Hello Chris, I enjoy your guitar playing in madness and I just wondered if you had any guitar heroes who influenced you into playing the guitar.It is very enjoyable what you do as everthing seems to be in the right place at the right time. Thankyou very much Chris.

Hi, I have tickets for your gig in Dubai, originally scheduled for 5 March 2020 and then rescheduled for 12 November 2020, Is the gig going ahead? It is not listed on your website.

Hi, our society “Southport Spotlights” is performing “Our House” next year – COVID allowing. This is the second time we’ve done this great show. I try to do publicity for our group. Is there any way you can send us a “good luck” message for the cast and production team?

I notice that “Wings of a Dove” is missing from your song list.

Hey! Hope all’s well. I am a veteran fan! I have loved madness since the age of 16 from the moment I heard you. I’m wacky and quirky so it was inevitable I would follow you. Also, I am originally(before moving to London) from Coventry and went to school there. Coventry of course being the home of two tone and many scar bands. What a great era!!I have been to many of your gigs and many scar festivals.I received the book ‘before we was we’. It’s so interesting and amusing. I love the short. individual stories. I only just viewed the ‘our house’ video made by the public and sooo envious I did’t know about it at the time.I would have loved to star in that playing my sax! I remember being right at the front at the Barclaycard arena in Birmingham and our house was playing and I was doing the moves before a crowd pushed their way towards me in their ‘happy, drunken state’ and knocked me to the floor. I will never forget the rush of security guards come to my aid. I laughed it off and said I was not going to leave the front. Please. please if you ever ask the fans to replicate another song (house of fun)PLEASE let me know. Thank you!Also i have been trying for a long time to subscribe to news letter but error comes up so i gave up.
Take care. Freya x

Hey Chris.
So waiting for the new album….!!
But before, please give us good news like Madness ‘Before & After’documentary will be avalaible in the Madstore on DVD / Bluray (or it would be a great idea to include it on the future Deluxe Boxset which, I’m hope, you may have in your mind!).
Have a great day.
All the best from France
Steve

Hi can you tell me if yous are still playing in Dubai in November
Thanks

My partner comes to a gig every year to see you guys with a group of mates, jolly boys outing !!
Over the years he collected and cherished fabric wristbands purchased each visit. He is just going in for heart bypass surgery and had to cut them off… gutted he is, can I get replacements

Hi,I have been a fan since whenever I can remember, I do music and production myself, just for fun. I always liked Mad not Mad Albumn, but thought as you all probably did, it was over produced,would you evr consider re- producing this, if you have the original recordings. Could I have a go, if you would consider it?:)
Cheers
David

Hello,
It’s my dads 50th on Friday and I have my fingers crossed that we could possibly have a video message. We are happy to pay! I’ve been brought up listening to your music and we’ve been to so many of your concerts & I even framed a towel you all give me! Please let me know if you are able to do this for us. It will honestly make his dreams come true! X

Hey Chris, quick question,

Was there not a history section of this website? There used to be one on the old site and I believe it was included here, but doesn’t appear to be around anymore. I still enjoy the old story of the band’s tribulations of getting to a German studio, Suggs missing flights while asleep at home, you losing a passport…I can’t remember it all. That section was chronologically fun as a kind of story about the band.
I saw a documentary of the Go-Go’s, delighted to see Madness very specifically mentioned, lots of pictures – and even Thommo showing up in interview early on. Sweet recognition. Your shared early history together is nice, I like the Go-Go’s a lot.
Keep well.
RC

Ok, I am so obsessed with you guys. I can’t believe none of your music was released in America. I am JUST NOW discovering your music!! and I am so MAD we were deprived of such real musical talent for 40 years!!! I recently became reintroduced to MADNESS through YOUTUBE when I was listening to It Must Be Love…the next song in the queue was Forever Young, then Never Knew Your Name. I was HOOKED!!! I love the bass and how it sounded in my car and could NOT believe it was the Our House people!!

FFW four months later, I can’t stop listening to your music. My favorite album so far is Absolutely.

Here’s my question: Can you re-release all your music in America and pretend it is a NEW release!!?? Why did we get left out? What happened?

You won’t believe this when I say it’s almost equivalent to not ever having heard the Beatles. Imagine going 40 years without ever having laid ears on them?

I’m probably going through a mid-life crisis now (just turned 50), but I still know good music when I hear it.

I’m so sorry America wasn’t around for you. But, I am very happy to see ya’ll are still at it. Extremely pleased that you even tried to come to America this year (damned Covid!!!)

Hi Chris

I don’t normally do this and no offense if you don’t respond. I have a close friend who has built a large widebeam boat moored in Essex and he has called it Madness (He is a die hard fan) He has a birthday coming up and I would like to get him something madness related for his boat, a signed picture or something along those lines. If this is something you could help with it would be amazing, if not I completely understand. Thanks Anthony

Hi my wife is a nurse on a covid ward in Leicester and she has recently recovered from the virus herself, we are both big fans and have been to a few gigs over the years, its a big ask but would any of the band members be up for doing something or maybe a call as I know this would give her a big lift.
all the best

Hi Chris, my best friends were due to marry Saturday 8th August (Annemarie Mcevoy & Paul (Suggs) Connolly) which due to current circumstances has been cancelled until next year, their entire wedding is madness themed, they both never miss Minehead (which I’ve also now been and thoroughly enjoyed) trying to organise something for the date they were due to marry, so it doesn’t pass unnoticed, I know it’s a big ask but a message from yourselves would be an amazing gesture and make the date a memorable one.
Thanks in advance for your consideration, hope everyone is keeping well in these frightening and uncertain times.
Kind regards
Kelly mc Knight

Ello! I’m trying to get hold of an email, so I can ask a question but privately not for everyone to see….
Any email that I could use?

Thank you x

Dear Chris,
Our Makaton choir (Is still learning) and we tried to sign Must be love, love, love to put into a film for a Couple celebrating 28 years of marriage who happen to have Down’s Syndrome. (We think they are the longest married couple with Down’s Syndrome)

My question is, how do we/can we get permission to use your music for that song? our singing is dire! and we would like to make something special for the lovely couple that we could possibly share online.

Hope you can help.

Best wishes,
Cristina.

Not sure if this has been addressed anywhere, but how did you all learn to play music? Do you all read sheet music, play by ear? Took lessons a kid or self-taught? If you played in your houses, did neighbors complain? Or is all of this addressed in your book “Before We….”?

I am so relieved to have avoided your Winetaster Interface

I was steered your way by Paul Putner, who is a fan of our work (it’s mutual)

We’re the guys behind the 2 comedy/music successes ‘Dear Mr Pop Star’ and ‘Dear Mr Kershaw’. A decade of utterly ridiculous letters to pop and punk legends deliberately getting completely the wrong end of the stick about their lyrics and work, with funny in-on-joke replies back.

Simply, we put together a RIDICULOUS letter completely misunderstanding a song -or making a very valid point as a smartass – and an artist replies with WHATEVER THEY WANT.. We are a small family with no hidden hand ..The majors said this was impossible so we said ”yes it is” and crowdfunded…twice

So..anyway..we have been writing punk letters for free and posting the replies online to cheer people up during lockdown, and as a result have been approached by a small but very nice publishing house with a view to putting out our 1st book (originally out in 2015) again with extra content. The idea was only floated on Thursday and we’ve already landed 10 extra contributors.. We have room for about 20-30, I reckon

If we are lucky enough to include you you’d be alongside new replies from Neville from The Specials (a killer retort), Television, Kula Shaker, Embrace, Dodgy, Lush, Jesus Jones, Dubstar, Rhoda and The Hoosiers plus existing – Rick Wakeman, Slade, Was Not Was, Del Amitri, Stereo MCs, Nik Kershaw, All About Eve, Pete Perrett, Frank Turner, Tom Robinson, Right Said Fred, Kim Wilde, Space, Saxon, The Piranhas, Yazz, Captain Sensible, Stiff Little Fingers, Tasmin Archer, The Undertones, Chris Difford, Smokie, Level 42, Fish, The Communards, Sailor, Dean Friedman, The Joboxers, The Steve Miller Band, Heaven 17, Gonzalez, Hayzi, Sique Sigue Sputnik, Eurythmics, The Adverts, Nick Beggs – Kajagoogoo, Chesney Hawkes, Danny Wilson, Tears For Fears, Vic Godard, Paul Heaton, The Divine Comedy, Living in A Box, Toto Coelo, Mansun, Billy Bragg, The Human League, Toyah, Department S, Sad Cafe, Thompson Twins, Republica, The Attractions, Jona Lewie, The Mock Turtles, It’s Immaterial, Icicle Works, Howard Jones, Public Image Limited, Anvil, The Alabama 3, The Inspiral Carpets, Flowered Up, Black Grape, The Korgis

We’d be honoured to include a funny reply if you’d be kind enough. As we are not going with a major this time either I’m not going to steer you wrong by telling you that we anticipate this to be a number one bestseller, but I can promise you that what we do is adored by 1,000s of people and brings a lot of joy

I’m happy to send you a free PDF of our last book so that you can see what others come back with, and we already have a very funny letter done from a few years ago

Let us know if you’re up for it!

Best

Dave Dawson (aka Philpott)…It’s a pen name and I’m the son and run the whole thing now

http://www.planegroovy.com/philpott.html 1st book info

2nd book info with vid
https://unbound.com/books/dear-mr-pop-star/

Hi Chrissy

Was wondering how/if a new album was coming along and when/if it’s likely to be released?

Regards
RB

Dear Chrissy Boy
My name is Astrid Meier, I’m 17 years old and I live in Herisau, Switzerland. I go to the “Fachmittelschule (FMS)” in Trogen. The FMS is a high school that will prepare me for teacher training college. Currently I have to write a paper about a topic of my own choice. I love music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and I especially love the music of the band Madness. So, I decided to write my paper about Madness and Ska. You’re a very interesting Band and I wish I could learn more about you. But the best facts and stories about Madness I can only get from the band members itself. So, I thought I’d try and write to you, Chrissy, to get some information, stories and answers to my questions.
It would be really helpful to write my paper, if you and others of the band would take some time to answer my questions.
I also wanted to tell you that I love your music very much and your songs make me always very happy when I listen to them.
Thank you very much for taking your time to read my message and to answer my questions!

My Questions

Dear Astrid thanks for the questions here’s my answers.
CB x

1.Did you have any bands as idols? Did any other bands influence your music?
Kilburn and the High Roads Ian Durys first band, definite influence. Also Sensational Alex Harvey Band plus Roxy Music, Motown, old Reggae, Elvis as very mixed bag, really
Kilburns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39bhjv5dN8Y Alex Harvey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqx5j-FuqeI
2.How did you get into the music direction ska?
Well we were playing music we liked all the old classics rock n’ roll and so on and Suggs bought a copy of “Madness” to a rehearsal and we thought hey no one plays this any more so we started playing a few ska songs ad also writing our own music
3.How would you define the “Nutty Sound”?
In one song..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys5DtvuOvB8
4.How important is (or was) music in your life? What does music mean to you personally?
As a young chap, I loved music, going to see bands and so on. I still listen to music of course and every now and then I hear something inspiring.
5.Who developed the ideas for all the funny music videos and are there any meanings behind them?
A lot of them [in fact most of them] it was Lee and myself. There are a few obscure things but sometimes we’d all think of a theme and work on that.
6.Are there special or important meanings behind some of the song lyrics? Was there anything you wanted to achieve or change with them in our society?
I don’t really write many of the lyrics but of course I know what a lot of the songs are about. A lot of them are observational, rather than preaching.
7.Was everyone involved in the song-writing?
We all work on songs together. We split the royalties between the actual songwriters and the 7 [currently 6] members, which is fair as everyone brings something to the table, as it were.

8.How did you experience the development of music consumption in our society from the beginning of your band-career until now? What’s your opinion about it? (The development from buying records to now download music for free)
Early on in our career we made money from record sales. We toured a lot but it wasn’t that financially rewarding haha. These days it’s the other way round. Streaming is here to stay but the artists earns far less per actual play or stream than in traditional airplay royalties.
9.Does the fact, that in these days most people are downloading their music for free have any impact on you and the income as a band?
[See above]
10.What’s in your opinion something really important or interesting to know about Madness?
You got me there!

And some current questions:
11.How has Corona affected the Band?
Well, we haven’t played live since January so that’s a bit of a pain to say the least. We had a lot of stuff this year and it’s been blown out.
12.Did Corona influence the contact among you band-members? Did you have the possibility to make music together?
I’ve sent songs to Lee but I haven’t seen any of the band apart from Lee. Our contact is not that good anyway, at the best of times.