“I know when to go out, I know when to stay in and get things done... get your MADHEAD on, we are going out!”

Madness frontman Suggs is slightly excited about the British legends’ brand new UK tour, All For the MADHEAD.

The tour, the nutty boys’ first UK live dates in more than a year, will take in the BIC on December 9 – a date which is becoming something of a Dorset tradition.

“It’s not quite an institution playing gigs at Christmas, but it’s heading that way,” Suggs previously told Seven Days, adding: “Christmas holidays, office parties and Madness. It’s a winning combination.”

Suggs, real name Graham McPherson, has already admitted he struggles with the temptations of touring, despite being a seasoned veteran of the rock’n’roll lifestyle, but the seasonal tour is perfect for the band.

“It’s lucky that we don’t tour all the time. We couldn’t spend 18 months together like other bands do. “Two weeks at Christmas though, absolutely.”

The new tour follows the premise of MADHEAD, which, according to the press information, is “about you, above you, below you and within you. It is all around you. It is you.”

A preview of the show, released by the band, continues: “The MADHEAD can hear the music. The MADHEAD can feel the music. The MADHEAD must dance. The MADHEAD must sing. I are the MADHEAD. You are the MADHEAD. We are the MADHEAD.”

The shows will feature brand new music, which Madness began working on in the studio following their date at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace in September last year.

It’s been an incredible couple of years for the boys, including their goodbye to one of London’s most recognisable landmarks, BBC Television Centre, a series of outdoor shows, the release of their tenth acclaimed studio album Oui, Oui, Si, Si, Ja, Ja, Da, Da, which entered the UK album charts at number ten, and the production of their very own ales, Gladness and Night Boat.

There was also that Buckingham Palace rooftop performance of Our House and It Must Be Love at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, swiftly followed by an appearance at the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

Formed in Camden Town, London, in 1976, the ska band achieved most of their success in the early to mid-1980s, as one of the most prominent bands of the 2 Tone ska revival.

Madness have had 15 singles reach the UK top ten, one UK number one single, House of Fun, and two number ones in Ireland – House of Fun and Wings of a Dove. Along with UB40, they spent 214 weeks on the UK singles charts during the 1980s, holding the record for most weeks spent by a group in the 1980s UK singles charts, although Madness achieved this in a shorter time period, between 1980 and 1986.

But what is the secret to their success?

Suggs believes the genre of music is one which remains popular today.

“The Two Tone scene hasn’t ever gone away and the music is very popular wherever you go,” he said.

  • Madness play the BIC Windsor Hall on Tuesday, December 9