One Step Beyond... Explained

One Step Beyond...
Type:Studio album
Artist:Madness
Cover:Madness.jpg
Released:19 October 1979[1]
Recorded:September 1979[2]
Studio:
  • Eden, London
  • T.W., London
Genre:
Length:39:02
Label:
Producer:
Next Title:Work Rest and Play
Next Year:1980

One Step Beyond... is the debut studio album by the British ska-pop group Madness, released by Stiff Records. Recorded and mixed in about three weeks, the album peaked at number two and remained on the UK Albums Chart for more than a year. The album has received much critical praise. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television station Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.

This was the first album produced by the team of Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, who would go on to produce more Madness albums and to work with artists including Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Morrissey, Dexys Midnight Runners, They Might Be Giants and David Bowie.

Background

The "Nutty Train" photo on the sleeve, shot by Cameron McVey, was inspired by a photo of Kilburn and the High Roads roadie Paul Tonkin that appeared on the back cover of the band's album Handsome.[7]

The title track, released as a single, was originally written and recorded by the Jamaican ska musician Prince Buster, and its "Don't watch that, watch this ..." introduction is adapted from another Prince Buster song, "The Scorcher". The track "The Prince" is a tribute to Buster and a re-recording of the band's debut single, originally released on the 2 Tone label.[8] Its B-side, "Madness", another Prince Buster song, was also re-recorded for the album. "Madness" and "Bed and Breakfast Man" were released as singles in North America through Sire Records.[9]

After the album's initial release, reissues were released in 2009 and 2014 by Union Square Music's collector's label Salvo,[10] each containing additional material such as video productions featuring the band.

Critical reception and legacy

This album, along with the Specials' self-titled debut—released on the same day in October 1979—played an important part in popularising 2 tone music in the UK. These albums were also a great influence on other bands of the genre.

Track listing

Extra material

The 2009 reissue also includes the music videos for "The Prince", "One Step Beyond", "My Girl", "Night Boat to Cairo" and "Bed and Breakfast Man". The first four of these were also included on the version of One Step Beyond... issued as part of the box set The Lot.The bonus disc contains B-sides as well as all three songs previously only released on the Work Rest and Play EP in April 1980.

A 35th-anniversary edition was released in 2014. It includes 14 of 20 tracks from a 1979 rehearsal tape entitled "Fab Toones" and a DVD featuring videos, Top of the Pops and Old Grey Whistle Test appearances and a BBC documentary.[11]

2009 reissue

Disc 1
  • The original album
    • The promo videos:
    Disc 2
  • The John Peel Session
  • The bonus tracks
    • Notes

    2014 reissue

    Original album
    'Fab Toones!' rehearsal tape, 1979
    Downloads

    Singles

    Music videos

    Five promotional music videos were filmed to promote the singles during the album's release. All of these, with the exception of "The Prince" (which was in fact a Top of the Pops performance only released in the UK and was used the single version for the video) were in rotation on MTV during its first few years. Some of these promo videos were also featured in other music TV outlets, such as Top of the Pops. However in 2022 Madness released two new videos for the album versions of "The Prince" and "Madness", with footage taken from the 1981 Madness' documentary movie Take It or Leave It.

    !Year!Video!Director
    1979 "The Prince" (single version & Top of the Pops performance clip)Unknown
    "One Step Beyond"Dave Robinson
    "Bed and Breakfast Man"
    "My Girl"Unknown
    1980"Night Boat to Cairo"Unknown
    2022"“The Prince" (album version)Dave Robinson
    "Madness"

    Personnel

    Additional personnel

    NOTE: Smyth was not an official member of the band at the time of the album's recording or release. He would formally join Madness only a few weeks after One Step Beyond... was issued in October 1979.

    Technical

    2009 reissue

    2014 reissue

    Chart performance

    Original album

    Chart (1979)Peak
    position    		Total
    weeks
    Austrian Albums Chart[12] 1110
    Finnish Albums Chart[13] 236
    Dutch Albums Chart[14] 2212
    German Albums Chart[15] 1437
    New Zealand Albums Chart[16] 279
    Norwegian Albums Chart[17] 247
    Swedish Albums Chart[18] 127
    UK Albums Chart[19] 278
    US Billboard Hot 200[20] 1289

    Singles

    DateSingleChartPositionWeeks
    Sep 1979"The Prince" (single version)UK1611
    Nov 1979"One Step Beyond"UK714
    Jan 1980"My Girl"UK310
    Apr 1980"Night Boat to Cairo"UK68

    Further reading

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Madness – One Step Beyond... (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 19 October 1979 . 19 May 2012.
    2. Web site: The Madness Timeline – 1979 . Madness official website . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928002827/http://www.madness.co.uk/time/1979/text.htm . 11 October 2021 . 28 September 2007.
    3. Book: Considine, J.D. . Madness . J. D. Considine . The New Rolling Stone Album Guide . The Rolling Stone Album Guide . Brackett . Nathan . Nathan Brackett . Hoard . Christian . Christian Hoard . . 4th . 2004 . 0-7432-0169-8 . 508.
    4. Web site: One Step Beyond... – Madness . . 1 September 2016 . Greene . Jo-Ann.
    5. Web site: The 50 Best New Wave Albums . . 8 September 2016 . 30 December 2019.
    6. Book: Considine, J.D. . Madness . J. D. Considine . The New Rolling Stone Album Guide . The Rolling Stone Album Guide . Brackett . Nathan . Nathan Brackett . Hoard . Christian . Christian Hoard . . 4th . 2004 . 0-7432-0169-8 . 508.
    7. Web site: Simpson . Dave . Suggs and Mike Barson of Madness: how we made One Step Beyond . The Guardian . 25 November 2014.
    8. Book: Edwards, Terry . 2009 . Madness' One Step Beyond... (33 1/3) . . 978-0826429063 . 67.
    9. Web site: Madness – Discography . 45cat.com . 11 October 2021.
    10. Web site: Salvo. Union Square Music . 11 October 2021.
    11. Web site: ALBUM REVIEW: Madness - One Step Beyond (35th Anniversary Edition). www.shieldsgazette.com.
    12. Web site: Steffen Hung . Austria Top 40 – Hitparade Österreich . austriancharts.at . 7 January 2012.
    13. Book: Nyman, Jake . Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja . Tammi . 2005 . 951-31-2503-3 . 1st . Helsinki . 178. fi.
    14. http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Madness&titel=One+Step+Beyond%2E%2E%2E&cat=a One Step Beyond ... at Dutch Charts
    15. Web site: Media Control Charts . charts.de . 18 September 2013.
    16. Web site: Steffen Hung . New Zealand charts portal . charts.nz . 7 January 2012 .
    17. Web site: Steffen Hung . Norwegian charts portal . norwegiancharts.com . 15 June 2006 . 7 January 2012.
    18. Web site: Steffen Hung . Swedish Charts Portal . swedishcharts.com . 7 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716172051/http://www.swedishcharts.com/ . 16 July 2011 .
    19. Web site: UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company . . 7 January 2012 .
    20. Web site: AllMusic . AllMusic . 2 January 2012 . 7 January 2012.
    21. http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/madness/ Madness at Official Charts Company
    22. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts. 1980. GfK Entertainment Charts. de. 3 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20211021191905/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1980. 21 October 2021.

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