Unreleased Madness album

Unreleased Madness album
Studio album by
Madness
ReleasedSummer 1987 (unreleased)
RecordedJuly–September 1986 (demos) September–November 1986 (final production cancelled)
StudioLiquidator Studios, London
Genre
LengthUnknown
LabelZarjazz (UK)
Producer
Madness chronology
Utter Madness
(1986) 		Unreleased Madness album
(1987) 		The Madness
(1988)
Singles from Unreleased Madness Album
  1. "Waiting for the Ghost Train"
    Released: 27 October 1986

The unreleased Madness album was to be the seventh studio album by the English ska/pop band Madness. In early July they returned from a long, grueling tour incorporating Australia and America culminating with some European and UK festivals. Between July and early September they recorded demos for this new album at their Liquidator Studios in North London.[1] From these demos they selected a sequenced track listing of 11 songs to be produced for the finished album. At least one other track ("Gabriel's Horn") was also demoed, indicating there may have been others additionally recorded.[2]

The chosen album was announced with its track listing displayed in Issue XIV (14) of the official Madness "MIS" Nutty Boys fanzine (published during August 1986).[3] However, after Issue XIV was printed and before it was posted out to members, the band decided to split up due to musical differences. They announced their break up in late September 1986.[1] Consequently, they abandoned the album before it was about to become finally produced between September and November that year, to then be released the following summer.[3][4]

Another prominent reason why the album was not completed was because four of the members (Carl, Suggs, Lee and Chris) wished to use the tracks they had written for the next band they were forming.[5][6] Nonetheless, the full six remaining members of the band did manage to record two tracks, "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train" and its B-Side "Maybe in Another Life". These tracks became the group's farewell single. The Unreleased Madness Album was quickly substituted with a rush-released second compilation album titled Utter Madness.

The band officially split in November following the release of their last single, which reached a high of number 18 in the UK.

  1. ^ a b Official Madness Timeline. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928002907/http://www.madness.co.uk/time/1986/text.htm
  2. ^ Reed, John. "House of Fun: The Story of Madness" London, Omnibus Press, 2010 p.293-4
  3. ^ a b Official Madness "MIS" Nutty Boys fanzine Issue XIV (Summer 1986) p.12
  4. ^ Clayden, Andy. "The Madness Story: Chapter 6" https://web.archive.org/web/20071222183520/http://www.hilltop61.freeserve.co.uk/2tone/madness6.html
  5. ^ Reed, John. "House of Fun: The Story of Madness" London, Omnibus Press, 2010 p.301
  6. ^ Official Madness "MIS" Nutty Boys fanzine Issue 15 (Winter 1986) p.7