By Andrew Atkinson
WHEN Des Stoneham was introduced to his music idol, Madness star Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson, it was ‘One Step Beyond’ for the radio presenter!
“To meet Madness, and especially Suggs was so special,” said Des, owner of the PC Shop in La Herrada, Los Montesinos.
Friend Russell Moore, from Los Montesinos, former Commercial Manager at Lincoln City FC, arranged for him to meet the band at a concert at Sincil Bank.
Madness, from Camden Town, north London, formed in 1976, were one of the biggest bands in the 70s and 80s.
Suggs, born in Hastings, Sussex, singer-songwriter, musician and radio presenter is worth $20m.
Madness had 15 singles in the Top 10 UK charts, including One Step Beyond, Baggy Trousers and It Must Be Love. House Of Fun was a UK chart No.1 hit. In the Ireland charts, Madness had two No.1s, House Of Fun, and Wings Of A Dove. Madness had their biggest USA hit with Our House.
“As a kid I watched Madness at Finsbury Park. So to go back stage and meet the band, years later, was out of this world,” said Dartford born Des.
Madness performed at ‘Madstock’ in Finsbury Park, London, in 1992. 33,000 fans created a tremor- registering 4.2 on the Richter scale!
Suggs was Madness lead vocalist, from 1977, 78-86, 1992 to the present.
Des has a Saturday morning show on BigFM, and Suggs recorded a jingle: ‘Hi, this is Suggs from Madness, and I listen to Des on Big FM’.
“It was a very, very special date to meet the guys. Since going to Finsbury I’ve been a big follower of Madness,” said Des.
