The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1

Last updated

The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1
The Dangermen Sessions.jpg
Studio album by
Madness
Released16 August 2005 [1]
Recorded2004–2005 [2]
Studio Livingston Recording Studios
Whitfield Street Studios
Fallout Shelter
Miloco Studios [3]
(London)
Genre
Length37:22
Label Live and Intensified (an imprint of V2 Records)
Producer
Madness chronology
Our House: the Original Songs
(2002)		The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1
(2005)		 Madness Live: To the Edge of the Universe and Beyond
(2006)
Singles from The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1
  1. "Shame & Scandal"
    Released: 25 July 2005 [4]
  2. "Girl Why Don't You?"
    Released: 28 November 2005 [5]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 63/100 [6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Drowned in Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Uncut Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]

The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1 is a cover album and the eighth studio album by the British ska band Madness, released in 2005. The album reached No. 11 in the UK which at the time was their highest chart position in the UK since 1984's Keep Moving .

Contents

The Dangermen

Prior to recording the album, Madness played a series of low-key gigs under the alias the Dangermen, performing mostly cover versions which they had performed in their early days as the Invaders. A selection from the set list was then chosen to be recorded for the album. Some songs which were played live but not included on the album included "Skylarking" and "Dreader Than Dread" (both released as B-sides on the "Shame and Scandal" single), "Wonderful World, Beautiful People", "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" and "It Miek", as well as the Prince Buster numbers "One Step Beyond" and "Madness", both of which the group had already released in 1979. The live concerts also included Dangermen "covers" of a few of Madness' more ska-influenced original compositions, such as "Night Boat to Cairo" and "The Prince".

Singer Suggs said of some of the song choices: "The irony is that many of the songs had already been recorded in reggae form, such as "You Keep Me Hanging On" or even "Lola". So even though they ended up a little Madness-ified, we based our version on the reggae cover version, not the original song itself." [11]

Guitarist Chris Foreman appeared on most of the album, but he left the group during the sessions [12] and was therefore not a member of the group at the time of the album's release and did not take part in promotion for the album. He would later re-join the group. [13] Co-producer John "Segs" Jennings filled in on guitar on the remaining tracks. [14]

The album booklet contains both serious sleeve notes in which the various members of the group discuss their choice of songs, and fictional notes concerning the history of the group "the Dangermen", who are claimed to have been an influential reggae group formed in Havana in the 1960s, and who have reformed after 35 years to record the album.

Each member of Madness has an alter ego in the Dangermen:

Reception

The Guardian called the album "modestly agreeable listening", adding that "the translation from raucous pub to sober recording studio has squeezed out much of the combo's spontaneous lunacy." [9] Although reggae classics such as "Shame & Scandal" and "The Israelites" are faithfully reproduced, according to the Entertainment.ie website, they also felt that the album lacks the band's trademark quirky sense of humour. [15] musicOMH wrote that most of the tracks could easily be a single, but felt that on some of the ska tracks, the production is "a little too clean". [16] PopMatters wrote, "All the songs bop along at about the same pace, all interpreted in the same rocksteady style, and this makes the proceedings a bit wearisome towards the end. But when Madness does it right it's clear they're still very much in possession of the skills that made them so unique." [1]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Original artistLength
1."This Is Where" Cathal Smyth, Mike Barson, Mark Bedford, Graham McPherson Madness 0:30
2."Girl Why Don't You?" Cecil Campbell Prince Buster 3:05
3."Shame & Scandal" (aka "Shame and Scandal in the Family") Lord Melody, Lancelot Pinard Lord Melody / Sir Lancelot 2:52
4."I Chase the Devil" (aka "Ironshirt") Max Romeo, Lee Perry Max Romeo 3:20
5."Taller Than You Are" Joseph Abraham Gordon Lord Tanamo 2:27
6."You Keep Me Hanging On" Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland The Supremes 3:08
7."Dangerman" (aka "High Wire") Edwin Astley Edwin Astley & His Orchestra 2:42
8."Israelites" Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong Desmond Dekker & the Aces 3:03
9."John Jones" Rudy Mills, Derrick Harriott Rudy Mills 3:28
10."Lola" Ray Davies The Kinks  
11."You'll Lose a Good Thing" Barbara Lynn Ozen Barbara Lynn 2:42
12."Rain" José Feliciano, Hilda Feliciano José Feliciano 2:56
13."So Much Trouble in the World" Bob Marley Bob Marley and the Wailers 3:44

Chart performance

Chart (2005)Peak
position		Total
weeks
Belgian Albums Chart (Vl) [17] 931
Belgian Albums Chart (Wa) [17] 398
Dutch Albums Chart [18] 593
European Hot 100 Albums Chart [19] ?3
French Albums Chart [20] 1715
German Albums Chart [21] 812
Swiss Albums Chart [22] 674
UK Albums Chart [23] 114

Personnel

Madness
Additional musicians
Technical

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madness (band)</span> British ska band

Madness are an English ska and pop band from Camden Town, north London, who formed in 1976. One of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s two-tone ska revival, they continue to perform with six of the seven members of their original line-up. Madness's most successful period was from 1980 to 1986, when the band's songs spent a total of 214 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suggs</span> English musician

Graham McPherson, known primarily by his stage name Suggs, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actor.

<i>Absolutely</i> (Madness album) 1980 studio album by Madness

Absolutely is the second studio album from the British ska band Madness. The album reached number 2 in the UK album charts.

<i>7</i> (Madness album) 1981 studio album by Madness

7 is the third studio album by the English ska and pop band Madness. Released in October 1981, it peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. All but one track was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas in the summer of 1981, the exception being "Grey Day" which was recorded in London earlier in the year. Although in 2011 co-producer Alan Winstanley stated in the Guided Tour of Madness boxed-set that much of the album was re-recorded in London when they returned from Nassau.

<i>The Rise & Fall</i> 1982 studio album by Madness

The Rise & Fall is the fourth studio album by English ska band Madness, released on 8 October 1982 by Stiff Records. This album saw Madness at their most experimental, exhibiting a range of musical styles including jazz, English music hall, and Eastern influences. NME described it at the time of its release as "the best Madness record". It has often been retrospectively described as a concept album.

<i>Mad Not Mad</i> 1985 studio album by Madness

Mad Not Mad is the sixth studio album by the English ska and pop band Madness. It was released on 30 September 1985, their first release on their own label Zarjazz, a sub-label of Virgin Records. The album was recorded over a period of two months in 1985 at Westside Studios and at AIR Studios, both in London. The album was their last recording of original material until they officially reformed in 1992.

<i>The Madness</i> (The Madness album) 1988 studio album by The Madness

The Madness is the only studio album by the British ska/pop band The Madness, a short-lived incarnation of Madness. It was originally released in mid-1988, on the label Virgin. The album was produced by the Three Eyes, a pseudonym, whose identities remain a mystery. With the demise of Madness and the group's own label Zarjazz, the Madness were directly recruited under Virgin Records.

<i>Wonderful</i> (Madness album) 1999 studio album by Madness

Wonderful is the seventh studio album by the British band Madness, released on 1 November 1999. It was the band's first studio album in fourteen years since Mad Not Mad in 1985, and also the first to feature their classic seven-piece line-up since 1984's Keep Moving. The album saw Madness reunite with their original production team, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, who had produced all of the band's previous work.

<i>The Three Pyramids Club</i> 1998 studio album by Suggs

The Three Pyramids Club is the second solo studio album by British singer Suggs known from second wave ska band Madness. It was released in 1998 and reached no. 82 on the UK album chart in its lone week on the chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Girl (Madness song)</span> 1979 single by Madness

"My Girl" is a song by British ska/pop group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson. The song was released as a single on 21 December 1979 and spent 10 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 3.

<i>Madstock!</i> 1992 live album by Madness

Madstock! is the first live album by ska/pop band Madness, released on 2 November 1992 by Go! Discs. The album includes highlights from Madness' first concerts since their disbanding in 1986, on 8 and 9 August 1992 at Finsbury Park in London. The bill included Flowered Up, Gallon Drunk, Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Morrissey and Madness.

<i>Complete Madness</i> 1982 greatest hits album by Madness

Complete Madness is the first greatest hits album by ska/pop group Madness. It was released in 1982 and included Madness' biggest hits from their first three studio albums and the stand-alone singles. Complete Madness spent 99 weeks on the UK charts, peaking at number 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NW5</span> 2008 single by Madness

"NW5" is a song by the band Madness, which was debuted live at the Brixton Academy in December 2006. The single was released in January 2008 on the band's own label, Lucky 7 Records, and entered the chart at no.24 on Sunday 20th Jan 2008, going to no.1 on the UK Independent Label Chart on Sunday 20th Jan 2008. It was very well received by fans and critics alike.

<i>The Liberty of Norton Folgate</i> 2009 studio album by Madness

The Liberty of Norton Folgate is the ninth studio album by the British band Madness, released on 18 May 2009. The band worked on the album for close to three years and it was their first album of new material since 1999's Wonderful.

<i>One Step Beyond...</i> 1979 studio album by Madness

One Step Beyond. .. is the debut studio album by the British ska-pop group Madness, released by Stiff Records. Recorded and mixed in about three weeks, the album peaked at number two and remained on the UK Albums Chart for more than a year. The album has received much critical praise. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television station Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.

<i>A Guided Tour of Madness</i> 2011 box set by Madness

A Guided Tour of Madness is a 3-CD/1-DVD anthology box set by English band Madness, released in 2011 on Union Square Music's collector's label Salvo. It features 70 singles and album tracks and an exclusive DVD of the band's comeback concert at the Madstock festival in August 1992. It also includes a booklet with interviews with the band, photos, the cartoon Nutty Comic (1981) and the Madness Map of Camden, the band's historic stomping ground. With the exception of "Sweetest Girl," "Sorry," and "The Harder They Come," every one of the band's 34 singles to date is represented.

<i>Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da</i> 2012 studio album by Madness

Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da is the tenth studio album by the British band Madness, released on their own Lucky 7 Records label through Cooking Vinyl in the United Kingdom on 29 October 2012 and in the United States on 13 November 2012. The album does not feature founding member and bassist Mark Bedford, who was on hiatus from the band at the time. The album cover is by Peter Blake and features rejected titles for the album crossed out. The album was preceded by a 'teaser' song, "Death of a Rude Boy", available as a digital download from 12 August 2012.

<i>Forever Young: The Ska Collection</i> 2012 compilation album by Madness

Forever Young: The Ska Collection is a compilation album by English band Madness, released in 2012 by Salvo/Union Square Music as part of their re-issues of the Madness back catalogue. The album consists of a selection of the band's ska sounding songs, including singles, b-sides and album tracks. In addition to the classic Madness tracks, the album contains two previously unreleased covers: Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam" and Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King". Both of these bonus tracks were originally recorded for the 2005 Madness album The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1. The album includes a fold-out poster booklet with liner notes by Record Collector's Ian McCann, including new interviews with guitarist Chris Foreman and saxophonist Lee Thompson. Foreman said of the album: "It was our take on ska, and the songs on this album have ska as their basis. Not all are full-on; I wanted it to be called The Ska and Reggae Collection, but The Ska Collection it is."

<i>Cant Touch Us Now</i> 2016 studio album by Madness

Can't Touch Us Now is the eleventh studio album by the British band Madness, released on their Lucky 7 Records label through Universal Music Catalogue (UMC) on 28 October 2016. The album marked the return of founder member Mark Bedford but the departure of Cathal Smyth.

<i>Theatre of the Absurd Presents Cest la Vie</i> 2023 studio album by Madness

Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie is the thirteenth studio album by British band Madness. It was released on 17 November 2023 through BMG Rights Management. The album marks their first studio release in seven years, following Can't Touch Us Now (2016).

References

  1. 1 2 3 Funk, Peter (11 October 2005). "Madness: The Dangermen Sessions Volume 1". PopMatters . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: Madness recruit new producer, Dennis Bovell". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: The project is handed over to dance music producer Steve 'Dubs' Jones and ex-Ruts bassist John 'Segs' Jennings for mixing". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "MORE MADNESS!". NME. 16 June 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "MEMORIES: NOVEMBER 28: Girl Why Don't You is released". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  6. ↑ Metacritic
  7. ↑ The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 at AllMusic
  8. ↑ Blatchford, Thomas (1 August 2005). "The Dangermen Sessions Volume One". Drowned in Sound . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. 1 2 Sweeting, Adam (29 July 2005). "Madness, The Dangermen Sessions Volume 1". The Guardian . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Madness – The Dangermen Sessions Volume 1". Uncut. 29 July 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: The band continue the selection process for the new album". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "MEMORIES: MAY 12: Chris goes public with his decision to quit the band". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Madness on their best albums: "We were full of ideas!"". 15 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: Additional tracks are added without input from Chris". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Madness – The Dangermen Sessions Volume 1". Entertainment.ie. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  16. ↑ Shepherd, Sam (1 August 2005). "Madness – The Dangermen Sessions Vol 1". musicOMH . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  17. 1 2 "Ultratop". Ultratop.be. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  18. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  19. ↑ "Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music". Billboard.com. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Les charts français". lescharts.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  21. ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche" (in German). musicline.de. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  22. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  23. ↑ "UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 February 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.