A band was formed inside London, England in 1976, by Mike Barson (Monsieur Barso) on keyboards and vocals, Chris Foreman (Chrissy Boy) in guitar and Lee Thompson (Kix) on saxophone and vocals under A title The Northward London Invaders. Around 1978 they were joined by frontman Graham McPherson (Suggs) on vocals, Mark Bedford (Bedding plant) in bass guitar and Daniel Woodgate (Woody) on drums. When performing sporadically when A N London Invaders a class action changed their title to Madness. Carl Smyth (Chas Smash) in trumpet and vocals, joined in early 1980.

A band's foremost lone, discharged September First 1979 on The Specials' 2 Tone label, was "The Prince". the song, written by Lee Thompson, was a tribute to the Jamaican ska musician Prince Buster, whose song, "Madness", a b& got known when themselves fallowing and which likewise was freed as the B-side of "The Prince". This was followed per album One Step Beyond in 1979, named fallowing an additional Prince Buster song, which stayed in the British stock and index charts for on top a year, peaking at total Ii. Of these Step Beyond was freed in Stiff Records, which became the band's label. From either 1979 across 1988, a b& freed Xxv singles and eight albums (including ii compilation albums) in the UK. In a period of the early 1980's Madness was one of a virtually all popular elastic around Britain. Within 1984 a band formed their have record label; Zarjazz Records. A album "Mad Not Mad" was a 1st Madness album freed on this label, within 1985.

A band's number 1 20 singles entirely mass produced it into a UK top 20, when a band's self-described "nutty sound" evolved to include polished popular elements along using big drugs of ska, reggae, & more Caribbean musics. Madness experienced limited profits in the US, however, by using sole 2 singles making a top Forty ("Our House" peaked at #7 & "It Must Be Love" hit #33). This was possibly the effect of their offbeat style, & the limited marketplace for ska in the America -- although the b& however experienced a heavy underground charted there, and besides were a popular staple of early MTV. Years later on, several Western 3rd generation ska elastic like No Doubt and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones cited Madness (who got been lovingly nicknamed "The Nutty Boys") as a major influence in their music.

A band's videos were highly originative & entertaining, which was partly responsible their heavily inclusiin on early MTV & on the BBC's Top of the Pops. the cd relied in humor & storytelling to an unusual extent, producing a product that have alone when originative output, & are non good slick promotional poop.

Below a 1984 departure of Barswithin, the class action soldiered on as the six-piece ensemble for a instance, however offically split in 1986 with a farewell only "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train". Less than deuce years late, though, Smyth, Thompson, Foreman & vocaliser Suggs re-formed as the quartet called A Madness & freed a self-titled album around 1988. Them singles from either a album failed to hit a UK top xl, & a band split higher once again.

Nonetheless, altogether sevener original members reformed when Madness inside 1992 when a repackaged greatest hits compilation Divine Madness reached #1 in the UK album charts & the re-release of their handle of Labi Siffre's "It Must Be Love" processed it to #6 UK. This generated plenty media hoopla for an open air concert to choose place at Finsbury Park, entitled "Madstock". A indicate was an tremendous profits - therefore lot and then that farther "Madstocks" were held within 1994, 1996 & 1998 along with regular Christmas tours and more survive appearances. the band freed a brand newly studio album around 1999, entitled Wonderful, and Madness entered a UK Top 10 singles chart 1st around 16 years by owning a first only from either a album, "Lovestruck". The farther deuce singles were freed, "Johnny The Horse" & "Drip Fed Fred", (the collaboration by using long instance friend Ian Dury (of Ian Dury & The Blockheads fame)) both of which charted, but just failed to reach the top 40.

Around 2002, the collection of Madness songs were adapted into a stage musical theater known as My Home inside London's West End.

When you took 2000 - 2004, the original 7 members however performed sporadically when Madness, however within 2004 played a series of gigs when "The Dangermen." Inside August 2005, Madness freed their number 1 newly studio album within sextet years, entitled "The Dangermen Sessions Vol.1", which consisted completely of cover. 'Chris Chrissy Son Foreman' potty non exist as heard troika songs on the album ("Rain", "Lola", & "Ready for Love") when he left a band when you took a recording sessions. Foreman announced his departure from either Madness within their [http://www.madness.co.uk website] in Might 2005 citing "the petty time consuming bollo*s that goes on in the band. Which is about as diplomatic as I can get." Madness keep close at hand since played the series of gigs around UK forests (presented per Forestry Commission) with the replacement guitar player.

Besides of note:

Using a exception of "The Prince", a lot of Madness' UK Top 40 singles & albums stand been by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley.

Suggs presently presents the slot in Virgin Radio.

Since their 2 Tone days, Madness have had the important fanbase amongst skinheads, occasionally of whom come National Front and British National Party supporters, leading to a big class action of Union Jack wielding skinheads in the crowd at a 1992 gig, in which trend lines work Morrissey was dubbed a racist after being clad in the Union Jack flag [http://www.nme.com/features/108836.htm].

Discography

Studio albums
One Step Beyond (1979), UK #2 Absolutely (1980), UK #2 7 (1981), UK #5 The Rise and Fall (1982), UK #10 Keep Moving (1984), UK #6 Mad Not Mad (1985), UK #16 The Madness (1988), UK #48 Wonderful (1999), UK #17 The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 (August 1st 2005), #11 UK

Compilation and live albums
Complete Madness (1982), UK #1 Utter Madness (1986), UK #29 The Peel Sessions; Madness (4 tracks for BBC, 14th August 1979) (1986) Divine Madness (1992), UK #1 Madstock (Live album) (1992), UK #19

Singles
1979 "The Prince" / "Madness" #16 UK 1979 "One Step Beyond" / "Mistakes" #7 UK 1979 "My Girl" / "Stepping Into Line" #3 UK 1992, re-issued, reaching #27 UK 1980 "Work Rest and Play" EP (lead track: "Night Boat to Cairo") #6 UK 1980 "Baggy Trousers" / "The Business" #3 UK 1980 "Embarrassment" / "Crying Shame" #4 UK 1981 "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" / "That's The Way To Do It" #7 UK 1981 "Grey Day" #4 UK 1981 "Shut Up" #7 UK 1981 "It Must Be Love" / "In The City" #4 UK 1983, reached #33 US 1992, re-issued, reaching #6 UK 1982 "Cardiac Arrest" #14 UK 1982 "House of Fun" / "Don't Look Back" #1 UK 1992, re-issued, reaching #40 UK 1982 "Driving In My Car" #4 UK 1982 "Our House" / "Walking With Mr. Wheeze" #5 UK, #7 US 1983 "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" / "Madness (Is All In the Mind)" #8 UK 1983 "Wings Of A Dove" #2 UK 1983 "The Sun and the Rain" #5 UK, #84 US 1984 "Michael Caine" / "If You Think There's Something" #11 UK 1984 "One Better Day" #17 UK 1985 "Yesterday's Men" #18 UK 1985 "Uncle Sam" #21 UK 1986 "The Sweetest Girl" #36 UK 1986 "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train" #18 UK 1988 "I Pronounce You" (when A Madness) #44 UK 1988 "What's That?" (when A Madness) did does'nt chart 1992 "The Harder They Come" #44 UK 1999 "Lovestruck" #10 UK 1999 "Johnny The Horse" #44 UK 2000 "Drip Fed Fred" (by having Ian Dury) #55 UK 2005 "Shame and Scandal" #38 UK 2005 "Girl, Why Don't You?"