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http://www.bbc.co.uk/youngguns/madness/extra_interviews.shtml
EXTRA, EXTRA - bits you won't see on the telly....
Mike Barson was one of the founding members of
Madness. In this extra footage he talks about getting
the band going, his influences and what he did to make
it work.
Mike says the part he enjoyed the most was getting
Madness started, "coming up from down under" and
officially blowing The Pretenders off stage at one
gig. Mike always had the confidence that Madness would
make it, they were good, they were unique and they
were under 65.
They had to convince people that a bunch of white guys
could play reggae and Mike was really inspired by
Elvis Costello's Watching the Detectives, music that
made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
After the punk era came New Wave, music became
accessible to all, you didn't have to be a brilliant
musician. In fact, Mike turned a saxophone player away
for being too good. Madness was about variety and
spontaneity. Mike quickly changed his tune, and with
his help the rest of the band soon mastered their
instruments - including Chris.
Watch an extended interview with Mike Barson (5'20")
Suggs
How did Suggs and the others feel when Mike Barson
decided to leave Madness? How and why did the band
carry on? Suggs talks frankly about Mike's leaving and
the effect it had on him and the rest of the band.
Suggs admits that although sad, subconciously, Mike
leaving the band was quite a relief for him. Madness
had lost its sparkle and he was enjoying it less and
less, he hoped that Mike's departure would signal a
break for the band. Some of the other members felt
bitter and thought this would spell the end for
Madness.
Communication within the band had broken down and
rather than saying that it was time to call it quits
the remaining members continued along the Madness
treadmill. The continuous touring and album releases
became boring, they tried to spice up the band by
adding more members. But it was a futile attempt at
keeping the band alive - the fun had gone.
But Suggs remained positive, believing that when
things go wrong it can lead you in a direction you
wouldn't normally take. The loss of opportunities
through Mike's departure, such as a scheduled TV
programme, drove Suggs on hoping that it would force a
change - with hindsight he believes that the band
should have split up at that point. They didn't
though, they stumbled on and remained successful.
Suggs remembers the moment he'd had enough and that it
was the end of Madness. In desperation to regain his
life and individuality Suggs decided to call time on
Madness, it was 1986 and he was 25 years old.
Watch the whole Suggs interview.
=====
� Madness in great ones must not unwathc�d go�
(Hamlet Act III Scene 1/195)
ICQ 46099201
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