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John Reed
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House of Fun: The Story of Madness Paperback – August 12, 2014

by John Reed (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 116 ratings
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Madness were true originals who mixed ska and reggae rhythms with social comment and music hall humour to become a British group like no other.They were the most successful UK singles band of the 80s, offering a larky down-to-earth take on Thatcher's Britain through hits like 'My Girl', 'One Step Beyond', 'House Of Fun' and 'Baggy Trousers'.Their appeal endures to this day, Madness' latter-day concertshaving become fun-packed celebrations of one of the best-lovedsongbooks in British pop. Like most bands Madness had their trials and tribulations, including band disputes, accusations of racism and an eventual split. But by then they had become a unique part of British pop history. In this book, John Reed tells their colourful story with a perceptive industry eye and the help of insights from many insiders and colleagues of the band.'A long-overdue book... appealingly accessible' - Record Collector
Previous page
  1. Print length
    568 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Omnibus Press
  4. Publication date
    August 12, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5.08 x 1.28 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1783055553
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1783055555
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Omnibus Press (August 12, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 568 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1783055553
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1783055555
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.21 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 1.28 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 116 ratings

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John Reed

John Reed

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
116 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

L. Alfaro
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for any Madness fan
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
John Reed presents a history from the band's origins as the North London Invaders in 1976 to their breakup in 1986, through their reunion at Madstock in 1992 up to the band's 2009 magnum opus "The Liberty of Norton Folgate." The author doesn't make any judgments, but rather presents the good with the bad and lets the reader draw his or her own conclusions. I'm a diehard Madness fan, and I love them even more after reading this book.
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Blue Monster 65
4.0 out of 5 stars Good ... For The Most Part ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2017
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Incredibly thorough, but ultimately a bit unsatisfying. By trying to fill in every minute detail, the book bogs down in minutia in the last half. The first half, though, details the band's early days and is quite informative and fun. The second half ... gets a bit long. Still, if you're a Madness completist, this book is one you simply must have.
One person found this helpful
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Christopher Altree
2.0 out of 5 stars Tells you both everything and nothing about Madness
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2013
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On page 235 of this book the author writes "It's difficult to ascertain whether Barson's decision [to quit the band] was due to [...] or [...] or [...] or [...] or a combination of the above". Think about this for a moment - a 536 page book about Madness and the author cannot explain one of the key - if not the key - events in the band's history. The problem here is that Reed did not actually speak to any of the members of the band while writing this book, instead relying on previously published interviews, the opinions of members of their entourage, and even album sleeve notes. What you end up with is a meticulous list of things that Madness did but without any real insight or understanding of why they did them. Shame really, as Reed displays an obvious fondness for the band and an eye for detail elsewhere. However, I've heard that Suggs' recently published autobiography does not delve too deeply into the workings of Madness, so this might be the best study of the Nutty Boys on the market. For the time being, anyway.
5 people found this helpful
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James Mowat
4.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly and detailed account
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2016
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This detailed account follows the band in strict chronological order. There is a lot to like about Madness and it's all here. I would have preferred some mixing up of the narrative and some essaying of each of the seven for greater insight. For now this is the Nutty Boys bible.
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Indigo 11030
4.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Madness Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2014
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This book is the ultimate Madness story for fans. Written long after the band broke up, it doesn't whitewash their story like books written during their heyday might have. It's extensive and honest. It provides an interesting look at the bands beginnings, their popularity during the 80s, and what they've been up to since then.
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Andre
4.0 out of 5 stars Being a big fan of Madness I liked this book
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2014
Being a big fan of Madness I liked this book. I read that the band did not authorize John Reed to write the book, but this did not take away that I liked the book. There are no ill words for the band, no drugs, sex stories, etc which you might find in the Motley Crue biography, Kieth Rirchards or Anthony Kiedis's book. I honestly believe that the Magnificent Seven are good honest clean wholesome steady on there feet guys who love to make music.
Until one of the seven comes out with there official Madness biography this is a good substitute.
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Top reviews from other countries

I. A. Black
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for fans
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
I don't read many books but I'm a fan so had too. Really enjoyed it.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars worth every penny!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
the book was in excellent condition, carefully packed. Nice bio, lots of reading.
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cath blaney
5.0 out of 5 stars Madness
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2019
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Excellent read, well worth a try
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L. Presley
4.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and Interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2019
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Spanning their earlier pre-Madness days up to the release/reception of 'The Liberty of Norton Folgate' in 2009, this is a detailed and quite interesting account of Madness's career up to that point. It goes into a lot of extra detail around related music, history, people etc.
2 people found this helpful
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Mr J Ho
5.0 out of 5 stars accurate description and condition of item very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2021
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accurate description and condition of item very good
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