Madness - the Kinks of the '80s?

Just a random thought. Any takers?

 

I've made the connection, too!

Madness has brilliantly witty, and very British, lyrics in many of their songs. The capture elements of British life and society in much the same way Ray Davies did in his 1960s prime.

 

Here's a question about Madness:
Back in the early days of MTV, just before Madness hit America with "Our House" , there was a documentary made, shown maybe once or twice on MTV... had all the great videos, interviews, and a few scenes from a movie...
Does anyone else remember seeing this?

 

I'd quibble with your header for this post, though. Madness has continued to do great work. "The Liberty of Norton Folgate," from 2009 is the best LP of their career, in my opinion.

 

Also the fact that they started off with a pretty simple sound and grew much more sophisticated in the next few years, from One Step Beyond to The Rise and Fall. Agreed, jfire, that they still sound great. I was lucky enough to see them in '86 in Hartlepool - their last UK gig before they split up. I was tempted to add this to the "iconic gigs you've attended" thread, but feared it would pale next to some of the others.

 

Totally agree. And blur was The Kinks of the 90s (at least the first 4 records)

 

60s - The Kinks
70s - The Jam
80s - Madness
90s - blur

Each time round is worse than the one before, starting with perfection with The Kinks, excellent with the Jam, down to very good with Madness, and pretty poor with Blur - reaching its lowest point with the song Parklife itself, which is what naysayers thought the Kinks were like.

 

This raises the question: who are the Kinks of the 2000s? The 2010s?

 

I think The Kinks were the Kinks of the 80s.

 

I was thinking about them today and maybe starting a thread. I agree with your thoughts!
Their videos really were pretty funny and witty, without being pretentious or inane.
Even today, when I sing along with a song of theirs, I'm tempted to do the Suggs head-jerk. He was like a bird.

 

An excellent band whose pop compositions were underrated and did often evoke Ray Davies'. The songs aren't quite at Davies' level though, even if the first 4 LPs are super solid.

 

Lyrically , The Pogues were the Kinks of the 80's , both bands were the best ever at writing about London in particular

 

Chips off the same block. Even their first albums had that hint of melancholy (Bed and Breakfast Man, Baggy Trousers). Their slapstick clips made them look like a novelty act, but the lyrics and music were a lot smarter than that! "Our House" has the same root as "Autumn Almanac" ("....this is my street, and I'm never going to leave it..."). Their most accomplished album The Liberty of Norton Folgate isn't that far off from the observations on The Village Green Preservation Society, longing back to cheerful and simple times.
So; yes!

 

The Kinks, from "Give The People" ('81) to "Come Dancing" ('86).

 

Would that be 1981's Dance Craze?

 

No.. I believe, if memory serves me, it was called "Take It Or Leave It".... something like that.
Still.... it was a great 'doc' on the band... I know a have it 'taped' onto a VHS, somewhere deep in the bowels of my parents basement... I just wondered if anyone HERE remembers it.
I also recall it had footage of Elvis C. singing "(Tomorrow's) Just Another Day" with them, during the 'doc'!

 

That's a fantastic album, and Suggs' book, Suggs In the City, is a worthy companion piece for those interested.

 

Yes, it does.
It might be that blur have run the style into a brick wall.
Or possibly, The Streets for the 2000s?

 

Take It Or Leave It is an official Madness movie...Is that what you mean? It's available on a DVD/CD package

 

I like The Kinks in the 80s. Do It Again and Living on a Thin Line are great tunes. Madness is also cool.

 

Funny, all the Brits here are favouring APH's suggestion of different bands for different decades. I think they have the best view about the musical situation in their own country, don't they?

 

OF COURSE I've seen it! Though on VHS and not til about 10 years ago... always wanted to see it at the time of release (as there is a big advert for it inside the LP sleeve - basically that side of the inner!)



As Johnnybrum says, this is out now - released by Salvo in 2009, I think - at the time of their deluxe reissues of the Madness catalogue (or most of it.) http://www.salvo-music.co.uk/shop/cdtop.asp?Marid=63&arid=2482

It's a docu-drama in which we learn of their beginnings and first brush with fame. I can't remember the full contents of it and should by rights have this in my collection.. I liked it but didn't think of it as essential in the same way as I've not bought any live recordings by them - what they did in the studio is what they're almost all about, for me. I'm not sure how much of it is fictionalised (as they are playing themselves as themselves, it's something you're conscious of when viewing it) and looking back on it, it does/did have the feel of a fly-on-the-wall thing which was very rare at the time.

I've never really thought of a Kinks connection here, though have a listen to this from The Rise And Fall album (my fave album of theirs, along with OSB!)



I don't know The Kinks' music as well as I always say I should, though The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society has to be one of my best-loved albums of the 60s or even of all time and one I've played 1,000+ times (I'm very much a fan of the Kinks' singles too - especially the 60s ones.) So, I'm quite happy to think they were a big influence on Suggs & Co (along with Ian Dury & The Blockheads!)

 

I thought Oasis was the Kinks of the 90s/00s

 

That's all good... and thanks for the info..... BUT...
I'm talking about a 'special'... maybe it was made by Geffen, showing the old videos plus live performances of them playing tracks from "The Rise And Fall".
Those old videos were played all the time, in the early days of MTV..
Delightful "Python-meet-Benny Hill'- type things, and they were all shown.
But, it seems I'm the only one who remembers seeing it.....!

 

Oasis thought they were the Beatles.
They were more like the Stones. Or Slade.
The Kinks songs are witty, and very clever lyrically.
Oasis were good, but their songs were never either. Quite the opposite.
Also the Kinks world is a very southern one, not northern like Oasis.