Madness Central Downloads  First Step Beyond, The Lost & More Lost
The sordid tale of "First Step Beyond", "The Lost", and "More Lost Found, Hence is No Longer Lost" (that's what I'm calling it), began with a box of tapes once in the ownership of Madness' Carl "Chas Smash" Smyth. Rent not paid, bootlegger-snatched auction, big ticket price tag on the first bootleg from the box ("First Step Beyond"), and in steps Chas with his solicitor. "First Step Beyond" becomes the only step beyond, as a second bootleg, named "The Lost", became just that.

First Step Beyond, The Lost and More Lost

Madness Central Downloads  Suggs - Make Me Scream - 1989
There was once a terrible horrific time: 1989 - 1990. These were the most horrendously dark times to live in, desolate and ghastly. It was a time without any Madness, at all!

After the end of The Madness and before The Nutty Boys began (and a few years prior to Madstock reuniting the full band), there was just depression, confusion and an uncertain music future. It was a scary emptiness since The Ghost Train had departed...

This Halloween we bring you a rare remnant from this frightening wilderness period, one only ever mentioned or seen by a very few fans, and not online for the majority of maddies... until now. Here is "Make Me Scream" from Suggs.

Suggs - Make Me Scream - 1989

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Amsterdam Paradiso, Holland 1980
We’re delighted to be able to bring you one of the earliest, raw and energy driving concert from the Nutty Boys. This concert was performed to a sellout crowd of 1000 and was from the One Step Beyond Tour: Leg 3 - Europe. The concert in question is 1980-02-02 - Amsterdam Paradiso - Amsterdam - Holland.

This is a radio sourced broadcast, a gig many have in their live recording collection, but the difference, the really big difference with this version is its audio quality. It's so clear and crisp...it's almost like being there.

Madness - Amsterdam Paradiso, Holland - February 2, 1980

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Absolute Radio Regent Street Birthday Bash 2009
In celebration of Absolute Radio's first anniversary on the air, Madness played a free concert on a cordoned-off Regent Street in London on the 27th of September 2009.

From the Sun Online:
Thousands of fans crowded the famous road and jumped in unison to such classics as One Step Beyond and House Of Fun at Absolute Radio's 1st birthday party.

Speaking exclusively to Absolute Radio DJ GEOFF LLOYD about the street bash, singer SUGGS said: "It's a rather miraculous situation considering no band has ever been able to play in Piccadilly Circus without being clubbed by the police."

Absolute Radio Regent Street - September 27, 2009

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Electric Picnic, Ireland - September 5, 2009
Camden Town Ska came to Stradbally Saturdady night when Suggs and Co. took to the Main Stage and wowed the ten thousand-strong crowd who braved the rain and mud to be there.

Reported by the Independent (Ireland): Madness rocked the Picnic with a set that leaned heavily on their latest, well-regarded album, 'The Liberty of Norton Folgate'. But Suggs and friends were only too happy to delve into their rich past, too, and the hits came thick and fast with 'Baggy Trousers', an exceptional 'House of Fun' and 'My Girl'.

Electric Picnic Ireland - September 5, 2009

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Radio 2 Live at the Lights - September 4, 2009
Radio 2 celebrates the launch of the 2009 Blackpool Illuminations with a live concert starring JLS, Madness, Tony Christie, Paloma Faith, and Pixie Lott. The Illuminations began in 1879 with a display of just eight lamps bathing the Promenade in "artificial sunshine". Over one hundred years later, the annual tourist attraction has grown significantly in scale and ambition with the Switch On now illuminating a six-mile display of lights. Madness headlined the night's festivities, performing Our House, Forever Young, and House of Fun. In the words of Chrissy Boy Foreman from the stage at Blackpool, "The louder you scream, the faster the ride!"

Radio 2 Live at the Lights 2009

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - "Total Madness" Radio 2 Documentary - June 12, 1999
The group Madness were the chart success story of the eighties enjoying 16 top 10 hits! To mark the band's 20th anniversary, Madness are poised for a major reunion in June 1999 and Wise Buddha celebrates their return with a major documentary programme. Rediscover baggy trousers, flying saxophone players and parachuting vans in this one off special "They Call It Madness". Hear all seven band members reflecting on their initial success and speculate on what is to come as they complete their first new album of 13 years and prepare for a major tour.

Radio 2 Total Madness Documentary 1999

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Øya, Oslo, Norway - 14th August 2009
In connection with their 30th anniversary Madness finally returned to Norway. It’s been 29 years since the last time they were here and this was something the Norwegian audience had been waiting for. The 14th of August they performed at the Øya festival 09’in Oslo with 10 000 people in the audience, the concert was also sent live on the internet so everyone that was interested had the opportunity to see them live.

Øya, Oslo, Norway - 14th August 2009

Madness Central Downloads  The Point, Dublin, Ireland - 6th December 2003
There isn't much that needs to be set up for this amazing performance. Just look at the set list. Non-single songs not performed live for ages, amongst them "March of the Gherkins" and "Prospects"; New cover songs meant for a new covers album, such as "Oh My Love, but, alas, didn't make the final cut; Twenty five songs!

The Point, Dublin, Ireland - 6th December 2003

Madness Central Downloads  One Step Beyond Madness - Radio 1, 1992
1992 saw the return of Madness, both in the charts and on the stage, and a massive stage it was. The first Madstock, with audiences in the tens of thousands, reunited the seven members of Madness for the first time since the mid-80s, with all manners of promotion of the band, on tv, in print, and on the radio. Radio 1 and Steve Wright was the pinnacle of the newfound popularity and this documentary from 1992 marks this zenith-like event.

One Step Beyond Madness - Radio 1, 1992

Madness Central Downloads  Madness - Irving Plaza, NYC, USA - 30 April 1999
It was the day after Madness' triumphant return to US broadcast television, having taken the stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, the musical guests on the Late Show with David Letterman. April 30, 1999, would be the first of three shows in America to showcase their much-loved classics and soon-to-be-loved classics in the making.

Madness was playing Irving Plaza, one of the finer intimate venues in New York City that in recent years has hosted the likes of U2 and Coldplay. For their first shows on the East Coast in over 20 years, Madness really couldn't have chosen a better venue for their capacity crowd.

Irving Plaza, New York City, USA - April 30, 1999

Madness Central Downloads  The Argonauts
The Argonauts is one of the most requested downloads over the last ten years, and it's one I've been hesitant to post as it kind of flies in the face of our mantra of not posting commercially available recordings. I think we're safe on this one, though, as there were so few of these 7" singles pressed, they were only available from the Madness Information Service, and there's not much chance that the songs will be re-released.

So many people want a copy of this one-off project by Lee Thompson, and so many people pay upwards of a 100 quid just to hear the songs, I thought it'd be nice to let folks hear what they're missing in this cooperative of information exchange known as Madness Central.

The Argonauts

Madness Central Downloads  BBC Radio 1 - Five Years of Madness
This two part radio documentary on the Nutty Boys originally aired on 11th of August 1984 on Radio One from 5.30 to 6.30 (part one) with the second part airing a week later on the 18th of August at the same time. Presented by Mike Smith.

BBC Radio 1 - Five Years Of Madness (Parts One & Two)

Madness Central Downloads  9:30 Club, Washington DC, USA - May 1, 1999
I'll be the first to admit. The quality of this recording seriously lags hard. The culprit is an old minicassette recorder I'd had for many years. Remember, 1999 was still a few years too early for pocket-size digital recorders, and the minicassette recorder was the smallest device I could smuggle into the venue down the front of my shorts. (No lame "size" jokes at this point, please. Grow up.)

What makes this recording worth sharing is that it is the first time the songs "Drip Fed Fred" and "Johnny The Horse" were played to a live audience.

9:30 Club, Washington DC, USA - May 1, 1999

Madness Central Downloads  Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia - April 1981
With the Grey Day single just released (April 17), Madness embark on a six week world tour starting with their first visit to Australia. Perth has the kick off with two shows on the opening day. The third takes place on Mike's 23rd birthday. Skinheads cause $10,000 worth of damage by destroying 80 chairs and smashing down three glass doors. The government considers a ban on rock concerts as a result.

This concert is a recording of one of three gigs played at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. Which one? Maybe someone can tell us. The shows were played on April 27th, 28th and 29th, 1981

Captiol Theatre, Sydney, Australia - April 1981

Madness Central Downloads  Osaka Festival Hall, Japan - 1982
Madness arrive in Japan and on their second gig at the Osaka Festival Hall they learn that "House of Fun" has gone to Number One. The band change the set list around in Japan for fans that have bought tickets to more than one show on this tour. Hear "In The City" in the Land of the Rising Sun, along with album tracks a plenty when the band were at their peak, With "Rise and Fall" a new song in the set at this time, a samba percussion solo version of "Mrs. Hutchinson" and plenty of the Seven album still fresh live.

Osaka Festival Hall, Japan, 1982

Madness Central Downloads  KROQ Inland Invasion 2005
On the 17th of September, 2005, Madness took to the stage in Devore, California, at the supermassive Hyundai Pavilion settled at the base of the equally supermassive San Bernardino Mountains. It was the 5th Annual Miller Lite Inland Invasion, as hosted by KROQ 106.7 FM of Los Angeles.

KROQ Inland Invasion 2005

Madness Central Downloads  Westwood One - In The Zone
"In The Zone" was a syndicated radio program produced by Westwood One which ran through most of the 90's. These were pre-produced shows complete with DJ chatter, cue cuts, and advertisements. All a subscribing radio station had to do was have a fuzzy parlour monkey put the radio transcription CD in at the top of the hour and press play. They didn't even have to add water. This show, for broadcast the week of November 3, 1997, features an edited version of Madness' 1983 concert at the Hollywood Palladium in California, USA.

In The Zone - Live From Hollywood Radio Transcription

Madness Central Downloads  Teenage Cancer Trust 2008
Held at The Royal Albert Hall on April 8th 2008, Madness headline in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust. Previous years have seen artists such as The Who, Oasis, Coldplay, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, and The Cure. Madness themselves have also performed for the benefit before.

Teenage Cancer Trust 2008

Madness Central Downloads  BBC In Concert #376
When it came to Madness radio transcriptions, no entity did it better than the BBC. With their "In Concert" series, listeners were treated to the latest hits and more often than not an as yet unreleased song from a forthcoming record. Such is the case this vinyl LP radio transcription, with introduction by famed British radio personality Richard Skinner. A recording of the Hammersmith Odeon concert in London during the Mad Not Mad Tour, the song "For Better Forever" (which was eventually released by The Madness as "4BF") made its premier to a public rightfully ravenous for anything new coming on board the Nutty Train.

BBC In Concert #376 - Live From London Radio Transcription

Madness Central Downloads  Wonderful Generic Radio Interview
1999 saw the twentieth anniversary of Madness, as well as a full seven years since their reformation at Madstock in Finsbury Park. While excitement and gig attendence remained high for the middle-aged Madness, the question on fingers and tongues was singular: When would they put out a new album? Wonderful, released that year, answered the question succinctly. Here was new Madness. And new Madness needed much promotion.

Wonderful Generic Radio Interview with Suggs, Woody and Lee

Madness Central Downloads  King Biscuit Flower Hour
Concert riots, concert ticket prices, and just not being able to get to the concerts all had their part in the creation of the King Biscuit Flower Hour, a syndicated radio show produced by the D.I.R. Radio Network of New York, New York. Every Sunday night from the early 1970's on through to the early 1990's, you could tune in to subscriber radio stations across the US (and a few other countries, like Canada and Australia) and get a professionally-recorded broadcast of the hottest names of the day burning up the charts. Madness had their spot on the Flower Hour on the September 18, 1983 radio transcription.

King Biscuit Flower Hour - Live from New Jersey Radio Transcription

Madness Central Downloads  Fountain Casino, Cedar Grove, New Jersey - 23 August, 1983
Taken from a reel-to-reel recording off the original masters, this concert, Madness live from the Fountain Casino in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA, is best known as the King Biscuit Flower Hour radio transcription double LP released in 1983. The thing about the transcription, though, like most radio transcriptions, is that it's an edited-for-time selection of a few songs from the gig. Here for the first time is the concert in its entirety.

Fountain Casino, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA - 23 August, 1983

Madness Central Downloads  Suggs - EMI Publishing Huntsham Writers Week
In 1996, Suggs took part in an experiment of melding the songwriting talents of very disparate pop artists. The results produced three Suggs-sung songs, "That's The Way We Do It", "Two Bacon Sandwiches", and "Me and You Against the World."

Said Suggs of the week's toils: "Even for an old cynic like me, that first night was tear-inducing. Just hearing a song that people have written that same day is brilliant and strange. They put you with someone who you think you'll click with and it's all pacing around, fuck-all happening. Then they stick you in with someone bonkers and a banjo player and you've got 19 top hits in an afternoon."

Suggs - EMI Publishing Huntsham Writers Week - 1996

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