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The Madness (The Madness Album)
''The Madness'' is the only studio album by the British ska/ pop band The Madness, a short-lived incarnation of Madness. It was originally released in mid-1988, on the label Virgin. The album was produced by the Three Eyes, a pseudonym, whose identities remain a mystery (although they may very well be Madness themselves, or individual members of Madness). With the demise of Madness and the group's own label Zarjazz, the Madness were directly recruited under Virgin Records. When the album was released in late April 1988, it received dismissive reviews and peaked at No. 66 in the UK, lasting within the Top 100 for only one week. Two singles, "I Pronounce You" and "What's That", were released from the album, although like the album these were less successful than the original band releases. "I Pronounce You" was the lead single, released in the UK and Portugal. Receiving lukewarm reception from the music press, it peaked at No. 44 in the UK, lasting on the charts for four weeks ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Studio Album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual Phonograph record#78 rpm disc developments, 78 rpm records collected in a bound book resembling a photograph album; this format evolved after 1948 into single vinyl LP record, long-playing (LP) records played at revolutions per minute, rpm. The album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption from the mid-1960s to the early 21st century, a period known as the album era. Vinyl LPs are still issued, though album sales in the 21st-century have mostly focused on CD and MP3 formats. The 8-track tape was the first tape format widely used alongside vinyl from 1965 until being phased out by 1983 and was gradually supplanted by the cassette tape during the 1970s and early 1980s; the populari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lee Thompson (saxophonist)
Lee Jay Thompson (born 5 October 1957), nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Thompson came to prominence in the late 1970s as a founder and saxophonist for the English ska band Madness. Early years Prior to forming Madness, Thompson and future Madness keyboardist Mike Barson gained some notoriety as graffiti artists in the mid-1970s. After reading about the emerging New York graffiti scene, they spray-painted their nicknames ("Kix" and "Mr B") along with two friends' names "Cat" and "Columbo" around North London. They managed to spray their nicknames on George Melly's garage door, prompting Melly to write a newspaper article declaring: "If I ever catch that Mr B, Kix and Columbo, I'm going to kick their arses". Music career Thompson founded Madness with Mike Barson and Chris Foreman in 1976, and wrote the group's debut single, "The Prince". Among the other songs, he wrote or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Townhouse Studios
The Town House (also known as Townhouse Studios) was a recording studio located at 150 Goldhawk Road, Shepherd's Bush in London, built in 1978 under the direction of Richard Branson for Virgin Records. The studios changed ownership and eventually ceased operation in 2008, with luxury apartments now in its place. Artists that recorded at The Town House included Elton John, Queen, Phil Collins, Philip Bailey, The Jam, Asia, Bryan Ferry, Coldplay, Muse, Duran Duran, Jamiroquai, Kylie Minogue, Oasis, XTC, Robbie Williams, Peter Gabriel, and Joan Armatrading. Studio Two's "Stone Room" was an especially popular place to record drum sounds during the 1980s, directly as a result of producer Hugh Padgham's treatment of the drums on Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight". History The Town House was originally managed by Barbara Jeffries as part of the Virgin Studios Group. The Goldhawk Road facility had three recording rooms, numbered One, Two, and Four, with the Townhouse Three designation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell Dammers GCOT (born 22 May 1955) is a British musician who was a founder, keyboard player and primary songwriter of the Coventry-based ska band The Specials (also known as The Special A.K.A.) and later The Spatial AKA Orchestra. Through his foundation of the record label Two Tone, his work blending political lyrics and punk with Jamaican music, and his incorporation of 60's retro clothing, Dammers is a pivotal figure of the ska revival. He has also been acknowledged in his work for racial unity. Biography Dammers was born in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu, South India, the son of Horace Dammers who was later Dean of Bristol Cathedral from 1973 to 1987. Jerry Dammers attended King Henry VIII School, Coventry. He left India at the age of 2, first living in Coventry, then moving to Sheffield at the age of 10. His initial music influences were 60's powerpop bands like The Who, The Small Faces, The Kinks, which made him want to be in a band, and he was also influenced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Specials
The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, are an English Two-tone (music genre), 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall (singer), Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation on guitars, Horace Panter on bass, Jerry Dammers on keyboards, John Bradbury (drummer), John Bradbury on drums, and Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez (musician), Rico Rodriguez on horn. Their music combines the danceable rhythms of ska and rocksteady with the energy and attitude of punk rock, punk. Lyrically, they present a "more focused and informed political and social stance". The band wore mod (subculture), mod-style "1960s period rude boy outfits (pork pie hats, tonic and mohair suits and loafers)". In 1980, the song "Too Much Too Young", the lead track on their ''The Special AKA Live!'' Extended play, EP, reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1981, the recessi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Phillips (drummer)
Simon Phillips (born 6 February 1957) is a US-based English jazz, fusion and rock drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He worked with rock bands during the 1970s and 1980s and was the drummer for the band Toto from 1992 to 2014. Phillips worked as a session drummer for Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, Bernie Marsden, Jon Lord, Nik Kershaw, Mike Oldfield, Judas Priest, Mike Rutherford, Tears for Fears, 10cc and The Who. He was the drummer for The Who during the band's American reunion tour in 1989. He became the drummer for the band Toto in 1992 after the death of Jeff Porcaro. Career Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in a Dixieland band led by his father, Sid Phillips for four years. After his father's death, he started playing pop and rock and found work in a production of the musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. He worked as a session musician for cast members, and this led to other session work. Beginning in the 1970s, he worked with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Attractions
The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards and ukulele), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Thomas (drums). They also released one album (and two associated singles) as an independent entity, without Costello, in 1980. They have been called one of the best backing bands in rock history. History Backing for Costello's 1977 debut album was provided by the American West Coast band Clover. Later in 1977, Costello formed his own permanent backing band, the Attractions, consisting of Steve Nieve (born Steve Nason; keyboards and ukulele) from London, Bruce Thomas (bass guitar) from Stockton-on-Tees, and Pete Thomas (drums) from Sheffield. The two Thomases are unrelated. Bruce Thomas was the oldest group member (29 when he joined), with the most professional experience prior to being an Attraction. He had previously been a member of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nominated for the Brit Award for Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist, Best British Male Artist. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked Costello number 80 on its Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Costello began his career as part of London's Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock scene in the early 1970s and later became associated with the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement that emerged in the mid-to-late 1970s. His critically acclaimed debut album ''My Aim Is True'' was released in 1977. Shortly after recording it, he formed the Attractions as his backing band. His second album ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve ( "naïve"; born Stephen John Nason, 21 February 1958) is an English musician and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Nieve has been a member of Elvis Costello's backing bands the Attractions, the Imposters and Madness. He has also experienced success as a prolific session musician, featured on a wide array of other artists' recordings. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Early years Nieve was born in Bishop's Stortford, England, and attended the Royal College of Music, but dropped out in 1977 to join Costello's backing band the Attractions. Nason received his musical moniker "Nieve" (pronounced " naïve") while on the Attractions' first tour for Stiff Records. It was bestowed by tourmate Ian Dury who had been astonished by Nason's innocent query, "What's a groupie?" Before that, at least briefly, he had been using the stage name "Steve A'dore" (a pun on stevedore). Career Ni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earl Falconer
UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. UB40 have sold over 70 million records worldwide. The ethnic make-up of the band's original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish, and Yemeni parentage. Their hit singles include their debut " Food for Thought" and two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and " Can't Help Falling in Love". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of "I Got You Babe". Their two most successful albums, ''Labour of Love'' (1983) and ''Promises and Lies'' (1993), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. UB40 and the English ska band Madness hold ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
UB40
UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. UB40 have sold over 70 million records worldwide. The ethnic make-up of the band's original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish, and Yemeni parentage. Their hit singles include their debut " Food for Thought" and two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones with " Red Red Wine" and " Can't Help Falling in Love". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of " I Got You Babe". Their two most successful albums, '' Labour of Love'' (1983) and '' Promises and Lies'' (1993), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. UB40 and the English ska band Madness ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record. In addition to his work with the Attractions, Thomas has recorded with Billy Bragg, John Wesley Harding, Suzanne Vega, and Tasmin Archer. Thomas has also been a nonfiction writer for several decades, and is the author of '' Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit'' (1994), a biography of the renowned martial artist and movie star, and ''The Body of Time (and the Energies of Being),'' (1991), a short book about metaphysics. ''Rough Notes'', published in 2015, is both a memoir of his time with The Attractions and a documentary history of the British music scene of the 1970s. Early life Thomas attended Grangefield Grammar School in Stockton on Tees, and after leaving, worked as a trainee commercial-artist at the local '' Evening Gazette'' newspaper. Thomas was originall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
