Madness is an English group formed in London in 1979 by Mike Barson, Chris Foreman, Lee Thompson, Chas Smash, Graham McpHerson, Mark Bedford and Dan Woodgate. And whose particularity is to have been the most emblematic of the groups of the "Ska" movement. Mythical group which will have placed no less than 15 Singles in the English Top10.
Originally, the group was called "The North London Invaders".
Their first Single “The prince” was released in 1979 and had some success. They play in the huge musical TV show "Top of the Pops", a passage that allows them to make themselves known to the general public.
Another Single comes out in the process. A certain "One step beyond" which will stay no less than 78 weeks in the Charts, reach second place in the English Top10 and make a real planetary hit !
Two other Singles will be released in the process, "My girl" and "Night boat to Cairo" which will also experience their heyday.
In 1980, the album "Absolutely" was released, an album that was not widely praised by critics, but from which one of the group's biggest hits, "Baggy trousers", would be extracted. As well as the excellent "Embarrassment".
A year later in 1981 the album "7" was released, which showed an obvious change of course on the part of the group. The sound evolves towards clearly towards pop. Three hit Singles will be extracted, namely "Gray day", "Shut up" and "Cardiac arrest".
Also in 1981, it was the Single "It must be love" which came out in turn and which made a remarkable journey through the charts. This title will remain as one of their most famous.
And it was in 1982 that they experienced the ultimate consecration with the Single "House of fun" which finally became their first, and only Single to have reached first place in the charts.
The same year, the album "The rise & fall" was released, as well as the Single "Our house" which became a huge worldwide hit.
The year 1983 saw the release of the Singles "Wings of a dove" and "The sun & the rain" which made a very honorable journey.
As well as the album "Keep moving" which comes out in stride. Other Singles and albums will be released later but without reaching the heights reached previously.
The group broke up definitively in 1988, or so it was thought...
But it was very bad knowing them because they will come back a few years later and this time continue the adventure for good...
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
• The prince 1979
• One step beyond 1979
• My girl 1979
• Night boat to Cairo 1979
80s Decade :
• Baggy trousers 1980
• Embarrassment 1980
• The return of the Los Palmas 7 1981
• Grey day 1981
• Shut up 1981
• It must be love 1981
• Cardiac arrest 1982
• House of fun 1982
• Driving my car 1982
• Our house 1982
• Tomorrow's (Just another day) 1983
• Wings of a dove 1983
• The sun and the rain 1983
• Michael Caine 1984
• One better day 1984
• Yesterday’s men 1985
• Uncle Sam 1985
• Sweetest girl 1986
• The ghost train 1986
90s Decade :
• The harder they come 1992
• Lovestruck 1999
• Johnny the horse 1999
2000s Decade :
• Drip fed Fred 2000
• Shame & scandal 2005
• Girl why don't you 2005
• Sorry 2007
• NW5 2008
• Dust devil 2009
• Sugar and spice 2009
2010s Decade :
• Forever young 2010
• My girl 2 2012
• Never knew your name 2013
• How can I tell you 2013
• Misery 2013
• La luna 2013
• Mr Apples 2016
• Can't touch us now 2016
• Another version of me 2017
• The building boys 2019
2020s Decade :
• What on earth is it 2023
• C'est la vie 2023
• Baby burglar 2023
• Round we go 2024
Tracks :
1979 ... the first steps of a group of unknown young people who bring with them a completely new sound. A sound that will soon overwhelm the whole planet !
1979 ... from the 2nd title, the group goes from the status of unknown to the status of planetary phenomenon ! He signed here quite simply one of the biggest hits of the 1970s ! Or the 80s ! Or even the end of the twentieth century period. We no longer know by force. Anyway, here they confirm a startling to say the least, which allows them to boost their notoriety in a hyper spectacular way. MAS-TER-FUL !
1979 ... a continuation to the height which shows that the group is not there to make only some figuration. And the rest will prove it !
1979 ... a unique style and sound for the time. Everything to quickly become a legend. All in just 1 year. To say the least incredible !
1980 ... change of decade with a Ska phenomenon now cruising. They just have to unroll quietly ...
1980 ... it's a flood of incredible hits. The group literally walks on the water and each title released becomes almost an event in itself
1981 ... a transitional title, surprisingly instrumental but in their purest Ska style. Sometimes you don't have to try to understand ...
1981 ... inspiration never falters from an Iota. The group maintains himself at the top of the Charts with disconcerting ease ...
1981 ... the tubes are linked at an impressive speed. The Madness 'phenomenon' is in full swing and literally submerges the world
1981 ... an increasingly obvious Pop orientation which shows that the group does not intend to stay on its assets and that is a good thing !
1982 ... already 4 years that the group maintains himself at the top with disconcerting ease. One would have imagined that their style would eventually tire. Which is not the case for now, far from it ...
1982 ... in total delirium mode, a constant with them. This is also what made their success. So much so that this title will remain as their best ranked across the Channel !
1982...this one will go a little more unnoticed. It must be said that maintaining an equivalent level of success on all titles would be a feat pure and simple...
1982 ... their 2nd biggest hit. The year 1981 was exceptional for the group in all respects. 1982 will more or less approach it. HU-GE !
1983 ... the great adventure continues. The group's inspiration is always of high quality and allows him to stay in touch with the best with obvious ease. What talent !
1983 ... a slightly mixed year anyway. And yes, it even happens to the best. And again, the halftone is relative ...
1983 ... one would have thought that the sound of the group would evolve to approach the standards of the moment. What a denial. The group remains on the same basis as at its beginnings. Is it good or bad ...?
1984 ... slight revival of inspiration. But success is no longer limited to the Anglo-Saxon sphere. Mighty tumble ...
1984...a year 1984 which really sees the band struggling in the Charts. Fortunately England is still there to keep them afloat...
1985 ... a romantic ballad ...? Yes Yes. Incredible but true from the Barjots ! And it pays, it will be their last notorious mega hit
1985 ... the inspiration is somewhat in free fall and the group is content to ensure the minimum union. Not sure it could last like this for a long time ...
1986 ... when Madness takes over Scritti Politti dating from 1981. An astonishing and at the very least sympathetic result. But nothing more ...
1986 ... an end of reign clearly much smoother than their overexcited beginnings. Unfortunately, the group will not be able to find a second wind ... The end of an incredible adventure for one of the most atypical and creative groups of the time
1992...we thought we would never see them again and here they are again 6 years later, at least in Live version. They revisit here the title of Jimmy Cliff dating from 1972 and recall in passing that they still exist...
1999 ... the phoenix tries to rise from the ashes at the end of the 1990s. Unfortunately, mass is said to concern them. When it doesn't want anymore, it doesn't want anymore ...
1999... anyway they still believe in it and who would blame them. Especially since what they continue to offer is far from devoid of interest, that's clear...
2000 ... we thought they would not go beyond the 80s but it was very bad to know them. Because this return to the beginning of the 2000s is anything but an accident...
2005 ... a return to the front of the stage for the least incredible with this title. This revisited version of the title of Sir Lancelot dating from 1943 allows them to find the way of light when no one believed it anymore. Like what, nothing is never finished !
2005...this title didn't really meet the same level of success as its predecessor, but that in no way dampened the group's desire to continue the adventure as far as possible...
2007...we're not going to lie to each other, the best years are now behind them. But that does not prevent them from continuing to believe in it and us with them...
2008...the only thing we can possibly blame them for is not being able to reinvent themselves in the 2000s. By sticking too firmly to their fundamentals, the group will not have been able to capture the younger generations...
2009...a 2000 decade which at least allowed them to show that they were still there. A presence that can only delight the basic fans...
2009... after this refusal to evolve also allows them to show somewhere that we can do something new with something old. Dared bet in their case, it's the least we can say...
2010...in any case the English public continues to support them at least and that's the main thing. Hope it lasts...
2012 ... they are still in the 5th decade of their career and no one can take that away from them. A longevity reserved for the best of each generation as always...
2013...especially since they still manage to land small hits here and there. Certainly nothing to do with what they experienced during the 80s but all the same...
2013...other titles like this one will go completely unnoticed but the main thing is to participate as they say. And that to participate they participate !
2013...a year 2013 which will have started well but which ends rather in general indifference. Too bad because the group puts an obvious good will...
2013... the group continues to believe in it in any case. Especially since album sales continue to work, which strengthens them in their choice to continue the adventure at all costs...
2016...and here they are again. Who would have thought when they started in 1979 that they would still be around just over 40 years later ? Not many people, that's for sure...
2016...an adventure that lasts, that lasts, that lasts. As long as they take a minimum of pleasure in doing what they do, they have no reason to throw in the towel prematurely...
2017... who would sincerely blame them for continuing to believe in it. Especially since other bands from the 80s that we thought were definitely lost are also coming back during this decade of 2010...
2019 ... so we imagine that this title will surely not be the last. Because we now know that with them everything is always possible. To be continued...
2023...as planned and to the delight of core fans, here they are back ! Unstoppable, tireless, they will go as far as they can...
2023...especially since they will not be the only ones to return at the start of the 2020 decade, a whole bunch of former colleagues from the 80s have decided to do the same...
2023...
2023...
2024...
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :