He is a singer-songwriter and TV presenter born in Hastings, England, spending in time in Wales as a child. He called himself the nickname “Suggs” after the jazz flautist Pete Suggs.
In 1976 he joined the band The North London Invaders which would become Morris and the Minors before they named themselves Madness. He became the lead vocalist as well as the songwriter of many of their songs and the band was so successful that they had 21 of 25 consecutive hits reach the Top 40, including a run of 9 Top 10 hits.
They disbanded in 1986 and formed the group The Madness which released a self-titled album and at that time he also sang back-up for Morrissey on the track “Piccadilly Palare”. Later he would also work in collaboration with Jools Holland and The Farm.
Pursuing his solo career he released the albums The Lone Ranger and The Three Pyramids Club and his most successful songs were covers of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia”, which reached No. 4, and The Beatles “I’m Only Sleeping” which reached No. 7 in the UK charts. He has said that his influences as a songwriter were Ray Davies and Ian Dury and he was greatly influenced by the music of Prince Buster.
As an actor he has appeared in TV and in film including the movie The Tall Guy and Channel 4’s The Final Frame. A popular television personality he has presented the Channel Five karaoke programme Night Fever which was one of their most popular programmes, and been a team captain on A Question of Pop. He has also presented Salvage Squad and Disappearing London and has an involvement with the charity Children in Need.
The songs of Madness were the subject of the West End musical Our House and Suggs played the part of Joe’s dad for the time it ran.
He is a popular DJ who has been on several national radio stations and has hosted a programme on Virgin Radio called Party Classics.
The original line-up of Madness reformed in 1992 and he still records with and tours with them.
He is married to the singer Bette Bright who was the singer with the 1970s band Deaf School.
Madness Recordings
Baggy Trousers (Graham McPherson/Chris Foreman/Michael Barson)
Guns (Graham McPherson)
One Better Day (Graham McPherson/Mark Bedford)
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