Madness remember locking Calvin Harris in a portable toilet: “Unnecessary all round”

Madness frontman Suggs has recalled the band’s feud with Calvin Harris in 2010, which stemmed from the DJ’s refusal to give an autograph.

Speaking to NME for Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells, Suggs was asked about the band’s saxophonist Lee Thompson calling Harris a “prick” while they performed onstage at V Festival.

“I would like to apologise to that prick Calvin Klein, sorry Calvin Harris” for something that happened at Bestival,” Thompson said.

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“What happened was our saxophone player was trying to get an autograph for his children and he [Calvin Harris] wouldn’t do it, so when he went in a portable lavatory, they locked him in by putting a scaffolding pole against it which was very unfortunate,” said Suggs.

Madness
Madness. CREDIT: Press

“I got the flippin’ blame for it! He was ranting and raving and it was nothing to do with me. I had paparazzi chasing me down the road and I didn’t have a fucking clue what they were talking about. Anyway, that’s a bit sad. Unnecessary all round.”

Suggs also recalled some of the other pranks Madness have played on their fellow artists across their career.

“I went to see Sting play [in 2012] and got bored, so I invaded the stage, and saw the next setlist song was ‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’,” Suggs said.






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“So I grabbed the microphone and said: ‘Ladies and gentleman, I’m so proud and privileged to be onstage with one of the greatest British lyricists of all-time – ‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’ , before I was dragged off unceremoniously!”

Earlier this week, meanwhile, Madness announced details of a UK and Ireland arena tour for November and December 2021, which will see them being supported by Squeeze.