Closet

Mr T Nuts asks !

Is there anything I can do behind the scenes in order to give something back
to the whole band for the pleasure and positive feedback I've had from them?

Chris says

Is this a question?
I suggest Mr Nuts keeps on truckin'
Chrissy Boy
Lee Says...

Well now, this is a very difficult one. one I've been asked many times over the years as a famous, un-affected, caring pop star.

my advice would be firstly, to seek professional help from friend's & loved ones, if this has no Positive effect on your decision try a local public house (one off the beaten track) you know the type- one where no ones going to interrupt your train of thought or where a "Wannabe yardie" is gonna come crashing through, into YOUR snug Bar seeking Redemption . Say to yourself, "I'm going to change the Musical world with my shit hot Brand of Music Then Say No god Damn Mother Fucker Is gonna come anywhere near this. Stand up on your table & shout - "I'm dedicating my life to my band I'm going to Sacrifice Heart N' Soul , lung & Liver Kidney & Bell End .(JUST DON'T SELL ANY OF IT) Then after your revelation buy the pub a round & run for your life .
Kix

Graham H Asks ?

chris.
Where did you get that leather pork pie hat????

Chris Says

Dear Graham are you the c*567!@Ł!! who nicked my leather cap from the dressing room at the Underworld gig?
And you want to add my leather pork pie to the collection?
..Sorry just paranoid but the aforementioned hat has been missing ever since and I would like to say that if it is returned to Mr Swanny no questions asked then there might be a reward.

Anyway Graham that particular hat was got for me by ex wife number two from a second hand shop ,so it's hard to tell you where it was got exactly ,if yer know what I mean.
I would suggest Terry's Menswear on Harrow Road who has an excellent collection of hats of all kinds or somewhere like Brixton perhaps.

CBF

Question for Spider n Lee

Terry Writes

Did Spider enjoy the Prince Buster gig the other week (and did any of the other chaps go)?

How long has Lee been living in Barnet cos I keep seeing him from time to time in Wood Street (me and my wife and daughter only live round the corner)? If he hadn't looked so harrassed at the time I would have said hello.

That's all for now. Anyway , great site. Keep it going.

Cheers!

Lee Says

DEAR TERRY,

MY MIDDLE NAME IS HARASSED!

KIX

Spider Says

YES I did enjoy the Prince Buster gig but I was really looking forward to seeing the PILFERS and they didn't play.BOO

HOO !! I did think that the junction band were good but I've seen them better as well.Not being funny but the Lee Perry show was much better and had a stronger bill.ONE LOVE see you all very soon .

Best wishes Spider

jimmy the gent asks

Question for Lee and Chris

Is that most excelent singer Mr John Hasler fronting a band at present ?

Chris says

No but I think he should be.

Lee says

No.He's doing much more sensible things like, trying to find someone to
offer him a bed for the night. He's hopefully going to be staying in one of
my many properties I have aquired over the past few decades. He is a good
friend close to a soulmate rather than a stale one. And I've not many of
those left!

Jimmy The Gent (again)

Tad

Do you still live in Mitcham and if so ever been in the three kings?

A:    Now there's a question!

Yep, I'm still a proud Mitcham resident...
Do you know... I've not been into Three King's Public House since errrr.....
at least circa1988!
That's when the 118 bus used to run directly past its' front door! - Instead
of the now environmentally friendly
'round-the rounabout-if-you-please' trick that we all know and love!

Come to think of it... I haven't been to any pub in Mitcham for yonks!
Here's a run down of Top Ten ol' Taddy haunts!

1.    The Burn Bullock [try sayin' that when yer pishhed!]
2.    The Cricketers [Thommo'd like that pub - crackin' Ram Rod if memory
serves]
3.    The Windmill [if you like a cold walk 'ome!]
4.    The Beehive [just like someone's front room]
5.    The Ravensbury Arms [longest walk home known to man after a skinfull]
6.    The Mitcham Mint [the first pub that welcome's you into Mitcham as you
cross the county line from South London!!!!]
7.    The King's Head [Ex-roadie RJ Chris's family drank here for
generations]
8.    The White Lion of Mortimer [formerely The Buck's Head]
9.    The Nag's Head [Gaw'd bless her - not to be confused with imaginary
Pub frequented by BBC's Del Boy]
10. Hooden on the Green [formerely The White Hart...What's a Hooden ?]

Not a lot of people know that!

I know what the pub experts amongst ya are thinking: "He didn't mention the
Queen's Head !!!"
That's 'cos I've never been in there!
Errrrrrr..............what was the original question?
Mine's a pint!
Tad

Robert-Jan Breeman asks

Any chances of a new album?
Loved the first one, but 8 or 9 years have passed and I would really like
to hear the studio versions of the songs I have on a video taped somewhere
in London (Lyceum?).
Anyway, keep up the good work and please drop by in Holland sometime.

Dear Robert

Crunch! have only just started playing live again after a three year hiatus
but we would love to record a new album sometime.Itąs just finding a record
label to sponsor us that is the problem.
We hope to build up the band next year in a live appearance sort of way and
hopefully do some new recordings.The video you have was filmed at the
Imperial College London by the way.

CBF

Still working on that difficult 2nd Phase. The Crunch! boy's are hoping to
get into the rehearsal studio's to arrange 2 or maybe 3 songs once we can
get everyone together.
Although most of the boy's are "Up for It" They have found themselves tied
up with other commitments since they last put their heart & soul into the
Crunch! Band. Anyhow don't hold your Tulip, Go buy a G's&R's L.P.

LJT

Robert-Jan Breeman asks Lee

In take it or leave it we saw you give Gary Dovey a slap !
Are you two still friends ?.

Yes we are.We are more like bussom buddies than just, plain simple boring
old farts that sit in the Boozer all day long moaning about Posh spice .I met Dovey in the comfort of his New York pad when I visited there with Mark bedford some two
years ago, since that magical meet things have not quite been the same, we
have become "Fountain Pen Pals" Of The 00's Brew.

LJT

Hello !

It's JPierre Boutellier from skanews.net website...

When will you release a new record with Crunch ?

all the best, thanks a lot

jp

P.S : A band called Boy In The Boat (ex-Welcome) are influenced by Crunch,

Madness and Ian Dury, They cover live Danger Zone from Crunch. It's a hot
French Nutty Sound band...

Dear Jean Pierre
Well hello there! Itąs been a long time.Sorry I didnąt fill in your last
questionnaire but I am a middle aged slacker you know.
Regarding new stuff see the reply to Robert from Holland .

I would very much like to hear Boy in the Boatąs rendition of łDanger
Zone˛.
Shouldnąt they be called łBoy in The Box ł though?

CBF

Hey guys!
My question for the Closet is this:
Who or what would you say has had the most influence on your lives?
And was this for the better or the worse?!
Love Bex

It would hve been a number of people.My father was a bit of a villain from 40's/50's London &, on the occasions when he was home, I would sit & "overhear a lot of his friends activities.

Chris & Mike have had a big influence on my artistic make-up ,& through my early teens up to recent years have shaped the way we are .

Then there is of course My long time suffering Wife, whom was kind enough to purchase the Sax I use today & steer me off along the path of Raunchiousness. A real anchor at times!

El Thommo xx

Hi there all!

Where was the weirdest place you ever wrote a song for
Madness/ crunch!? And what song was that????

The other question was:
If you would win Ł1 million in the program Who Wants
to be a Millionaire, what exacly would you do with
it????

Love, Mrs. Melvin Toad

Chris says

I usually get inspired with a tune whilst walking up the road and one did come to me whilst in Camden Sainsbury's a while back. Sorry I can't really think of anywhere weird. Lee will probably have a few insights into that sort of thing.

If I won WWTBAM I'd put it under my mattress with my other 3 million quid

Dear Mrs.Toad,

The Crunch!band recently played in Brighton, whilst on our Train journey
down,some of the band struck up a few chords & by the time we'd reached
Biggin Hill, "Fair Invaders of the World unite" was in the collection of one
of Crunches finest songs where, most of it's lyrics were shakily penned on
the 11.40am from Kings Cross to Brighton's centre compartment lavatory wall
whilst trying to off load into a whirlpool of Monies recently donated
to(C.A.C.) Camden's Arts & Crafts, (from unclaimed Lottery funds) should be
distributed very shortly to,The elitist pride group,for Crunch! to then have
the opportunity to fulfil their lifelong ambition of getting back into the
studio.

When is this programme you mention broadcast?

LJT

Snowbunny asks

i have always been a madness fan and especially thought that the sax player {lee} was quite an interesting character. since viewing the crunch material on my computer i am quite certain that interesting is probably an understatement. i live in the u.s and the only way i can access any real madness or crunch news is through the internet which unfortunately is somewhat limited these days. my question i guess is what do you.chris and lee do when you are just being yourselves? outside of crunch or madness.hobbies? certain interests ? just a true fan with a question.and a definite interewt in you guys

Lee Reply's

I'm pretty much the same off as on stage come to think of it.

Life IS a stage (We going through) so.....live It.

Hobbies include,Music,Sport,more music & S&M.

Bye,

Lee.

What is lee's preferred make of sax, mouthpiece + size and reed strength
when playing Tenor sax:I love his style of playing and have been learning sax
for 1.5 years now hard going but would like to sound something like Thomo.

When can we expect another crunch album out I listen to some of the
unreleased stuff and would love to hear a studio version on the songs
Look forward to hearing from you and keep the gigs coming would love to see
u in Kent (Gravesend)

Thanks Simon

Dear Simon,

My preferred "Tools for the Trade" are as follows:

Selmer Mk.6 Tenor. Otto Link Metal 9 Star Mouth piece. 3to4 strength Rico Reeds.

Was using Selmer Jazz & Classical "Silver" C&D Lay Mouthpiece with 2-3 strength Rico Reeds up until 1983......The "Out Of Tune Years!"

Regards,Lee

OK! So Kix did u realise thatif it wasn't for you I would never have realise that i would never have started to play the saxophone 4 years ago (i have just past my 3rd grade)!I think u'r wiked on sax! Who was ur inspiration to play???

Thanx

Raychel

Inspiration came from the likes of- Fats Domino,The Coasters,Johnny & the Hurricanes,Duane Eddy & all that U.S. R&B music from the 50's & early 60's.

Andy McKay of Roxy Music & David Payne from Ian & the Blocks. Rocked us.

Lee.

Lee & Chris

Of all the recordings that you have made ,,which one did you like best and why?

keep those crunch gigs coming !!

Best wishes

John the train driver

Lee Says !

If you are talking Madness sessions then it has to be recording the One Step Beyond album,although we had previously that year been in to record:The Prince/Madness/My Girl(with Mr.B on vocals!) in a day,the 10 Days we had to record our first album was literally a whirlwind of fun down off the Fulham Palace Rd.

Clive Langer & Alan Whitstanley were not too sure at first of just how deep they were willing to get involved,regardless of their feelings,contracts had been signed,deadlinez had to be met.Yes,it was I fear.........A lock in!

Classic moments being: Barzo doing keyboards for Swan Lake "In One" only to cock it up on the last note. Thinking that Chris had hurt himself on the end of that song & screaming the C word. Standing in the middle of F.P.Rd. Shouting "Paper Sir!" for, the tail out of," In The Middle of the Night" And not forgetting the uniformly pretty gang spirit of "Chipmunks Are Go!"

(Yeeeee-Haaaaaaa!)

If your talking Crunch! It's even more fun,in a more aware state, because YOU are in the driving seat & not some Jobs Worth helping you to dissipate.

Chris is all fired up as we speak.We recently broke into our Pigs & found we had enough shekels to get into the studio & complete a fine song that has been waiting to hatch for some time.Watch this space......................

1.THERE IS NO SUCH THING.YOU CAN BLOW A HORN WITH EITHER HAND.

BEING LEFT HANDED, I PREFER THE RIGHT HAND.

2.THEY WAS CALLED,"BOOSEY......BOOSEY & HAWKES,CAME FROM DINGWALLS MARKET. RIGHT SILVER MACHINES. HELD TOGETHER WITH ELASTICS. HAD TO CHOP THEM IN FOR "SELMAR" A BEAUTIFUL GOLD GODDESS AROUND SEPT. 76'(choke') YE HA WELL, ALL GOOD THINGS...........ABOUT 18.

Hello all, any chance of coming over to Ireland, Dublin, or even Belfast. Both were missed by Madness on the last tour, and Crunch I am sure would get a great welcome.

You get the booking,we'll come performing.......Deal?

The Audio would be in the hands of either, Cancer Bacup or jamiesuptonogood@aol.com

hi..Birchy here..from Belfast

here's my poser for both the lads

Q:, "Who were the masters behind those great UK 12" mixes of the Madness singles?" Except for the Fergal Sharkey 12" of Listen To Your Father, there are no credits for who mixed these songs for the 12" releases.

& who also did the mixes for Nutty Boys - Crunch..

I would have thought,Clive & alan (our producers) with Mr.Dave Robinson(Stiff supremo)

guiding those Stiff gems. But don't quote me.