Chas Smash

Chas Smash
Smash standing onstage, playing a trumpet
Smash performing live in 2009
Background information
Birth nameCathal Joseph Smyth
Born (1959-01-14) 14 January 1959 (age 65)
Fitzrovia, London, England[1]
Genres
2-tone
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • multi-instrumentalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • trumpet
  • bass
Years active1978–present
LabelsRolled Gold

Cathal Joseph "Carl" Smyth (born 14 January 1959), also known as Chas Smash, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the secondary vocalist, trumpet player and dancer for the English band Madness from their inception in the late 1970s until 2014.[2]

In addition to trumpet, Smyth plays the bass guitar (having initially joined Madness as a bassist), acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments. He performs lead vocals on some Madness tracks, such as "Michael Caine", "Wings of a Dove", "One Step Beyond" and "Madness (Is All in the Mind)". Initially an occasional songwriter, he became a more frequent contributor and was credited as co-writer on the band's international hit "Our House".[3]

  1. ^ "Results for England & Wales Births 1837–2006". search.findmypast.co.uk. 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Biography: Madness". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  3. ^ Buskin, Richard (June 2006). "Classic Tracks: 'Our House' by Madness". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 2 June 2015.