IN THIS ISSUE ...

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

2 - WWW.MADNESS.CO.UK - I'm sure you've all seen it. The official
    Madness website. Whilst it may look nice, it hasn't been updated
    in an absolute age. Surely a site devoted to reporting the life
    and times of the mad deserves more than this. Vince Foley thinks
    so.

3 - COMPLETE MADNESS BOOKINGS, OCTOBER 2000 - Thanks to the 
    ever-helpful Claire Keegan, we have details of the latest 
    batch of `Complete Madness` gigs planned for the next month.

4 - MADNET - It's been a while since we've announced the appearance
    of a new Madness website out there in the depths of the internet,
    so it was with great pleasure that Chris Byrne asked me if I'd 
    be kind enough to rummage over his new website and give him some
    feedback.

5 - MAD NOT MAD - Issue 7 has finally seen the light of day and as
    regular MNM subscribers will know, this is a fanzine not to be
    missed. This issue is absolutely bursting. If you're a subscriber
    awaiting the arrival of your copy, find out what you'd got to 
    look forward to. If on the other hand you're not subscribed, find
    out just what you're missing out on.

6 - AND SO, TO BED - Thanks and closing words.

[1] - THE EDITOR WRITES

Hello Maddies,

I hope today finds everyone in good health and spirits.

A number of you have pointed out the old Suggsmeister is up to
his old tricks of doing anything for a bit of cash (and lets face it,
who can blame him?) as he, or rather his voice, has been appearing in
the current run of Fairy Liquid adverts.

I must say that it's well worth looking out for as the voice of Suggs
advertising washing-up liquid will almost certainly bring a smile to 
even the most hardened of Madness fans.

Meanwhile the TMML's Boonster reports that Suggs has been spotted 
presenting `The Real Car Show` with (and I quote) "some really dishy 
bird as co-host". Haven't managed to catch the show myself, anyone
fancy typing up a quick review for next issue?

Did any of you Dublin-based Maddies tune in to FM104 a couple of
Saturday's back? If you did, the chances are you'd be in heaven with
two days devoted to some quality music being blasted over the 
airwaves. Here's Brendan Keane; 

     "I was driving home from work last Saturday afternoon
      and I switched on my radio. I could not believe my 
      ears when on came "Night Boat To Cairo". What makes
      it surprising is that it was on  one of Dublins biggest
      radio stations FM104, and they would never ever play 
      Madness or anything like Madness. And not only that, it
      was a whole weekend of Madness, The Specials, The Beat 
      etc etc. It was named "Official Ska Weekend". All the 
      classics, all weekend long. 

     It was brilliant,long may it continue".

Many thanks to Brendan for the info.

Right, there's a fair bit to get through this week, so lets get right
on with this issue.

Enjoy the read,

Robert Hazelby

[2] - WWW.MADNESS.CO.UK

Hey Now!

Will someone do us all a favour and close down that pathetic site
.....I'd rather have NO site than that shite.....

Come on, for gods sake, it has barely been updated in a year, and 
when the last 'news' bit features the line: ".....The release of 
the next single 'Drip Fed Fred' is due out on the February 28th.
......"

it sums up how much, or should I say how little has been done.

It really annoys me when I see other bands out there, far lesser than
the Maddies that have top sites for their official weblink.

And when you think of the many talented people out on this list and 
beyond (not including this internet infant) that would do such a fab 
job, its all the more appalling.

Why not hand the reigns over to people who would at least update the
site every six months and get the fans running it once and for all...

As mi daddio once said:

"...If you're gonna do a job, do it right, or else don't do it at all"

Shape up madness.co.uk or SHIP OUT!

Nuff said

VincE Foley (vjfmadness at yahoo.com)

[3] - COMPLETE MADNESS BOOKINGS, OCTOBER 2000

Thanks to the ever-helpful Claire Keegan, we have details of the
latest batch of `Complete Madness` gigs planned for the next month.

Wednesday 4th  : Chicago Rock Cafe, Norwich
Thursday 5th   : Theatre Royal, Barnsley
Friday 6th     : Corner Pocket, Langold
Saturday 7th   : Sheffield Lane Top WMC
Wednesday 11th : Chicago Rock Cafe, Bury
Thursday 12th  : Roadhouse, London
Saturday 14th  : Hampshire Tennis & Health Club
Sunday 15th    : Nite Owl, Barnsley
Wednesday 18th : Chicago Rock Cafe, Watford
Friday 20th    : Batley Frontier
Saturday 21st  : Batley Frontier
Sunday 22nd    : Chaser's Fun Pub, Workington
Tuesday 24th   : Brannigans, Manchester
Wednesday 25th : Chicago Rock Cafe, Aylesbury
Thursday 26th  : Richmond Tavern, Rotherham

SATURDAY 28TH & SUNDAY 29TH
Jury's Hotel, Cork, Ireland : For the Cork Jazz Festival 2000

For more information on any of the above gigs, please contact the
band at: Complete at madness2000.fsbusiness.co.uk

[4] - MADNET

It's been a while since we've announced the appearance of a new 
Madness website out there in the depths of the internet, so it was
with great pleasure that Chris Byrne asked me if I'd be kind 
enough to rummage over his new website and give him some feedback.

Naturally, I was more than happy to oblige with this simple request
and so I popped on over to the appropriately titled `Madnet` website.

Those of you who have met Chris will know that he is a die-hard 
Madness fan who's apparent claim to fame is that he will not go to
any gig unless it features Madness or at least some of the band 
members. I believe that so far, Chris has a 100% success rate at
this. He may be missing out on a lot of other bands, but that's
devotion for you!

Moving back to the site, and once connected you're faced with a
simple looking page featuring that famous photo from the `One
Step Beyond` album/single. With some fancy coding, Chris has put up
a natty bulletin section which scrolls across a small window 
detailing the latest Madness and Madness related news that you cannot
afford not to know about. Current news-bites include Crunch gig
details and a link to Cathal's new website.

Elsewhere on the site, and Chris has devoted a small section to each
band member, so if you'd like to find out a little more about each
member of The Magnificent Seven and look like a complete anorak the
next time you're at a Madmeet - this is the section for you.

By far the most exciting thing about the site is the `Mad Year` which
attempts to document the highs and lows of each year in the history
of the band. From the heady days of 1979, right up until this year,
Chris lists the albums and singles released in each year, the highest
chart positions, as well as a summary of each year. The only missing
years are 1989 - 1991. Now, we all know that Madness was pretty much 
dead in those in-between years, but if Chris can find out what went
on during that time, I'm sure it would make for some compulsive web
browsing.

Hopefully Chris will be updating the site on a regular basis, but
there's some excellent material already online, and even now I'd put
it down as a `must visit`.

Finish reading this week's edition of the MIS, and get yourself 
along to: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~cjbyrne/MadNet/index2.htm

Have a rummage around, and if you've got time, I know Chris would
appreciate any feedback you'd care to drop his way. You can contact
Chris at: MadNet at cjbyrne.globalnet.co.uk

[5] - MAD NOT MAD

"Issue 7 of Mad Not Mad is here and as per sods law, I ended up with
too much material and too little time or space to include it all"
writes Ian Taylor, editor of the aforementioned fanzine in his 
covering letter.

Yes, the latest issue of Mad Not Mad has finally seen the light of
day, and as you would expect by now, it does not disappoint.

Those of you waiting for the `7` Classic Album feature in this issue
will be sorry to hear that it has been held back again in favour of
an absolutely superb interview with the one and only Cathal Smyth.
This interview alone is worthy of the cover price. Ian tells me that
the `7` feature may appear in issue 8, but it depends on what else
is going on in the Madness/ska scene at the time. As Ian rightly
says "I am sure you'll appreciate that I have to balance the Mad and
the Not Mad" which contributes to the multi-band coverage of the
zine. Of course we do!

Along with the interview with Cathal, other Madness related goodies
this issue include a brief look at the Crunch gig by Tooting Jo,
along with an exclusive photo taken by Mrs Taylor and a short 
review of Complete Madness at Morcambe in July.

Moving away from Madness and onto the general ska scene, and there 
is massive, and I mean massive, coverage of the Morcambe ska 
festival held some months back. If you went along, it will be an
opportunity for you to look back on one long weekend. For those of
you who missed it, you can see what you missed out on.

Lisa `Skanking` Taylor treats us to a superb review of the Hotknives
set at the Morcambe Ska festival which receives nothing but praise
from both herself and Ian, whilst the supposed headliners of the
gig, Bad Manners get a page devoted to their set which seemed to 
leave a very sour taste in the mouths of most people there.

Elsewhere, and there's a whole stack of album reviews ranging from
The Trojans to Spunge and much more in between. Zine Machine, which
lists all the current ska-related fanzines, just seems to get bigger
and bigger.

If all that's too much for you, have a look through the 4 pages of
gig dates which Ian has painstakingly put together and get planning
your next night out. The list is huge, and you're bound to find
something that's in your locality.

If you have a subscription and are awaiting your copy of the zine,
you can see that you've got something worth looking forward to. If
on the other hand you're not subscribed, get along to the MIS website
and visit the fanzines section or you can drop Ian an e-mail at:
bige at netlineuk.net  or write to him at:

     MAD NOT MAD
     c/o 4 Mountmorres Close
     Over Hulton 
     Bolton
     BL5 1HT
     ENGLAND

Finally, just before we go, here are a few words from Ian;

     "The next issue will see my delayed coverage of the
      first Crunch gig of their new renaissance, along 
      with the following days mini Ska-Punk Festival in
      old Camden Town. Also waiting patiently in the wings
      is an excellent interview with Pauline Black conducted
      by my good Irish pal Joe Behan of `Ska Patrol` some 
      months back. I'm considering putting some of this stuff
      into the Best of 1 & 2 Special that is coming soon. 
      That has been delayed due to out currently being in
      the process of moving house as well as my starting
      work at a new school this September just gone.

      All will come to pass and will be worth it - I promise!"

Many thanks to Ian Taylor for his continued plugging of the MIS
and general all-round support. See you at the Crunch gig on the
14th, I hope.

[6] - AND SO, TO BED

That pretty much wraps everything up for this weeks edition of the
MIS. I hope you've found at least one or two things of interest. As
usual, I'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who has helped
contribute to this issue. It's really appreciated!!

Just before we go, Simon Roberts dropped me a mail with a little bit
of sad news in. It turns out that Dr Martens have cut back high
street production of their boots from their Northampton factory. 
Looking on the bright side though, the boots will continue to be
produced, but in smaller quantities and more of a designer type line.

I wonder if we'll see a price rise accordingly?

Until next week. Take care.

All the nutty best,

Robert Hazelby