Before We Was We cover art

Before We Was We

The Making of Madness by Madness

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Before We Was We

By: Madness
Narrated by: Mike Barson, Mark Bedford, Chris Foreman, Graham McPherson, Lee Thompson, Dan Woodgate, Cathal Smyth
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Shortlisted for the Best Ensemble Narration Award at the New York Festival Radio Awards 2020.

This is Madness' story in their own words - with each band member featuring as a narrator. This audiobook features snippets of 13 rehearsal recordings including some of the band’s best loved songs as well as featuring a new bonus track, ‘Before We Was We’.

In their own words they each look back on their shared adventures. Playing music together, riding freight trains, spraying graffiti and stealing records. Walking in one another's footsteps by day and rising up through the city's exploding pub music scene by night. Before We Was We is irreverent, funny and full of character. Just like them.

Audio updated as of 18 October 2019.

©2019 Mike Barson, Mark Bedford, Chris Foreman, Graham McPherson, Cathal Smyth, Lee Thompson, Dan Woodgate (P)2019 Penguin Audio Entertainment & Celebrities Celebrity Funny Witty Thought-Provoking

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All stars
Most relevant
I've loved this band since 1980 (won't claim to have been there since the start) and hearing them tell their story in their words of how as friends they decided to form a band, is really great listening. The joy they have brought me over the years is immense and in their 40th year this, along with all the gigs they've performed this year, is the perfect way to celebrate Madness XL

A must for Madness and music fans

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I'll be straight, I've loved Madness since I was at primary school, singing house of fun about buying condoms when you're in short trousers, I've seen the band several times live, including Madstock at Finsbury Park.
This book is a wonderful, honest telling of their formation story, you also get to hear what a bunch of scumbags they could be when they were younger.
I utterly loved it.

Sheer Madness

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One of my favorite listening books since I started listening decades ago!
I love that the band tell their stories themselves and their memories take me right back to my younger years.
Also loved the music between chapters. Will definitely listen to this one again.

A great listen with laugh out loud moments

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This was One Step Beyond any normal autobiography. It is their story, told warts and all, without trying to airbrush out the bad bits, or claim the good were planned. That you hear it told by the members of the band who actually lived it, often with totally different views of the same incidents makes it all the more intriguing

One Step Beyond A Normal Autobiography

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This is a must for all fans of the Nutty Boys.Tracing their friendships back to the early days.Read by all the band members it’s a real treat and you’ll want to listen again.
I’ve just done my third listen.Brilliant.
10/10

Hey you don’t listen to that.Listen to this!

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