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

2 – FORDIE’S HOUSE OF FUN WEEKENDER LOOKBACK – Here’s Darren Fordham
with news of weather of biblical proportions and a weekend of
Madness.

3 – OH YES, IT’S THE RETURN OF THE MAD BRIGADE… – Jackie Butler
talks to Chas Smash ahead of a Westcountry invasion by Madness.
From The Western Morning News

4 – MADNESS AT PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS, REVIEW – From The Plymouth Herald.
Written by Clare Robinson. Published Friday 7th December

5 – MADNESS, BRIGHTON CENTRE, REVIEW – London’s pop group Madness
seems finally to have attained the national-treasure status that
they’ve long deserved, writes Thomas H Green. From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk

6 – REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL AT THE HOUSE OF FUN – A re-worked version
of Reasons To Be Cheerful — with thanks to Ian Dury. This version
by Iain Mason. Enjoy!

7 – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS – This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby
goes back 5 years to issue number 449, and the week of Sunday 9th
December to Saturday 16th December 2007, and then back 10 years
to issue number 187 and the week of Sunday 8th December to
Saturday 14th December 2002.

8 – THAT’S YER LOT – A few last minute words before we finish for the
week.

[1] – THIS IS WHERE THE MADNESS BEGINS

Another Sunday and another issue of the MIS lands in your mailbox.

With the tour in full swing, what better way to get this issue underway than a few juicy snippets sent in to us from those who’ve seen the band in action.

Sharon Staite and Mark Bowen report that Chris’ “Showtime” saw the Madness guitarist perform “Deliahla” in Cardiff, (to a Tom Jones backdrop), “Tainted Love” at Bournemouth and “Robin Hood” in Nottingham.

Meanwhile, Vicki Lee reports that the band performed “Powder Blue” as a post encore at Cardiff.

Apparently this was something the band had considered as a post stage-leaving encore at Dublin, according to Darren Dixon. We’ve also learned that fans didn’t really take to a low key ending of a tour gig. Perhaps an opening position of the encore before another song and Night Boat could carry the more low key number.

Continuing on the tour, and those who’ve attended the gigs so far may have noticed that Thommos’s kilt and sax worn and played at theOlympics closing ceremony are now on display at gigs. These will then be auctioned off at the end of the tour.

Finally, the French MIS report a Trianon gig going on sale for March 11th in Paris.

Now, on with the articles. Enjoy the read!

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

[2] – FORDIE’S HOUSE OF FUN WEEKENDER LOOKBACK

My wife and I set out at around 12 o’clock Friday afternoon. We thought we’d poodle down, plenty of time to eat, settle in to the B+B, and get to Butters with time to spare before Madness took to the stage.

Six and a half hours later, after road closures, biblical rain and an argument about which of us put the case of Oui Oui in the car without the f@cking disc in it, and we were rushing around like headless chickens to get there for at least ONE drink before the show.

As it turned out, we had a nice drink and chat with a few of the band backstage before they went on (why were we worried?), and I was pleased that they had all heard that I’d got my pals Swagga a slot on the Sunday. That lifted the mood and I must say the performance of Oui Oui was one of the highlights of my time as a Madness fan. It was so good, in fact, that I remarked to Lee and Suggs after the show that, at times, I really thought they were miming! They put me straight.

Chas had found a new fan in the wife and she was blown away by his warmth and generosity backstage. He took her for a chat and drink and turned on the old Chas Smash charm. What a guy.

Saturday started and ended with more rain, but did we, or anyone else let it ruin the mood? Did we f@ck. We met some friends, old and new, the Swagga boys rolled up and the beer was going down like Tulisa on speed. Thommo met us in the pub for a shandy or 2, wearing a plastic ‘Elvis’ wig and mirrored shades because he didn’t want to be recognised. He stood out like a sore thumb! What made him think that a little bald, middle aged bloke wearing jeans and DM’s might have drawn attention in a room full of little bald blokes wearing jeans and DM’s? Only Lee.

The Saturday night show was what we’ve come to expect after all these years of Madness. Hit after hit, each one sounding as good as ever, during which came one of the greatest moments of House Of Fun 2012.
My wife pointed out a guy in the crowd wearing an Elephant Man style mask to our friend Mr Happy. You know the mask, all lumps and bumps and blood shot eyes etc. She told him she hated it, and it was freaking her out. What did he do? He went and got it and went up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, screamed and gave him a left hook and a right uppercut. He was like Tyson that time Bruno clumped him. When he took the mask off, he looked like he still had it on!! Hahaha.

Swagga and my wife then joined Madness on stage for Night Boat and danced like complete and utter nut jobs. That made me a happy man.
Then it was backstage again for more drinks with the Maddies and Ray Gudge (Mr Swagga) was over the moon that Suggs had heard of him.

The Swagga boys did me proud and drank the place dry, almost getting us all kicked out in the process. That’s entertainment.

Sunday morning came in a flash. The Swagga boys and I got to the Centre Stage and had a quick sound check, me wearing silver PVC trousers and dodging ‘oven ready’ jokes. It was then, and only then, that it dawned on me that most of the Ska Orchestra were having trouble getting to the gig. Swagga offered to play a 5 hour set, but with some help, some luck and a lot of hard graft, all of the band apart from Bob the Bone made it on time.

Swagga opened and stormed it, like I Knew they would, and I was privileged and proud to be able to perform 5 songs with them. Then, with the backdrop of my wife selling out of T shirts and CD’s, and a quick shuffle of the set list to allow Bob the Bone time to get there for the songs that featured his solos, the Ska Orchestra took to the stage and, as far as I’m concerned, delivered our best performance to date. People have remarked that they were glad that we played on the Sunday because it extended the ‘madness’, and I think that’s a really nice way to look at it and a really pleasing thing to hear for me personally, and I’m sure that goes for the rest of the troops.

The only ‘down’ was that I then had to drive home, as I’d love to have been at the lodge party. Next time?

Thank you to all that came. To all that danced. To all that bought T’s and CD’s, and to those that waited after the show to say hello. We now look forward to the release of ‘The Benevolence Of Sister Mary Ignatius’ and an exciting 2013.

God bless.

Darren Fordham

[3] – OH YES, IT’S THE RETURN OF THE MAD BRIGADE…

From The Western Morning News
Written by Jackie Butler

Jackie Butler talks to Chas Smash ahead of a Westcountry invasion by Madness.

It’s all gone a bit crazy for Madness in 2012. It’s a year when the North London ensemble have been unofficially crowned as national treasures with a spectacular rooftop performance at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and a drive-in starring role at the Olympics closing ceremony.

There were flurries of summer festivals too, and now they are just about to embark on a sell-out Charge Of The Mad Brigade UK concert tour – with a date at Plymouth Pavilions on December 4 – preceded by two performances at the notoriously excellent House of Fun Weekender, the rocking reggae and ska-infused indoor extravaganza the band curate at Butlins, Minehead.

To top all that, fans and critics have just been voicing a resounding “Yes” in response to their tenth studio album Oui, Oui, Si, Si, Ja, Ja, Da, Da, its first single My Girl 2, and its striking artwork by legendary artist Sir Peter Blake. It’s a life-affirming collection, rich in catchy pop sensibility but with a satisfying maturity, tenderness and depth.

It had a tough act to follow in the form of The Liberty of Norton Folgate, the 2009 LP that firmly planted Madness back on the credible contemporary music map, rather than harking back to their hit-packed glory days.

“The way I like to think about it is that it’s our new first album, and we have just done our difficult second album,” says singer, trumpet-player and dance maestro Cathal Smyth, aka Mr Chas Smash.

They decided to take a break from regular producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley and try out some new faces, hence its recording in several different studios.

“We are already talking about our next album, and that is incredible.

But for me it’s really all about writing songs and live performance.
The large part of Madness is honesty and audiences know at a subconscious level whether you believe in yourselves or not. People talk about getting burnt out, and you need a re-injection of passion.
If you look for beauty and the interesting things in life and be kind to each other, then you are OK.”

Cathal managed the band before he joined it as a musician and has always been instrumental in keeping the band trucking – and bringing them back together after periodic hiatuses since they first came together around Camden Town in 1976, enjoying their first chart success three years later with debut album One Step Beyond.

“We are more like a tribe than a family; there are all the children and grandchildren now,” he adds.

There have been various incarnations, too. The current one includes six original members – Cathal, singer Suggs, guitarist Chris Foreman, keyboard player Mike Barson, saxophonist Lee Thompson and drummer Daniel “Woody” Woodgate. Original bassist Mark “Bedders” Bedford is currently taking a break from the band.

They all write songs and bring them to the mix and by arrangement they all become distinctively Madness. With Chris Foreman, Cathal won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song for the unforgettable international hit Our House back in 1983. His songwriting has continued to develop and blossom; for the new album he co-wrote How Can I Tell You with Suggs and three tunes on his own – Misery,Death of a Rude Boy and So Alive.

This last title is inspired by his experience of unexpectedly falling head over heels in love again, seven years after separating from his wife.

“It knocked me for six,” confesses Cathal, 53, who moved to Ibiza five years ago after his marriage split up. The girl he fell for married someone else, but Cathal was pleased to be able to process his feelings “positively” in the song.

He’s just about to move back to his home town of London.

“I’ve got so many projects on the go that it makes sense,” he says. He is writing and recording a solo “relationship” album with folky Johnny Cash undertones, as well as penning a stage show with music called HMS Misery – a sort of Oliver Twist meets Cape Fear.

“And I like being near my kids,” says Cathal, father to Caspar, 26, Milo, 23, and Eloise, 17, who recently shone in her first acting role in Ill Manors with Plan B aka Ben Drew. Cathal also co-wrote a song for the soundtrack and had a cameo role.

But for now Madness calls and he is ready to get the fun and frivolity started for fans at Minehead next weekend, alongside a host of bands and DJs including David Rodigan, Norman Jay, the Cuban Brothers, Don Letts and Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show.

Cathal admits that the band still argue over their tour setlist.

“It is difficult when you have such a strong back catalogue and everyone has their favourites,” he says. “Where do you fit in the new stuff?”

[4] – MADNESS AT PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS, REVIEW

From The Plymouth Herald
Written by Clare Robinson

MADNESS are crowning a pretty amazing year in which they played two
of the biggest parties in the world – the Queen’s Jubilee Concert and
the Olympics Closing Ceremony – with their biggest arena tour to date,
culminating with two shows at London’s 02 arena.

Indeed it was clear from the scale of the production which included
screens at the side of the stage, to show close ups of the band, plus
a massive back screen to display state of the art graphics as well as
phenomenal light show, that this was designed for venues considerably
larger than Plymouth Pavilions.

So we were fortunate indeed to have enticed them to stop off at our
relatively intimate venue to play not only the classics we all know
and love but also a bunch of new tracks from latest offering Oui Oui
Si Si Ja Ja Da Da.

Crowd pleasers, One Step Beyond and You’re an Embarrassment, and had
the up for it fez-wearing audience bouncing from the off after which
Suggs offered the first of many of his deadpan asides, before
introducing the first of several new tracks from the album.

I didn’t see their last show, but I did hear that they lost the
audience somewhat by focussing too much on new unfamiliar stuff.

Not so this time – new tracks were peppered throughout and actually
proved so accessible and familiar, even on first hearing, that the
momentum was maintained throughout.

Misery and Never Knew Your Name worked especially well, lyrically and
musically, while the rather more sombre Death Of A Rude Boy proved a
surprising and poignant encore opener.

There was only really one notable change of musical direction in the
entire ska-dominated set and that was a fun interlude when guitarist
Chris Foreman showed his rock tendencies with a strange vocal solo
interpretation of AC/DCs Highway to Hell.

Then it was business as usual with Wings Of A Dove, Baggy Trousers,
It Must By Love and the rest, all the way to the euphoric climatic
finale featuring the eponymous Madness and Night Boat To Cairo.

Thirty something years on these boys may have exchanged their ‘nutty’
status for that of ‘national treasures’, but they proved once again
they can still cut it with the best and hopefully will carry on
entertaining us for many more years to come.

CLARE ROBINSON

[5] – MADNESS, BRIGHTON CENTRE, REVIEW

London’s pop group Madness seems finally to have attained the
national-treasure status that they’ve long deserved, writes Thomas H
Green.

4 out of 5 (stars)

By Thomas H Green
From http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Before Madness swung into their well-loved version of Labi Siffre’s
It Must Be Love, near the end of their set, the giant screen behind
them flashed “Nutso: Emma, will you marry me?”

There was a kerfuffle in the seats on the balcony of the Brighton
Centre. A man in his forties in a pork pie hat and sharp brown rude
boy suit was suddenly leapt on by an ecstatic woman. It looked very
much like Emma had accepted Nutso’s proposal.

Such events are possibly all in a day’s work for Madness, the London
pop group who, this year, following their performances at the Diamond
Jubilee and the Olympics, seem finally to have attained the
national-treasure status that they’ve long deserved.

Madness are a band of characters. Front man Suggs revelled in deadpan
asides throughout the concert, even dryly imitating Freddie Mercury
and briefly singing We Are the Champions. Meanwhile, at one point
most of the band exited, leaving guitarist Chris Foreman to perform a
wholly unlikely version of AC/DC’s Highway To Hell with gusto.

The stage set was akin to a 1940s ballroom big band, with extra
sidemen boosting Madness’s usual line-up. They kicked off the gig with
multiple lighting effects, before bursting into their opener, their
well-loved second single One Step Beyond. Then again, Madness have a
multitude of songs that have become hearty anthems of everyday
Britishness.

[6] – REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL AT THE HOUSE OF FUN

A re-worked version of Reasons To Be Cheerful — with thanks to Ian
Dury. This version by Iain Mason.

Enjoy!

—

Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead
Why don’t you get down to Minehead

Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Early-morning flight, beaming with delight
Grab a tasty bite, and lots of stodge
A long and twisty drive, we finally arrive
It’s good to be alive, in our lodge

Docs black and cherry, resplendent in Fred Perry,
Already feeling merry, the night descends
Nuttiness ahead, Toasting lots of bread
Cooking up a spread, for all our friends

Running out of scrumpy, feeling far from grumpy,
The music’s sounding funky, time to go
The Inn is full to burst, we satisfy our thirst,
And rapidly disperse, to the front row

The Nutty Boys on form, they know how to perform
Going down a storm, from start to end
The album sounds fantastic; we’re bouncing like elastic,
So enthusiastic, the perfect blend

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Reasons to be cheerful part 3

Waken from our snoring, the rain outside is pouring
The day is far from boring

Feeling rather woozy, watch the Madness movie,
Atmosphere is groovy

Glasses full of whisky, sobriety looks risky,
Party getting frisky

A red dress and a beard, make-up getting smeared
Others looking weird

Tattoos, knives and feathers, other folk in leathers,
A smashing get-together

Another epic set, heroes duly met,
A night we won’t forget

Boozy, tired and smoky, late-night karaoke
Voice is very croaky

Thommo playing sax, handshakes and back-slaps,
Reluctantly fly back

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Yes yes, my dear, I’ve booked next year,
Which really is quite clever.
In which case,

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Reasons to be cheerful part 3\

Iain Mason

[7] – THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS

This week MIS co-editor, Rob Hazelby goes back 5 years to issue number
449, and the week of Sunday 9th December to Saturday 16th December
2007, and then back 10 years to issue number 187 and the week of
Sunday 8th December to Saturday 14th December 2002.

5 years ago…

Issue 449 – Sunday 9th to Saturday 16th December 2007

With Rob back from his recent visit to Cuba, and many hours spent
clearing down his bursting mailbox, he was now back up to date with
everything he’d missed during his two week jaunt.

We kicked things off with a massive joint review of the recent
Astoria gig, compiled by Jonathan Young, Duff Kelly, Graham Yates
and Andrew Langmead

The above team not only provided us with a track by track review of
the gig, but also a full track listing and other nuggets of
information, too.

It was on to suit news next. Yes, you read that right. Makers of the
original style tonic suit, Ace Face, were ecstatic to announce it
was to be the official tailor to Madness, with the band wearing their
tonic suits during their forthcoming UK tour.

Stuart Murray of Ace Face commented, “It’s a massive honour the
Madness boys asked us to provide them with tonic suits. We’ve been
huge Madness fans since the first day, so it’s a dream come true to
see our icons wearing our suits!”

Suggs said at the time, “It’s great that Ace Face have brought such a
classic back. We hadn’t seen proper tonic for decades.”

We had more reviews next, as we passed the writing baton over to
Patrick Murphy, who put together a wonderfully written review of his
recent visit to the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, where the band performed
on the 7th of December.

Patrick finished by saying;

“A monumental experience for me, I look forward in
great excitement for the new album, and pray that
I get to see them live again the not too distant
future!”

The reviews continued, with Astoria gig reviews from both Uncut
magazine and the Times Online, before we moved on to a nice interview
with Suggs and Carl, taken from the Sky News web site, and sent in
to us by Lee Buckley.

We brought this week’s issue to a close with the news that those
attending the OS2 gig on Friday could look forward to a Madmeet.
Naturally, the event would start at the legendary Dublin Castle
at midday, and then move on from there.

It could be a heavy one!

10 years ago…

Issue 187 – Sunday 8th to Saturday 14th December 2002

With only a few days to go until the 2002 Christmas tour kicked off
at the Newcastle Telewest Arena, news coverage of The Magnificent
Seven continued to ramp-up as the date got ever closer.

According to reports in the national press The blockheads had not
been able to release the proposed Christmas single “You’re the why”
as Robbie Williams management had not allowed the release given that
Robbie sings on it. The reason why? They didn’t want competition with
Robbies own new single!

News reached MIS Online (via The Madness Trading Ring) earlier this
week that towards the end of last month Buster Bloodvessel was
discharged from hospital having made a remarkable recovery from
Meningitis. Buster, never one to rest too long was recuperating at home
and spending some time working on the various recording projects, he
had started before falling ill, and was looking forward to the annual
Bad Manners Winter Tour, which commenced on the 3rd December 2002.

With Becky Lane being lucky enough to get her mitts on the promo
version of the forthcoming ‘Take it or Leave it’ DVD she was kind
enough to share with the MIS readership a brief lowdown on the contents
of the disc, including chapters and extra features. Whilst this still
meant that the rest of us were left waiting for the film to be
released, it did at least give us a taster of what we could expect to
get for our hard earned cash.

The reviews continued this issue with co-editor Jonathan Young
providing an in-depth look at the Our House CD which came free with
the Sun newspaper, if purchased in HMV music stores. Featuring two
different versions of the Our House track, and a video, this release
was one for only die-hard Maddies.

Rob Hazelby

[8] – THAT’S YER LOT

We’re almost done for this week, but before we go we’ve got a few
last minute bits to pass in your general direction.

First-up is Ian Beatty, who was quite clearly impressed with “Buster
Shuffle” – a band who appeared in the recent Madness Weekender
line-up.

Here’s Ian;

“I haven’t seen a mention of Buster Shuffle from anyone. I
thought they were brilliant and sounded really fresh. They
filled the dancefloor and sold out of CDs at the end so they
must have impressed a few others as well!

One of the band was at the CD stall and I asked how they got
the gig. They said it was only a week or so earlier that
Madness heard them on the radio and asked them to play.

I asked for an autograph and before I could say anything she
vanished with my CD. Five minutes later I was given a fully
signed CD. I was most impressed and will be keeping an eye
out for them”.

For more information, point your web browser at:
http://www.bustershuffle.co.uk

And finally, news in from subscriber Sean Byrne reveals that Madness
have been booked to perform at the Byron Bluesfest in 2012.

This Australian festival takes place on Thursday 28th March to Monday
1st April 2013.

A quick hop over to http://www.bluesfest.com.au does indeed have the
band listed.

Sean emailed in to ask if the band would be playing any other gigs
during their stay in Oz. At present we’re not aware of anything, but
if we do hear anything we’ll certainly post it here.

And with that, we’re just about done.

Until next week, take care!

Liz, Simon, Jon, Rob
(With special thanks to Ian Beatty, Sean Byrne, and Darren Fordham)