When was Madness formed? Details explored as star Chris Foreman reveals having incurable cancer

Madness's star Chris Foreman has shared via the band's Facebook page that he has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer called myeloma.

The British Ska and pop band was formed in 1976 in Camden Town, North West London, with founding members Mike Barson (keyboards/vocals), Chris Foreman (guitar), and Lee Thompson (saxophone/vocals) before they were joined by Graham McPherson, who is known as Suggs, as the lead vocalist in 1977. The group lineup was completed with the additions of Dan Woodgate (drums), Mark Bedford (bass), and Cathal Smyth (Chas Smash, backing vocals/dance).

During the 1980s, they dominated the UK charts, tying a record with UB40 for the most weeks spent on the UK Singles Chart (214 weeks) and having 16 UK Top Ten singles, including “Baggy Trousers”, “It Must Be Love”, and “Our House” under their belt.

In 1983, Mike Barson left Madness, which was quite a pivotal moment in the band's trajectory. Soon after, the group disbanded unexpectedly in 1986, due to musical differences. However, 1992 saw a surprise resurgence when a re-release of “It Must Be Love” sparked a reunion. That led to Madness performing at Madstock! Festival in Finsbury Park, which drew over 75,000 fans.

With their legacy, even today, Madness holds a significant place and power in the history of British pop and ska music. In 2023, the band released “Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est la Vie,” which became a historic milestone, as the record became their first-ever UK No. 1 studio album.

Madness's Chris Foreman diagnosis

Foreman, who is known as Chrissy Boy, shared his cancer diagnosis via the band's Facebook page on August 29.

He wrote, "Dear all Earlier this year I had severe pain in my upper back and shoulders. On the 28th of June we played a show in France and it had become unbearable. I had an MRI scan at the end of June and they found a tumour on my spine. On the 4th of July I went to the Royal Sussex and had all sorts of stuff done to me. I had radiotherapy which blasted it and stopped the pain."

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He explained his diagnosis, "I actually had a Spinal Tap too - rock n roll! I wasn't in good shape, to say the least. My kidneys were only at 14% function, which has greatly improved since then. What I've got is a form of cancer called myeloma. It's treatable but not curable."

Chris Foreman then spoke about the lifestyle changes he will have to implement. Fans came forward showing their support for the musician.

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