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Madness music biography continued...

in 1976, under the name The North London Invaders. They were joined in 1978 by front-man Graham McPherson (Suggs), Mark Bedford (Bedders), Karl (Chas Smash) and Danniel Woodgate (Woody), and after performing for a while as the Invaders changed their name to Madness. The following year, Madness released their debut single, a tribute to Prince Buster entitled "The Prince," on Two-Tone. The song was a surprise hit reaching the British Top 20. Following its success, the band signed a record contract with Stiff Records and released another Prince Buster song, "One Step Beyond," which peaked at number seven. Soon after, Madness released their debut album of the same name, which landed at number two in Britain and stayed on the charts for well over a year. At the beginning of 1980, the band's third single, "My Girl," peaked at number three. For the next three years, the group had a virtually uninterrupted run of 13 Top Ten singles, during which time they were one of the most popular bands in Britain. With the 1982 single "Our House" they also reached the American Top Ten, and became superstars on both sides of the Atlantic.



At the end of 1983, Mike Barson -- the band's key songwriter -- left the group to take time out for his personal life. The band's fortunes quickly declined, and they disbanded in 1986. In the summer of 1992, the original lineup of Madness reunited to perform two outdoor concerts at London's Finsbury Park. The group dubbed the event Madstock, and it would become an annual event for the next four years. By 1998 they were back on the road, with a Los Angeles date recorded for release as Universal Madness the following year. In 2005, the group also reunited with original producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley to record The Dangermen Sessions, Vol 1, their first studio effort in over a decade. In June 2008 they showcased the majority of their new album The Liberty of Norton Folgate at London's Hackney Empire for a few months, captivating new fans and showing old ones that they still had the magic.