the
doors are open for visitors to come in, sign-up and join in
discussions and debates.

7 – OUI OUI SI SI YA YATES DA DA – Here’s Graham Yates reviewing the
album on Amazon.

8 – VETERAN POP COMBO. OLDER, WISER, AS WITTY AS EVER – Pop is a cruel
mistress. Watching numerous BBC4 rockumentaries, such as the
recent one on Squeeze, a pattern emerges. You make it, go through
an imperial phase when you can do no wrong, then the honeymoon
ends. The records are still great but the parade has moved on.
Bruce Dessau, The Arts Desk

9 – METRO SINGLE OF THE WEEK – Madness: My Girl 2 (Union Square).

10 – HERALD SCOTLAND REVIEW OUI, OUI – Although they still major on
the number seven, Madness appear to have become six, with bassist
Graham Bush seemingly permanently in for the excused Mark
“Bedders” Bedford since 2009’s The Liberty of Norton Folgate.
Keith Bruce. Arts Editor

11 – OUR HOUSE – CAST ANNOUNCED – Alistair McGowan, Wendi Peters and
original cast member Tameka Empson will join Madness frontman
Suggs in the forthcoming tenth anniversary WestEnd concert of
Our House. Details from whatsonstage.com

12 – MADNESS AN OLDER ONE DIRECTION? – Madness think of One Direction
as a younger version of themselves. The ska legends performed
alongside the ‘Live While We’re Young’ hitmakers during the
closing ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympics in August and despite
the difference in genre, singer Suggs was reminded of his
younger self. Article from STV Entertainment.

13 – AN MIS READER AND RECORD PRODUCER SPEAKS – Having read some
comments on the production of not only Oui Oui…, but also
previous albums, I feel compelled to voice my opinion on the
matter. Not just as a producer myself, but also as one of a
differing opinion. Here’s Christian Munk.

14 – PAUL RODGERS’ MADNESS STATS, FACTS AND FIGURES – A disappointing
week for Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da sees it slip from 25 to 65 in
Ireland and 10 to 40 in the UK. However it has improved in
Holland, climbing from 81 to 37. Here’s Paul.

15 – THAT’S YER LOT – A few last minute bits and pieces before we
finish for the week.

[1] – THIS IS WHERE THE MADNESS BEGINS

Hello, and a very warm welcome to another packed edition of the MIS.

We’ve decided to do things a little differently this week, and kick things off with a competition.

As you may or may not know, independent record stores up and down the country are giving away Oui, Oui stickers. What the band want you to do with them is:

– find a location that means “yes” to you
– stick your sticker on with pride and take a photo
– upload your photo and be sure to tag “madness” in it

The very best stickers may well form part of next year’s deluxe Oui, Oui box set.

Now, while this is all well and good, not everyone can get access to an independent UK record store. This is where the MIS team come in.

We’ve got three stickers to give away, and all you have to do to be in the running to get one is send an email to robert@mis-online.net

Please title your email STICKER COMPETITION, so that we can find the emails easily.

We’ll announce a winner in a week’s time.

Good luck!

Now, on with this week’s issue.

Enjoy the read,

Rob Hazelby, Jonathan Young, Liz Maher, Simon Roberts
Email us at: robert, jonathan, liz, simon @mis-online.net

[2] – CARRY ON CHARGGGGING UP THE KILT – OLYMPIC OUTFIT AUCTION

Lee Thompson has been in touch with news that he’s is thinking of raising some money for charity this coming tour by auctioning the Kilt he flew in during the closing ceremony of the Twenty Twelve Olympics.

If you want to be in with a chance of owning a Kilt he flashed One Direction in look out for details on the forthcoming Charge Of the Mad Brigade Tour.

Here’s what Lee said to us…

“Hi

I will be auctioning the Sax used & the Kilt that I wore
for the Olympics performance.

I have left this to our wardrobe lady Kerry & Minder
Jim O’Gara to mount with proof of authenticity etc.

I wanted to publicise this where ever possible. It may also
well be that, ‘My People’ contact the likes of ‘Hard Rock
Cafe’ or the Olympic Stadium themselves to give them first
choice,if there is any interest.

I’m not sure which charity this would go to just yet, it will
possibly get displayed at the various venues on the U.K. tour,
with a celebrity doing the honours at the O2. As I say, this
is a possibility.

Best

Lee Thompson”

Jonathan Young.

[3] – TRAILERS FOR MIS 2ND FAN FILM – HOUSE OF FUN: HAPPY RETURNS

It’s under two weeks to go until The House of Fun starts at Butlins, so here are the details surrounding one of the events the MIS are staging at the Minehead Madness Weekender. It’s a unique fan film party experience you can join in and have fun with on the Saturday morning.

What ever happened to MISWAS?

Last year MIS was working on something for our youtube channel – a little story about Madness and Tiswas. Then we heard talk about cinema events at the first Madness weekender. From this our initial ideas grew into a 40 minute daft fan film called “Miswas”.

If you missed this audio visual masterpiece, check out our MISTV1 YouTube channel. You’ll will find it in 6 episodes, and a premier video from The Weekender last year all called “MISWAS”. We were searching for a rare clip of Madness on that show. Did we find it one year on?

Nope. We’re still looking, But thanks to the film event a wonderful fan, Nicki Elkins, stepped forward and gave us a load of rare TV clips from the 80’s. Many of these we’ve yet to see appear on youtube, and many we hadn’t seen before. So, here is a new youtube MISWAS episode, from something we found on Nicki’s tapes. It’s a dodgy drugs mentioning moment on Saturday Super Store instead. It’s…

Keith Chegwins Parrot.

Beyond this clip there were many more. One of them House of Fun related, and very like the feel of those wonderful cideos Madness Made in the 80’s – all daft and dressy up. In fact, the clip takes place in the same place a part of The House of Fun video does. It involves magic tricks, and it’s this Magic, and the news of the Return of The House of Fun Weekender that started us off once again making a daft fan film.

“Wait a minute, it’s 30 years since this song was Number One.
Time it had a birthday party.” Mr Scruf.

12:00 Midday, Saturday November 24th. HAPPY RETURNS.

Happy Returns: It’s a fan film filled with House of Fun related fanisms, a little magic, and some thrill rides, all done on a budget of 23p, celebrating 30 years of the best weekender titling song “House Of Fun”.

It’s got Top of the Pops dreams, Weekender memories, cool animation, clips, pics, sounds, and a fantastic new cover of the song “House of Fun”, done as a theme by the acclaimed band Indeed, famous for previously covering The Sun and The Rain.

What’s more is this video is hosted by the one and only Garry “Mr Scurf” Scurfield, whose radio show “The Koast Train”, features, as he co-produced the film.

MIS will appear on The Koast Train radio this Wednesday to talk more about The Movie, and we’ll give you a few more details next week in the MIS, including how you can join in at The weekender and end up on Youtube with us.

It’s going to a F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F Fun Film Party.

But for Now. Here is the first two Trailers….

Teaser Trailer

Theme Trailer. By Indeed.

——————————

Credits: Happy Returns. Big Thanks too…

Written, Conceived and Edited by Jonathan F Young.

Starring, Garry Scurfield, Jonathan F Young, Owen Collins, Sarah Shaw, Darren Dixon, & Taja Murray. With Mandy Raymond & Stuart Smith.

Voice overs. Iain Mason & Dan Fossard.

Animation: Joost Eijkholt

Music by Fred Boeuf. Indeed. Emilee Boeuf.

Produced by Sharon Staite. Darren Dixon, Garry Scurfield with Ken Thompson.

Costumes, make up, camera: Sharon Staite.

Pre-production, story boards, montage clips & editing support. Mick Jenner.

Photo sourcing: Lee Buckley
Audio Video Sourcing: Stephen Sturrock / Niki Elkns.
With thanks to all original film/TV makers, and youtube film makers.

Gold & Props: Chris Carter Pegg/Emma Southerby And Retro Madness

Best Boy: Bob.

Thanks: Garry Saunders.

Craft art: My Mum!

Jonathan Young

[4] – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS

This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby goes back 5 years to issue number 445, and the week of Sunday 11th November to Saturday 17th November 2007, and then back 10 years to issue number 183 and the week of Sunday 10th November to Saturday 16th November 2002.

5 years ago…

Issue number 445 – Sunday 11th November – Saturday 17th November 2007

Over the course of this issue and next we were celebrating an upcoming anniversary,

Monday the 19th of November marked 25 years since the first UK release of the “Our House” single. With this in mind we featured a whopping ten articles (some in this week’s issue, and some in next) revealing the song’s full history from idea, through to writing, recording, mixing, record releases, live history, influence, cover versions, adverts, TV use and the musical.

Readers didn’t have to worry about ‘Our House’ grabbing all the attention this issue as we also featured a plea from Bristol based resident Simon Rugg who needs your help. While it was more relevant to House of Fun, and the pub used in filming of The Young Ones (which, at the time was also celebrating it’s 25th year) we felt that although this issue and the next were primarily look-backs, up to date news also needed to feature.

Our very big thanks for masses of help with this week’s issue (and the
next!) went to Chris Carter-Pegg, Lee Buckley and Paul Muscat. Without their assistance this issue and the next just wouldn’t have been possible.

10 years ago…

Issue number 183 – Sunday 10th November – Saturday 16th November 2002

The big news for us this week was that we finally moved away from Demon Internet’s “tenner a month” web space, and onto our new mis-online.net web space.

Initially we simply moved the contents over from the old web space to the new, meaning that we at least had a web presence whilst the new site was under construction. Some 260,000 visitors later, and much work is going on behind the scenes. Expect to see some changes during 2008.

One Step Behind’s very own Brendan Phipps contacted us this week to let us know that Suggs featured in an interview in the latest edition of Easyjet’s inflight magazine.

Talking about the musical, as well as Madness tribute outfits, and how Madness came into being, the article was a light hearted read covering a mixture of old and new ground.

We’re all used to hearing the Madness singles used as background soundtracks to TV commercials and programmes in general, but news in from subscriber Chris Wardell really surprised us;

“On Friday,8th November I was sat in my living
room with my two children watching the cartoon
Recess on the Toon Disney channel. While we
were all eating our scrambled eggs I nearly
choked as the Chris Foreman penned instrumental
number “Town With No Name” (the B Side to “Shut
Up”) ended the show.

A number of Madness songs now appear on TV but
my only hope is that the chaps get some money
out of this instead of Virgin who have (literally)
made millions out of the Seven Wonders of Camden.

Old ska classics have dominated adverts for around
five years now but it is great to hear Madness and
fellow North London ska loons Bad Manners have their
music aired on television.”

Following a few messages on the Total Madness Mailing List regarding the comments people had left on the `Whats On Stage` website relating to the `Our House` musical, the MIS team decided to visit the page and read through the comments themselves, and it was safe to say that we weren’t fully prepared for what we found.

As soon as we entered the `Our House` section of the site, we could see things were not going to bode well when the average score from the people who had left comments was a mere 2.5 out of 10!!! Things went downhill even quicker when we started reading through the comments.

Although the first batch of initial comments were good – all dishing out anything from 3/5 to 5/5 we soon stumbled across a whole slew of comments giving the show an absolute slating.

To this day we’re still puzzled with these comments, as everyone we spoke to seemed to love the show.

The big shocker this week however, was the news that a months worth of Friday matinees of the Our House musical had been cancelled. A spokesman for the show explained to Whatsonstage.com that the cancellations were a result of needing more time to rehearse the first and second understudies for leading man Michael Jibson. In Tim Firth’s Sliding Doors-style story, Jibson’s north London lad character Joe Casey is on-stage for almost the entire evening, with quick changes between his alter egos, ‘good Joe’ and ‘bad Joe’, adding to the technical demands of the performance.

Because of the complexity of the part, only Jibson is currently able to manage it fully. “If we had a problem with Michael, we’d have to cancel the show,” the spokesman said. The extra rehearsal time will be used to drill understudies Chris Thatcher and Andrew Spillett.

Unfortunately this was just the start of the cancellations that were to follow.

Rob Hazelby

[5] – LEE’S SAX FOUND AND SKA ORCHESTRA EP NOW AVAILABLE

Here are a couple of great snippets of news, courtesy of Darren Fordham, who posted this over on the MIS’s Ska Orchestra Group Page of Facebook. Lee’s X factor stolen sax is returned and Lee’s new EP is now available.

**GREAT NEWS** Thommo’s sax has been found. Mustard.

***LEE’S SAX*** Here is ALL that is known. Someone sent the sax back to X Factor in an Addison Lee cab. That is IT. Case closed. Make your own stories, make your own minds up. I have my ideas, but who really knows?”

Get The 4 Track Ska Orchestra EP. You Lucky People. Now.

“If you would like a signed copy of the EP it will be
£7.50 into PayPal account fordham@easy.com (outside
UK £10).

I won’t see Lee until next Sunday (rehearsal) to sign
them, so you have until then. I will send them out on
the Monday and the rest will be taken to The House of
Fun.

Sorry if you feel the price is a little steep, but this
covers recorded delivery, cost of stationary etc.

Cheers DF”

Cover pictures and track details are here.

www.ltso.mis-online.net

Darren Fordham

[6] – NEW MADNESS FAN FORUM NOW ONLINE

News in from subscriber Jim Lavery, is that there’s a new Madness fan forum in town, and the doors are open for visitors to come in, sign-up and join in discussions and debates.

There’s not much else to tell you at the moment, apart from the URL, which is:

http://madnessfansforum.proboards.com/

A forum will live and die on how well it’s used, so sign up and give it your support.

Rob Hazelby

[7] – OUI OUI SI SI YA YATES DA DA

Here’s Graham Yates reviewing the album on Amazon.

It’s been described elsewhere as a “clod hopping ska-by-numbers”
piece of work, but for what it’s worth “Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja The Da” is anything but that, in fact I’d go as far as to say that, odd sprinkling aside, there is not a great deal of ska to be found on the whole album – instead you have the trademark Madness sound that takes in their usual mix of pathos, social commentary and observation and sees some new influences bought in for good measure.

“Never Knew Your Name” for instance has a distinctly disco feel which works well, the sublime “How Can I Tell You” is both catchy and crafted with a beautiful lyric whose “message from a parent to a child” theme resonates firmly with this particular Dad.

“Misery” is a typical Madness stomper in the music hall style.

“La Luna” with it’s mariachi opening is wonderous.

“Leon” and “Circus Freaks” are typical Madness pathos set against a well crafted tune.

The only slight disappointment is the choice to open and start the album with latest single “My Girl 2” (which draws on both Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” and Fine Young Cannibal’s “Good Thing” for it’s Motown/Northern Soul infused influence) – would personally have preferred to see one of those spaces reserved for previous live favourite “Big Time Sister”, but that’s personal choice and nothing more.

All in all, not as good as it’s predecessor, the wonderous “The Liberty Of Norton Folgate”, but definitely a collection of very good songs that shows that old dogs CAN learn new tricks!

7.5/10

Graham Yates

[8] – VETERAN POP COMBO. OLDER, WISER, AS WITTY AS EVER

Pop is a cruel mistress. Watching numerous BBC4 rockumentaries, such as the recent one on Squeeze, a pattern emerges. You make it, go through an imperial phase when you can do no wrong, then the honeymoon ends. The records are still great but the parade has moved on.

This struck me again listening to the 10th studio album from Madness, which comes complete with a classy Peter Blake sleeve design. But despite plenty of TV coverage and an unforgettably moving profile-boosting performance of “Our House” on the Buck House roof at the Diamond Jubilee concert I cannot see this album topping the charts. Which is pop’s loss, because Madness still make instantly infectious music for the masses.

After the ambitious psychogeographical overtones of 2009’s The Liberty of Norton Folgate this is a return to basics.

The opener and single, “My Girl 2” – an extremely belated sequel to 1979’s “My Girl” – is all bouncy Northern Soul backbeat and lyrics singing the praises of that crazy little thing called love.

There is a boozy woozy Latin groove to “La Luna” – the Camden veterans go Buena Vista Pub, while the spirit of past three-minute heroes oozes through other tracks.

The kitchen sink pop of the aforementioned Squeeze is even unconsciously referenced on “Small World”, when Suggs sings “When there’s no line I’m up the junction.”

While contemporaries The Specials and Dexy’s Midnight Runners were more known for their anger and attitude, there was always an air of wistful melancholia to Madness – think of “One Better Day” about the Camden dispossessed – and that continues here on the bittersweet “Never Knew Your Name”, documenting the regret of a romance that might have been.

These seasoned campaigners mix mirth and despair like no others. They might not have such big hits any more, but their live shows will always be full. The fans will want “Baggy Trousers”, but any self-respecting ageing nutty boy and girl should also find room for Oui, Oui, Si, Si, Ja, Ja, Da Da.

Madness. The band that likes to say “yes”.

Bruce Dessau
The Arts Desk

[9] – METRO SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Madness: My Girl 2 (Union Square)

A strange kind-of sequel to the 1980s classic from these Camden Town veterans.

My Girl 2 is a a loveable ska-pop stomper that reveals frontman Suggs is still squabbling with his sweetheart.

[10] – HERALD SCOTLAND REVIEW OUI, OUI

Keith Bruce. Arts Editor

Although they still major on the number seven, Madness appear to have become six, with bassist Graham Bush seemingly permanently in for the excused Mark “Bedders” Bedford since 2009’s The Liberty of Norton Folgate.

That cannot, surely, entirely account for the fact that this disc is not the equal of that remarkable return, which had a coherence and sense of purpose that is missing from this collection.

It is not just the songwriting credits that are diverse (or democratically shared, if you like) on this set, it is the production and arranging as well. Clive Langer and Stephen Street are among those great names of past decades helping to mould the sound on a few tracks, and there are fine string arrangements (by a variety of hands) and muscular horns (The Brass Monkeys) making their presence felt throughout.

The strongest songs, to my ears, are those that have one-off combinations of talents, particularly La Luna el Mariachi (Suggs and guitarist Chris Foreman) and Circus Freaks (drummer Woody Woodgate and saxophonist Lee Thompson).

Elsewhere there are too many close cousins of earlier favourites, all a bit Madness-by-numbers.

[11] – OUR HOUSE – CAST ANNOUNCED

Alistair McGowan, Wendi Peters and original cast member Tameka Empson will join Madness frontman Suggs in the forthcoming tenth anniversary WestEnd concert of Our House.

The rest of the cast are: Chris Carswell (Joe Casey), Miria Parvin (Sarah), Jack Shalloo (Lewis), Jenny Fitzpatrick (Angie), Matt Cross (Reecey), Greg Airey, Georgie Ashford, Lauren Appleby, Kara Bayer, Gabrielle Brooks, Dougie Carter, Debbie Jenkins, Paul Kemble, Lewis Krik, Kayleigh Louise-Smith, Michael Melmoe, Jenny O’Leary, Carryl Thomas and Gavin Wilkinson.

Staged at the Savoy Theatre in aid of Help for Heroes on Sunday 11 November, the concert is directed by Matthew Warchus (Ghost, Matilda), who helmed the original Olivier award-winning production of the Madness musical.

The show includes Madness hits such as “Our House”, “Baggy Trousers”, “My Girl”, “Embarrassment”, “The Sun and The Rain”, “Driving In My Car”, “The Wings of a Dove”, “Night Boat to Cairo” and “It Must Be Love”.

Alistair McGowan (Mr Pressman) is probably best known for his BAFTA-winning BBC show The Big Impression but he has also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company and taken lead roles in West End musicals Cabaret and Little Shop of Horrors as well as West End plays Art and Pygmalion.

Tameka Empson (Billie), who was in the original West End cast of Our House, has also appeared in the film of Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing and is currently playing Kim in EastEnders.

Wendi Peters (Kath Casey) is best known for her role as Cilla Battersby Brown in Coronation Street. She was recently seen in the West End as Princess Puffa in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Come on our Whatsonstage.com Outing to OUR HOUSE and get a FREE programme and a FREE signed poster – as well as all the usual theatregoer mixing and mingling opportunities – all for only £50!
(Normally £60 for ticket alone). Visit the website for details.

Whatsostage.com

[12] – MADNESS AN OLDER ONE DIRECTION?

Madness think of One Direction as a younger version of themselves.

The ska legends performed alongside the ‘Live While We’re Young’
hitmakers during the closing ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympics in August and despite the difference in genre, singer Suggs was reminded of his younger self.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz he said: ”It was nice chatting to them. They reminded us of us when we were that age. Young guys just starting out in their careers – knocking about and having a laugh together.”

Despite Suggs, 51, spending time with the group – Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – he doesn’t watch reality TV competitions like ‘The X Factor’, where One Direction were formed, but doesn’t ”begrudge” them either.

He added: ”I’m kind of beyond it because I’m an old man. Last year people were asking who my favourite was and I didn’t know what they were talking about.

”But when I was young there were different kinds of impresarios.
People like Kylie Minogue dominated the charts for five years at a time. Phenomena come and go faster than before. But I never begrudge an artist success no matter how they get there.”

Madness’ new album ‘Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da’, featuring their new single ‘My Girl 2’, is out now.

STV Entertainment

[13] – AN MIS READER AND RECORD PRODUCER SPEAKS

Having read some comments on the production of not only Oui Oui…, but also previous albums, I feel compelled to voice my opinion on the matter. Not just as a producer myself, but also as one of a differing opinion.

The overall opinion I have encountered is this: The new album is better produced than e.g. TLONF, and Clive Langer hasn’t moved on.
This was, among others, put forward in Vince Camden’s comprehensive and well-written review in a recent issue of the MIS.

Well, my short thoughts on the matter are these:

Oui Oui… is not as inconsistent as I had feared. In fact, I find it overall quite well-produced. Consistency in tonal balance is good (of course a combination of arrangements, mix & mastering).

But the same cannot be said of dynamics, particularly micro-dynamics.
Some songs appear fairly open and airy (Leon, Powder Blue come to mind), while others appear significantly harder compressed. In particular, I almost cannot listen to “Cirkus Freaks” because it’s been compressed to death – it’s very, very noisy and “brickwally”
fatiguing to my ears. Really a shame, it’s a good song.

This has never happened during Langer/Winstanley’s reign. The respect for transients and air around instruments have been hallmarks of the aesthetics of these two, as has nice techniques like piano double- tracking (listen to the title track of TLONF) bringing Mike’s fabulous piano playing to the front, making it at feature of the sound of Madness.

Also, it is not my opinion that Clive Langer’s production hasn’t moved on with the times – in fact, I’ve been consistently happy that production sound and techniques have appeared to follow the times without becoming Rihanna-mega-over-produced. Thus the feel of Madness has been preserved over the years, while the band to my ears have still sounded fresh.

Given the mentioned sonic shortcomings on Oui Oui… I personally would be happy to see Langer/Winstanley producing a complete album again. But I still overall feel Oui Oui… is a great album, also production-wise, and with all the great, great (and melancholic) songs on the album, I am very happy.

Christian Munk, Denmark

Home

[14] – PAUL RODGERS’ MADNESS STATS, FACTS AND FIGURES

A disappointing week for Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da sees it slip from
25 to 65 in Ireland and 10 to 40 in the UK. However it has improved in Holland, climbing from 81 to 37.

Norton Folgate dropped to number 40 in its 4th UK chart appearance, so this rapid descent is not welcome, although it would be fair to expect next month’s tour to improve things as there will be plenty of attendant publicity.

The vinyl version of the album managed a number two placing in its first week, slipping in just behind Kylie (I should be so lucky, lucky, mucky, lucky).

The single My Girl 2 also made an impression on the charts at last, reaching the dizzy heights of number 42 on the indie chart. To put this in perspective the number 197 in the main singles chart was number 20 on the indie chart. I think it is safe to file My Girl 2 in the same pile as Girl Why Don’t You. There’s another pile with My Girl the original in it once and yet another with Sweetest Girl and My Girl (the reissue).

I would suggest anyone who likes looking at trends would agree that Madness should now give up releasing songs with the word Girl in them… Knowing their luck, however, the next single will have a mix up at the printers and will be released as a download only track called ‘Never Knew Your Name (Girl)’.

As well as the number 10 position occupied by Oui Oui last week, Madness also had Complete Madness climb from 159 to 147 and Total Madness a non-mover at number 169. This further improved a very successful year with 75 weeks in the top 200 spread across 5 albums.

Madness have now chalked up 54 weeks in the top 10, 218 in the top 40,
418 in the top 75 and 512 in the top 100 of the album chart. The more recent extension to a top 200 has seen their albums rack up 785 chart weeks. Clearly it is not all bad news.

I wonder where we’re going with all this “Madness should of been have given a Brit Award” campaign that seems to be starting up again?

Before I go there’s some other charts Madness were in last week that I either missed or did not care about: The official record store album chart (I swear I do not make these charts up!) saw Oui Oui enter at number 8 I think. I say I think because the album has made its excuses and left this week, leaving no “last week” position for me to check.

(The Official Record Store Chart was launched in April of this year by the Official Charts Company and the organisers of Record Store Day UK to reflect sales of the UK’S coolest and most vibrant independent record shops – ed)

It also in the downloaded albums chart last week, but isn’t in the top
40 this week. Wednesday will reveal more.

In the indie chart it dips from 2 to 7, whilst Compete Madness jumps from 30 to 28. Total Madness takes leave of its senses and the top 40.

There I’ve done it. I got all the way through that round up without mentioning The Specials’ reunion. Can I have my photo taken with you now please? Ta.

Paul Rodgers

[15] – THAT’S YER LOT

It’s almost time to draw a line under this week’s edition of the MIS, but before we go we’ve got a few last minute bits to pass in your direction.

First-up…

Mr B. of the French MIS tells us

“‘The Working Mans Pink Floyd’ and ‘A Bright Shining
Virus of Joy’ are the written ‘Easter Eggs’ on the
OUI, OUI vinyl album”.

Next, and this is one for you record/CD collectors out there…

On Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th November Olympia will be opening its doors to Music Mania, the big global show for music fans. The hall will be full of sellers from the UK, US, Japan and many other
countries.

Ticket prices are £5.00. More information and ticket purchasing links can be found at: www.vip-24.com

and finally…

Daley Thompson (Lee’s son, not the twice Decathlon winner!) will be running a charity quiz with prizes at the forthcoming Butlins Madness weekender. The event will take place at some point (details not yet
confirmed) in The Sun and the Moon Pub at Butlins, with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize. The prizes will be handed out by the ever present character, Mr Happy The DJ.

On hearing this his dad said…

“I hear Daley is wanting to give a prize away of a signed
new Madness album, (that was MINE!) in aid of…..Testicular
Cancer? He’s got some Balls!”

Those who wish to find out more can visit Dicka’s Facebook page, which contains further information:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/291572577626553/

Our thanks go to Darren Dixon for the above.

And with that, our issue’s at an end.

Have a great week. We’ll be back next Sunday, bringing you all the latest Madness news.

Until then, take care,

Rob, Jon, Liz and Simon,
(With special thanks to Lee and Daley Thompson, Dicka, Mr. B, Christian Munk, Graham Yates, Jim Lavery, Paul Rodgers and Darren
Fordham)