Mike Barson
Background information
Birth name	Michael Barson
Born	21 May 1958 (1958-05-21) (age 49) North London, England
Genre(s)	2 Tone, Ska, Pop, New Wave
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)	Keyboard, piano
Years active	1976 – 1984, 1992 - present
Label(s)	2 Tone, Stiff, Virgin, V2
Associated acts	Madness, Suggs
Website	Madness.co.uk

Mike Barson (born Michael Barson, 21 May 1958, North London, England), sometimes nicknamed Monsieur Barso, is an English musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.

Barson co-founded a band called The Invaders in 1976. Soon, they changed their name to Madness after the song by Prince Buster and became one of the most popular bands in Two Tone. In 1984 after the recording of the album Keep Moving, Barson, who was the main songwriter, left the band. Two years later, Madness disbanded.

They reunited in their original lineup in 1992 and he still plays with them. In 1995, he co-wrote and produced a number of songs for Suggs' first solo album The Lone Ranger. When No Doubt were recording songs for their fifth studio album Rock Steady, Barson was asked to play piano on the London version of the song "Everything in Time". Barson obliged and the track was produced by Madness producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The track never made it on to the album, but was released a year later in 2003 on the compilation album B-sides, Remixes and Rarities.

Barson is currently recording with Madness on their ninth studio album.

References

1. BBC Top of the Pops 2 Muze Biography, accessed 12 August 2006 [2]

External links

• The Madness Information Service Online
• Madness Chapter 5: Prospects
• Madness Official MadSpace
• Mike Barson's Official MySpace
• Timothy Barson's Official MySpace
• The nutty forum