IN THIS ISSUE ...

1 - THE EDITOR WRITES - Latest news and information in brief

2 - WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU - The TMML moderators need your ideas
    and suggestions for building a new site for 2001 and beyond.
    Jenny Payne explains.

3 - SKA NEWS ISSUE 48 - The latest edition of Jean-Pierre
    Boutellier's excellent skazine, `Skanews` has finally seen the
    light of day. What's inside and should you get subscribed?

4 - MADNESS GOODIES ON EBAY - Want to get your hands on some real
    Madness rarities without leaving the comfort of your own home?
    Well, get yourself down to Ebay and start your bidding.

5 - NO MORE FLASHING LIGHTS - Thanks and closing words.

[1] - THE EDITOR WRITES

Evening Maddies,

It's been a bit of a lean week for Madness related news, but the
online Madness community have been far from quiet after TMML
subscriber, Leese Pearson stumbled across an article entitled "The
Death of Pop` taken from The Daily Telegraph, which seemed to ignite
views from a large number of subscribers.

I've not put the article in this weeks edition of the MIS as it
really is not Madness related in the slightest. However, I urge you
all to point your browsers at:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/0011/09/entertainment/entertain1.html
and have a read. You may find yourself grinning and nodding as you
read down the page.

Many thanks to Leese for pointing this one out and making sure we all
had a read.

On a more Madness related note, and news has reached us that on the
BBC's Children in Need Night this coming Friday, there is going to be
a `Question of Sport V A Question of Pop Special`. If you can't be
bothered to sit through the entire show you'd better stick a tape in
the video recorder and set it to long play. The show is meant to be
on around 8pm, but as with all these live events, the schedules never
seem to run according to plan. If anyone does manage to catch the
show, please let us know what went on.

You can tell Christmas is fast approaching when the shops in town
start blasting out all those Christmas tunes over the tannoy system.
Well, in a nice change from all that muzak that most stores are oh
so fond of playing, Helen of the TMML tells us that on a recent visit
to her local chain of Argos, the legendary Suggs was in full swing
with the classic `Sleigh Ride`. Ok, so it's not major news, but I did
say things were a bit thin on the ground this week!

Some non-Madness related news now, which may be of interest to many
of you out there. Simon Roberts reports that the legendary `Bad
Manners` are gracing our TV screens (in the UK) as part of a new
advertising scheme for Virgin Finance. I've not managed to catch the
advert myself, but Simon tells me that it features old live footage
of the band, and finishes with Buster outside `Fatty Towers`
bankrupt.

Continuing on the non-Madness theme and Colin Hinchley tells us
that after some browsing around the Tickets Online website at:
http://www.tickets-online.co.uk/ he has spotted a gig on Monday 4th
December at Camden's Dingwalls for the legendary Blockheads, as
well as top comedian Phil Jupitus. If you're in the area, this
looks like something worth getting tickets for.

A bit of news from Madness Unsugged editor Vincent Carden who points
out that;

     "In this month's Q magazine, in the opening pages,
      Jerry Dammers writes an open letter to the
      magazine as a result of their review of
      'Stereotypical', the recent Specials' compilation.
      Basically, he is setting the record straight about a
      few of the songs he wrote such as 'War Crimes' and
      'Niteklub'. As he is not well known for doing too
      many interviews, any insight into Mr. 2-TONE is
      definitely worth a read".

Cheers for that one Vince. If anyone out there is willing to type it
up, I'll be happy to put it in a future edition of the MIS so we can
all have a read.

Before we get on with this weeks MIS, Adam Fowler reports that Suggs
is no longer doing a slot on London's XFM radio station. News
gleaned by Adam from the XFM offices is that Suggs has decided to
give it a bit of a rest and instead concentrate on TV and `other
stuff`.

And with that, lets get on with this week's issue.

Enjoy the read,

Robert Hazelby (MIS Online Editor)

[2] - WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Hello everyone....

It was recently mentioned on the [Total Madness Mailing] list that
our TMML site is in need of an update.  Well we're in luck... Al
Redpath is working on some new design and content ideas for us and
it will have a new look sometime in the near future! :D

**** WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ****

We would like to have input and ideas from all of you. What features,
sections and information would you find interesting?  Are you
interested in running a poll, contest, or trivia quiz?  We have
400+ TMMLers out there, and many we rarely hear from.... so now is
your chance to get involved!  Ideas can be sent to the moderators'
address below.

Thanks & have a good weekend.
Jenny

If you're subscribed to the TMML then you really should send in some
suggestions. After all, the site is designed for you, the mailing
list subscriber.

Have a look at what's already online by pointing your browser to:
http://members.xoom.com/totalmadmail/

Once you've had a look round and have come up with some suggestions,
send them to: tmmods at outrageouscreations.com

[3] - SKA NEWS ISSUE 48

Thanks to Jean-Pierre Boutellier, editor of the French ska-zine,
"Skanews", the latest issue arrived on my doormat last week.

I've been a bit snowed under recently, so this weekend has been the
first time I've had the opportunity to have a proper look through.

First of all, let me say that it's been about 10 years since I read,
wrote or spoke any French, so I'm not able to translate anything into
English for you. What I have managed to do is to have a rummage
through the fanzine, and try and use what little knowledge I now have
of the French language to put together this review. If there are any
French speakers out there who subscribe to the MIS and Skanews, I'd
appreciate it if you'd correct any mistakes I make.

Enough of me wittering on about my crap grasp of a foreign language,
lets get underway with the review.

As with Vince Carden's excellent fanzine, `Madness Unsugged`,
`Skanews` is a nice, big A4 affair sporting a cracking cover photo
of the one and only Cathal Smyth. The major coup for `Skanews` is
the fantastic interview they managed to get with Cathal a few months
back where he talks about life, Madness and the `Velvet Ghost`
project which as I understand is coming along as planned.

As this is the first issue of Skanews I have read, I don't know if
this format follows the one in earlier issues, but if so, it's a
refreshing change as the news is delivered in small bite-sized
chunks, with the majority of the zine dedicated to interviewing
ska groups or individuals from those groups. In this edition there
are interviews with;

 - Cathal Smyth,
 - Reggae group `Mapuka`
 - `Maximum Kouette`, who have or are just about to release their
    debut album,
 - Greg Lee, leader of the American Ska band, `Hepcat`,
 - South Devon's top ska band, `Too Hot`,
 - Ska Punk Band, `Outrage',
 - Hot Tongs,
 - Rock-punk Ska band, `Les Cameleons`

As well as that, the `Sur La Platine` section reviews the latest and
greatest ska albums currently doing the rounds and which deserve a
place in your esteemed record/cd collection.

To round the issue off, there's another page of small news-bites
followed by a letters and e-mail page where subscribers write in
with their news, information and questions for Skanews to answer.

My poor grasp of the French language really doesn't capture just how
good the fanzine is. It looks really professional, with some
excellent quality black and white images, and an easy to read layout.

With the entire fanzine obviously aimed at the French market, I would
only recommend this to native French speakers or people with a solid
grasp of the language. If you fit into one of those two categories,
and you're a Madness fan who likes to keep his or her ear on the ska
scene in general, then this will be right up your street.

For news, concert dates, interviews, anthologies, rare photos and
more, get yourself along to the `Skanews` website at:
http://skanews.net or http://perso.club-internet.fr/skanews/

Have a look around, and get yourself a subscription to the paper
edition.

For more information, please contact the editor, Jean-Pierre
Boutellier at the following address: skanews at club-internet.fr
or write to:

     SKANEWS,
     10 RUE ANDRIEU,
     95340 PERSAN,
     FRANCE

Many thanks go to Jean-Pierre for the review copy of the fanzine.

Robert Hazelby

[4] - MADNESS GOODIES ON EBAY

It's been a while since we last rummaged through Ebay here at the
MIS, so it came as no surprise that when I had a go today, some
absolute class items came up for auction.

Here are a few of the items that caught my eye. I've put the prices
that the items were going for at around 5:30pm UK time.

There's loads of Madness stock on Ebay at the moment, so get onto
the site and start your bidding!

MADNESS - * Fully Signed * CD w/COA - £26.00
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=490044848

'Lovestruck' CD clearly signed in black by all band members. This
item is accompanied by a Certificate Of Authentication (COA) from
the person who obtained the signatures, an established music industry
 employee, and is LIFETIME 100% GUARANTEED GENUINE. Buyer pays actual
shipping costs. METHODS OF PAYMENT:Personal Cheque, Postal Order or
Cash, OVERSEAS BIDDERS may pay in US$ cash or UK Sterling
International Money Order.

MADNESS - 5 Track CD promo - £10.21
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=489065234
Lifted from the album 'WONDERFUL' this is a highly collectable and
much sought after CD Promo it is in MINT condition and comes in a
good quality card slip-case picture cover. This is a 5 Track Promo
CD Sampler

MADNESS TOTAL ACCESS TOUR PASS - US $15.99 (approx. £11.22)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=492126881
MADNESS 'TOTAL ACCESS' Pass. Black print on white background
'Madness-Suitcase' logo with 'Globe on letter M' sketch on both
sides, with hole for clip. 3"x5" approximately. Excellent condition

MADNESS LOVESTRUCK UK PROMO SHOP POSTER - £4.20
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=493881399
This is a 405 mm x 270 mm uk promotional shop poster. This poster
would have been displayed in a UK record store during the release
of the record. This item was never displayed and is in mint
condition. Often destroyed after use this item will be come
collectable. The poster is similar to the sleeve of the UK release
CD with the hat and back of head of a band member with Lovestruck
Madness in text. At the bottom it says you've waited long enough.
CD limited edition CD tape July 19th 2000. The bands website address
and logos and record company logo is visible. A nice item. UK buyer
postage free, anywhere else at actual cost price

Madness - Madstock - GIANT PROMO POSTER - US $8.00 (approx. £5.61)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=495748425
Madness - Madstock - GIANT PROMO POSTER. 60" by 40" (150cm by 100cm).
Very rare and sought after item, brand new and in absolute Mint
condition, an unmissable collectors piece for any Madness fan.

Madness, One step beyond. French 12" import - £5.00
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=496679953
A rare 1979 French 12" import. Madness, One Step beyond; B-side
mistakes, nutty theme (Stiff 740 522). Picture cover and record
mint. Picture sleeve identical to UK version. P&P 1.50 GBP Europe X
3 UK Rest of world X 4 UK Payment can be by personal cheque, postal
order, bankers draft.

Please note that I am not responsible for or have anything to do with
the above sale items. Happy bidding!

Robert Hazelby
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=496679953

[5] - NO MORE FLASHING LIGHTS

That's about your lot for this week.

Hopefully the lull in Madness related news will end, and next week
we'll have more news on The Magnificent Seven to report. Many thanks
to everyone who has sent in bits and pieces for this weeks issue.

If you would like to contribute to a future edition of the MIS,
please get in touch, as I will be happy to include any additions you
send my way.

In the meantime, if you've not done so, get your web browser loaded
up and check out `The Death of Pop` article. Once you've done that,
for those of you who are subscribed to the TMML, think of some good
ideas for the forthcoming website and get them sent off. They want
your input!

Until next week. Take care.

All the nutty best,

Robert Hazelby