Can’t Touch Us Now (Expanded Edition)

MIKE BARSON, CHRISSY BOY, SUGGS & LEE THOMPSON TALK US THROUGH THE WRITING & RECORDING OF MADNESS’S 11TH ALBUM, CAN’T TOUCH US NOW.

“Can’t Touch Us Now” stands as a pivotal milestone in Madness‘ illustrious career, serving as their eleventh studio album. Originally unveiled to the world in 2016, this album immediately captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Among its standout tracks, “Mr Apples” emerged as an instant fan favorite, quickly becoming a beloved staple in the band’s electrifying live performances. The album marked the return of founder member Mark Bedford but the departure of Cathal Smyth (Chas Smash).

Now, this reissue presents an expanded and enhanced version of the album, offering fans an immersive journey into the Madness experience. In addition to the original CD, this deluxe edition boasts a bonus disc packed with 14 additional tracks, offering listeners a treasure trove of musical delights. Presented in a sleek digipak format adorned with captivating artwork, this reissue also includes a meticulously crafted 24-page booklet. Within its pages, fans will discover brand new exclusive liner notes, featuring in-depth interviews with the band’s charismatic frontman Suggs, saxophonist Lee Thompson, guitarist Chrissy Boy Foreman, and keyboardist Mike Barson.

This reissue not only celebrates the timeless allure of “Can’t Touch Us Now” but also provides a rare glimpse into the creative process behind the album. Through intimate conversations with Madness’ iconic members, fans gain insight into the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs that shaped this seminal work of art. Whether revisiting beloved classics or exploring previously unreleased gems, this expanded edition ensures that the Madness legacy continues to thrive, inviting fans old and new to revel in the boundless energy and irrepressible spirit of one of Britain’s most iconic bands.

Chris: We wrote and rehearsed the songs for Can’t Touch Us Now in this place called Storm, this railway arch just off Holloway Road. It was a rabbit’s warren of tiny rooms. Somebody had suggested us going there, because it was quite easy for me to get there from Brighton. And it was really nutty, because it was so cheap.

Mike: It was like £20 a day, which some of us were into, and it was pretty funky. You had to lug your own gear in and out, but we all kind of enjoyed it. We were getting back to basics, and keeping it simple and working on the songs.

Chris: The vibe really worked for us, we were so productive. It was very much back to the good old days of Madness, just working hard and getting stuff done. It was a very happy time. I had one argument with Barso. Management was suggesting us doing a collaboration with Rudimental, and I thought Rudimental were nothing like us – I went and bought some of their albums, and I could see what they were doing there, and they’re very successful and that, but we’ve got a load of our own great songs, so why were we getting side-tracked into this? So I had a bit of an argument with Barso about that, because he didn’t know who Rudimental were, basically, and he thought it could be really cool. That was about the only sour note in a very pleasant period. It was funny, because he said, “I’m going home”, and then he had to come straight back because he’d left his wallet at the rehearsal rooms. That’s what we’re like – we argue, and then we get over it.

Mike: The atmosphere was really good. There had been some issues on the previous couple of records – conflicts, negativity, a lot of criticism. Team-playing had been falling apart. It’s all about learning to be critical without being personal, I guess. But something had changed, and this was a much easier record to make than the previous one.

Chris: It was a very creative period. We settled into this routine where we’d go in for a week, get some songs together, and then Clive Langer would come and go over them with us and maybe change a few things. We all had a lot of songs. Really, we always do. And people are always coming up with these songs that are 20 years old, putting that song back in the bag and hoping it’ll get chosen this time. Once we finished work at Storm, we went to Toe Rag Studios, which is run by Liam Watson, who is a genius.

Mike: The problem was, Liam only had this eight-track recorder, and so previously on some of the songs we had to do what The Beatles did back in the old days, where once you’ve filled up your eight tracks, you mix them down onto one track. They call that “bouncing down”. But you can’t separate those tracks again after that. So this time I talked Liam into backing those tracks up to digital, so we ended up with everything on separate tracks. And then, when we buggered off from Toe Rag, Charlie (Andrew) got involved in the mixing with Clive, and we did overdubs in Charlie’s studio in Brixton, Iguana Studios.