Madness Central Newsletter: Issue 15

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Kevin Tizzard

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Jan 15, 2010, 2:31:06 PM1/15/10
to Madness Central Newsletter
Madness Central Newsletter: Issue 15
9th - 15th January 2010


Welcome to the 15th edition of the Madness Central Weekly Newsletter.

If you've missed any previous issues you can catch up by viewing the groups archive at:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/madness-central-newsletter?hl=en


New RTF Newsletter Format: Regular newsletter subscribers will notice a small change to this weeks posting format. Given now the majority of e-mail clients, RSS readers and mobile apps now widely support HTML formatting we've decided to post this weeks newsletter using such. The reason, hopefully, is to allow better viewing/reading for all our subscribers. Any feedback, both good and bad, regarding this can be sent to the Madness Central Management team. The contact e-mail is: ad...@madness-central.com



Newsletter Contents:


  1. Latest News And Information
  2. Forever Young: Release Reviews
  3. Suggs on Teachers.tv
  4. Retro Madness: This week's Special Offer for MCN Readers
  5. The Transcripts Of Norton Folgate (and Glastonbury and Take It Or Leave It)
  6. Songs In The Key Of London - 9th March 2010 - Barbican Centre, London
  7. Victor Watts Portraits: Suggs/Madness
  8. Full Re-Issue Release Date Schedule From Union Square Music
  9. Full details of the Absolutely re-issue tracklisting
  10. Full details of the Seven re-issue tracklisting
  11. Olympics Logo Unveiled – Suggs and Madness to Sue
  12. Contacting Madness Central
  13. Newsletter Subscription Details.



1. Latest News And Information


The following news items are taken from the Madness Central Blog at:
http://www.madness-central.com/blog
You can also subscribe to the blogs feed, either via email or RSS at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/madnesscentralblog


Haven’t Heard the Big 8 Records Tribute Album Yet?

Big 8 Records streams the Tribute. The excellent Big 8 Records Madness Tribute Album from last year can now be heard online with a web-based player ...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=882


Woody’s Gotta Keep Moving


As previously reported in these blogs and announced during the Christmas tour, Woody will once again be running the London Marathon in 2010. Last year Woody scored an impressive time of 3hrs 42 minutes and raised almost 4000 pounds for his chosen charity. This year Woody is hoping to break the 3hrs 30 minute mark and raise 8000 pounds for Cancer Research UK ...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=880


Win Signed Copies Of Forever Young - Out Monday 18th January


As first reported in the Madness News List mail that went out today you can win a copy of new single Forever Young signed by all the members of the band ...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=879


Magnificent “Seven” Rides Again


Full details of the “Seven” re-issue tracklisting. As if the last two blogs weren’t enough for you here we are again with yet more re-issue news from those wonderful people at Union Square Music. This time it’s the full tracklisting from Seven, Madness’ third album released in October 1981...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=869

Note: The full blog posting is also included in Section 10 of this newsletter


Absolutely: You Want To See The Tracklist?


Further to today’s earlier blog, we can now bring you news of the full tracklisting for the re-issue of Absolutely. Madness’ second album which was first released in the autumn of 1980, peaking at no. 2 in the album chart, this is many a fans favourite, as evidenced in various forum polls over the years ...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=868

Note: The full blog posting is also included in Section 9 of this newsletter


Absolutely Wonderful to Keep Moving to The Rise & Fall of The Madness Seven


Full Re-Issue Release Date Schedule From Union Square Music. As part of the ongoing project to complete the re-issue of the Madness back catalogue by those nice people at Union Square Music, we’ve today received confirmation of the current proposed schedule for the remainder of the Madness album re-issues...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=867

Note: The full blog posting is also included in Section 8 of this newsletter


Suggs Brings Italy to Canada


Suggs’ Italian Job Airing on Toronto TV. At 7 pm Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5) Friday, January 15, Ontario public television station TVO will be broadcasting the travel special Suggs’ Italian Job...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=866


Mad Not Mad Not Bad


Mad Not Mad Re-Issue News. After a period of uncertainty over the possible re-issue or not of Mad Not Mad (the rights to which are owned by EMI and not USM who are re-issuing the rest of the back catalogue) a response to a question in Chris’ Cupboard, in which Mr Foreman states a possible re-issue is “looking good” ...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=865


Making a Big Issue out of Madness


In previous blogs we brought you news that Madness were to be featured in The Big Issue magazine that was available (with the band as cover stars) in early December. Copies of the magazine can still be ordered...

Read the complete blog at:
http://madness-central.com/blog/?p=861



2. Forever Young: Release Reviews


The Mirror
Source: http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/the-ticket/2010/01/single-reviews-maps-good-shoes.html
By Gavin Martin on Jan 8, 10 12:00 AM

Last year was a special one for North London's Nutty Crew as they barnstormed festival gigs, released reissues confirming their status as national treasures, and gave us a new album, The Liberty Of Norton Folgate, which showed they were as vibrant a force as ever. The title of this song - no relation to Bob Dylan - may sound like wishful thinking, but the band's ever-jostling invention and lyrical bite suggests otherwise.


Metro Life

Source: http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/music/808299-this-weeks-best-new-singles
Sharon Lougher - 11th January, 2010

Downbeat, pedestrian affair in which Suggs reflects on the joys of youth. We, meanwhile, reflect on older Madness anthems such as It Must Be Love, which were much, much better.


SpoonFed

Source: http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/spooners/music-team-2636/new-releases-11th-jan-1950/

I'll be honest - I thought Madness were destined for the scrap heap. There was that period a while back where they only played ska covers and every time I had the misfortune to catch Suggs on Virgin Radio he was playing 'Baggy Trousers'. Don't even get me started on those Birds Eye adverts.
 
Then they released an album of new stuff last year and everyone went mental about it. I'm not a big two-tone fan but I quite this third single. Jaunty yet laid-back, it gets catchier with every listen. 3/5



3. Suggs on Teachers.tv


Although an older video from a couple years back, this is not a well-known documentary with Suggs as a music teacher, hence it's inclusion in the newsletter this week.

http://www.teachers.tv/video/24278

Suggs returns to his old school, the source material for Baggy Trousers, to work with music students now attending his alma mater. The video can be streamed via your browser, or you can also download the show for free if you are an educator, although there's nothing in place for verification of credentials.

In wmv format the file is 79.0 Mb.

In mov format the file is 70.0 Mb.

The Teacher.tv site states you can also purchase the show on dvd, but when you check the classroomvideo.co.uk site, there's nothing in the archives for Suggs; it may be out of print.



4. Retro Madness: This week's Special Offer for MCN Readers

This week's offer is for the nickel and red enamel Madness 7 badge sold by the MIS Fan Club in the early 1980s. These were hand made by the legendary badge makers Dial-a-Style.

Originally contracted by Stiff Records to make badges in the late 1970s, their production line went into overdrive with the arrival of Madness on the scene and a full range of official designs were produced for them between 1980 and 1984. These badges were not simply mass produced by machine but required a whole series of specialist techniques for the production of each individual badge. Retro-Madness has the last remaining stock of these, acquired following the closure of the MIS fan club in the mid 80s.

They are genuine originals, not modern reproductions. They are in excellent condition, however being around 25 years old, the enamel has discoloured slightly at the edges. For the next two weeks only, until Sunday 31st January we are selling off these remaining badges for the  bargain price of just £2.50 each including UK postage.

Click the link below and you will find the £2.50 Madness 7 red enamel badges about 1/2 way down the page. We still have a few Madness 7 posters left over from last week's deal so we are holding their bargain price of £2.99 (inc p&p) for one more week, you will find them about 2/3 of the way down the same page:

http://retro-madness.co.uk/

Happy Browsing.
Chris & Emma of Retro-Madness



5. The Transcripts Of Norton Folgate (and Glastonbury and Take It Or Leave It)


Ever wanted a transcript of the Norton Folgate film? Or perhaps the Glastonbury gig? Or maybe even Take It Or Leave It? No? We thought not!! However just in case you did ever have a need for such a thing, or even wanted to print a copy for your grandchildren, a post at the Madness Central forums alerted us to the existence of transcripts of three of the four programmes broadcast in October 2009 as part of BBC4's Madness Night.
 
The transcripts would appear to have become available as the result of someone using the closed caption subtitles accompanying various BBC programmes as part of a facility to datamine information that's broadcast and to see what other applications the facility might have. The result being transcripts of any spoken (or sung) word during the Madness Night broadcasts. The transcripts aren't 100% word perfect, as anyone that has used the subtitle facility when watching TV will know, and they don't actually read like a full script with indications as to who is speaking each line, but they do give an interesting textual insight into the world of Madness.
 
Each programme has it's own page containing the transcript itself, broadcast date(s), key words used during the broadcast and other information such as links to external sources relating to the programme.
 
To access all programmes broadcast click the following link and then select the one you want:
 
http://channelography.rattlecentral.com/channels/bbcfour/2009/10/02
 
To go direct to each programme's individual page click the relevant link below:
 
Glastonbury - Madness:
 
http://channelography.rattlecentral.com/programmes/b00mgwsz
 
(The transcript cuts off at the beginning of Madness (the song) but is a full and complete text record of the gig up to that point)
 
Young Guns Go For It:
 
http://channelography.rattlecentral.com/programmes/b007gt6c
 
(For reasons unknown the "Young Guns Go For It" programme isn't transcripted - although does have it's own page)
 
The Liberty Of Norton Folgate:
 
http://channelography.rattlecentral.com/programmes/b00n1jpf
 
(The transcript cuts off immediately after Forever Young and misses the title track which is ironic to say the least)
 
Take It Or Leave It:
 
http://channelography.rattlecentral.com/programmes/b00n1k2b
 
(The transcript cuts off somewhere mid-film but is an otherwise complete text record up to that point)



6. Songs In The Key Of London - 9th March 2010 - Barbican Centre, London


Suggs And Mr Smash To Appear In London Themed Show

News in today via the official Madness Facebook page, that both Suggs and Mr Smash are to appear in a one-off  “London themed” show that has been put together by Chris Difford (of Squeeze fame) titled “Songs In The Key Of London”. The show on 9th March 2010 at the Barbican Centre, London, will feature Suggs and Mr Smash as well as Chris Difford, Blaine Harrison, Jools Holland, James Hunter, Mike Lindsay and Becky Jacobs (of Tunng), Natty, Rico Rodriguez, Kathryn Williams and more to be announced.

According to the blurb:

“Chelsea Mornings, Waterloo Sunsets and Rainy Nights in Soho"
The life and times of the capital have been immortalized in song by many a musician. From the bustle of the music halls to the riot of the punks, from London to LDN, the tradition is rich, a city celebrated, commiserated and eulogized through song.

Co-curated by songwriter Chris Difford of Squeeze, this show brings together singers and songsmiths of the old school and new, in a celebration of songs about the city.”


For more information follow the link below:

http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=9950

Tickets priced 20-30 quid can be purchased via the following link.

https://www.barbican.org.uk/eticketing/selectseatblock.asp



7. Victor Watts Portraits: Suggs/Madness


The following is a piece taken for the official Victor Watts Graphic Design & Photography for Advertising and Editorial website:

Source: http://www.victorwatts.com/New%20Portraits/Suggs.html

"An old drinking friend of mine was the photographer Chrispian Woodgate, who during hours spent in The Globe pub in Covent garden, often would tell me about the fortunes of his two sons, who between working at various 'bum' jobs were in and out of bands together. One of these stints required just one of the brothers, or maybe the other was unavailable, I can't remember now, but one fell on his feet as the drummer of Madness, Daniel 'Woody' Woodgate. I don't know what career his brother and former bandmate eventually settled on.

I went to Chrispian's funeral years later, quite some time after his regular sessions in The Globe, which were bought to an abrupt halt after he fell down the stairs of his Camden flat, no doubt the worse for wear from an evening's session, and was not discovered until the following morning. Chrispian never really recovered from this or was able to continue in his career as a photographer. He was actually home-bound after this and when one time he did make a re-visit to The Globe, it was in a wheelchair. He was stunned and tearful at the amount of people that turned out to wish him well.

Daniel was obviously at his funeral, as were others that spoke of Chrispian's former career as a stage actor, something that I don't remember him ever telling me about as we shared a few sherbets and chewed the fat, but my memory might be letting me down there. I do remember going around to his flat one time and going through masses of his old photographs and do remember many of them were of classic actors such as Sir Ian McKellen, Ralph Richardson and the like. Think Twiggy and Justin were also in there somewhere.

What wasn't included was a cover shot of a singer that I had liked immensely since I was around eleven called Davy Graham. The album was called 'Folk, Blues & Beyond' and I had no idea that the daft old scrote shot the cover. Not that much of a co. or particularly significant or anything, but it blew my socks off at the time!

Some time after writing the above, I read of Daniel Woodgate: One of the last to join Madness, Woody was of very middle-class Camden roots. His father, a single parent, was the photographer Crispian Woodgate who shot the British acting elite of the '50's and '60's: everyone from Roy Kinnear to Peter Cook, Albert Finney and a young Sir Ian McKellen. Dan and his brother Nick lived a life of bohemian indulgence - they would go to see Chelsea FC with Eric Idle and Hugh McIlvenny - and, in due course, grew up to be teenage hippies. Dan's brother Nick was considered the talented one but was diagnosed with schizophrenia early in his teens. "I grew up with him as the great genius, the child prodigy," says Woody. "All I could do was play drums."



8. Full Re-Issue Release Date Schedule From Union Square Music


As part of the ongoing project to complete the re-issue of the Madness back catalogue by those nice people at Union Square Music, we've today received confirmation of the current proposed schedule for the remainder of the Madness album re-issues as follows:

12th April 2010:

- Absolutely
- Seven

Tracklisting for both of these is confirmed and will be posted in a separate blog for each.

June:

- The Rise & Fall
- Keep Moving

August:

- Wonderful
- The Madness

Work is still in progress finalising tracklistings, mastering, artwork, sleeve notes etc for the proposed June and August releases, so these dates are currently tentative and may be subject to change, but we have been told they are correct at the time of writing.

Further, we have news in from EMI, the company that owns the publishing rights to the Mad Not Mad songs. After a period of uncertainty over the possible re-issue or not of Mad Not Mad, a response to a question in Chris' Cupboard, in which Mr Foreman states a possible re-issue is 'looking good', followed up by a few pertinent inquiries with EMI have revealed some further information regarding Mad Not Mad's re-release as follows:

  • The album will be a special edition with bonus tracks like the USM reissues (no details on just what will be on it)
  • The album is due out in October

More information as and when it becomes available.

And finally, there are plans being made for a Madness box set this year from Union Square Music. There are no set details at this time, but we've been promised the latest as soon as the project comes together.



9. Full details of the Absolutely re-issue tracklisting


We can now bring you news of the full tracklisting for the re-issue of Absolutely. Madness' second album which was first released in the autumn of 1980, peaking at no. 2 in the album chart, this is many a fans favourite, as evidenced in various forum polls over the years.

Our good friends at Union Square Music have confirmed the album will be re-issued on 12th April 2010, and once again they have pulled out all the stops to bring us a bumper 2 CD bundle, featuring not only the original album, but a plethora of bonus audio and video tracks, including a 21 track second CD featuring a BBC In Concert gig from 23rd December 1980.

Full details as follows:

Absolutely: CD1

The Original Album

1 Baggy Trousers
2 Embarrassment
3 E.R.N.I.E.
4 Close Escape
5 Not Home Today
6 On The Beat Pete
7 Solid Gone
8 Take It Or Leave It
9 Shadow Of Fear
10 Disappear
11 Overdone
12 In The Rain
13 You Said
14 The Return Of The Los Palmas 7

The Bonus Tracks

15 In The Rain (Single Version) (B-Side 12? ?My Girl?)
16 The Business (B-Side ?Baggy Trousers?)
17 Crying Shame (B-Side ?Embarrassment?)
18 That's The Way To Do It (B-Side ?The Return Of The Los Palmas 7' 7?)
19 El Regresso De Los Palmas 7 (Spanish Version)
20 Swan Lake (Live) (B-Side ?The Return Of The Los Palmas 7' 12?)
21 Release Me / Close Escape / Solid Gone (Patches flexi-disc)

The Promo Videos

1 Baggy Trousers
2 Embarrassment
3 The Return Of The Los Palmas 7

Absolutely: CD2

BBC Live In Concert - Hammersmith Odeon, 23.12.80

1 One Step Beyond
2 E.R.N.I.E.
3 Mistakes
4 Disappear
5 Bed And Breakfast Man
6 The Return Of The Los Palmas 7
7 Close Escape
8 Overdone
9 Not Home Today
10 Razor Blade Alley
11 My Girl
12 Take It Or Leave It
13 On The Beat Pete
14 Embarrassment
15 Shadow Of Fear
16 You Said
17 In The Middle Of The Night
18 The Prince
19 Baggy Trousers
20 Rockin' In Ab
21 Madness



10. Full details of the Seven re-issue tracklisting


Here we are again with yet more re-issue news from those wonderful people at Union Square Music. This time it's the full tracklisting from Seven, Madness' third album released in October 1981 peaking at no. 5 on the UK album chart, and staying in the Top 75 for 6 months until April 1982. The album is said by many to be the beginning of the band's transition into more serious material.

Seven will be re-issued on 12th April 2010, the same date as 'Absolutely', and will also come in a bumper 2 CD bundle of goodness, to include the original album, promo videos for all the singles from the album (plus It Must Be Love), as well as session tracks, B-sides and extended mixes.

Full details as follows:

Seven: CD1

The Original Album
1. Cardiac Arrest
2. Shut Up
3. Sign Of The Times
4. Missing You
5. Mrs. Hutchinson
6. Tomorrow?s Dream
7. Grey Day
8. Pac-A-Mac
9. Promises Promises
10. Benny Bullfrog
11. When Dawn Arrives
12. The Opium Eaters
13. Day On The Town

The Promo Videos
1. Grey Day
2. Shut Up
3. It Must Be Love
4. Cardiac Arrest

Seven: CD1

The Richard Skinner Session
1. Missing you*
2. Sign Of The Times*
3. Tiptoes*

The Bonus Tracks
4. Memories (B-Side 'Grey Day')
5. A Town With No Name (B-Side 'Shut Up')
6. Never Ask Twice (B-Side 'Shut Up' 12'')
7. It Must Be Love (Single)
8. Shadow On The House (B-Side 'It Must Be Love')
9. In The City (B-Side 'Cardiac Arrest')
10. Cardiac Arrest (12'' Extended Version)
11. Grey Day (live) (From NME Racket Packet Cassette)

*BBC session recordings



11. Olympics Logo Unveiled – Suggs and Madness to Sue

Let's close off this issue with a lighthearted drawing....
http://www.bbdo.co.uk/blog/archives/447



12. Contacting Madness Central


You can send all communications relating to Madness Central to the e-mail address:
ad...@madness-central.com



13. Newsletter Subscription Details.


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