II Record MlrroF, July 26,1980 ar ea 1 All in the and the band the Boxes, which he retained DEEP in the heart of Swingbest organisation. When the powerful and a bit heavier and they itudio time, a name change and by Madness Ben Barson on keyboards London's Shepherds Swingbest family managed to lust didn't stop getting more and single 'The Prince' Eller through auditions high in the charts. added James Infiltrate Radar with Liverpool chums more powerful and more and more stood fairly and Martin Hughes on Bush lies a rehearsal The Yachts and The band then asked him to do on bass Bette Bright It was heavy. So maybe it's my fault. obtained through his work at room. This, unlike Clive Langer who was asked the album. 'One Step Beyond' and drums to the Warners demo studios. most, isn't the usual perform the production duties on ';They seemed to get a bit lost. Langer asked highly rated Alan because "he's "The nice thing about my band at cramped four walls, their singles. The same thing happened to Deaf. Winstanley to help that here is no He was also the mainspring person you could rely on the moment la threadbare carpets and -semi School. We had a strong identity the only image, nothing to live up to, unlike behind the Rich Kids 1 Deaf School and for things to turn out sounding direction and when you don't Deal School. It's lust songs and - defective equipment. This I Yachts aggregation The have success and you're plodding at good." going on and doing it and It's a very is Illuminations who touted as the it a was Irving to get a mixture of a modern, high technology seven days week and you have "I thing. backing band for a Bette Bright tour. an image to live up to then it's easy the live thing and making it a simple monument to efficiency. The Í'm "Atter a while you lust want to do I proved Itself. "I worked with the Slits as well. to go off the rails a bit. 'record'. think rl's because you get whole ambience is one of (another band then under the at how long It's hung songs, maybe It's surprised and don't want to mess cleanliness, spaciousness Swingbest umbrella,) we as a best sellerr but I wasn't older but didn't Despite the seeds of the Original around All the songs on the album actually record anything but it was Mirrors, The Planets, Slits, Yachts, surprised at it's Immediate success around. and affluence. are a bit funny, humorous good fun. We only went into the Bette Bright, The Corn Sat Angels all because the whdle ska 12 - Tone 'Splash' Littered around the complex is or about things that have happened the likes of Gary Numan, Brinsley to me so there's no pont in being Schwartz, Japan and Clive Lancer, - anyone else but me." [9L %_ i _ . currently wearing his producer s hat The deal with F - Beat came about with Madness, who are scattered in when Elvis Costello had the band various pans of the building. ^ -uT support him on a boat trip down the Langer is devouring, with 1 4., d Mersey gig last year and offered him considerable relish, two very robust, the support slot,on his extensive and appetising looking sandwiches, tour of the provinces earlier this having given up attempting to get year. Langer admits that Jake the various components or Madness. --- Riviera is the only manager he together in one place at the same respected and when Jake offered to time. manage him a deal on the new Langer Is currently hitting all the Riviera label was an obvious step, right success points In the music and the move also linked him again world, having produced the best t I with Andrew Lauder who had given selling 'One Step Beyond' which Is him his first chance at Radar. still hovering in the selling best - Is more of a family involved with the "F Beat lists, being Jake because there is a definite feel in Riviera family at F - Beat, and a 4 the designs and humour of the creditable debut album with his sleeves and with the incestuous band The Boxes. The whole thing is ' stature of the set up." a far cry from the death nearly'two album itself was produced the highly underrated Clive's years ago of in rotation by Elvis Costello, Paul and misunderstood Deal School, of leader Riley, ex Chilli Willi bassman and which Clive was the now the keeper of Nick Lowe's Of the demise of the band Langar studios, Alan Winstanley and says: "The timing was wrong for us. himself. If we had been around earlier or was "The only regret I have about the wrong for us. If we had been around album we album have got is that made the earlier or later we would soon after making the Madness had all that Boxes: 1. to r. Ben Barson, Clive Langer; Martin Hughes more respect. We also CLIVE LANGER and the album ánd before we went on the record company hype when it was and James Ellen. road and became a It's put me to have, it," he adds band. unfashionable ofl,lhe album a bit." in retrospect. tied not punk. We studio once but it was a bit of a , growing together Swingbeat thing was so fashionable at that time Langer's immediate future is "We were new but family up with the new Madness album were also talented with Steve Allen, disaster. It wasn't easy working with various tensions split the in so it was'bound to sell a few, which he a few I different ways. Langer fell he predicts will surprise (riow leader of the excellent Original them really but think Dennis "I remember when we were good lob on their 'Cut' needed a break from all that and people. But the future sees him Minors), Steve Lindsay, (now leader Bovelle dida t1.1 a making used to ask Alan who developing his work with who had a album. ' left, despite having completed the Boxes of The Planets brief worked on the first Stranglers' and with the charts last year) "I liked the Bette Bright and highly polished EP under the name doing more production work. flirtation The Boxes. album, if the feeling was the same, "There was me doing all being members.' Yachts things I didn't really know of some talk of and Bette Bright because it felt to me like the feeling of what I was doing but I wa's pleased The band consisted of utility the Beat and even some mention Potentially it was a really good band was the same, because It felt to me for with them." drummer Bud'gle and Ben Barson, me doing the Boomtown Rats but at but we never got recognised like It was going to do weltbut I the Yachts last elder brother of Madness Mike, on the moment 1 wouldn't be any good what we were doing. People thought He Is critical of hadn't the experience who keyboards and was released on he had with at that because I'd have to be a real we were either a high fashion band work with Richard Gottehrer, the Blondie debut Radar under the title of 'I Want Thé success." fan of what they're up to, and much or a comedy band. They never also produced Langer agrees_that a World'. Madness's as I like their work I'd to work seemed to see that inside there album. "I thought he'd make them prefer It was through his old friendship development as a performing band with Bette Bright, Madness and Glen were people who wanted to make bit more poppier than. he, did heard with the elder Barson that led him to has been staggering and puts It Mattock's new band The Spectres good music and write good songs." because that's how I'd always down taking an Interest in a band called to confidence. which Is more Tike following it The various splinters of Deaf them but I think their new'stuff is a the North London Invaders. A He has since through with friends." School were nurtured within the ex - even worse. I always saw them as been given a deal couple of hundred quid, a bit of with the Riviera label F Deaf School manager Frank Silvers' pop band. I tried to make them more - Beat for his MIKE GARDNER I SPLIT ENZ are back with a hit "I GOT YOU" The new Single on A&M Records In Full Colour Bag. AMS7546. From the forthcoming Album "TRUE COLOURS"AMLH 64822, .