Mark Bedford

Biography

 Mark Bedford (born Mark William Bedford, 24 August 1961, Islington, North London), nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bass guitarist and founding member, now irregular member, of the band Madness.

Musical career

Bedford attended William Ellis School in Kentish Town and met members of the North London Invaders when they played a gig there. He was asked along to a band rehearsal and found that the lads could play quite well. Bedford was friends with Gary Dovey who was playing drums with the band, but after a scuffle with sax player Lee Thompson, Dovey left the band. Bedford knew a drummer, and Daniel Woodgate was introduced as the final member of the then six-piece band which became Madness.
Although not the major songwriter in Madness, Bedford co-wrote one of the band's more emotive songs "One Better Day" with Suggs. He was also responsible for co-writing "Not Home Today", "Disappear", "Return of the Los Palmas 7", "Deceives The Eye", "Stepping Into Line" and "Maybe In Another Life". The only song he ever wrote entirely on his own was "Mummy's Boy", which appeared on the band's debut album One Step Beyond....
Bedford played double bass on Robert Wyatt's recording of the Elvis Costello song 'Shipbuilding' in 1982.
After Madness split up for the first time in 1986, Bedford played bass with Voice of the Beehive, and in 1991 played bass on Morrissey's second studio album "Kill Uncle".
He later teamed up with ex-Higsons brass supremo Terry Edwards, and they formed Butterfield 8 along with various strong members of the jazz scene at the time. They released a single "Watermelon Man" and an album called Blow!. This was re-released in 2001 on the Sartorial Records label.
Bedford stage performances with Madness were irregular by 2009, for instance he did not tour with the band in Australia in the early part of that year, though he did feature as a full member of the band on their album The Liberty of Norton Folgate released that May. Commenting on this state of affairs Suggs stated: “It’s like the Eagles song. 'You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.' ... But there’s a lot of flexibility, allowing people to be what they want to be, and do what they want.”[5]
Bedford recently appeared in a TV advert with the group, promoting a popular beer. Bedders appeared with the band in 2012 performing with them both on the roof of Buckingham Palace in June as part of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Concert and for the band's appearance in August at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. He also appeared with the band on the 19th January 2013 edition of The Jonathan Ross Show.
In his spare time he is known to play bass in the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra.

Personal life

Bedders is a graphic designer and he runs his own printing business from a shop in east London. He lives near Stoke Newington in London, and has two daughters, Alice and Olivia.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bedford Accessed 23rd March 2013


Discography

Studio albums
One Step Beyond...
Absolutely
7
The Rise & Fall
Keep Moving
Mad Not Mad
The Madness
Wonderful
The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1
The Liberty of Norton Folgate
Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da

Compilation albums
Complete Madness
Madness
Utter Madness
It's... Madness
It's... Madness Too
Divine Madness
The Business
Total Madness (1997)
Our House
Total Madness (2009)
Ultimate Madness
A Guided Tour of Madness
Forever Young The Ska Collection

Live albums
Madstock!
Universal Madness

Singles
"The Prince" "One Step Beyond" "My Girl" "Work Rest and Play EP" "Baggy Trousers" "Embarrassment" "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" "Grey Day" "Shut Up" "It Must Be Love" "Cardiac Arrest" "House of Fun" "Driving in My Car" "Our House" "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" / "Madness (Is All in the Mind)" "Wings of a Dove" "The Sun and the Rain" "Michael Caine" "One Better Day" "Yesterday's Men" "Uncle Sam" "Sweetest Girl" "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train" "Night Boat to Cairo" "The Harder They Come" "Lovestruck" "Johnny the Horse" "Drip Fed Fred" "Shame & Scandal" "Girl Why Don't You" "Sorry" "NW5" "Dust Devil" "Sugar and Spice" "Forever Young" " My Girl 2 ".