Madness are a British ska and pop band from Camden Town, London.
The band formed as The North London Invaders in 1976 and renamed itself as Madness in 1979, paying homage to one of their favourite songs by Prince Buster.
In an article in Sounds Magazine in 1979, Chris Foreman explained that the band's music would move with the times and change styles as time goes on. This was shown to be the case, as unlike the ska-influenced sound of One Step Beyond... and Absolutely, the album 7 was something of a change in direction and moved towards a pop sound; a trend that continued with subsequent studio albums.
In 1984 Madness left Stiff Records and formed their own label, Zarjazz Records, which was a sub-label of Virgin Records.
Despite the poor chart showing of Mad Not Mad in 1985, the band attempted to record a new studio album and 11 demo tracks were recorded. However, musical differences arose between the band members. The untitled album went unreleased and in 1986 the band announced that they were to break-up.
In 1992 Madness announced plans for a reunion concert, Madstock!, which was held at Finsbury Park, London on 8 and 9 August of that year and released their first studio album since 1986, entitled Wonderful. The band has been performing and recording since then.
Band members:
Graham McPherson - vocals
Christopher John Foreman - guitar
Cathal Joseph Smyth - trumpet
Lee Jay Thompson - saxophone
Michael Barson - keyboards
Mark William Bedford - bass
Daniel Mark Woodgate - drums.
"The Lot" is a compilation box set by Madness, released in 1999 on Virgin.
Box set:
CD 1 One Step Beyond, released in 1979 on Stiff Records
CD 2 Absolutely, released in 1980 on Stiff Records
CD 3 Seven, released in 1981 on Stiff Records
CD 4 The Rise And Fall, released in 1982 on Stiff Records
CD 5 Keep Moving, released in 1984 on Stiff Records and Geffen Records
CD 6 Mad Not Mad, released in 1985 on Zarjazz, Virgin and Geffen Records.
Tracklisting CD 1:
1. One Step Beyond
2. My Girl
3. Night Boat To Cairo
4. Believe Me
5. Land Of Hope And Glory
6. The Prince
7. Tarzan's Nuts
8. In The Middle Of The Night
9. Bed And Breakfast Man
10. Razor Blade Alley
11. Swan Lake
12. Rockin' In A Flat
13. Mummy's Boy
14. Madness
15. Chipmunks Are Go!
VBR ~281K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting CD 2:
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. Return Of The Los Palmas 7
VBR ~270K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting CD 3:
1. Cardiac Arrest
2. Shut Up
3. Sign Of The Times
4. Missing You
5. Mrs Hutchinson
6. Tomorrows 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
VBR ~273K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting CD 4:
1. Rise And Fall
2. Tomorrow's Just Another Day
3. Blue Skinned Beast
4. Primrose Hill
5. Mr Speaker Gets The Word
6. Sunday Morning
7. Our House
8. Tiptoes
9. New Delhi
10. That Face
11. Calling Cards
12. Are You Coming (With Me)
13. Madness (It's All In The Mind)
VBR ~280K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting CD 5:
1. Keep Moving
2. Michael Caine
3. Turning Blue
4. One Better Day
5. March Of The Gherkins
6. Waltz Into Mischief
7. Brand New Beat
8. Victoria Gardens
9. Samantha
10. Time For Tea
11. Prospects
12. Give Me A Reason
VBR ~269K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting CD 6:
1. I'll Compete
2. Yesterday's Men
3. Uncle Sam
4. White Heat
5. Mad Not Mad
6. Sweetest Girl
7. Burning The Boats
8. Tears You Can't Hide
9. Time
10. Coldest Day
VBR ~274K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
