In 1981, after a string of Top Ten singles and two smash hit albums, Madness took to the silver screen. Yet while a group nicknamed the Nutty Boys might have been expected to indulge in the knockabout japes of ’A Hard Day’s Night’ or ’Help!’ like The Beatles years before, ’Take It Or Leave It’ was a grittier, less glossy version of the events that led to them becoming one of Britain’s most cherished bands.

The film provides a brilliant snapshot of late 1970s London, as well as a virtual tour of the venues that Madness played as they rose to fame to become the biggest selling singles band of the 1980s in the UK. Salvo is delighted to present this digitally restored version of the film along with commentary by Madness guitarist Chris Foreman and the film’s director, Stiff Records’ Dave Robinson.

The accompanying CD soundtrack album provides an interesting perspective on the band’s early work and features 26 songs including singles, b-sides and album tracks. Two of the songs aren’t by Madness: Fats Domino’s ’I’m Walkin’’ and The Four Tops’ ’Reach Out I’ll Be There’, both of which can be heard in the film.