2024

The Madness frontman provides vocals on a new single by the indie beat punk band called Zombie Nation. He also appears in the video, which sees him and the band fighting off zombies and barricading themselves in a pub, much like Shaun of the Dead. After the band perform a Nutty Train in honour of their guest vocalist, Suggs himself turns into one of the undead.

Suggs is a special guest on the Saturday morning cookery show. After having an English breakfast cooked for him, he talks about the band’s music and the upcoming Summer tour.

Suggs and Mike appear at the end of Ken Bruce’s show as the DJ marks his one-year anniversary as a presenter on the station. The duo perform a stripped back version of It Must be Love, with the vocals changed to “It must be Ken” to fit in with the celebrations. The show is broadcast from a pub, with other guests including Sharleen Spiteri, Vanessa Feltz and Basil Brush.

A special edition of the 2009 album is released, with additional tracks Bittersweet and The Roadette Song, plus a 24-page booklet with exclusive new liner notes from Suggs, Lee, Chris, Woody and Mike, and a poem by Carl.

The band appear on the prime time ITV chat show, playing Round and Round to close the programme. Recorded earlier in the week, the performance sees Mez deputising for Woody on drums.

For this year’s Record Day, a special edition of the 1980 classic is made available, with its six tracks including the original 7” mix and a previously unreleased instrumental specially mixed by Clive Langer. Side A: Embarrassment / Not Home Today / E.R.N.I.E. Side B: Embarrassment (Instrumental) / Crying Shame / You Said.

Suggs joins DJ Gary Davies in the studio for the weekly trip down memory lane. Acting as co-host during the two-hour show, he introduces some of his 80s favourites, answers listeners’ questions and discusses the No1 album and upcoming tour. Wings of a Dove and Michael Caine both got an airing, after which Suggs reveals how they were recorded. After playing a live version of Keep Moving from 1985, Gary asks the singer how his voice has changed, with Suggs joking that it isn’t really any different because he didn’t have much of one to lose. Among the chosen 80s tracks are numbers by Echo and the Bunnymen and Aswad, with Suggs reminiscing about working together before quipping: “What a mix of haircuts that was.”

Bedders teams up with friend and fellow musician Mark Anthony to launch a new monthly music podcast, broadcast on Shoreditch Radio at 9pm on the first Monday of every month.

Two more albums from the band’s back catalogue get a makeover treatment as two-disc expanded editions. Oui Oui… contains 11 bonus tracks which weren’t on the original CD, but did feature on the deluxe version released in 2013. Liner notes from Mike, Chris and Woody are also included. The new version of Can’t Touch Us Now includes 14 mostly demo tracks not on the original release, as well as interviews with Suggs, Mike, Chris and Lee.

Madness play two shows on the same day as a warm-up for their impending US tour, performing a matinee at 4pm and a later show at the same venue.

Madness head to the west coast for their first date on US soil since April 2012, kicking off the C’est La Vie in America Tour in Washington State.

Before returning to Europe for the C’est La Vie Summer 2024 Tour, Madness stop off in Iceland to play this festival.

Madness put out an extended double-disc edition of their No1 album, with the 32 tracks including five previously unreleased numbers: I’d Do Anything (If I Could), which is credited to Chris, along with No Reason (McPherson), Hello Sun (Woodgate), Long Goodbye (Woodgate) and old favourite Culture Vulture (Barson/Thompson). Sung by Lee, the latter has been around in various guises since the 1990s, with this version more like the one performed at the 2018 House of Fun weekender than the one revealed at Madstock in 1996 that didn’t make the cut for Wonderful. Available in the usual variety of formats, the second disc also includes six live tracks from the 2023 Christmas tour: Theatre of the Absurd, C’est La Vie, Hour of Need, Round We Go, Run For Your Life, In My Street and Friday Night, Saturday Morning.

Back on home turf, and after a couple of weeks off, the band reconvene for the summer festival circuit, kicking off in the sunshine on the south coast.

After completing their sojourn around the British Isles, Madness head to Europe for three festival appearances.