The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1

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The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1
File:The Dangermen Sessions.jpg
Studio album by Madness
Released 16 August 2005
Recorded 2005
Genre Ska
Length 37:22
Label Live and Intensified (an imprint of V2 Records)
Producer Dennis Bovell, Steve Dub, Segs, Madness
Madness chronology
Our House: the Original Songs
(2002)Our House: the Original Songs2002		 The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1
(2005)		 Madness Live: To the Edge of the Universe and Beyond
(2006)Madness Live: To the Edge of the Universe and Beyond2006
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 63/100[1]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[2]

The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1 is a cover album by the British ska band Madness. It was released in 2005 (see 2005 in music). The album was successful and reached No. 11 in the UK which at the time was their highest chart position in the UK since 1984's Keep Moving.

The Dangermen

Prior to recording the album, Madness played a series of low-key gigs under the alias The Dangermen, performing mostly cover versions which they had performed in their early days as The Invaders. A selection from the set list was then chosen to be recorded for the album. Some songs which were played live but not included on the album included "Skylarking" and "Dreader Than Dread" (both released as B sides on the Shame and Scandal single), "Wonderful World, Beautiful People", "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" and "It Miek", as well as the Prince Buster numbers "One Step Beyond" and "Madness", both of which the group had already released in 1979. The live concerts also included Dangermen "covers" of a few of Madness' more ska-influenced original compositions, such as "Night Boat to Cairo" and "The Prince".

Although Chris Foreman appeared on the record, he left the group after the sessions and was therefore not a member of the group at the time of the album's release and did not take part in promotion for the album. He would later re-join the group.

The album booklet contains both serious sleevenotes in which the various members of the group discuss their choice of songs, and fictional notes concerning the history of the group "The Dangermen", who are claimed to have been an influential reggae group formed in Havana in the 1960s, and who have reformed after 35 years to record the album.

Each member of Madness has an alter ego in The Dangermen:

  • Mark Bedford – Lester Bernham, born at sea and washed-up on the shores of Cuba with a bass guitar made of driftwood.
  • Chas Smash – Jimmy Oooh, an itinerant singer.
  • Daniel Woodgate – Daniel Descartes, experimental percussionist born in Paris and leader of touring band, the Daniel Descartes Collective.
  • Mike Barson – Professor Psykoticus, an Hungarian-born musician (his supposed birthplace being the small town of Mezőhegyes) who worked in sonic weapons research in the USSR before being introduced to the music of the Daniel Descartes Collective, which led to the formation of The Dangermen.
  • Suggs – Robert Chaos "The Poet", found in a Gladstone bag at the feet of Miles Davis by Dexter Gordon, and a founding member of The Dangermen.
  • Chris Foreman – Christofos Formantos, of whom nothing is known.
  • Lee Jay Thompson – "Unnamed", atmospheric scientist and part-time sax player.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "This Is Where"   Cathal Smyth, Mike Barson, Mark Bedford, Graham McPherson Madness, Steve Dub,
Segs, Dennis Bovell		 0:30
2. "Girl Why Don't You?" (originally performed by Prince Buster) Cecil Campbell Bovell 3:05
3. "Shame & Scandal" (originally performed by Sir Lancelot as "Scandal in the Family") Lord, Pinard Bovell 2:52
4. "I Chase the Devil A.K.A. Ironshirt" (originally performed by Max Romeo) Max Romeo, Lee Perry Bovell 3:20
5. "Taller Than You Are" (originally performed by Lord Tanamo) Abraham Bovell 2:27
6. "You Keep Me Hanging On" (originally performed by The Supremes) Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland Bovell 3:08
7. "Dangerman A.K.A. High Wire" (originally performed by Edwin Astley & His Orchestra) Edwin Astley Bovell 2:42
8. "Israelites" (originally performed by Desmond Dekker & The Aces) Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong Madness 3:03
9. "John Jones" (originally performed by Rudy Mills) Derrick Herriot Bovell 3:28
10. "Lola" (originally performed by The Kinks) Ray Davies Dub, Segs  
11. "You'll Lose a Good Thing" (originally performed by Barbara Lynn) Huey P. Meaux, Barbara Lynn Ozen Bovell 2:42
12. "Rain" (originally performed by José Feliciano) José Feliciano Dub, Segs 2:56
13. "So Much Trouble in the World" (originally performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers) Bob Marley Bovell 3:44

Chart performance

Chart (2005) Peak
position		 Total
weeks
Belgian Albums Chart (Vl)[3] 93 1
Belgian Albums Chart (Wa)[4] 39 8
Dutch Albums Chart[5] 59 3
European Hot 100 Albums Chart[6] ? 3
French Albums Chart[7] 17 15
German Albums Chart[8] 81 2
Swiss Albums Chart[9] 67 4
UK Albums Chart[10] 11 4

Personnel

Additional personnel
  • Steve Turner – Saxophone
  • Joe Auckland – Trumpet
  • Mike Kearsey – Trombone
  • Steve Dub – Synthesizer, Programming,Backing Vocals, Production, Mixing, Engineer
  • Simon Wilcox – Trumpet
  • Dennis Bovell – Timbales, Production
  • Patrick Kiernan – Violin
  • Boguslaw Kostecki – Violin
  • Julian Leaper – Violin
  • Perry Mason – Violin
  • Jackie Shave – Violin
  • Chris Tombling – Violin
  • Gavyn Wright – Violin
  • Warren Zielinski – Violin
  • Ellie Hajee – Backing Vocals
  • Janet Kay – Backing Vocals
  • Jamie,Timothy and Joey Barson-Backing Vocals
  • David Bedford – String Arrangements, MD
  • Isobel Griffiths – String Contraction
  • Ingo Vauk – Programming
  • Steve Masters – Engineering
  • Jason Olliffe – Engineering
  • Ben Thackeray – Engineering

References

  1. ↑ Metacritic
  2. ↑ The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 at AllMusic
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