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Doctors of Madness were a British
protopunk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music played mostly by garage bands from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock movement. The phrase is a retrospective label; the musicians involved were generally not originally associated wi ...
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
band active as a recording and touring band from 1975 until late 1978. They found cult level acclaim and recognition in the 70s, but had little commercial success. Since then they have come to be regarded as prime movers who were forerunners of the later punk movement.


Band history


1974: Formation, band members

The Doctors of Madness were formed in 1974 in a basement in
Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...
, south London, by the band's composer and lead singer/guitarist
Richard Strange Richard "Kid" Strange (born January 1951) is an English writer, actor, musician, and curator, who was the founder and front man of mid-1970s protopunk art rock band Doctors of Madness. Music Strange's first band was Doctors of Madness, formed ...
, known as ‘Kid’ Strange. To provide a platform for his musical ideas and compositions, which analysed urban culture
neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from th ...
and systems of control, Strange joined forces with Stoner (Colin Bentley: bass guitar, vocals), Peter DiLemma (Pete Hewes: drums, vocals), and Urban Blitz (Geoff Hickmer:
electric violin An electric violin is a violin equipped with an electronic output of its sound. The term most properly refers to an instrument intentionally made to be electrified with built-in pickups, usually with a solid body. It can also refer to a violin fi ...
, baritone
violectra Violectra is the name of a range of electric violins, violas and cellos designed, developed and hand made by David Bruce Johnson, a Canadian violin maker settled in Birmingham, England. These instruments are played by Nigel Kennedy, Richard Tognetti ...
and lead guitar) to provide a link between the early 1970s
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
and
glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
of
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
and
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...
and the later 1970s punk rock of the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
and
the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
. Strange cited
the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Lou Reed, multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise w ...
and writer
William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist, widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodern author who influenced popular cultur ...
as major influences on the band's music, which fused avant-garde hard rock with warped quasi-classical tones.


1975: Manager Bryan Morrison

In March 1975, the band started playing gigs at a pub in
Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...
, south-west London, where they were spotted by a talent scout for music manager
Bryan Morrison Bryan Morrison (14 August 1942 – 27 September 2008) was an English businessman, music publisher and polo player. Career He served as representative for musicians such as Pink Floyd. His company, the Bryan Morrison Agency, became one of th ...
, who had managed
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...
and
Marc Bolan Marc Bolan ( ; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a pioneer of the glam rock movement in the early 1970s with his band T. Rex. Bolan was posthumously inducted int ...
. Morrison came to see them and was impressed. Morrison and his then partner
Justin de Villeneuve Justin de Villeneuve (born Nigel Jonathan Davies) is a British businessman, known for being supermodel Twiggy's manager from 1966 to 1973. De Villeneuve worked as a Mayfair hairdresser under the name Christian St. Forget, before meeting Twiggy a ...
launched an intensive publicity campaign to promote the band, which included an appearance on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's prime time UK television ''The Twiggy Show''. They were the opening act at the three-day Great British Music Festival at
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
in London on 31 December 1975. The band signed to
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
for the UK and Europe. The Doctors of Madness were
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...
DJ
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
's featured artists on 25 November 1976, and received British television exposure during 1975/76 on the ''
Twiggy Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London. ...
Show'' and the ''
Janet Street-Porter Janet Vera Street-Porter (''née'' Bull; born 27 December 1946) is an English broadcaster, journalist, writer, and media personality. She began her career as a fashion writer and columnist at the ''Daily Mail'' and was later appointed fashion e ...
Show''.


1975-1978: Tours, theatrical style

The Doctors of Madness toured extensively in Great Britain and continental Europe, gigging in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
,
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
,
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
and
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. Their early stage shows, in which Strange appeared with dyed-blue hair and Stoner wore skeletal-style make-up, incorporated costumes, props, make-up, projected backdrop images, smoke,
strobe lights A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope. The word originated from the Ancient Greek ('), meaning ...
, theatrical spot-lighting and taped
sound effects A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...
. Stoner recalled that they had wanted to create "a really outrageous image to match the songs Richard was writing". Strange spoke of a cinematic style of song-writing, "where the images come in and out, not making much sense on a rational level, more on a sensory one ... very sleazy, underground and outrageous." Support acts during their heyday included
the Sex Pistols ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
(
Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...
1976),
the Jam The Jam were an English mod revival/ punk rock band formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, Surrey. They released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 198 ...
(London Marquee on several occasions 1976),
Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...
(as "Warsaw"
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
1976) and
Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...
(as "Johnny and the Self Abusers"
Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...
1976). In 1977 Richard 'Kid' Strange was best man at the wedding of Dave Vanian of the Damned. The band's tour manager and
sound engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
was Dave 'Hobbs' Hilsden, who Strange called 'Obbsy'. Hilsden was subsequently sound engineer, road manager and crew boss for
Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
for 30 years until his death in 2015.


1975-1978: Albums

Between 1975 and 1978, the Doctors of Madness recorded three albums for
Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
records: ''Late Night Movies, All Night Brainstorms''
976 Year 976 ( CMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 10 – Emperor John I Tzimiskes dies at Constantinople, after re ...
produced by
John Punter John Punter (born 27 January 1949) is a former English record producer and recording engineer. He has worked with many bands and musicians, such as Japan, Procol Harum, Roxy Music, Doctors of Madness, Sad Café and Slade. His career in music span ...
; ''Figments of Emancipation''
976 Year 976 ( CMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 10 – Emperor John I Tzimiskes dies at Constantinople, after re ...
recorded at
Abbey Road studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...
with producer
John Leckie John William Leckie (born 23 October 1949) is an English record producer and recording engineer. His production credits include Magazine's ''Real Life'' (1978), XTC's ''White Music'' (1978) and Dukes of Stratosphear's '' 25 O'Clock'' (1985), t ...
; and ''Sons of Survival''
978 Year 978 ( CMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Pankaleia: Rebel forces under General Bardas Skleros are defeated ...
recorded at Majestic Studios in Clapham, South London in late 1977. It was decided to give the band's third album a more 'punk' feel, and the tracks on ''Sons of Survival'' were mostly recorded as high-volume live performances in the studio. Dave Hilsden was credited as producer. "Bulletin" from ''Sons of Survival'', backed by "Waiting" from ''Late Night Movies, All Night Brainstorms'', was released as a single in late 1977.


1978: Urban Blitz, Dave Vanian, final gig

Urban Blitz left the band early in 1978, immediately after the release of ''Sons of Survival'', because of musical and personal differences. He was briefly replaced by singer
Dave Vanian David Vanian (born David Lett, 12 October 1956) is an English rock musician, and lead singer of the punk rock band the Damned. Formed in 1976 in London, the Damned were the first British punk band to release a single, release an album, have a ...
of punk rock band the Damned, who had temporarily split. The Doctors of Madness had been known informally as 'the Doctors' (or 'the Dox'). After the release of ''Sons of Survival'' Kid Strange renamed the band 'the Doctors', and Strange, Stoner and Peter DiLemma continued as a trio, minus violinist. The Doctors disbanded later in 1978 after disappointing sales of ''Sons of Survival'' and withdrawal of record company support. They played their final gig at
The Music Machine The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. Fronted by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Sean Bonniwell, the band cultivated a characteristically dark and rebellious image reflected in an untamed mus ...
in Camden, North London, on 26 October 1978, with TV Smith of
the Adverts The Adverts were an English punk band who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the United Kingdom, UK; their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached No. 18 in the UK Single ...
as a guest.


Later developments


1981: Release of "Revisionism"

A posthumous Doctors of Madness 'best of' compilation, ''Revisionism'', was released by Polydor in 1981. The track listing, drawn from the band's 1975-1978 Polydor recordings, was essentially an album version of their live performances. The band's first three albums were re-released on CD by Ozit Records in 2002.


2003-2006: Performances in Japan and UK

In later years, Richard Strange continued to promote and perform Doctors of Madness music while pursuing an extensive international career as a solo artist. In 2003 he performed in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, backed by ex-
Pogues The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in Kings Cross, London in 1982, as "Pogue Mahone" – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic ''póg mo thóin'', meaning "kiss my arse". T ...
multi-instrumentalist David Coulter and Sister Paul, a Japanese Doctors of Madness tribute band based in Tokyo; and in
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
and
Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
, Yorkshire, England, with bassist Stoner in 2006.


2011: Recognition

Recognition of Doctors of Madness influence on the emergence of British punk rock was documented in the book ''An Unauthorised Guide to Punk Rock: The Early English Scene'' 011 which included the Deviants, the Doctors of Madness,
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
and
the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
. The band's reappraisal as an important influence in British punk rock had prompted the re-release of their albums on CD in 2002.


2014: Reunion

The original line-up of the Doctors of Madness - Kid Strange, Stoner, Peter DiLemma and Urban Blitz - reunited in London in October 2014 for a one-off performance at the
South Bank Centre Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames (between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge). It comprises three main performance venues (the Royal Festival Hall including the Nat ...
as part of Richard Strange's "Language is a Virus from Outer Space", a multi-media centenary celebration of satirical US writer
William S Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist, widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodern author who influenced popular cult ...
.
Joe Elliott Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...
of
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...
made a guest appearance, duetting on "Suicide City". Bassist Stoner, who had been ill for some time with cancer, died a month after the reunion concert, and received an obituary in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' newspaper citing his contributions to music.


2017: Album re-releases

In May 2017,
Cherry Red Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...
released a comprehensive three-CD boxed set of the entire recorded works of the Doctors of Madness remastered, entitled ''Perfect Past - The Complete Doctors of Madness''. The box set contained numerous bonus tracks, including an early version of "Out" and an out-take of "Doctors of Madness" from ''Figments of Emancipation'', a previously-unheard "We Don't Get Back", a rehearsal version of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man", live recordings of songs the band never attempted in the studio, including those co-written with TV Smith of
the Adverts The Adverts were an English punk band who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the United Kingdom, UK; their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached No. 18 in the UK Single ...
, a prospective 1978 single made with Dave Vanian of the Damned, the unheard 1976 "Frustration" and an early version of "Don't Panic England".


2017-2019: Further performances and tours

The release of the Cherry Red three-CD box set was celebrated with a string of live performances by the band, featuring Richard "Kid" Strange, Urban Blitz, and the Japanese rhythm section of Susumu (bass) and Mackii (drums) from the band Sister Paul. This line-up toured in the UK and Japan. In November 2017, Strange and Urban Blitz, joined by protest singer Lily Bud, performed an evening of "unplugged" Doctors of Madness songs in the neo-gothic chapel of
The House of St Barnabas The House of St Barnabas, at 1 Greek Street, Soho, is a Listed building (United Kingdom), Grade I Listed Georgian architecture, Georgian building in London notable for its rococo plasterwork interiors and for other architectural features. Since ...
, in
Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. The event was filmed and released as a DVD, ''In the Afterglow''. Strange occasionally tours in Japan, with the Japanese power duo Sister Paul taking bass and drum duties, and has also lectured students in Japan's Otaru University, Sapporo. He toured Japan with Sister Paul in September 2019.


2019: New Doctors of Madness album

In 2019, 42 years after recording ''Sons of Survival'', Strange returned to the studio to record another album under the name 'Doctors of Madness'. The songs on the album were written by Strange in a short period of time, and were recorded at Doghouse Studios in Oxfordshire, England, with producer
John Leckie John William Leckie (born 23 October 1949) is an English record producer and recording engineer. His production credits include Magazine's ''Real Life'' (1978), XTC's ''White Music'' (1978) and Dukes of Stratosphear's '' 25 O'Clock'' (1985), t ...
, who had worked with Strange on the band's second album, ''Figments of Emancipation''. The new album, entitled ''Dark Times'', was released on 13 September 2019 on the Molecular Scream label through Cargo Records (except in North America, where it was to be released by Cherry Bomb/Mailboat Records). The "unashamedly political" album contained eight songs: "So Many Ways To Hurt You", "Make It Stop!", "Sour Hour", "Walk Of Shame", "This Kind Of Failure", "This Is How To Die", "Blood Brother" and "Dark Times". Guest musicians who participated in the recording of ''Dark Times'' included
Joe Elliott Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...
of
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...
(vocals on five songs) and Sarah Jane Morris of
the Communards The Communards were a British synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985. The duo consisted of Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles. They are most famous for their cover versions of " Don't Leave Me This Way", originally by Harold Melvin & the Bl ...
(vocals on four songs). There were also contributions from
Terry Edwards Terry Edwards (born 10 August 1960) is an English musician who plays trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophones, guitar and keyboards. Biography Edwards gained a degree in music from the University of East Anglia in 1982, where he was also a founding me ...
(
Tindersticks Tindersticks are an English alternative rock band formed in Nottingham in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples embarked on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006 and more permanently the following year. Th ...
,
Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...
,
PJ Harvey Polly Jean Harvey (born 9 October 1969) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined loca ...
, Madness), Steve 'Boltz' Bolton (
Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...
,
the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
,
Atomic Rooster Atomic Rooster are a British rock band originally formed by members of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, organist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member and wrote ...
) and young protest singer Lily Bud. The Japanese power duo Sister Paul, comprising Susumu Ukei on bass and Mackii Ukei on drums, played on all eight tracks. The critical acclaim was unanimous. The record was released in the US on Cherry Bomb Records and in Japan via Crocus Records, and featured in end-of-year 'Top Albums of 2019' roundups.


Discography

*''Late Night Movies All Night Brainstorms'' 1976 – album, Polydor Records *''Figments of Emancipation'' 1976 – album, Polydor Records *''Sons of Survival'' 1978 – album, Polydor Records *''Doctors of Madness'' 1978 – double album, United Artists *''Into the Strange'' - The Doctors of Madness last live concert – 2000
Captain Trip Records Captain Trip Records is a Japanese music label founded and run by musician Ken Matsutani. The label specializes in experimental music and various subgenres of rock, particularly psychedelic rock and progressive rock. In addition to the publication ...
, Japan *''Dirty Water 2: More Birth of Punk Attitude'' - featured the Doctors of Madness song "Waiting", 2011 – Year Zero Records *''Promo Flexi'' - EP for 1975 winter UK tour, featured "Waiting", "Afterglow", "Billy Watch Out" and "Noises of the Evening", catalogue number SFI217 *''Perfect Past: The Complete Doctors of Madness'' 2017 – 3CD boxed set with bonus tracks, live recordings, demos and out-takes, RPM/Cherry Red Records *''Dark Times'' - album, Molecular Scream/Cargo Records, September 2019


DVDs

*''There. Then. Now. Always'' – US documentary on the band (1976) *''Here Come the Hard Goods Now'' – a collection of live performances by Doctors of Madness and Richard Strange *''In the Afterglow'' – unplugged concert at the House of St Barnabas, Soho London, featuring acoustic versions of the songs by Richard Strange and Urban Blitz, with Lily Bud


References


External links


Doctors of Madness
* Doctors of Madness websit

{{Authority control Protopunk groups English art rock groups Musical groups established in 1974 Musical groups from London English rock music groups Polydor Records artists