VIA PRESS RELEASE | On March 12, the pride of Camden Town will release the U.S.-only compilation Our House: The Very Best of Madness via BMG. This 12-song primer for Madness fans new and old alike is a veritable hit parade spanning the band’s entire career: From 1979 debut single “The Prince” through classics including “Our House,” “It Must Be Love,” “Baggy Trousers” and “House of Fun,” to more recent staples “NW5,” “Mr. Apples,” and the 2019 standalone single “Bullingdon Boys.”
Madness emerged from North London to spearhead the late 1970s /early 1980s two-tone ska revival with such classic albums as its 1979 debut One Step Beyond … (featuring the title track, “My Girl,” “Bed & Breakfast Man,” and “Night Boat to Cairo”) and sophomore effort Absolutely (featuring “Baggy Trousers” and “Embarrassment”). As the band’s sound evolved over the course of albums including 7, The Rise & Fall, Keep Moving and the self-titled compilation that yielded the U.S. top 10 hit “Our House,” Madness spent an unprecedented 200+ weeks on the UK charts from 1980-1986.
Madness’ generation-spanning legacy has produced more than a dozen UK top 10 singles including “It Must Be Love,” “House of Fun,” “Wings of a Dove,” “Shut Up” and more, inspired the London musical Our House, and in 2000 earned the band the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Song Collection. Since 2007, Madness has released its music on its own Lucky 7 record label, including albums The Liberty of Norton Folgate, Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da and Can’t Touch Us Now, and the 2019 single Bullingdon Boys.
The band continues to headline arenas and festivals the world over—not to mention atop Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert and the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics, in addition to creating a yearly tradition with its own annual House of Fun Weekender.
Madness is Graham “Suggs” McPherson, Mike “Barso” Barson, Lee “Kix” Thompson, Chris “Chrissy Boy” Foreman, Mark “Bedders” Bedford, and Daniel “Woody” Woodgate.
Madness
Our House: The Very Best of Madness
• Our House
• It Must Be Love
• House of Fun
• Baggy Trousers
• Embarrassment
• NW5
• One Step Beyond…
• The Prince
• Wings Of A Dove
• Mr Apples
• Bullingdon Boys
• Night Boat To Cairo (US Version)
