Say hello to the Nutty Boys October 6

Lee Thompson Mike Barson Suggs Chris Foreman Mark Bedford Dan Woodgate

ritish ska band Madness House, It Must Be Love and Baggy Trousers. 2002, winning the Laurence Olivier Award got their first taste of fame In fact, Madness clocked up 214 weeks in the For Best New Musical in 2003. The band almost 40 years ago when, UK singles charts in a decade with 15 singles then returned with a new record in 2012 just teenagers, their song One reaching the UK Top 10. and a follow-up album in October entitled Step Beyond reached the UK After successful reunion gigs in the Can’t Touch Us Now. Top 10. Led by frontman Suggs, the lads ’90s and early noughties, the musical Our You can expect a smattering of new tracks then dominated the charts through the House, based on a selection of Madness and old favourites when they perform at the ’80s dishing out hit anthems including Our songs, was staged at Cambridge Theatre in Irish Village this month.

09.2016_What’s On_31 MADNESS a.

b.

d.

a. Early days b. The band messing around backstage, 1980s c. The1980s d. 1982 e. One Step Beyond released in 1979 PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES PHOTO:

c. e. TEN MINUTES WITH… Madness frontman Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson

How old were you when now you have to pay to gig in a world is madness. Those wrong trousers, you know? joined Madness? London pub – kids have to pay videos are recordings of You’ve been to Dubai I was about 17, I think. I went like £200 (Dhs950). seven young people really before… to The Roxy club in Covent What was it like growing up enjoying themselves. It wasn’t We have, about four years ago. Garden when I was 16 and I in the ’70s music scene? in any way constructed or We had a disastrous afternoon remember there was a band Everything was happening in pretentious, it was totally at Ski Dubai when our PA who were 14 years old and I the ’70s. We were coming out of spontaneous and still is. I keep went flying down head first, thought, ‘If these guys can do it a period of austerity and things waiting for the day I grow up, taking all the snow with him. then why can’t I?’ By the time were pretty dark, and then I’m looking forward to it. What can we expect from I was 18 I was on Top Of The punk came along. It taught us What music do you listen to your Dubai gig? Pops. We were kids, really. that you didn’t need to be a in your spare time? The usual unbridled joy. Make How have things changed musical virtuoso to start a band I don’t mind a bit of grime sure your shoes are done up for young musicians starting – and we certainly were not. and I was just listening to The tightly. You’re likely to lose out now? Your videos always look Weeknd and Tinie Tempah. something, if not your marbles. It’s more difficult for bands like fun. Does ‘madness’ On the other end, I’m getting aa Dubai Duty Free Tennis now. When we were starting describe you all well? into jazz and things I despised Stadium, The Irish Village, out in Camden Town there were It’s been the right name, as a kid, but there’s a whole Dubai, 9.30pm, Dhs250. probably 20 Irish pubs that had because it has been madness, raft of music that you’d hate Tel: (04) 23950000. Metro: function rooms for gigs. But everything is madness, the because they were wearing the GGICO. platinumlist.net

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