A Guided Tour of Madness is a 3-CD/1-DVD anthology box set by the English band Madness, released in 2011 on Union Square Music's collector's label Salvo. It features 70 singles and album tracks (from 1979’s One Step Beyond... to 2009’s The Liberty of Norton Folgate) and an exclusive DVD of the band's comeback concert at the Madstock festival in August 1992. It also includes a booklet with interviews with the band, photos, the cartoon Nutty Comic (1981) and the Madness Map of Camden, the band's historic stomping ground. With the exception of "Sweetest Girl," "Sorry," and "The Harder They Come," every one of the band's 34 singles to date is represented.
The compilation is notable as containing the first (and, until Record Store Day 2022, only) official physical release of the track "Le Grand Pantalon", which closes the collection. This slower, waltz version of "Baggy Trousers", complete with accordion and double bass, as well as French lyrics, was originally created as part of Madness' participation in Kronenbourg Brewery's 'Slow the Pace' ad campaign. However, its popularity led to the band recording a full version, initially available only as a free download.
Critical reception
AllMusic rated the box set 4 stars out of 5, saying, "A cut above most hastily assembled retrospectives, A Guided Tour of Madness is a cleverly selected affair which should satisfy anyone wishing to investigate more than their more ubiquitous commercial hits." The Super Deluxe Edition website wrote, "The care and attention in the included booklet, combined with the overall quality of the packaging, makes this an easy box set to recommend, even for the casual listener."
Track listing
Certifications and sales
Personnel See individual albums for full personnel credits. Madness Graham "Suggs" McPherson – vocals Cathal Smyth – vocals, trumpet Mike Barson - piano, keyboards Chris Foreman – guitar Mark Bedford – bass Lee Thompson – saxophone, vocals Daniel Woodgate – drums Additional musicians on bonus track "Le Grand Pantalon" Rachael Lander – strings Kirsty Mangan – strings Natalie Holt – strings Stephanie Benedetti – strings Louis Vause – accordion Lester Allen – banjo Technical Clive Langer – producer (disc 1: 1-27 / disc 2: 1-22 / disc 3: 1-9, 15-21) Alan Winstanley – producer (disc 1: 3-27 / disc 2: 1-22 / disc 3: 1-9, 15-20), DVD sound mix Steve Dub – producer (disc 3: 10-14) John "Segs" Jennings – producer (disc 3: 10-14) Charlie Andrew – producer (disc 3: 21) Tim Turan – mastering Mark Brennan – compilation Daryl Smith – compilation Martin "Cally" Callomon – box theme, art direction, design Eric Watson – front cover photograph Clare Muller – black and white band photographs Paul Rider – band photographs Gavin Martin – booklet interviews DVD Meedja – DVD authoring Juliet De Valero-Wills – executive producer Malcolm Gerrie – executive producer Dione Orram – producer Rocky Oldham – producer Gavin Taylor – director
References
External links A Guided Tour of Madness