Keep Moving (Madness album)



Keep Moving is the fifth studio album by the English ska/pop band Madness. It was originally released in February 1984, and was their final album release on the Stiff label. It's notably the band's last album to feature their keyboardist and founding member Mike Barson, but he did join them in 1986 for the recording of their last single before their original split, "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train". It also remained the last Madness album, before their 1999 comeback album Wonderful, to feature Barson.

Keep Moving peaked at No. 6 in the UK album charts, and two singles from that album reached the Top 20 in the UK music charts. The album received some good reviews, with Rolling Stone magazine giving the album four out of five stars, applauding the band's changing sound. This was an improvement as the last album reviewed by the magazine, Absolutely, was heavily criticised.

The USA/Canadian pressing has a different running order to the UK version and includes the singles "Wings of a Dove" and "The Sun and the Rain" in place of "Waltz Into Mischief" and "Time for Tea" (although the cassette and CD both include all 14 tracks). A vinyl picture disc version, using the USA/Canadian track listing, was also issued in the UK.

The album was re-released in the United Kingdom in June 2010 on Salvo/Union Square featuring bonus content. The reissue is a 2-CD set with the original album digitally remastered; the bonus content consists of associated singles, 12" mixes and B-sides. It also features liner notes written by comedian and Madness fan, Phill Jupitus.

Album title
The album takes its name from a phrase used repeatedly in the 1970 post-apocalyptic film The Bed Sitting Room.

Background
On 5 October 1983 the band were rehearsing and discussing a possible television series, which was being written for them by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis. Barson then informed the band that he would not be able to take part, as he was tired of the music business and wanted to spend more time with his wife. They had recently relocated to Amsterdam. Barson agreed to finish recording the album "Keep Moving", he left after playing for the last time with the band at the Lyceum Ballroom on 21 December 1983. After leaving the band James Mackie took Barson's place appearing with Madness on the US hit television show Saturday Night Live on 14 April 1984. After leaving the band, Barson returned to the UK for the filming of two music videos as he'd played on the tracks, "Michael Caine" and "One Better Day". He officially left the band in June 1984, following the release of "One Better Day", however finished live performance with the band in 1983, Paul Carrack took Barson's place whilst the band toured America in early 1984.

Personnel

 * Madness
 * Suggs (Graham McPherson) – lead vocals
 * Mike Barson – keyboards; harmonica
 * Chris Foreman – guitar
 * Mark Bedford (Bedders) – bass guitar
 * Lee Thompson – saxophones
 * Dan Woodgate (Woody) – drums
 * Chas Smash (Cathal Smyth) – backing vocals; trumpet; lead vocals on "Michael Caine" and "Victoria Gardens"

Additional personnel

 * Dave Wakeling – guest vocals on "Victoria Gardens"
 * Ranking Roger – guest vocals on "Victoria Gardens"
 * Afrodiziak – backing vocals
 * Luís Jardim – percussion
 * The TKO Horns: Dave Pleurs, Alan Whetton, Jim Patterson and Brian Maurice

Production personnel

 * String arrangements: David Bedford
 * Engineer (mixing): Jim Russell, Phil Tennant
 * Engineer (recording): Carb, Gavin Greenaway, Matt Butler, Steve Churchyard
 * Mastering: Denis Blackham
 * Photography: Tony Duffy
 * Production: Clive Langer/Alan Winstanley
 * Management: Matthew Sztumpf