1979-1980 (One Step Beyond)

Bands on the Two Tone Label had a following of skinheads. If you judged solely by the song title, "Razor Blade Alley," you might assume it was about mindless violence or football hooliganism.

"One Step Beyond..." album by Madness includes four cover versions, and "Swan Lake" is one of them. Interestingly, it's a cover of The Cats' version, released between 1968 and 1970, which itself was a reggae version of "Swan Lake." Mark ...

Dan Barson was the singer of Bazooka Joe, a north London rock and roll band that started in 1970. His brother Mike used to see them play in the mid-1970s. After seeing the Sex Pistols, the band changed and is now better known as Stuart ...

Mark explains that "Mummy's Boy" was written while he was still at school. "It was a chance remark by one of my teachers who told me he still lived at home with his parents. That set me thinking—in fact, I found it quite shocking.

According to the back sleeve of One Step Beyond..., there are seven songs on each side, and at the end of side two, "Mummy's Boy" is swiftly followed by "Chipmunks Are Go!" Imagine the looks of glee on every young rude boy and rude girl's face ...

We did it as an encore, all at the front of the stage,” says Mark, and it’s this that sends shivers down his rhythm pal’s spine. “I had absolutely no love for this whatsoever,” says Woody.

According to John Hasler, the band played a two-chord vamp, and the songwriter wrote the lyrics in the next room. On the other hand, Cathal admires the lyrics of "Mistakes," saying that it is an astute and poignant observation of life at a ...

"Stepping Into Line" is another tune from Mr Hasler's pen. "John wrote the first half of the words, and I wrote the other half," says Suggs. Chris describes it as "my moment of glory, trying to keep it all together!" Well, it does race away ...

"Deceives the Eye" tells the true story of Chris Foreman being out and about with Thommo and Mike in Luton and finding himself on the wrong side of the law. "A few of us enjoyed the pleasures of shoplifting," Chris explains.

Suggs says the track "The Young and The Old" is about getting drunk in the pub and noticing how old people acted younger as the evening went on. A very astute observation for a man of such tender years!

"Don't Quote Me On That" was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the National Front (NF). Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence, and, in a 1979 NME interview.

We didn’t want to be ‘ska’ but to have our own sound,” says Suggs. Both he and Chris say that the “Steptoe & Son” theme was at the front of their minds here, too, along with “Billy Bentley,” a Kilburn & the High Roads song.

The demo version of "My Girl" was released on the B-side of the 12" version of "The Return of the Los Palmas 7", featuring Mike Barson on vocals. The track was recorded when Madness recorded thier first three demo tracks, The Prince and Madness ...

Swan Lake (Live) was featured in the motion picture Dance Craze, released in 1981, an American documentary about the British 2 Tone movement. The film was directed by Joe Massot, who originally wanted to do a film only about the band Madness, ...

Based loosely on Prince Busters 'Earthquake'* this track was taken from a session recorded at the tiny Pathway Studios in Highbury, London. The other 2 tracks recorded were the b side, Madness, and a version of My Girl (with Barso on vocals) ...