SEVEN RAGGED MEN | Mixed Nuts
The story of Madness... in their own words
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Mixed Nuts

Assorted waifs and strays

Some cuttings and quotes just didn’t fit into the Madness story, no matter how much squashage was applied. So here you’ll find some oddities and random musings, huddling together for warmth.

  • The full story of how Madness caused an earthquake when they reunited for a triumphant comeback concert in Finsbury Park in 1992

  • After recording it in the Bahamas, Madness released their long-awaited third album on October 2 1981

  • Madness discuss the whirlwind birth of their second album, which was released on 26 September 1980

  • The band reveal the story behind their classic schoolboy anthem and its iconic video, which attracted a whole new generation of fans

  • Madness discuss how they wrote the classic social commentary which became the second single from Absolutely

  • Madness discuss the story behind their eighth single, which reached No4 in the UK charts in 1981

  • Read the full story behind this cover of the Labi Siffre song, which soon became a classic in its own right

  • The band reveal the story behind their 1982 single, which grew from personal memories of childhood to a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

  • Why was it called Shut Up? What's Duane Eddy got to do with it? And where *did* the Super Yob guitar come from? Madness reveal all...

  • Released on 14 October 1981, the Madness film Take It Or Leave It saw the band playing themselves and telling the story of their early days

  • The band reveal the secrets behind their instrumental single, which was released in the UK in January 1981

  • Suggs reveals the stories and inspiration behind some of the tracks from his first solo album, released way back in 1995.

  • In 1980, a refreshed Suggs and Carl were banned from Tiswas after an incident with Sally James's eyelashes. Danny Baker was there.

  • Carl explains the stories behind the songs in a track-by-track guide to his melancholy solo album, released in 2015.

  • The guitarist and vocalist fire up the Dansette and take a trip down memory lane to choose their favourite old-school ska tunes.

  • Thommo revisits his youth and gives his personal rundown of the 11 best ska songs to play on a sun-soaked summer's day.

  • Read what the fans who were there have to say about the momentous events of August 8&9 1992, when an earthquake rocked Finsbury Park.