Madness

Madness is a British group wave Two-Ton, which made known the Ska with the general public with the whole beginning of the year 1980, with other groups like The Specials, The Selecter, Bad Manners or The Beat. Madness is at the origin of the nutty sound , kind of trademark of the group.

Members of the group

  • Mike Barson: keyboards

  • Chris Foreman: guitar
  • Lee Thompson: saxophone
  • Graham “Suggs” McPherson: song
  • Mark Bedford: low
  • Eye Smash: song & trumpet
  • daN Woodgate: battery

History

In 1976, Mike Barson (“Barso”), Chris “Chrissy Servant boy” Foreman, Lee “Kix” Thompson and Chas Smash (of its true name Cathal Smith), form a group of ska called “The Invaders”. In January 1979, after the arrival of Graham “Suggs” McPherson, Bedford Mark and daN Woodgate, they will adopt the name of Madness, in homage to a song of 1961 of Prince Buster: “Madness (is gladness)”.

Their first simple is another homage to Prince Buster, entitled The Prince on the label Two-Ton. Free Madness this label for Stiff Records and records another Reprise again of Prince Buster, a title located opposite B 45 turns “Al Capone” of the artist jamaïcain and entitled One Step Beyond .

In the tread, Madness records its first album, heading also One Step Beyond… , from which My Girl is extracted, the third simple one of the group.

Madness, contrary to the other groups Two-Ton like To select, Happy The and of course The Specials, was made up exclusively of white musicians. Their speech was in addition politicized less and it is probably for these reasons that members of the British National Face - to which one will assimilate besides wrongly the whole of the movement Skinhead - threw their reserved on Madness. The business, abundantly relayed by the press, will be at the origin of the title Don' T quote me one that , on the mini-album Work, Rest and Play .

End 1983, Mike Barson, who considers it regrettable that the group is directed towards something moreover Pop, leaves the group and leaves food to Holland. It is the one period beginning in half-tone for the group, which ends up separating in September 1986 after the exit from “Mad not Mad”. The very pop album, far from enjouées sonorities of the beginnings, is on the contrary rather nostalgic. British criticisms titrate " Mad not bad". It is true that one notes much maturity in this album as well on the level of the texts as of the music.

In 1988, the group is briefly reformed under the name The Madness, with Chris Foreman, Lee Thompson, Chas Smash, and Suggs, to which come to be added Jerry Dammers (ex Specials, keyboards), Simon Philips (battery), Bruce Thomas (low guitar), and Steve Nieve (keyboards). The Madness will record two simple (" I pronounce you" and " What' S that? ") as well as an album entitled The Madness .

Following that each one carries on its way without the group: Mark Bedford works in the graphic capacity as designor, Chas Smash works for Go! record, Woody becomes the beater of the " group; voice off the beehive". Lee Thompson and Chris Foreman form the “nutty servant boys” and leave an album entitled " Crunch" , which will become the name of the group later. Suggs tries a career solo with a first album in 1995 " the lone ranger" composed with the assistance of Mike Barson.

In 1992, at the time of the exit of Divine compilation Madness, the group is found for concerts in Finsbury Park in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1998, like at British London and other cities.

In 1999, the complete group (with the return of Mike Barson) leaves a new Album: " Wonderful". An album of Pop British in the pop vein of the last discs of the group, it marks also the return of Ska (with a song “The communicator” written by Smith). One also finds on this disc Ian Dury (author of Sex & Drugs & Rock Roll died meanwhile) which sings with them on the song “Drip EDF Fred”.

In 2004, the group is reformed once again with for name of scene “The dangermen” making small London scenes for recoveries with the sauce ska. The The Dangermen Sessions vol. 1 having functioned well in 2005 (certainly thanks to an important publicity campaign ever seen in France around this group) it is more than probable that a volume 2 sees one day the day. But always nothing in sight.

In 2006, in October, the group launches its page on " My space" like its new " composition; sorry" , first individual of a new disc of composition. At the same time it is the confirmed return of Chris Foreman which had however left the group on this sentence " the petty time-consuming bollocks going one in the band".

" Good Night! "

Discography

albums

Compilations

  • the U.K. n°1 Supplements Madness 1982
  • the U.K. n°29 Utter Madness 1986
  • the U.K. n°1 (3semaines) Divine Madness 1992
  • the U.K. n°22 Madstock! 1992
  • the U.K. n°19 The Heavy Heavy Hits 1998

Simple

The Prince/Madness the U.K. n°16
One step beyond/Mistakes the U.K. n°7, France n°1, Switzerland n°3
My girl/Stepping into line the U.K. n°3 (n°27 in avil 92), Italy n°1
Work Rest and Play the U.K. n°6
Night boat to Cairo/Swan lake France n°3 Baggy Pants/The Business the U.K. n°3, France n°17
Embarrassment/Crying Shame the U.K. n°4 The return off the Los Palmas 7/That' S the way to C it the U.K. n°7
Grey day/Memories the U.K. n°4
Shut up/has town with No name the U.K. n°7
It must Be coils/Shadow one the house the U.K. n°4 (n°6 in Fev 92), US n°33 Cardiac Arrest/In the City the U.K. n°14
House off fun/Don' T look back the U.K. n°1 (2semaines) (n°40 in April 92)
Driving in my because/Animal farm the U.K. n°4
Our house /Walking with Mr. Wheeze the U.K. n°5, US n°7, Swiss n°4, Canada n°3, Germany n°8 Tomorrow' S (just another day)/Madness (is all in the mind) the U.K. n°8, Germany n°43
Wings off has dove/Behind the 8 ball the U.K. n°2, US n°33
The sun and the rain/Fireball XL5 the U.K. n°5 Michael Caine/If you think there' S something the U.K. n°11
One better day/guns the U.K. n°17 Yesterday' S men/All I knew the U.K. n°18 Uncle Sam/Please don' T go the U.K. n°21
Sweetest girl/Jennie (portrait has off) the U.K. n°35
(Waiting for) the ghost train/Maybe in another life the U.K. n°18 The Madness I Pronounce You the U.K. n°44
The Madness What' S That the U.K. n°92 The Harder They Like the U.K. n°44 Lovestruck the U.K. n°10
Johnny the Horse the U.K. n°44
Drip EDF Fred the U.K. n°56 Shame and Scandal the U.K. n°38, France n°12, Switzerland n°69 Sorry the U.K. n°23

Catalog of films

  • Take It Or Leave It 1981 Carried out by Dave Robinson

External bonds

  • Official site

  • Official site of the French-speaking fan club

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