“Before We Was We: Madness by Madness” documentary is coming up exclusively on AMC UK and BT TV on Demand on 1st May. The biography book with the same title came up in 2019, telling the story of: “how they became them. A story of seven originals, whose collective graft, energy and talent took them from the sweaty depths of the Hope and Anchor’s basement to the Top of the Pops studio”. The book received positive media reviews and 5/5 rating from Waterstones. The series is adaptation of the book and will show the band’s journey to fame. The Camden legendary band announced the news on social media today.
“Before We Was We: Madness by Madness” a 3 part docu-series will Premiere on 1st May exclusively on @AMCtvUK and On Demand Via BT TV. pic.twitter.com/j27wVO5zwD
— Madness (@MadnessNews) March 11, 2021
The documentary will premiere on 1st May at 9pm and it will be a combination of three 60-minute episodes. Each part will show original footage of the group and stories about their four-decade career: from the band’s formation in 1976 of former and current members including Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson, Mike ‘Barso’ Barson, Lee ‘Thommo’ Thompson, Chris Foreman, Daniel ‘Woody’ Woodgate, Carl ‘Chas Smash’ Smyth and Mark ‘Bedders’ Beford, onwards. We can read on AMC’s YouTube channel:“Before We Was We: Madness by Madness”, a three-part original docuseries which chronicles the rise of one of the biggest and most loved bands in British culture“
Reflecting on his career, frontman “Suggs” said: “I don’t remember ever thinking about whether it was going to last. You see this polished Madness that’s been going for years and people would think, ‘Course you knew’. But I didn’t have a clue. I wasn’t taking it the slightest bit serious. That’s why I got thrown out of the band at the start, because I just thought it was a laugh and just something to do – hanging out with pretty cool geezers. The idea that I was ever going to make a career out of it was totally beyond my comprehension”.
AMC teaser shows parts of Madness interviews with comments like: “For us it was ska, The feeling was just to be nutty. Moving the head like a trojan” and “And i look back on it now, and i think it’s a beautiful thing that Madness created”.
The ska band from North London, have released 12 albums since forming up in 1976, where the last one ‘Can’t Touch Us Now’ came out in 2016 and reached UK No.5. They still perform with six out of seven original members. They have released 15 singles that reached the UK Top 10, which include ‘One Step Beyond’, ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘It Must Be Love’, one UK no1 single: ‘House of Fun’. Well known ‘Our House’ was the band’s biggest hit overseas.
Madness will play this year at Henley Festival in September alongside James Blunt, and Sophie Ellis – Bextor.
