They call it Madness: new nutty compilation on the way

These days the announcement of a new Madness compilation rarely raises an eyebrow – there have been well over a dozen of them, more than the band’s total number of studio albums, few of which cast their net wider than the Nutty Boys’ ’80s heyday. Now, for the first time, the band’s entire career to date is to be anthologised on a new double CD.

Due for release on 17 November to coincide with the annual House Of Fun Weekender event at Butlins in Minehead, Full House – The Very Best Of Madness begins with the band’s first single The Prince from 1979 and rounds up the vast majority of their singles and a handful of choice album tracks from a career spanning almost forty years. All the obvious classics are present, including House Of Fun, Baggy Trousers, Our House, It Must Be Love and Night Boat To Cairo, but while most compilations peter out around the time of the band’s temporary split in 1986, Full House carries on to include Lovestruck and Johnny The Horse from 1999’s comeback album Wonderful as well as tracks from more recent albums The Dangermen Sessions Vol.1, The Liberty Of Norton Folgate, Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da and last year’s triumphant Can’t Touch Us Now.

With artwork by Paul Agar, the artist responsible for the distinctive look of Can’t Touch Us Now and associated releases, Full House will be available as a double CD or deluxe vinyl edition comprising four albums in a pop-up gatefold sleeve. The full track listing for Full House – The Very Best Of Madness is as follows:

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