In last week’s issue we reported that the Sunday night gig of the three night December stint at the Camden Roundhouse had sold out with Monday and Tuesday night’s dates remaining. A week on and we can confirm that tickets for all three nights have now been snapped up.
These three Camden-based concerts mark a fitting end to what’s been a truly amazing 40th anniversary year for our favourite band, but this year is far from over, however. In this week’s issue we have an MIS Feature dedicated to the recently announced line-up for the House of Fun Weekender taking place this coming November. It looks to be one of the best line-ups the event has ever had, and MIS co-editor Jonathan Young takes an in-depth look at just what’s in store for those of you booked in.
Also this week we were pleased to learn that Nick Woodgate’s latest album is now available to purchase on CD at a price that’s an absolute steal. Check out our “Buy it” section for more information.
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.
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 802 – Sunday 21st September to Saturday 27th September 2014
Here at the MIS, we’ve got a soft spot for the BBC’s re-runs of classic Top of The Pops episodes, and a few days after this issue went out the BBC were due to screen an episode of Top of The Pops that originally aired on the 6th September 1979.
What was so special about this? Well, this was the first of numerous appearances over the years of Madness appearing on the show. On the this date back in 1979 the band performed The Prince.
The blurb for the show read;
“Weekly pop chart programme presented by Peter Powell with performances by Randy Vanwarmer, Madness, Boney M, the Ruts, the Crusaders, ELO, Bill Lovelady, Roxy Music and Cliff Richard and dance sequences by Legs & Co.”
What did Madness remember about that full show and the other acts backing in 1979?
Here was Thommo…
“All too hectic & hazy. Cliff never turned up until the last minute & he would sometimes pre record to an empty studio. The beeb would have us there from 10am to 10pm. This is why we would go up the wall, caged for 12 hours.
P Powell was a decent friendly chap. I recall Legs & Co being trapped in a lift with me but that’s another story yet to be told.
The studio was tiny contrary to what came on the screen. Woody’s mum introduced herself to us as she worked there.
Best. Kix”
And Woody also kindly cast his mind back for us to the day of that first Top of the Pops recording…
“For me it was being in the same studio as Stix Hooper from the Crusaders.
I remember telling Randy Crawford that he was a hero of mine. I had no idea who she was [Note: she was guest singing with Crusaders on new song Street Life], but I had all of the Crusaders albums.
I liked Larry Carlton’s guitar playing. She (Randy Crawford) was very nice, and agreed he was a great drummer.
The Rutz were really friendly too. Especially Malcolm the singer. I was gutted when he died.
Got to know Dave Ruffy over the years, and ironically Seggs produced the Dangermen Sessions.
Great to think we were all there 35 years ago.
Woody x”
Moving on, and over in “Sign of the Times” Carl spoke to The Rider podcast about his album and solo gigs. The interview featured acapella versions of “Are The Children Happy”, and a verse of “Goodbye Planet Earth” before the album mix of Goodbye Planet Earth was played, and a chat with the man himself.
Next, it was on to our “MIS Feature”, which this week reviewed his brand new album “Morning”. Resident MIS co-editor Jonathan gave the album a track by track review and glowing verdict.
Over in “Live Intensified” we reported on Mike and Thommo’s visit to Brookfield Primary School where the duo attended the Centenary Summer Fair. Both were pupils at the school in the 1960s.
We brought this issue to a close with the news that Nick Woodgate would be appearing on Croydon Radio to talk about the launch of his new album. If you weren’t in the broadcasting region you could simply log in and stream the show online.
10 years ago…
Issue Number 542 – Sunday 20th September – Saturday 26th September 2009
Our intro for this week’s issue turned out to be a nice plug for the 30th Anniversary Madness Tribute Album which was now on sale on the Amazon web site. Not only that, but we urged you to check out the 9 minute long promo clip over on YouTube promoting the new release, which covered a brief tour of the packaging and booklet, as well as giving you the chance to hear a sampler of many, but not all, songs featured.
On to tour news, and when the Christmas tour was recently announced we admitted that we were surprised that there wasn’t a London date in the line-up. We also noticed that there was nothing in the tour on Friday 18th December. We were sure that if a London date was to get announced the date would be then.
Well, we were proved right, as this week the band revealed (via the email mailshot) that an O2 date had now been booked. Not only that, but tickets were now on sale.
Elsewhere in this issue we welcomed back Paul Rodgers who returned to the MIS with another roundup of Madness chart news, stats, facts and figures. News of the Total Madness album took up most of the article, but the appearance of Suggs and Wood on the BBC’s National Lottery show did also get a mention.
It was over to The Daily Mirror blog next as journalist Gavin Martin interviewed Suggs who discussed a number of the band’s most famous hits.
We brought this issue to a close with the reminder that those of you who had to have every Madness release in your collection, that the CD/DVD release of Total Madness went on sale tomorrow (21st September).
15 years ago…
Issue Number 280 – Sunday 19th September – Saturday 25th September 2004
With the end of Summer fast approaching, we were keeping our fingers crossed that the recent dribble of Madness news would soon pick up as we got ever closer to the Christmas partying season.
News in from MIS subscriber Simon Walshe revealed that a Madness calendar for 2005 was now available to buy or add to your Christmas wish-list.
Simon reported that he’d managed to find the calendar for sale on the HMV web site for £7.99, but commented that fellow Maddies have been able to find it on Amazon for less. Although the item was indeed for sale on Amazon with the slightly cooler price of £6.39, you have to remember that this was five years ago, and so unless you wanted to fork out on other items to bring your order over £19, you’d need to pay for postage and packing.
Moving further through the issue, and we had news in from subscriber Suggsylia, who reported that the one and only Suggs would be performing at Koko (formerly known as The Camden Palace), on Friday 24th of September.
We had no further information to go on with regards to what the performance would entail, so put a request out asking that if anyone did make it along, to knock up a review for us upon their return.
This week’s short issue of the MIS rounded off with a list detailing the recent additions to the Madness Messageboard, courtesy of MTR co-maintainer, Steve Bringe.
Probably the most bizarre of all recent updates related to Bedders’ lengthy tales uploaded to his personal page, this one starting at the “Greek island of Dollyplopodus.”
20 years ago…
Issue Number 18 – Sunday 19th September to Saturday 25th September 1999
Over the past fw weeks the MIS mailbox had been the recipient of so many different release dates for both the Wonderful album and Johnny The Horse single, that we had to finally hold up our hands and announce the readership that we were completely confused, and had absolutely no idea when the discs were going to be landing on record store shelves.
Although we were still awaiting concrete information regarding the release dates we were finally able to announce that the Johnny The Horse single would be a two disc affair, featuring the following tracks:
Part 1 – 1. Johnny The Horse
2. You’re Wonderful (Remix)
3. Johnny The Horse (Enhanced Video).
Part 2 – 1. Johnny The Horse
2. I Was The One
3. Dreaming Man
Meanwhile, our Australian readers had something to get excited about when Madness fan Lisa Pearson announced that she’d managed to get her hands on the Australian release of Lovestruck, and that the single would be released nationwide on the 20th of September.
Last week we mentioned the possibility of a Wonderful promo CD or sampler, and this week we discovered that one did exist. The promo was a five-track affair, and in similar style packaging to the Lovestruck promo. The five tracks on the sampler were as follows:
Johnny the horse
Elysium
Saturday Night Sunday Morning
Drip Fed Fred
Wizard
Although many of us were now looking to the release of Johnny The Horse, we learned this week that a vinyl edition of Lovestruck had actually been produced. This release turned out to be a jukebox edition and had no picture sleeve. However, for die-hard collectors this would be yet another album they’d want to add to their already bursting collections.
Like many of us, a good proportion of the online Madness community were making the jump from 70’s standard VHS, and over to DVD, and quite obviously seeing a gap in the market ILCDVD were looking to release a bargain range at a price of £9.99. Why was this relevant to us? Well, one of their initial batches of releases was rumoured to include the original Madstock.
Exciting news landed in our mailbox this week, when it was announced that there would be a day of celebrations in conjunction with the Doc Martens’ company to celebrate the release of their new Madness boot.
At 2:00pm on Thursday 30th September the band would appear at the Covent Garden Doc Martens’ store where fans could buy the new boots and get those and the new DM book (which namechecked Madness) scrawled on by the band.
Even more exciting was that evening the band would be playing a special charity concert at London’s Electric Ballroom. Tickets would be just a mere £10.00, with £2.50 of each ticket going towards the Shelter charity.
On to the subject of Madness off-shoot, Crunch! now, and even though the band hadn’t gigged for a number of years the official web suite was nearly always being updated. Maintained by Lee Swandale, a close friend of Chris’, the site was bursting to the seams with a whole host of goodies.
For those unsure of just how `Crunch` fitted into the whole Madness picture, Lee had kindly set up a history which detailed how the band started way back in 1990, charted the release of their debut album, and gave you background information on each of the band members.
Also updated was the Memorabilia section where you could look back at a selection of the band’s flyers and stickers. The artwork was great and really looked like some of the posters used at the very early Madness gigs all those years ago.
Rob Hazelby
MIS Feature
The House of Fun – Line-up 2019
A poster has gone up revealing a full and varied line up for 2019’s weekender, down in Minehead. Here is a guide to what’s revealed thus far, with a few acts and comedians still to be confirmed and announced. We also can reveal who’s under the “MIS Presents” banner this year, too.
Madness
This year presenting the Top 40th over two whole nights. Expect a four decade wide double set from Madness. Top songs from as far back as The Invaders then perhaps?, or certainly tunes widely through
the busy years of hit single, and then hit albums, up to and covering the “Past Present Future” focus of this year end set of gigs. After a mixed reaction to a lacklustre HOF8, this years XL gigs have been special and back on form from orchestral Folgate to Weller’s Heatwave, and One Better day returning to the set, and now it’s time for a two night show worthy of charting their full career in music, and focussing on the song writing they have achieved over the years, and how blessed we are that new songs are still coming for the nutty boys. Such as the new track heard on the recent Camden preview videos.
Madness look back and forward and fill us up with a chart full of choices.
The Undertones
Irish band from Derry who had the massive hit Teenage Kicks, and many more in the 80s. While no longer fronted by Feargal they are still a big draw on the live circuit from alternative festivals and beyond.surely a mainstage support this year.
Bootleg Beatles
Not quite John, Paul, George and Ringo, but a fitting airing of their music that inspired all great pop bands ever since the 60s. A fab addition to the bill. A song catalogue of utter brilliance, sure to cause a sing along or twelve. Hey You it’s Hey Jude.
Space
Madstock support act Space were the quirky popsters of the 90s. Neighbourhood is like a Jeremy kyle version of our house, after all. They are back, as their debut album Spiders celebrates 23 years.
Bitty McLean
A veteran now of centre stage entertainment at HOF, a sweet voiced wonder.
Roddy Byers Skabilly Rebel
The Ex-special brings his rockabilly sounds to the house of fun. A little bit of ska 2 tone then, but also be ready for a blues attack.
Tippa Irie
Brixton singer from the 80’s, had a top 40 hit with “Hello Darling”, more recently achieving success with The Black Eyed Peas on “Hey Mama”
Susan Cadogan
Her track “Hurt so good” is a 70s favourite of Suggs, hence it’s inclusion on his selection LP.
Dennis Bovell
Jamaican legend, producer of The Dangermen album. Dennis returns to HOF Once again with the deep dub grooves.
The Lockdown band
Backing these singers during the Rub a dub session is the lockdown band a bunch of gifted reggae musicians.
Thomas Turgoose & Andrew Shim (This is England) DJ Set
Actors from the hit tv show drama (and film) about skinheads in the 80s. Time to celebrate the music with them as your hosts.
Rhoda Dakar
The special and first lady of Madness, Rhoda has recently been on tour with the selector too.
Now she is back to entertain you in person, fittingly in a year that’s 40 calendars on from when all this rocksteady music stormed the uk charts.
The Silencerz
Chip off the old block Daley Thompson now has an album under his belt. Lee Thompson will guest.
The silencerz have about 10 original tunes now, and released the album Better Days last year. Also expect a mix of 70s pop covers from Sensational Alex Harvey, The Beatles, Paul Simon and 60’s ska and reggae heroes. Last year they appropriated Drip Fed Fredd and All the young Dudes, and so frankly out performed Madness in the stakes of rare returning moments. Can they bring the feels again this year? we think so.
Adrian Sherwood
On U sound’s king of Dub DJ.
Robbie Gee & Eddie Nestor
A comedy show from two celebrated black stars famous for appearances on top rated British black comedy shows Sitcom Desmonds and Sketch show The Real Mcoy.
Beans on Toast
A modern day Billy Bragg, from Braintree Essex, Jay McAllister arose from the folk scene, but his lyrics on politics, drugs, or love make him a modern London voice in the long held traditions of indie music.
Soundtracks
A club night that hails from The Monarch pub in Camden, here to delight you with the sounds of the classic movies.
Man and The Echo
Fresh new pop band formed in 2014. Check out the video to Honeysucker for their take on the world.
The Skatonics
After backing Suggs at a Charity event in Whitstable this lively large ska band are now ready to burst onto the stage at the House of fun. The Skatonics pride themselves on an authentic look and sound. Sharply dressed in tonic suits, pork pie’s and loafers to match the tight, energetic sets they perform to loyal followers. At any event, you can expect to hear most of the hits from the bands of the 2tone era as well as some older Trojan ska classics and a few ‘others’ the band have given their little ska twist to.
The Gallerys
Fresh young Mod band. From the who to oasis the music is upbeat, they recently supported The Rifles and are set to follow their rise to sell out shows, due to great reviews. Catch them now on the up.
The Launchers
The Launchers perform an energised take on classic ska, with original penned songs From “Liberty” to “Dirty Mouth” you’ll be surprised how quick their fresh new tunes grab you like a brain invasion. The arrival of the debut album “The Leader” due to rocket out on bonfire night so will be fizzing and fresh for their appearance headlining the MIS Presents stage.
FuFu Sailors
Synonymous with unlikely mash-ups, party songs and curve-ball covers, this band will engage any demographic.
Opening the MIS Presents stage.
Chris Sullivan
From the Camden Record club, an additional DJ returning to the fold.
Earl Gateshead
Reggae from the Trojan sound systems selector.
Andy Joyce
House Music DJ
Richard Cordell
Wedofunk DJ of Ska to hip hop. Funk and House DJ who recently appeared at Boom Town.
Count Skylarkin
One of the hardest-working, quickest-mixing, all-vinyl, reggae, rocksteady, ska, dancehall, dynamite DJs around
Mr Happy
Butlins own ever present smile. Starting and ending the parties in Inn on the Green.
Darren Bennett
Now with new Knees, the man who gets you dancing before Madness, also entertains with classic records from his extensive collection in his own slot.
Madam Scorcher
Reggae and more, with women vocalists from Kathy’s set.
Owen Collins & The Witney Soul Club
Our MIS Present show this year is hosted by Owen with Soul DJ friends from Oxfordshire.
Mandy Boybandy Xmas Candy
Back alright, with boy band tunes, this time our MIS show ends with Christmas slant wishing to stay another day, while having to go away.
90s House Party, Musical Bingo, Bingo Bango 80’s Edition,
Karaoke Rumble 40 years of Madness Special
There’s side shows a plenty this year. Covering 80s/90s sounds and allowing you the most extensive chance to murder a Madness tune on the karaoke.
Comedy
Centre stage hosts a Saturday and Sunday line up of Stand ups.
Swimming Pool Party
For the second year running MIS host The Pool Party. This year Mr Scurf returns to HOF, bringing his Koast Guard. Ken Thomson The Nutty Professor joins him on the decks and it’s Trojan Boss sounds abound. We also have a busking band Jim Sole and the Anglers outside launching you onto the Island waters at Splash world.
It’s another fun packed line up. Some are missing The Inflatables, or other bands, or the Church or Craig Charles. But booking doesn’t always allow space for all acts and neither does availability. It’s a top line up for the big top, from Madness to Beatles to Undertones. It’s going to be full of Fab, Kicks and Mad fun. Number 9 Number 9 Number 9.
Jonathan Young
Sign of the Times
BBC 6 Music Celebrating the 40th anniversary of 2 tone.
Mike Barson. Gary Bushel . Jerry Dammers. Talk about Madness signing to their first record label. In a celebration of all of 2tone.
(Madness part begins at 26 minutes in, at 38 minutes Barson talks about the 2 tone tour)
Time
That’s just about it for this week’s edition of the MIS.
With the new Madness book “Before we was we” due to launch this coming week we’d love to know what you think of it once you’ve had chance to digest it. Don’t be shy. Please send in your reviews no matter how short and we’ll do our best to print them in a future issue.
