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The Madisons

Roger Glover. Photo © Nick Soveiko 2005.

On June 26 Episode Six had their reunion at the Sheila Carter’s house in England. Later that day, the Roger’s sister Christine 60th birthday party witnessed a reunion of Roger’s very first band — The Madisons. Roger writes about those days:

The three of us needed a drummer and a singer and so we approached Harvey Shield, who could often be heard rehearsing drums with the pipe and drum school military band. The conversation went something like, “Ere, Harvey, ‘ave got your own kit?” Having replied in the affirmative he was duly invited into our fledgling enterprise. Mike Duvall was good looking, played pretty good piano and also sang so he became the last one to complete our line-up.
We settled on the name because American pop music was far cooler than its British counterpart and one of the few American names we had heard of was Madison Square Garden. Of course, we would never consider having the word ’square’ in our name – it was a very powerful word describing anything that was uncool – and so we became The Madisons.

Rad the whole story of the slightly Dickensian school days in Harrow, the mesmerized teenager, The Madisons, which eventually merged with another local band The Lightnings, which eventually became Episode Six, on RogerGlover.com.



9 Comments to “The Madisons”:

  1. 1
    Crimson Ghost says:

    Fantastic, I seem to remember a 25th E6 anniversary party taking place back in 1990 or so.

  2. 2
    dave_wallis says:

    Maybe The Madisons could record a one-off album like Gillan did it with The Javelins?

  3. 3
    purplepriest1965 says:

    @ 1

    You SEEM to remember?!
    Has Alzheimer Light caught you as well?

    I remember a cd I never bought.

    Already then my finances were in danger mainly due to my spendings on music and espescially DP plus related.

    I showed some sense, well sometimes, in that way that I had to make choices….. hoping I would buy them later on.

    In the meantime I tried to get hold on some kinda copy.
    Downloading is still not my expertise and way back I probably asked a friend to put it on tape for me.

    The reunionpic showed Ian Gillan very tanned and all.
    What a difference with the 1985 Perfect Strangers tour look.

    Was it a E 6 pic?
    Maybe it was a reunion with one of the other pre Purple groups?

    Never pictured Ian before as a sunlover and English, ahem, are often quite pale in our perception.

    Maybe it was a reunionpic with that other band?
    They did Can I get a witness and so on?

    Garth Rocket and the Moonshiners?
    Wainwrights gentlemen?

    Damn, I m having glitches.Mixing things up probably.

    I know it was a cd they did after they originally never made an album.

    I listened to the final thing but felt dissappointed.
    Probably because I, very unrealistic ofcourse, hoped for an old Gillan voice kinda thing.

    I m gonna get some coffee, maybe it will refresh my mind.

    And enlight my spirits.
    I m confronted again with my inability to deal with digital shit.

    Some time ago I found great tubes by Garth Rocket anno 1989 and Jon Lords cooperation with Eberhard Schoener on WINDOWS.
    Amongst many others I d like those in my collection.

    Been at several sites and on the hub.
    I just cant grasp how download stuff!!!

    NOT Tolstoj!

  4. 4
    Tracy Heyder (aka Zero the Hero) says:

    What a shame Ian Gillan didn’t attend for the Episode Six portion and someone Video and record the event for a release. This is a historical moment that should have been saved for posterity. I think Purple fans would have loved to get a hold of this event to watch and listen to….

    I for one surely would.

    CHeers

  5. 5
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Hi Trace

    Everything fine?

    Cheers, Mark

  6. 6
    Reinder Dijkhuis says:

    PurplePriest, I have a copy of WINDOWS that I want to get rid of. Late 1990s DPAS-label reissue (whatever they were called at the time).

  7. 7
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Hi Reinder

    Thanx for the gesture.
    Can we get in touch?

    I think you mean the CD VERSION?
    On YouTube there are lots of VIDEO footage.
    I do own the old WINDOWS cd version.
    I think mine was at the label LINE or something.

    I have not come to speed with the remasters of this and GEMINI SUITE late yet, sadly.
    I was espescially interested in the VINYL ones…..

    If you like email me through….

    purpelaar1965@hotmail.com

    Cheers, Mark

  8. 8
    Reinder says:

    Correct, it’s the CD, the Purple edition from the late 1990s.. If you’ve already got it, there’s no point in me sending it out though.

    When you talk about vinyl in the same breath as remasters, does that mean there are new vinyl versions? If you mean the original vinyl, on the other hand, you may be able to find it by hauling yourself up to Groningen and visiting Zinnebeeld. I know they’ve got Before I Forget on vinyl there.

  9. 9
    purplepriest1965 says:

    I ve got almost all old vinyls, except The 1st of the Big Bands,and things like pre Purple I think.

    Groningen is not exactly around the block, for me that is.
    My only visit stems from attending The Black Sabbath Dehumanizertour in 1992, so……..

    But maybe we can stay in touch…..
    Some friends of mine are still trying to persuade me to attend another BN gig, like he did in Groningen……
    I m not very eager.
    I should probably due to his age and the fact that I missed out for 4 years now.

    Probably longer, I m afraid.
    When was Amsterdam, Paradiso?
    And The Pepsi Stage? Was that after the Paradiso?

    VINYL

    I read extensivley about the REMASTERED RE ISSUE Gemini Suite cd AND Vinyl, so……
    I forgot about the others.
    Maybe they did WINDOWS as well?

    I d have loved to have them, but there is more in life, etc…..

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