Crunch! (The Nutty Boys album)

== Background ==

== Background ==

Following the band [[Madness (band)|Madness]] splitting in late 1986, its short-lived incarnation, [[Madness (band)#The Madness|The Madness]], emerged the following year, consisting of original members [[Suggs]], [[Chas Smash|Cathal Smyth]], saxophonist [[Lee Thompson (saxophonist)|Lee Thompson]], and guitarist [[Chris Foreman]]. They released their eponymous debut album ''[[The Madness (The Madness album)|The Madness]]'' in mid-1988. However, the album was hugely unsuccessful and soured relations between the band and the label, [[Virgin Records]], who demanded new material if the band were to stay on the label. Despite attempts to record a follow-up album, these sessions proved unsuccessful and the band split again by the end of the same year.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=316–317}}

Following the band [[Madness (band)|Madness]] splitting in late 1986, its short-lived incarnation, [[Madness (band)#The Madness|The Madness]], emerged the following year, consisting of original members [[Suggs]], [[Chas Smash|Cathal Smyth]], saxophonist [[Lee Thompson (saxophonist)|Lee Thompson]], and guitarist [[Chris Foreman]]. They released their eponymous debut album ''[[The Madness (The Madness album)|The Madness]]'' in mid-1988. However, the album was hugely unsuccessful and soured relations between the band and the label, [[Virgin Records]], who demanded new material if the band were to stay on the label. Despite attempts to record a follow-up album, these sessions proved unsuccessful and the band were dropped by the label and dissolved again by the end of the year.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=316–317}}

Shortly afterwards in late 1988, Thompson and Foreman began writing together as a pair with the intention of creating a new band. Having recorded three demos, they sent these demos to major record labels in the hopes of a deal.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=335–336}} While initially unsuccessful, they eventually were signed to Link Records. As such, they started recording the album in early 1989 in the Madness-owned Liquidator Studios with engineer and co-producer Kevin Petrie, with extra sessions being recorded at Pavilion Studios and E-Zee Hire Studios.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=M. I. S. |date=2016-08-15 |title=Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 901 – Sunday 14th August to Saturday 20th August 2016 |url=https://www.madness-mis.com/901-2/ |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Madness |language=en-GB}} While Thompson took on the role of lead vocals in addition to saxophone, Foreman took on programming and keyboards in addition to guitar.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=336}} They recorded 10 songs, including the lead track "Magic Carpet" (co-written by Suggs), which was one of the last songs written by The Madness.

Shortly afterwards in late 1988, Thompson and Foreman began writing together as a pair with the intention of creating a new band. Having recorded three demos, they sent these demos to major record labels in the hopes of a deal.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=335–336}} While initially unsuccessful, they eventually were signed to Link Records. As such, they started recording the album in early 1989 in the Madness-owned Liquidator Studios with engineer and co-producer Kevin Petrie, with extra sessions being recorded at Pavilion Studios and E-Zee Hire Studios.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=M. I. S. |date=2016-08-15 |title=Madness Information Service Online Newsletter Issue Number: 901 – Sunday 14th August to Saturday 20th August 2016 |url=https://www.madness-mis.com/901-2/ |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Madness |language=en-GB}} While Thompson took on the role of lead vocals in addition to saxophone, Foreman took on programming and keyboards in addition to guitar.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=336}} They recorded 10 songs, including the lead track "Magic Carpet" (co-written by Suggs), which was one of the last songs written by The Madness.