We thought tickets for the Sunday leg of the band’s Camden Roundhouse mini residency would sell out quickly, so it came as little surprise when it happened this week just gone.
If you’ve yet to purchase tickets then you can still purchase them for the Monday and Tuesday night stints. These are likely to go quickly now that the first date of the run has been fully allocated, so don’t delay if you’ve yet to purchase a ticket. You’ll find the order link for the Camden Roundhouse in our “Showtimes” section below.
Continuing on “Showtimes”, and this week see that addition of a new date on the 8th October. This sees the band attending a “Before we was we” book signing and question & answer session at Rough Trade East in London. As above, check out our “Showtimes” section for ticket ordering details.
Next, and if you have some money burning a hole in your pocket then check out the new T-shirts and scarf now on sale over on the official Madness web site. We have some details in this month’s “Buy it” section, but check out the photos over on the official site. There are some superb designs using classic 1979 imagery.
Moving on, and our MIS Feature this week looks at the soon to be launched “Two Tone 7” Treasures” vinyl box set. This looks to be a fantastic collection of vinyl singles for the collectors amongst you. We’ve been lucky enough to bag a few of the “Prince” records which have been separated from this box set. These new 2019 pressings of the single are currently being sent out to some winners of the MIS XX competition.
Don’t forget to check out the URL in the above mentioned article for a link to where you can purchase an official T-shirt commemorating the launch of this new box set.
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.
Call Parkdean Resorts Sandford direct on 01202 622513 and press 0 for reception to book tickets.
Buy It
Celebrating 40 Years Of Madness – The 1979 Retro Range (Plus new T-shirts)
This Limited Edition MADNESS XL 40th Anniversary TOOTAL Scarf is now available @ The MADSTORE!
When Madness decided to celebrate their 40th Anniversary of entertaining the British Public, by launching a Strictly Limited-Edition Silk Scarf, teaming up with iconic British Accessories brand Tootal was the obvious choice.
Using Tootal’s centuries of Silk Scarf expertise and heritage within the Ska scene, the Band was instrumental in the design process, incorporating the unmistakable Madness logo with a nod to their truly outstanding 40th Anniversary.
Taking inspiration from their archives, Tootal took vintage styling and added Madness’ flamboyance into the Design.
This unique collaboration piece by Tootal for Madness is made from luxurious pure silk.
Before We Was We: The Making of Madness by Madness
The band’s first official book.
The story of how they became them. It’s a journey full of luck, skill and charm, as they duck and dive by day and make the name in London’s exploding music scene by night, zipping around the capital in their Morris Minor vans. Their formative years, 1970-79.
This is the riotous coming-of-age tale of seven unique individuals, whose collective graft, energy and talent took them from the sweaty depths of the Hope and Anchor basement to the Top of the Pops studio. In their own words, they each look back on their past and how during those shared adventures, they formed a bond that’s lasted forty years. Before We Was We is irreverent, funny and full of character. Just like them.
This week, MIS co-editor Rob Hazelby goes back in time to report on what was going on in the world of Madness 5, 10, 15 and 20 years ago this week.
5 years ago…
Issue Number 801 – Sunday 14th September to Saturday 20th September 2014
Our intro to this week’s issue got things off the starting blocks by covering Suggs’ recent collaboration with Radio Riddler, (who?) turning the song Let’s Go Crazy into a reggae version which opened a set of covers for an album entitled “Purple Reggae”, with various guest singers.
Next, and in our Sign of the Times section we featured the full transcript of an Interview Carl gave to the SeeTickets web site as part of his Comfortable Man promotional work. Although the interview was short there were some good questions and equally interesting answers.
Our MIS Feature this week came courtesy of Judge Fredd who spoke about his version of Burning the Boats which had been produced for the new Specialized CD album.
We brought this issue to a close with links to two interviews; the first where Suggs spoke to AraCity Radio and the second linking to a podcast where Carl would soon be appearing on.
10 years ago…
Issue 541 – Sunday 13th September – Saturday 19th September 2009
At the time this issue went out it’d been thirty years since Madness first charted, and it seemed that if current concert ticket sales were anything to go by, they were as popular now as they’d ever been.
What were we on about? Well, it was currently mid-September. We were months away from the forthcoming Christmas tour, yet already gigs were starting to sell out.
Already, Newcastle, Southend and Glasgow had exhausted their ticket allocations, and it surely couldn’t be long before others followed in their footsteps.
Our advice to you was that you’d not yet bought your tickets to one of the forthcoming Christmas gigs, and want to see the band (providing the gig you wanted to attend wasn’t for the above locations!), you needed to get your skates on.
On to our articles, and we got things moving by reporting on the Independent’s review of Madness taking to the stage at Ireland’s Electric Picnic on Saturday 5th September.
“Madness continued the good vibrations, with a set that leaned heavily on their latest, well-regarded album, ‘The Liberty of Norton Folgate’. But Suggs and friends were only too happy to delve into their rich past, too, and the hits came thick and fast with ‘Baggy Trousers’, an exceptional ‘House of Fun’ and ‘My Girl’.
Best of the lot was a gorgeous rendition of ‘It Must Be Love’ – probably the most life-affirming moment of the entire festival.”
Over to Paul Rodgers, and unfortunately there wasn’t any chart news this week, instead Paul’s article contained a number of recommendations and the passing on of one or two requests.
We had some Deaf School news next, courtesy of one Duff Kelly, who was kind enough to give a full lowdown of the recent Highbury gig and point us in the direction of a few YouTube clips taken during the set.
Following Duff’s review we went over to a press release from Salvo music, who were busy promoting their double-disc release of the One Step Beyond 30th anniversary album. Containing 33 tracks, 5 videos, all album tracks all b-sides, sessions from the time, contents of the flexi disc and live Dance Craze soundtrack songs, this was one for the collectors.
Next we took a look at the Shields Gazette, and their review of Madness at the recent Rock-en-Seine event in France. It was here that Oasis, following a fallout between the two Gallagher brothers, pulled out of the event they were meant to be headlining. Thankfully Madness were on hand to headline the gig even though they’d already performed there earlier in day.
Another newspaper article followed, this time from The Yorkshire Evening Post, who were reporting that Madness were due to play at The Leeds Academy on December 8th. The first time they’d performed in the town since the mid 1980s. The article was a lengthy one, and featured a one-to-one interview with Woody.
We brought this issue to a close with the news that we’d recently reported on a mis-report (get your head around that!) that Ska legend Prince Buster had suffered a stroke. We were pleased to update readers that Buster was OK and had not suffered a mishap.
15 years ago…
Issue 279 – Sunday 12th September to Saturday 18th September 2004
We kicked-off this issue with a warning to readers that as very little had gone on in the Madness community over the past week, this would be a rather lean edition of the MIS.
Still, we did our very best at digging out news, and whatever had been dug up by ourselves or passed our way by others was put in the issue.
News in from CNN (via Steve Bringe of the MTR) was that the much loved London Routemaster buses with their conductors, hop-on, hop-off platforms and pull-cord bells, were to be removed from the streets, condemned as expensive antiques.
Made famous by such videos are Cardiac Arrest, we commented that it would certainly be a shame to see the classic London icons removed from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Moving on, and we went straight over to a certain Christopher Foreman, who gave a firm “No” in fans’ questioning as to whether 2004 would see a Christmas tour or not.
Continuing on with Chrissy Boy, and we were all intrigued when Madness fan “Chuck” contacted the guitarist (via his cupboard) asking if Madness were booked to play a small club in downtown Orlando, Florida on the 17th of September. The local press were advertising Madness, and naturally this had got Chuck rather excited.
Unfortunately Chris was quick to reveal that the band wouldn’t be appearing, but was curious as to who exactly would be.
Elsewhere in this issue, and we reported on the fact that Jermaine of the legendary Tour Madness had recently set up a Dutch Madness and 2-tone site, and that it was now ready for you to visit.
We finished off this issue by pleading to our readers to send us in anything and everything Madness related for the next issue, as if things continued as they were it would mean another lean edition of the MIS for the following week.
20 years ago…
Issue 17 – Sunday 12th September to Saturday 18th September 1999
With the release of this issue we were pleased that the trend of little news over the past few weeks seemed to be finally coming to an end.
We were getting closer to the release of the next Madness single, and a new album, and things did seem to be picking up once more.
On to reviews, and news in from subscriber Elizabeth Raskin was that Uncut magazine were the first publication to review the forthcoming Madness album, and as she rightly pointed out, this must mean that promo copies of the forthcoming release must now be doing the rounds.
Continuing on the subject of the new album, and Bedders was kind enough to drop us a quick email to let us know that the artwork was now complete and that artwork for the forthcoming box set wasn’t too far behind either.
This was starting to look like expensive times for Madness fans across the globe!
Elsewhere in this issue a certain Vince Carden was kind enough to get hold of the Uncut review of the “Wonderful” album and type it up for the rest of us to read through. Scoring 3 out of 5 by author Gavin Martin, in closing he commented that;
“There was always going to be a bitter-sweet tinge to any Madness comeback worth having, “Wonderful” certainly doesn’t disappoint”
Moving on, and we took a look at the forthcoming tour dates for Madness tribute outfit, One Step Below, who already had dates booked right up until February 2000.
We finished off issue 17 with an absolutely massive transcript of a Madness article which originally appeared in NY Rocker magazine, back in Feb/March 1980. The typing efforts of one Stephie Figgis were why the rest of us were able to read this long-lost article, which would soon be archived on Alan Redpath’s “Don’t Quote me on That” web site.
Includes: 1960’s style carry case + 7″ slipmat + Jerry Dammers signed art card
Label: Chrysalis Records
This 40th Anniversary 7″ collection has been curated by Jerry Dammers, selecting his favourite 12 singles released on the label between 1979 and 1984.
Presented with their original sleeve designs in a bespoke 1960’s style carry case along with a Two Tone 7″ slipmat and an art card signed by Jerry Dammers.
TWO TONE RECORDS was created in 1979 by The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The label spawned a youth movement and a number of well-known artists and singles through the its tenure including the aforementioned Specials with key singles ‘Gangsters’, the UK Number 1 singles ‘Too Much Too Young’ and ‘Ghost Town’. They also helped launch the careers of Madness with ‘The Prince’, The Beat with ‘Tears of A Clown’, The Selecterwith ‘On My Radio’ and The Bodysnatchers with ‘Let’s Do Rock Steady’. The label ended its chart run of singles with ‘Nelson Mandela’ by The Special AKA.
TRACKLISTING
THE SPECIAL A.K.A Vs. THE SELECTER: A. Gangsters / AA. The Selecter
MADNESS: A. The Prince / B. Madness
THE SELECTER: A. On My Radio / B. Too Much Pressure
THE SPECIALS: A. A Message To You Rudy / AA. Nite Klub
THE BEAT: A. Tears of A Clown / AA. Ranking Full Stop
THE SPECIAL A.K.A.: A. Too Much Too Young [Live] / B. Guns of Navarone [Live] / B. Skinhead Moonstomp (Long Shot Kick The Bucket/Liquidator/Skinhead Moonstomp
THE SELECTER: A. Three Minute Hero / B. James Bond
THE BODYSNATCHERS: A. Let’s Do Rocksteady / AA. Ruder Than You
THE SPECIALS: A. Stereotype / B. International Jet Set
RICO: A. Sea Cruise / B. Carolina
THE SPECIALS: A. Ghost Town / AA. Why?/AA. Friday Night, Saturday Morning
THE SPECIAL AKA: A. Nelson Mandela / AA. Break Down The Door
Time
That just about does it for this week’s issue of the MIS, but before we go we have a query sent in from subscriber “Gary” who we’ve been unable to help.
Gary’s question is; “Does anybody know the name of the park/gardens where Mike and Chrissy boy are working in Take it or leave it when Mike sprays the back of his van, tried loads of searches online and have even Google earthed but can’t find a thing”.
If anyone knows the answer please send in the details. We’ll pass those along to Gary and will include it in next week’s issue.
