Record Store Day: I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side

Since its launch in 2008, Record Store Day has promoted and supported local independent record stores while celebrating vinyl records and music culture. This event has become integral to the music industry, drawing in enthusiasts and collectors alike. It encourages people to visit their local record stores, reconnect with staff and other music lovers, and rediscover the joy of physical music formats, especially in the digital age. Additionally, Record Store Day has played a significant role in the resurgence of vinyl records, which have experienced a surge in popularity and sales in recent years.

Fans of Madness had requested a vinyl release of their B-sides for two or more decades. In 2018, 2021, and 2023, Madness granted their wishes and unleashed three stimulating Limited Edition compilation albums entitled “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side.” These albums capture the essence of their B-sides, spanning from “Madness” (The Prince, 1979) to “The Roadette Song” (Dust Devil, 2009), showcasing their diverse musical styles and lyrical themes, offering fans a chance to rediscover hidden gems and showcase tracks such as “Crying Shame” (Embarrassment, 1980), “Fireball XL5” (The Sun And The Rain, 1983) and “Elysium” (Drip Fed Fred, 1999) and delve into the band’s extensive catalogue beyond their well-known hits. Fans could exclusively purchase these albums on Record Store Day, which occurs annually on the third Saturday of April.

I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side (Volume One) – BMG / Union Square Music: BMGCAT220LP

B-Sides from the First 11 Madness Singles – Limited Edition 2018 RSD Exclusive, Pressed on 180g Black Vinyl

“I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” Volume One was released on April 21, 2018, exclusively in the UK for Record Store Day (RSD). This first album is a compilation of early B-sides from Madness’ first 11 singles, released between 1979 and 1982. It contains rare and previously unreleased songs, including “Madness”, “In The City”, and “Mistakes”, that display the band’s musical diversity and provide a deeper insight into their discography. The 11-track collection was pressed on 12″ heavyweight black vinyl; long-time Madness collaborator Paul Agar designed the album’s packaging, which featured a wonderfully surreal black-and-white image of the band on a diving board at a holiday camp, 1950s style.

• A1 Madness (The Prince, 1979)
• A2 Mistakes (One Step Beyond, 1979)
• A3 Stepping Into Line (My Girl, 1979)
• A4 The Business (Baggy Trousers, 1980)
• A5 Crying Shame (Embarrassment, 1980)
• A6 That’s The Way To Do It (The Return of Los Palmas 7, 1981)

• B1 Memories (Grey Day, 1981)
• B2 A Town With No Name (Shut Up, 1981)
• B3 Shadow On The House (It Must Be Love, 1981)
• B4 In The City (Cardiac Arrest, 1982)
• B5 Don’t Look Back (House of Fun, 1982)

“I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume One) is sadly missing three B-Side tracks from the “Night Boat to Cairo” single featured on the “Work Rest & Play” EP. The tracks are “Deceives the Eye”, “The Young and the Old”, and “Don’t Quote Me On That”. 

These three tracks are essential to the history of Madness B-Sides as the band felt they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond…, and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP featuring one album track and three new tracks. So why they were left out is unknown other than absurdity. Still, the artist, record label, or other relevant parties involved in the music release typically decide to contain or exclude certain tracks.

The collectibility of “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume One) is medium to high; the assumption is that the units were strictly limited to between 500 and 1000 units hence the difficulty of getting a pristine and sealed copy and with only five units presently available on Discogs at a medium price of US$295 (+shipping); only three of the five are in mint condition (M/M) and still factory sealed, and these will always attract a higher price.

I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side (Volume Two) – BMG / Union Square Music: BMGCAT500LP

B-Sides from the Next 11 Singles – Limited Edition 2021 RSD Exclusive, Pressed on 180g Black Vinyl

“I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” Volume Two was released on June 12, 2021, exclusively in the UK on Record Store Day (RSD) and was limited to 2000 copies on 180g heavyweight black vinyl. This 11-track collection follows Volume One and includes the B-Sides across the next 11 hit singles released by Madness, including: “In The City” (B-side of “Cardiac Arrest”), which was initially written for a Japanese television advertisement for Honda City Cars, “Animal Farm” (B-side of “Driving In My Car”) which was primarily an instrumental reworking of the song “Tomorrow’s Dream” from the album “7”, and “Maybe in Another Life” (B-side of “(Waiting For) The Ghost Train”) released in 1986 shortly after the band announced they were to split. The album sleeve also features brand-new artwork with Madness on a ship’s deck getting attacked by a pink octopus in a collage style designed by Paul Agar in association with the band.

• A1 Animal Farm (Tomorrow’s Dream Warp Mix) (Driving In My Car, 1982)
• A2 Walking With Mr Wheeze (Our House, 1982)
• A3 Madness (Is All In The Mind) (Tommorrow’s Just Another Day, 1983)
• A4 Behind The 8 Ball (Wings Of A Dove, 1983)
• A5 Fireball XL5 (The Sun And The Rain, 1983)
• A6 If You Think There’s Something (Michael Caine, 1984)

• B1 Guns (One Better Day, 1984)
• B2 All I Knew (Yesterdays Men, 1985)
• B3 Please Don’t Go (Uncle Sam, 1985)
• B4 Jennie (A Portrait Of) (Sweetest Girl, 1986)
• B5 Maybe In Another Life (Waiting For The Ghost Train, 1986)

In researching “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume Two), it has been noted there are two missing B-Side tracks featured on the “Sweetest Girl” (Special Limited Edition Double-Pack) that Madness should have included and not a surprise as the band has mysteriously ignored the track since 1998 (The Heavy Heavy Hits). 

Thankfully the B-Side “Jennie (A Portrait Of)” is featured on the album; the additional two tracks, “Tears You Can’t Hide” and “Call Me”, have been omitted and are similar to the missing “Work, Rest and Play” EP tracks that should have been included on “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume One). Sometimes B-side tracks are included as bonus content on deluxe editions, singles, or EPs, while other times, they may not be officially released at all.

Availability of “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume Two) is not a problem for anyone, with 87 units currently open on Discogs varying between US$18.00 to US$85.00 (+shipping). Over 75% of the available units are in mint condition (M/M) and still factory sealed, which will always attract a higher price.

I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side (Volume Three) – BMG / Union Square Music: BMGCAT621LP

B-Sides from the Next 7 Singles – Limited Edition 2023 RSD Exclusive, Pressed on 180g Black Vinyl

The third volume in the sell-out runs of Madness’s B-sides compilations, created exclusively for RSD, follows up on Volume Two (only released for Record Store Day 2021), “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume Three), which was made available on April 22, 2023, and includes 12 Madness B-Sides across seven hit singles released between 1999 and 2009.

The B-side tracks are taken from the singles “Lovestruck,” “Johnny the Horse,” and “Drip Fed Fred.” from the band’s 1999 comeback album “Wonderful”, their seventh studio album, the first studio release since their breakup in 1986; as well as tracks from the 2005 “Dangermen Sessions”, a compilation of cover songs performed by the band, paying tribute to their ska and reggae influences and contains covers of “Girl Why Don’t You” originally by Prince Buster, “Israelites” by Desmond Dekker, and “Shame & Scandal” by Sir Lancelot as well as Kilburn And The High Road’s “The Roadette Song” and Horace Andy’s “Skylarking”.

• A1 Round And Round (Lovestruck, 1999)
• A2 We Are Love (Lovestruck, 1999)
• A3 You’re Wonderful (Remix) (Johnny the Horse, 1999)
• A4 I Was The One (Johnny the Horse, 1999)
• A5 Dreaming Man (Johnny the Horse, 1999)
• A6 Elysium (Drip Fed Fred, 1999)

• B1 Light Of The Way (Drip Fed Fred, 1999)
• B2 Skylarking (Shame And Scandal, 2005)
• B3 Dreader Than Dread (Shame And Scandal, 2005)
• B4 Girl Why Don’t You? (Dub) (Girl Why Don’t You?, 2005)
• B5 Bittersweet (NW5, 2007)
• B6 The Roadette Song (Dust Devil, 2009)

Released on 180g heavyweight Black Vinyl, again, the LP features brand-new artwork designed by Paul Agar in association with the band. The album was released Worldwide (EU/US).

Availability of “I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side” (Volume Three) is exceptionally high, with 135 units instantly available on Discogs running between US$16.00 to US$99.00 (+shipping). Over 85% of available units are in mint condition (M/M) and still factory sealed, which will invariably attract a high cost.

Finally the creative process behind Madness’ songs involved a collaborative effort among the band members, with each member contributing their ideas, musical skills, and influences. Madness was known for its democratic approach to songwriting, with multiple members contributing to the composition and arrangement of their tracks. This collaborative process resulted in a diverse range of musical styles and thematic elements present in their albums.

B-sides are often considered bonus material or extra content, and their significance can vary. Madness and the B-sides have played a notable role in their career and impacted their overall discography, showcasing additional songs or alternative versions of tracks which can offer insight into an artist’s creative evolution and provide glimpses of what might come next. When selecting B-sides, the decision-making process typically involves various factors, including artistic choices, commercial considerations, and label input. These tracks can be as high-quality and enjoyable as the singles themselves, providing a fresh listening experience for fans. Madness’ B-sides featured many such gems, which sometimes became fan favourites despite not receiving mainstream attention.

Overall, the B-sides of Madness played a significant role in their discography by showcasing their versatility, engaging their fans, unearthing hidden gems, and providing a glimpse into their artistic development. These additional tracks added depth and richness to their overall body of work, contributing to the band’s enduring popularity and influence.