Hi Chris,

Have you read “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn? I was surprised to find one of the characters discussing the lyrics to “That’s The Way To Do It” in Chapter 31. Very cool!

Thanks for answering all these questions over the years! I remember your very first Cupboard back in the 90’s!

Chuck

Hi CB
With all the excitement around the 35th Anniversary of the OSB album, is there a chance you might play a few more tracks off the album during your Xmas tour this year.
I know you played ‘In The Middle Of The Night’ but would be great to hear some of the other tracks like ‘Believe Me’ and ‘Mummys Boy’ again

Hiya Chris, Look sorry I’m Late by a few hours but I just wanted to say.. Happy 20th birthday to original Madstock (Haha)
No on a serious Note happy birthday , hope you have a good one pal

Love
Shann
xxxxxx

CB,

This may be a Timewaster ™ interface question, but what do you think the chances of ever doing a few gigs in North America are?

I just want to know if i should start saving for a trip to HOF next year…

KM

Hi Chris, I just noticed the upcoming 35th Anniversary edition of O.S.B. What exactly is the “Fab Toones” tape and is it decent sound quality? Thanks.

Hi Chris.
Folllowed the band since 1980….i play your music all the time.
When not recording/promoting etc. do any of the band ever hang out…pub, family parties etc.. Or is it just business these days?
all the very best…i hope you go on forever..
Jim

Hi, I am a huge fan of Madness (and I mean huge) and ska, two tone and mod music in general. I wanted to ask, can you give me some tips on how to dress like a ska man? Cheers!

Chris 😀 …hello , how you ?
Just quick one this time , did you play on Vietnam track from danger men (I know you left somewhat through the recording …but you could have still been) it sounds like your style of playing (oh yeah get me ..big fancy talk)

Thanks dude,
Shann xxx

what ever happened to the song natural act of love

Hi Mr Foreman. Haven’t put fingers to keyboard for a while. Not since we got our tickets for the Madness show coming up in December in little ol’ Belfast. Wouldn’t be Christmas without a top night “dancing” and “singing” to the old and new Nutty music. Have a wonderful “European” summer and save some of that sunshine for the winter M.A.D.H.E.A.D. extravaganza back home in the UK. All the best, with thanks for all the personal memories, from the Nutty Duo!!!!

Chris,

As promo videos for singles are such a chore for you lads these days, here is a possible idea. See the attached Irish Times article and the service that the company Fan Footage provide. The second link is the actual Linkin Park video referred to in the video.

If you were playing some of your new material at the Christmas tour it would be a good opportunity and an excuse to get some media space in the run up to the event. They might even use some of your axecam footage but only if it was up to scratch 🙂

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/technology/banding-together-linkin-park-teams-up-with-irish-start-up-to-create-crowd-sourced-live-video-1.1868255

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2-L9ARYEP4

Cheers,

Vince Carden

PS Gotta love the Chief Exec’s name, Cathal Furey….

Chris – Hello again from the Heart of Dixie. I was watching one of the sports networks here, & sounds to me like they are using Madness’ version of ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ in a promo. Just thought you’d want to know if you don’t already.

Quién es el próximo campeón mundial de futbol? Argentina o Alemania?

Cheers Chrissy Boy, just back from my birthday weekend in Holland to see you boys. Had a great time at Night in the Park in Den Haag then we travelled across to Utrecht for the Sunday gig…… loved the intimacy of the Utrecht gig, got to say the Dutch were well up for it and clearly enjoyed themselves and had a great time as they also won their world cup game that day. Shame thommo and bedders were not there cos of Glastonbury but John O’Neill is a good stand in. Nice of Chas to give me a birthday shout out as well. Looking at driving down to Bordeaux in August so may see Yahoo there. Already got Minehead booked as well as Flying up to Glasgow.!!!! Keep up the good work

Chris,

Since I last wrote and mentioned guitar-playing, I’ve spent the time with my old acoustic over the months; I found a chord site that actually shows things left-handed, which really made it easier for me, and up to this week I’ve been able to play virtually any chord that isn’t a bar chord (B major, C# major, etc.). Still lagging on switching between chords (particularly complicated ones) but the simple open ones are fine.
I say ‘up to this week’ (June 23-27) because I bought myself an electric one for my birthday, brand new. Almost magically, those impossible bar chords were almost easy.
I’ve been building a basement studio, with dynamic and condenser mics, and this guitar is like a new addition of instruments I always have – bass, keyboard, acoustic, drums… so I did a Ska-based demo as an experiment with playing and recording the guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_061_F8Fu1Q
Sound quality isn’t great (Mac internal microphone of the loudspeakers) but it examines how I multi-tracked it myself. Everything I played on my own. I even wrote lyrics because though it’s an over-used tune used by everyone it still sounds catchy and dancy.
What do you think? The guitar on there is only five months of infrequent practicing on an acoustic. All it’s missing now is organ and sax. And voice.

One other thing: Tiny parts or mere seconds of music can really create scenes for me via my synesthesia. I wrote one down that you might find interesting, based on one note in a Madness song:

I’m sitting on a wood bench, wearing a semi-formal suit. The wall behind me has some sort of pattern, using dark colours. I’m sitting with my legs relaxed and spread out, my elbows bent on my legs, hands slightly inwards.
Next to me, wearing a dress that suits her and the environment, sits a woman that’s my wife, or significant other of sorts. She’s got her legs crossed and her arms folded on top of them. A blouse over the top of the dress. We could be sitting in the lobby of a library or a city court, a building of civil or professional means. White daylight falls across us from the left; we’re facing west. Both of us have natural expressions on our faces, semi-serious, not smiling. What is easily apparent is how natural we both look, in the scene, and together.
-All that is based on the lone, low B Mike hits kind of randomly in ‘Not Home Today’ in the second pre-chorus verse. I’ve fallen in love with that note/major/minor chord.

Anyway, sorry if I’m a bit wordy and long, but just passing that I did get a Stratocaster and am still putting together demos and music. Taking piano lessons as well. Might be the next Karl Wallinger or Green Gartside, one-man-band (but can’t sing). Oh well.
JC