Madness: Everything you need to know about the 'Our House' legends
They've had us all boogying since the 80s
Madness, the iconic ska band from Camden Town, dominated the 1980s with catchy songs that everyone knew by heart. From 'House of Fun' to 'Our House', their upbeat tunes made it nearly impossible not to dance along. With their 'Hit Parade Summer Showtime Tour' set for 2026, it’s clear their energy and popularity haven’t faded.
For nearly 45 years, fans have been grooving to Madness’ playful rhythms, and their music still resonates today. More than four decades after the release of 'Our House', the band’s legacy continues to thrive, making now the perfect time to revisit their story, from their rise to stardom to what the members are up to today.
Where did they get their band name?
Initially, the band were called Morris and the Minors, yet, the group decided to call themselves Madness because that was their favourite song by Jamaican ska and reggae artist Prince Buster.
Where are they from?
Madness are an English band from Camden Town in North London, who formed in 1976. Proud of their roots, the group reference NW5 in their lyrics a lot of the time, the postal code of Camden Town.
What genre is Madness the band?
Madness is a Ska band. Ska is a type of music genre which incorporates Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues.
Madness the band: Members through the years
The current band members of Madness is as follows:
- Graham "Suggs" McPherson - Lead Vocalist
- Mike Barson – Keyboard, Piano, Vibraphone, and backing vocals
- Lee Thompson – Saxophone, Percussion, and backing vocals
- Dan Woodgate – Drums and Percussion
- Mark Bedford — Bass guitar
- Chris Foreman - Guitar
Sharing his diagnosis in August last year, current guitarist Chris Foreman posted a picture of himself at the beach, together with a health update - explaining his spinal myeloma diagnosis after severe back pain, describing scans, radiotherapy, and recovery including improved kidney function. He said the cancer was treatable, expressed gratitude for support, noted lifestyle changes, and explained he could not perform that year but remained determined to return to the stage eventually again.
- There have been various other band members through the years, including John Hasler, Dikran Tulaine, Gavin Rodgers, Garry Dovey, Graham Bush, Norman Watt-Roy, Paul Carrack, James Mackie, Steve Nieve, Terry Disley, Seamus Beaghan, Kevin Burdett and Chas Smash.
Who writes their songs?
Most of the band's current and main line-up wrote Madness' songs. Whether that was suggesting lyrics or sitting down to write one of their singles, they all had an impact on their records.
Check out our handy guide of all of Madness' biggest and catchiest songs of all time.
What was their first song?
Madness' first song was called 'The Prince', released in 1979 and dedicated to Prince Buster. A shock to the band, the record reached Number 16 in the UK charts. However, 'One Step Beyond' pushed them into the mainstream.
How many albums have they released?
In total, Madness have released 13 studio albums, four live albums, two soundtrack albums and 11 compilation albums.
Their most recent album is titled '‘Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie’, and was released on 17th November 2023. The album was a huge success, bagging the band their first ever Number 1 in the UK.
The band's previous highest charting studio albums were 1979’s ‘One Step Beyond...’ and 1980’s ‘Absolutely’, both of which peaked at Number 2.
Are they still together?
Yes - Madness are very much still together and remain a hard‑touring live band, packing out arenas and outdoor venues across the UK and beyond with their Hit Parade shows and festival appearances.
Their schedule in recent years has included major arena dates with special guests Squeeze and a growing run of open‑air summer concerts and festival slots, underlining how in‑demand their classic hits still are on stage.
Do they have their own documentary?
Yes they do - in the form of a docuseries. Titled Before We Was We: Madness by Madness, the three-part series landed on ITVX on 20th June 2024. Each episode is 60 minutes long, packed with original footage and interviews with the band - both past and present - documenting their rise from humble beginnings to their legendary status today.
Find out everything you need to know about their docuseries Before We Was We: Madness by Madness - and take a look through these other music documentaries you won't want to miss.
When are they on tour?
2026 sees Madness out on the road with their Hit Parade Summer Showtime tour, heading outdoors for festival-style shows across the UK and Ireland, including Port Talbot’s In It Together on 22nd May, Scarborough Open Air Theatre on 6th June, Abbey Park in Leicester on 13th June, Lincoln Castle on 19th June, Newmarket Racecourse on 17th July, Brighton “Madrophenia” beach gigs on 23rd and 24th July, and Lakefest at Eastnor Castle on 8th August, plus further dates at racecourses, parks and festivals through the summer.
Which musical had Madness songs in?
The only musical to have Madness songs in it is 'Our House: The Musical', which premiered in 2002 on London's West End running until 2003. In 2003, the production won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
It has since had several UK tours, as well as one in Japan, with Suggs even appearing in several shows!