Jumping back into our Ska Revival this week with another of the Two-Tone Immortals, Madness.

You probably could have labeled this band Ska-lite, as they shied away from the heavier social/racial aspects of the Reggae/Ska movement in favor of more upbeat off-the-wall humor with their songs and performances.

Still, a great band who won enormous popularity over here as well as the rest of the world in the late 1970's through early 80's.

Tonight it's a session they recorded at The BBC for The John Peel Program(me) on August 14, 1979.

Here's what they do:

1. The Prince
2. Bed & Breakfast Man
3. Stepping Into Line

In answer to your requests. BTW - working on some live Bad Manners for tomorrow, but may have to just rely on an lp instead.

Stay tuned.

(The Selecter - Pauline Black and crew riding a big wave of Ska)

The UK called it a "resurgence in Ska", but we never got it the first time around, so it was all new to us. The closest the U.S. ever got to Ska was Millie Small's My Boy Lollipop in 1964 and "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker in 1968. We all knew about Bob Marley, but that was Reggae and, according to aficionados, different than Ska.

So in 1979 Ska burst back (or burst on in our case) the scene, bringing us the likes of The Specials, Madness, The Bodysnatchers, The Selecter and many others. The fast-paced music and high energy performance were a shoe-in with Punk audiences and Ska appreciated a huge popularity all over the world in a very short period of time.

Tonight's track is by The Selecter, fronted by singer Pauline Black. On My Radio was a huge hit in the UK and Europe and did quite well over here. It was one the first of several hit singles the band would have between 1979 and 1981. The Selecter would go through a series of personnel changes and reformations, disbanding and reforming between 1982 and 2005. Black would go on to a successful acting career between leaving the band and getting back together with them.

The Selecter were a landmark band during a pioneering time. And for some reason, the music just doesn't seem old. That's a good thing.

(Madness - less nutty in 1983)

Continuing our trip through the 80's by way of great concerts. Tonight it's Madness from the Dominion Theater in London, 1982.

Although they've gone through a number of personnel changes over the years, it's nice to know the band is still together and performing. This concert, from 1982 is their middle period - easing out of the nuttiness and hard-paced ska they were known for in the late 1970's and turning in a more melodic direction with some deeper subtext by the 1980's.

Good band, always. Great band live. Enjoy the set.

(Madness - words can't really describe)

I am having a very hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this track, Michael Caine, is 26 years old and that Madness have been more or less together over 34 years. No, that can't be. No, I'm doing the math.

Yes, it can.