Dear CB
u must of been asked the following question a plenty. I’m interested to know how u guys have put up with each other after 30 plus years. Obviously Bedders is no longer there and we wish him the best of luck and health for the future. As u guys are now back in the studio, I get the feeling that ever present is the current core of the band, yourself, suggs, barso and woody, and perhaps the great thommo and chas are only really there part time. Is that so?? and does that effect band relations?? as both thommo and chas smash are brilliant writers and fantastic performers, without them, Madness would not be Madness. Chas Smash once said on telly interview that it’s only really special when the seven of u are together, and this is very true.
take care my friend.
tote

Dear Tote
As long as I can remember the core of the band when rehearsing has always been Mike Woody and Bedders and myself . We would work on the music. Thommo Chas and Suggs usually the lyrics. We would work on tunes put them on cassettes and the lyricists would come back and we would work on them more. This is not set in stone it was often more of a group thing but it was usually the working method in the 80’s. These days its all done to a higher standard, not dodgy cassettes they are highly polished demos all done before we get in the rehearsal rooms. So you get everyone more or less turning up at the [sort of] same time. Mind you, Suggs still turns up with cassettes…It’s better with all 7 of us involved but as you can see, that was not always the case anyway. Does that make sense?
CB