MADNESS DRUMMER RELEASES DEBUT SOLO RECORD WITH MENTALLY ILL BROTHER
MAGIC BROTHERS – ‘The Magic Line’ Album released 30th September on DW Records
Woody, drummer with the legendary Madness, and his younger brother Nick Woodgate are ‘Magic Brothers’. Having written a number of songs together for Madness, they have recently written and produced the glorious ‘The Magic Line’ (released 30th September on DW Records), a dazzling melting pot of indelible pop songs, nostalgic affections and nifty songwriting.
Often referred to by Woody as the “quiet genius” of the two, Nick suffered mental health problems through his teens and twenties. He was sectioned under the mental health act age 27 and spent a month in an acute mental hospital ward, eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.
His first musical outing came when Woody and his mum bought him a guitar. Falling in love with the instrument he would practice up to 14 hours a day and he later joined Woody on his 1993 side project, FAT. They both collaborated with Madness saxophonist Lee Thompson on the song ‘No Money’ from the1999 Madness album ‘Wonderful’ and have written so many songs together that Madness guitarist Chrissy Boy often jokes that Woody and Nick wrote the new Madness album Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da! In fact two songs written together made it on to the album; ‘Kitchen Floor’ and ‘Leon’. In 2010 Nick suggested to Woody that they should write a few songs together which would eventually form the basis of ‘The Magic Line’.
Woody and Nick come from a musical background. Both grandfathers were music conductors. Leslie Woodgate O.B.E. wrote and conducted music and led the BBC Choral Singers. Erik Ogden (on their mothers side) conducted light entertainment acts such as Max Bygraves, Shirley Bassey and The Bachelors, he had his own Big Band called ‘The Erik Ogden Band’ and started his career as a violinist accompanied by a pianist at silent movies. Cousin Leslie East was the principal of the Guildhall School of Music, cousin Nick Woodland is a guitarist, and played on Geogio Moroder’s Munich Machine records in the 70’s. In the family tree there have been band masters, and a distant Woodgate even played violin to queen Victoria.
Woody and Nick’s mum and dad met at a party held by Cherry Butlin (Billy Butlin’s daughter) at her father’s flat in Mayfair. The connection was they and Cherry went to RADA (Royal Accademy of Dramatic Art). Their father Crispian went on to be a successful photographer and their mum Anne worked for the BBC. Crispian specialised in film and television personalities. Anne worked on TOTP’s, Playschool, Dad’s Army, Are You Being Served, and It Ain’t Alf Hot Mum as a floor manager and still works part time for the BBC today.
“This album is a culmination of the music we grew up with, and loved. Our tastes are far reaching, and obvious to anyone who likes the 70’s,” says Woody. “Nick and I love writing songs together. Nick is a brilliant musician, and at heart a real sentimentalist. Mix that with my pop sensibility, and big production values and you get the Magic Brothers.”
Written and produced by both Woody and Nick, ‘The Magic Line’ draws from a wide range of musical influences from the Beatles to Pink Floyd. It bursts with rich vocal harmonies reminiscent of ELO and Supertramp, enhanced by Woody’s wife Siobhan Fitzpatrick (who was guest vocalist on Madness’s ‘Small World’ from the latest album Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da). His daughter Mary also makes an appearance singing backing vocals on the sweet and catchy ‘Sunshine’. A real family affair.
Uptempo, uplifting songs such as ‘Always Be With You’, the psychedelic stomper, ‘Downtown’, and ‘They Tell You’ boast big brass arrangements rich in style and content. ‘You Don’t Have to Hide Your Love Away’ echoes Madness and the Carpenters, whilst ‘Magic Brothers Part 2’ and ‘The River’, both show off Nick’s accomplished guitar capabilities. ‘Frank’ is a song about an old man Nick met at a bus stop in Romford suggesting an Ian Dury influence while the closing track ‘The Magic Line’ takes you on a train journey back to 70’s Britain.
With a little help from some close friends including BAFTA award winning composer, arranger and keyboardist Simon Hale, plus Mike Kearsey leading the brass section (Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Beyonce, Radiohead) and Mike McEvoy on bass (Ian Dury, Steve Winwood, and Soul to Soul), ‘The Magic Line’ is a delightful, idiosyncratic journey, through childhood, life and music.
“There’s a special bond that only brothers can have, an unspoken connection,” says Woody. “We just wanted to make a feel good album, something we’d both be proud of.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Magic Brothers.
Listen to ‘Do what You Wanna Do’
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