The guy on sax is Lee kix Thompson. Mike keyboard player taught him how to play, by making him listen to old recordings and showing him the notes as they went along. Kix was Lees tag, as he liked to do things just for kicks, and still does to this day.
For those people, like me, who like to nerd out a bit: Ska shares a common origin with Reggae and Rocksteady (they even mention Rocksteady in this clip) in Jamaica, dating back to at least the 50s, but possibly the 40s, very likely, actually. What most people around the world identify as Ska is actually the second generation of Ska that spread from the UK; which Madness is a part of. The first wave came from Jamaica, but in the post-war period, Jamaica being a part of the British Commonwealth, was given preferential treatment for its immigrants to the UK to help rebuild the country after the war. That's how Ska made its way to the UK. And, because Jamaican immigrants settled in very working-class neighborhoods, many white Britons adopted the genre. Ska was, in essence, a very working-class youth genre in the UK in the first decade or so. In the 70s, when Punk music broke out in the UK, many of its aspects, like the high energy and electronic instruments (and some post-punk) fused with the earlier Ska to create what you see here: second-wave ska. Ironically, this also coincided with much of the Thatcher period. I say ironic, because Thatcher was very conservative in the Cold War drive while most UK Ska bands were very racially integrated; as were the audiences and tended to have a very strong working class and militant anti-racist stand. Third generation Ska isn't really that interesting (with perhaps my personal liking of the band Save Ferris). In general it was a 90s American suburbanite pop infused thing that was empty of any significant social lyrics. Most of you may not know this, but this song by Madness is actually a cover of Prince Buster's original version. In fact, their name "Madness" also comes from a Prince Buster song; along with their song of the same name. Prince Buster's considered the godfather of Ska. I leave the link below of the original version of "One Step Beyond." th-cam.com/video/5ukZmiFKzog/w-d-xo.html
Nice one. A nice follow up to this is their song “The Bed and Breakfast Man”. Also, try their song “My Girl” which is *totally* different but an absolute melancholy classic.
This track is a cover from a Prince Buster song. Early Jamaican ska. Love it... Madness also got their name from a Prince Buster tune. Also check out The Specials for more ska action.
Fun fact, the guy who does the intro rap, at the time this was filmed, wasn't even part of the band. In fact, he's not seen during the performance shots and wasn't on the album cover. So what was the deal with him? - Cathal Smyth, AKA Chas Smash, was the band's original bass player when they were called "The Invaders" but left the band on good terms. So after the band changed their name into "Madness" Smash would turn up at performances and would frequently jump onstage and join the party. He'd do that so many times that the band had something like "We have to get Chas back in, he's too much fun!" Chas played on the "One step beyond" album, and sang vocals on several songs but he wasn't a full member of the band yet. He'd formally re-join the band a couple of months later and remained with them until he left in 2014 and hasn't rejoined Madness since, which many fans say is a shame since he added so much fun on stage.
Saw them last night in Liverpool UK, it was a great night! And they also played this instrumental too!
"It must be love" and "House of fun" are two other great Madness tunes! Great reaction!
Madness is such a fun band! I highly recommend "Wings of a Dove", "The Prince" & "It Must be Love" if you want to dive deeper...
The guy on sax is Lee kix Thompson. Mike keyboard player taught him how to play, by making him listen to old recordings and showing him the notes as they went along.
Kix was Lees tag, as he liked to do things just for kicks, and still does to this day.
Great reaction to a great band!! Thank you, JT! You are really listening to your subscribers!! Keep up the good work!!
LOVE Madness....they went to Coachella a few years back and they blew them away! This was SKA, circa 1979?
Great reaction. Thanks.
For those people, like me, who like to nerd out a bit:
Ska shares a common origin with Reggae and Rocksteady (they even mention Rocksteady in this clip) in Jamaica, dating back to at least the 50s, but possibly the 40s, very likely, actually. What most people around the world identify as Ska is actually the second generation of Ska that spread from the UK; which Madness is a part of.
The first wave came from Jamaica, but in the post-war period, Jamaica being a part of the British Commonwealth, was given preferential treatment for its immigrants to the UK to help rebuild the country after the war. That's how Ska made its way to the UK. And, because Jamaican immigrants settled in very working-class neighborhoods, many white Britons adopted the genre. Ska was, in essence, a very working-class youth genre in the UK in the first decade or so.
In the 70s, when Punk music broke out in the UK, many of its aspects, like the high energy and electronic instruments (and some post-punk) fused with the earlier Ska to create what you see here: second-wave ska. Ironically, this also coincided with much of the Thatcher period. I say ironic, because Thatcher was very conservative in the Cold War drive while most UK Ska bands were very racially integrated; as were the audiences and tended to have a very strong working class and militant anti-racist stand.
Third generation Ska isn't really that interesting (with perhaps my personal liking of the band Save Ferris). In general it was a 90s American suburbanite pop infused thing that was empty of any significant social lyrics.
Most of you may not know this, but this song by Madness is actually a cover of Prince Buster's original version. In fact, their name "Madness" also comes from a Prince Buster song; along with their song of the same name. Prince Buster's considered the godfather of Ska. I leave the link below of the original version of "One Step Beyond."
th-cam.com/video/5ukZmiFKzog/w-d-xo.html
one of the best things that happened in the early 1980s
The Prince is a fantastic choice if you were to choose another theirs or night boat to Cairo which is my favourite.
Nice one. A nice follow up to this is their song “The Bed and Breakfast Man”. Also, try their song “My Girl” which is *totally* different but an absolute melancholy classic.
Love it!
these guys along with Specials and English Beat as well as Ian Dury w. Blockheads moved your feet
This track is a cover from a Prince Buster song. Early Jamaican ska. Love it... Madness also got their name from a Prince Buster tune. Also check out The Specials for more ska action.
The Sax player is called Lee Thompson also known as El Thommo
Absolutely a classic... even though it's a cover. 😎
It's a great cover now listen to prince buster one step beyond
How has it been 40 years on? MTV staple-ska, the happiest sound on earth not named reggae.
Night Boat to Cairo is another fun one.
Check out Whats up by 4 non blondes!!!
Don't sleep on "Baggy Trousers"
Fun fact, the guy who does the intro rap, at the time this was filmed, wasn't even part of the band. In fact, he's not seen during the performance shots and wasn't on the album cover.
So what was the deal with him?
- Cathal Smyth, AKA Chas Smash, was the band's original bass player when they were called "The Invaders" but left the band on good terms. So after the band changed their name into "Madness" Smash would turn up at performances and would frequently jump onstage and join the party. He'd do that so many times that the band had something like "We have to get Chas back in, he's too much fun!"
Chas played on the "One step beyond" album, and sang vocals on several songs but he wasn't a full member of the band yet. He'd formally re-join the band a couple of months later and remained with them until he left in 2014 and hasn't rejoined Madness since, which many fans say is a shame since he added so much fun on stage.
Didn't he learn the trumpet, to give him something else to do onstage?
Madness song 'Our House'
The original is Prince Buster !
They are a fun band, Talented too. Please check them out!
The guy in the bed looks like he's thinking, Who the hell are you?
Nightboat to Cairo next please
"Epic"
You should check out songs from 2 tone black and white record label
The Naziest sound around
Nutty sound
*The Nutsy-est sound around. They were known as “the Nutty Boys” you know.
Hey girl just get into it ska reggie c'mon get on it get in x
GREAT SAXAMAFONE
It's called embrace...
Listen to the original