Due to summer vacation stuff I get to do I will be taking not one, but two weeks off from the site! See you on July 4th!
Month: June 2022
7. “Our House” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
7. “Our House” – Madness
(From the album Madness Presents The Rise & Fall)
1982
Madness had released the hits compilation Complete Madness early in 1982 and then followed it up later in the year with their fourth studio album Madness Presents The Rise and Fall. Madness had already begun to experiment beyond their ska roots with their previous album 7 but The Rise and Fall moves even further down that road, using ska music as a starting point but then using Brtish classics like The Kinks and The Beatles as role models to create a loose concept album about English society. The Rise and Fall was another critical and commercial success in the band’s native UK and its lead single “Our House” became another UK Top 5 when the song peaked at #5. However, due to Madness’ lack of previous success in the US and the very British themes of The Rise and Fall the album was not even released there. Instead, a few months later American audiences received a compilation album entitled Madness that combined several tracks from Madness Presents The Rise & Fall with a selection of earlier Madness songs. Up to this point in time Madness had practically zero presence in the United States but American audiences took to the light ska flavor and the warm childhood nostalgia of “Our House” and the song became Madness’ first American hit when it peaked at #7 on the US charts. As mentioned earlier Madness was able to follow up this American success briefly when “It Must Be Love” hit #33 in the US but then the band faded from the attention of the American public as quickly as they had found it, basically falling into one-hit-wonder status in the United States (even though it isn’t technically the case). Madness released three more albums – Keep On Moving, Mad Not Mad, and The Madness – and continued to have British hits throughout most of the 1980’s, although these albums and singles were generally not quite as successful as early in their career. During this period key member and songwriter Mike Barson exited the group and due to tensions within the band the third of these albums, The Madness, was created by only four of the members. The band broke up not too long after in 1988. The breakup would not last overly only however and by 1992 the band would reunite occasionally for one-off shows or short tours. These short reunions ultimately led to live albums and then, finally, new studio records in 1999, 2005, 2009, and 2016.
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6. “House Of Fun” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
6. “House Of Fun” – Madness
(From the non-album single “House Of Fun”)
1982
Madness had found success outside of the rigid confines of ska with both their more experimental third album 7 and the pop-oriented non-album single “It Must Be Love”. However, the band followed up these forays into the world of pop, soul, and new wave, with a return to the second-wave ska that had made them famous when they release the non-album single “House Of Fun” in May of 1982. “House Of Fun” boasts a classic ska beat and merges it with a carnivalesque keyboard part. Over the course of the song the rhythm and tempo slowly increase, subtly moving the song from a sense of childish fun to that of a creepy unease. This shift underscores a lyric about a young man who can’t wait to be grown up only to realize that adulthood comes with a different set of limitations, pressures, and addictions that you can’t step back from once you accept them. This return to a more classic ska sound resonated with the British public and “House Of Fun” became Madness’ first and only UK #1. Madness would follow up “House Of Fun” by releasing their first hits compilation Complete Madness and “House Of Fun” would be included on this release. The success of “House Of Fun” did not hail a permanent return by Madness to their original ska sound however as their next album would find Madness expanding their sound even further into new directions.
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5. “It Must Be Love” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
5. “It Must Be Love” – Madness
(From the non-album single “It Must Be Love”)
1981
Madness released their third album 7 in late 1981. While still rooted in Madness’ ska roots 7 begins to openly explore pop music and other styles more openly than in the past. The record still sold well in the UK and had three more Top 20 UK singles, but it also largely traded in the manic fun of the first two albums for pop sensibilities and English character sketches. Not all the fans or critics favored this new approach but it signaled a lasting change in direction for Madness moving forward; a crossroad where ska and pop would meet. A prime example of this is the song “It Must Be Love”. “It Must Be Love” is a cover of the 1971 hit by Labi Siffre and was somewhat strangely released by the band as a non-album single (it isn’t included on the 7 album) in between the release of that album’s second and third singles. “It Must Be Love” is more a pop song that loosely borrows from the feel of ska music than being a song truly indebted to ska, but it managed to become another massive hit for Madness, going to #4 on the UK chart. “It Must Be Love” also had a fair amount of American success. While not released in the USA at this time “It Must Be Love” would be included on the 1983 compilation album Madness, designed as a sampler for the American market, and be released as the follow-up single to Madness’ American breakthrough hit “Our House”. Following on the heels of the success of “Our House”, “It Must Be Love” became an American Top 40 hit as well when it went to #33.
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4. “Baggy Trousers” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
4. “Baggy Trousers” – Madness
(From the album Absolutely)
1980
In September 1980 Madness released their second full-lengthed album Absolutely to mixed reviews. Some music critics praised the band for their willingness to experiment within the confines of their ska revival sound while others found the album to be too slick and somewhat clichéd (with one especially vicious review in Rolling Stone magazine labeling Madness as “the Blues Brothers with English accents). The truth is, that while Absolutely is a little less raw and has a little more variety, it is not a radical departure from their earlier work and the British public sent the album up the charts to #2 on the album chart. Absolutely also spun off three more UK Top 10 singles, the first of which being lead single “Baggy Trousers”. “Baggy Trousers”, written by vocalist Suggs and guitarist Chris Foreman, looks back on the schoolyard delinquencies of their youth with a sense of fondness while also attacking the failings of British schools. It sounds serious but the band lends the song’s lyrics a playful vibe and the music continues in the second-wave ska revival sound of their debut. “Baggy Trousers” proved to be another big hit for Madness going to #3 on the UK singles chart and setting up Absolutely as another success.
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3. “Night Boat To Cairo” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
3. “Night Boat To Cairo” – Madness
(From the album One Step Beyond…)
1979
Madness had scored two UK Top 10 hits with their first two singles from the One Step Beyond… album and felt that they had exhausted the commercial potential of the album and did not want to release any more singles from the album. Their record label disagreed though and ultimately the band and label worked out a compromise that both sides could agree to. The band would release an EP with a single pulled from the One Step Beyond… album and the rest of the EP would be made up of new songs. That EP, titled Work, Rest & Play and released in March of 1980, would include the One Step Beyond… track “Night Boat To Cairo” which was released as a single and eventually peaked at #6. “Night Boat To Cairo” is a band original that loosely recreates the feel of “One Step Beyond” with a light Middle Eastern touch and has become a band and fan favorite and a regular show closer. The Work, Rest & Play EP also included the song “Don’t Quote Me On That” which allowed the band to refute claims of both racism and support for the far-right National Front organization. These claims, although repeatedly and firmly denied by the band, were based on a comment from bandmember Chas Smash. Smash had been asked about skinhead violence that had marred several Madness shows and had, in effect, responded that he didn’t care about fans’ ideology as long as they had a good time. This comment, combined with the fact that unlike most of the ska revival bands Madness was an all-white group, led to accusations of racism in the media. “Don’t Quote Me On That” served as the band’s sarcastic response to the situation (while also serving as a pretty good song in its own right).
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2. “My Girl” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
2. “My Girl” – Madness
(From the album One Step Beyond…)
1979
Madness followed up the success of their first two singles, both cover songs, with an original composition written by keyboardist Mike Barson called “My Girl”. “My Girl” went to #3 on the UK charts and proved that Madness could write their own material that captured the sound and spirit of the ska revival and didn’t have to rely on covers and rewrites to have success (although covers and rewrites were always a key part of the ska revival for all the bands). Barson wrote the song about his relationship with his then-girlfriend very early in the band’s history and even sang lead vocals on the demo version of the song. However, by the time the band was ready to record it for the One Step Beyond… they had brought in Suggs to be their lead singer and the version on the album has Suggs on lead vocals (although the Barson demo was later used as a B-side). The song is also notable because it was the first song performed in the 1980’s on the influential British music show Top Of The Pops when Madness was invited onto the show to perform the song.
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1. “One Step Beyond” – Madness: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
1. “One Step Beyond” – Madness
(From the album One Step Beyond…)
1979
With roots going back as far as 1976, Madness’ name and line-up had solidified by 1979 and they became one of the leading bands of the second-wave ska revival. Madness released their debut single “The Prince” (an homage to their hero Jamaican ska singer Prince Buster) on Jerry Dammers’ 2 Tone label and the song became a surprise hit, going to #16 on the UK charts. Rather than rush into the studio though Madness honed their playing skills and built their reputation by touring with a 2 Tone label package that also included The Specials and The Selecter. Following the tour, Madness did head back to the recording studio to work on their debut album and that album, titled One Step Beyond…, was released in October of 1979. The first single was the title track, a cover of a Prince Buster B-side, that was largely instrumental. However, even without many lyrics, “One Step Beyond” perfectly captures the sound and rhythm of the ska revival that was happening and the song went to #7 on the UK charts, while also cracking the lowest rungs of the American dance charts. Madness’ debut album One Step Beyond… is also notable as it is the first album produced by the production team of Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley who would become hitmakers while also helping to shape the sound of 80’s alternative music by producing albums for artists like Elvis Costello, Morrissey, David Bowie, They Might Be Giants, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, The Teardrop Explodes and others.
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7. “Free Nelson Mandela” – The Specials: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
7. “Free Nelson Mandela” – The Specials/Special AKA
(From the album In The Studio)
1984
Following the departure of The Specials three most visible figures – Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, and Neville Staple – to form Fun Boy Three the remaining band members continued on. For the next few years, a revolving staple of musicians came and went from The Specials (who now once again were going by the name Special AKA) around the core of keyboardist and primary songwriter Jerry Dammers and drummer John Bradbury, with both original bassist Horace Panter and guitarist Rodney Byers coming and going at various points. These various line-ups of The Specials (or Special AKA) released singles such as “The Boiler” (with Rhoda Dakar on vocals), “War Crimes” and “Racist Friend” to some critical praise but increasingly diminished commercial success. By 1984 the band’s line-up had finally mostly stabilized around Dammers, Bradbury, new guitarist John Shipley, new bass player Gary McManus, and vocalists Rhoda Dakar and Stan Campbell. This line-up (with a wide array of other guest musicians) finally entered the studio to record the much anticipated third Specials album In The Studio (which once again would be credited to Special AKA). The album was largely a critical and commercial letdown, especially after the three year wait since More Specials. In The Studio still echoes back to The Specials ska roots but only loosely. Much of the album explores jazz, northern soul, baroque pop, and world music influences and is much less loose and carefree than The Specials early music, while also being quite out of step with the British music scene at that point. However, the In The Studio album did have one last Top 10 hit for the group with “Free Nelson Mandela”. “Free Nelson Mandela” was an overtly political song calling out the white Apartheid government of South Africa for its imprisonment of the anti-Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela while drawing on both South African musical influences as well as the band’s own ska roots to create an upbeat and celebratory feeling song to champion Mandela’s cause. “Free Nelson Mandela” became The Specials final UK Top 10 hit when it peaked at #9 and became the group’s only song to hit the Top 40 on any American chart when it peaked at #34 on the American dance charts. However, when the follow-up single from In The Studio, the jazzy “What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend”, only peaked at #51 in the UK Dammers soon ended The Specials. In the 1990’s several core members of the original line-up began to tour and, ultimately, to record as The Specials again. However, these 90’s line-ups of The Specials were incomplete and very fluid, with various original members coming and going alongside session players and guest musicians. Furthermore, none of these line-ups contained either primary vocalist Terry Hall or primary songwriter, keyboardist, and band leader Jerry Dammers, and the albums recorded by these versions of The Specials did not do well commercially or critically. Finally, in 2008 six of the original band members, including singer Terry Hall, reunited to tour. This reunion however still did not include Dammers who refused to participate, telling the media that The Specials had been “taken over” and that he had been forced from the band. Another revised version of The Specials has since been built around three original members – vocalist Terry Hall, guitarist/vocalist Lynval Golding, and bassist Horace Panter – who have released two new albums in 2019 and 2021.
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6. “Ghost Town” – The Specials: An Artist A Week/A Song A Day – A History of Alternative Music
6. “Ghost Town” – The Specials
(From the EP Ghost Town)
1980
Following the promotion and touring for More Specials the band finally took a much needed break. The time off was needed but ultimately came too late to fix the rift that had grown within the band. After a few months off The Specials regrouped and released the three-song Ghost Town EP. The title track “Ghost Town” would go on to become the band’s second UK #1 and their seventh consecutive song to reach the UK Top 10. Written by Jerry Dammers “Ghost Town” is both a haunted sounding and emotionally haunting look at the racial violence and high unemployment that were tearing apart Margaret Thatcher’s UK in the early 80’s. With its combination of cheesy fun house keyboards, a slow ska beat, and politically charged lyrics “Ghost Town” was both fun and forceful and captured the zeitgeist of the era in a way that resonated with people. In many ways “Ghost Town” is the capstone of The Specials’ career. It would also prove to be the final offering from the original version of the band as the band’s three primary vocalists and frontmen – Terry Hall, Lyval Golding, and Neville Staple – informed their other bandmates that they would be leaving the group following the band’s recording session of “Ghost Town” for the influential and popular BBC show Top Of The Pops. Hall, Golding, and Staple kept that promise and soon formed their new group Fun Boy Three. However, the departure of Hall, Golding, and Staple was not quite the end of The Specials.
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Alternative Reality: An Alternative Music Blog 