Hello, it’s Chrissy Boy here. Send me a question and I'll do my best to answer it.

Unless it contains any of the following:

  1. When/where is the next gig? - Please see the gig section above.
  2. Can I get your autographs?- This service is not available via the website, all applications must be made in person.
  3. Can I get backstage passes? - No.
  4. Will there ever be another 2Tone tour? - This is not very likely, is it?
  5. Where does Suggs get his sunglasses? – Persol.
  6. Where do you get your suits/hats/shoes? Gresham Blake, The Saturday Club, Hackett, Christies, Loake, Lock and Co, The British Boot Company.
  7. When is the “The Madness” album being re released? – I have still not got a clue.

[The questions above will be rinsed, filtered, processed and finally deleted by our new “Timewaster (tm)” interface, leaving me more time to answer the really important ones].

Thanks CB x

To see posts from the old version of Chris's Cupboard visit the archive Here

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi Chris, I’m writing for some advice. How important has actual sheet music and composing sheet music been for Madness?

I’m trying to start a band with some friends, but they’re all classically trained and can read sheet music. I taught myself by ear, so I never learnt. In particular, we were knocking about with Take Five and I was playing the song in E flat minor, like it is on the record. But my friend pulled up some sheet music online that puts it in B minor and insisted on playing it so.

I obliged, but I figure this may cause some problems down the line. Do you have any advice on how to bridge that gap?

Leave a Reply

dear Joe
That’s quite interesting. None of the band read music although I think Mark and Woody have a basic understanding. We never used sheet music as such when learning songs. We would use song books though and note the chords when working out covers. From what I found out (Chat GPT) you are correct “Take 5” is in Eb. So I don’t know where the other sheet music came from. What instrument do you play?
best of luck with it all CB

I play piano keyboards, but I’ve also recently taken up bass on the side. I’ve done school choir before and had a very brief but unsuccessful stint with acoustic guitar, so I understand the terms but, especially in live performance, I don’t see the point of sheet music. If you have a basic understanding of how the song goes (melody, solos, etc), it’s probably better to change things up a bit as you go, so it’s not just like the record. And I think the show itself is just as, if not more, important than musical precision. The rest of them are a bit mixed on that, so we’ll see how it goes.

Thanks Joe
Wish you all the best. It’s best to know the songs without sheet music but reading music is handy if you want to get work in orchestras or stage shows etc. The guys that play brass with us all read music, so if one of them gets a stand in he just reads the score sheet.
CB

Hi Chris, standing in the Hamburg Rain at Stadtpark Open Air and listening to “The Sun and the Rain”, I was wondering about seeing Madness as a “3-Piece”. What has happened to you (thought you have recovered and returned to stage), Mike und Woody for this special gig? This was my 15th time seeing the band live, but seeing only three of you made me a bit sad, I must admit. Hope to see you again! Cheers, Boris

Leave a Reply

dear Boris
and I’m sorry I wasn’t there. My doctor doesn’t want me to travel,as my immune system isn’t brilliant. Woody doesn’t like touring outside the Uk. Mike was on a Buddhist retreat. This was all known in advance and really as we have an agreement that anything than less four members, then we shouldn’t play shows with just three original members but Mez on drums and Seamus on keyboards are very good and Kevin has been standing in for me for the last year. Hopefully I’ll be able to travel to Europe next year for live shows.
CB

dear Niels
I’m sorry but my doctors said I can’t travel on public transport etc for a while.
I’ll hopefully be back next year
best, CB