Posted on 03/24/2021 10:09:44 PM PDT by nickcarraway
U.K. band Madness have had several lives in their more than 40 years together, from ska superstars on their 1979 debut, One Step Beyond, to top 10 success with 1982's smash "Our House," to breaking up in 1986, reuniting in 1992 and continuing on the last two decades as a successful touring band.
All of those eras are covered on the new U.S. only compilation, Our House: The Very Best Of Madness. The 12-song collection goes from the band's first hit, "The Prince" to 2019's "Bullingdon Boys," which the band's Graham "Suggs" McPherson calls a sort of protest song.
I spoke with McPherson about the compilation, the band's early days, life during the pandemic, how the band's priorities have changed over the years and much more.
Graham McPherson: I'm down at the seaside funnily enough. My wife's family is down here on the Southeast Coast and just got out of London during the lockdown and going back has just been so depressing with everything shut and all the places I normally go to. So we've just been down here becoming seaside folk, fisher folk.
Baltin: Are you actually fishing or just adapting to the lifestyle?
McPherson: A bit of both, my nephew loves fishing. I tried it a couple of times, very boring, isn't it? You just stand there. I used to go with my brother-in-law when the bars were still open and I'd look at him and he was just like fixated on the idea it could happen any minute. I'd go to the pub, be gone two hours and he hadn't even noticed I'd been gone.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Their 1982 album was one I wore the grooves out on when I was a teen.
CC
Johnny the Snitch: How should I know?
[Dick Clark gives Johnny a dollar bribe]
Johnny the Snitch: Nothing but a modern offshoot of reggae, updated white rock influences, definitely upbeat. It'll never become really popular because even though they've made the back beat more conventional, it's still too exotic for mass acceptance.
Dick Clark: Johnny, I also need some more of that secret formula enternal youth cream you have.
I saw Madness. Back in the day.
Go-Go’s opened.
“Who are you and how did you get in here?”
“I’m a locksmith. And, I’m a locksmith.”
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