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Mike BarsonBritish musician, keyboardist for the band "The Madness"
Date of Birth: 21.04.1958
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Mike Barson
Mike Barson, born Michael Barson in 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a British musician and keyboardist of the band 'The Madness'. In the late 70s and early 80s, 'Madness' rivaled only 'Jam' in popularity in England. However, while 'Jam' targeted a young audience, 'Madness' was listened to by people of all ages. At the heart of this super-popular group were several young musicians who simply wanted to play and loved ska music, an extremely popular genre at the time, influenced by Jamaican immigrants. Barson, a Scottish musician, was the driving force of 'Madness' and was affectionately called 'Monsieur Barso' by fans.
Early Life and Formation of 'Madness'
Mike Barson spent his childhood in North London, growing up with his two brothers, Dan and Ben. In the late 70s, Barson, fascinated by the intricate yet accessible music of ska, founded the musical collective 'The Invaders'. The group consisted of seven members, and their first composition, 'The Prince', dedicated to their Jamaican inspiration, former boxer and musician from the first wave of ska, Prince Buster, became a significant event. The band adopted their name 'Madness' from one of his songs.
Barson gained attention for his unconventional musical instrument during performances, where the black and white keys of his keyboard were swapped. In 1984, after the release of their fifth album, 'Keep Moving', Barson left the group and moved to Amsterdam. However, 'Madness' released the album 'Mad Not Mad' the following year without him, which was not very successful. In 1986, the band announced their breakup. They attempted to reunite in 1988, resulting in the release of the album 'The Madness'. In 1992, the classic lineup found an opportunity to reunite once again and topped the British charts, just like in the old days. Since then, Barson has remained a core member of 'Madness', and the band continues to perform and record to this day.
Buddhism and Personal Life
From 1984 onwards, Barson developed a strong interest in Buddhism. According to him, it greatly helps him perceive the world correctly, see people and events, and appreciate concepts such as love and compassion. He mentioned in an interview in 2010, "Buddhism helps me stay grounded, see what is important and what is not." Despite his affinity for Buddhism, Barson is not particularly drawn to Eastern culture or music. Apart from his work with the band, Barson writes his own music. However, he has never shown or offered his material to anyone, admitting that he simply lacks the motivation. Nevertheless, he finds experimenting with music, especially after the advent of technology, synthesizers, and computers, which allow him to create music alone without the assistance of other musicians, to be fascinating.
Barson still considers ska music as something primal that he continues to love but prefers its derivative, reggae. He has been married before and is the father of three sons, Jamie, Timothy, and Joey. One of his sons, Joey, followed in his father's footsteps and also plays keyboards in a musical group. Barson is a positive person who takes many things in life and career lightly, perhaps due to his Buddhist beliefs.
Today, 'Madness' continues to have a devoted fan base, both old and new. Barson appreciates the emotional energy generated by fans who have attended their concerts for their entire lives, saying, "We have both new and old fans, and that's cool!"
