Madhouse Records
Encyclopedia
Madhouse Records is a record label
founded by Dave Kelly and his business partner Janet Davidson. The label is named after its out-of-the-box approach to making music, which earned the label the name Madhouse. In 1987, Janet was living in London
, running Germain Music along with producer Donovan Germain
. She was also the manager of Maxi Priest
. Dave's brother Tony Kelly was assistant engineer at Bob Marley
's Tuff Gong
label and Dave soon joined him there, learning the trade of engineering. Soon, the Kelly brothers joined Maxi Priest on the road as tour engineers. In 1988, Dave Kelly partnered with Germain to start Penthouse Productions, where he worked out of Penthouse studios as engineer, producer, writer, mixer, and beat maker for the label's records, playing a crucial role during Penthouse's glory days.
In 1993, Janet and Dave decided to leave Penthouse and start their own label, Madhouse Records. Janet ran the label and Dave made the records. They had success with Terror Fabulous
, which inked them a record deal at major, East West America/Atlantic Records, which resulted in his album Yaga Yaga.
The label opened its own offices and the Boxx studio in 1996 in Kingston, Jamaica, which was the regular base for recording acts such as Buju Banton
, Beenie Man
, Bounty Killer
, Baby Cham, Spragga Benz
, Frisco Kid
, Wayne Wonder
, Lady Saw
, Mr. Easy, and Shaggy
in the late 1990s.
Madhouse created the Bogle, Pepperseed, Joyride, Showtime, Fiesta, The Bug, Arab, Mi Nuh Know, Heartbeat, Medicine, Stink, Rae Rae, Haunted, and Eighty-Five riddim
s. Some of the biggest hits on the label were "Action" by Terror Fabulous & Nadine Sutherland
, "Sycamore Tree" by Lady Saw, "Dude" by Beenie Man & Ms. Thing, "Slam" by Beenie Man, and "Ghetto Story" by Cham. In 2003, Madhouse inked a label deal with Atlantic Records
, which released Baby Cham's Ghetto Story album.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded by Dave Kelly and his business partner Janet Davidson. The label is named after its out-of-the-box approach to making music, which earned the label the name Madhouse. In 1987, Janet was living in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, running Germain Music along with producer Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era.-Biography:Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s. He began production in 1972, visiting Jamaica for recording sessions, working in both roots reggae and...
. She was also the manager of Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest
Max Alfred "Maxi" Priest is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most...
. Dave's brother Tony Kelly was assistant engineer at Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong is a record label that was formed by the reggae group The Wailers in 1970 and named after Bob Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard "The Gong" Howell. The first single on the label was "Run For Cover" by The Wailers...
label and Dave soon joined him there, learning the trade of engineering. Soon, the Kelly brothers joined Maxi Priest on the road as tour engineers. In 1988, Dave Kelly partnered with Germain to start Penthouse Productions, where he worked out of Penthouse studios as engineer, producer, writer, mixer, and beat maker for the label's records, playing a crucial role during Penthouse's glory days.
In 1993, Janet and Dave decided to leave Penthouse and start their own label, Madhouse Records. Janet ran the label and Dave made the records. They had success with Terror Fabulous
Terror Fabulous
Cecil Campbell , better known as Terror Fabulous is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, who had success in the 1990s.-Biography:Campbell was introduced to producer Dave Kelly after completing a course in electrical engineering. His recording career began in the early 1990s, with singles such as "Gwaney...
, which inked them a record deal at major, East West America/Atlantic Records, which resulted in his album Yaga Yaga.
The label opened its own offices and the Boxx studio in 1996 in Kingston, Jamaica, which was the regular base for recording acts such as Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
, Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
, Bounty Killer
Bounty Killer
Bounty Killer is a Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He is the founder of a dancehall collective known as The Alliance.-Early life and career:...
, Baby Cham, Spragga Benz
Spragga Benz
-Career:He began his career around 1991. Once known to his friends as "Spaghetti" , but this was later shortened to Spragga. The Benz in his name comes from the sound system for which he used to work for, L.A. Benz, and it is through this that he found his way into the music industry at a Dubplate...
, Frisco Kid
Frisco Kid
Frisco Kid is a 1935 film starring James Cagney and directed by Lloyd Bacon.-Cast:*James Cagney as Bat Morgan*Margaret Lindsay as Jean Barrat*Ricardo Cortez as Paul Morra*Lili Damita as Belle*Donald Woods as Charles Ford...
, Wayne Wonder
Wayne Wonder
Wayne Wonder is a Jamaican reggae fusion artist...
, Lady Saw
Lady Saw
Lady Saw is a Jamaican reggae singer, known as the queen of dancehall.-Biography:...
, Mr. Easy, and Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
in the late 1990s.
Madhouse created the Bogle, Pepperseed, Joyride, Showtime, Fiesta, The Bug, Arab, Mi Nuh Know, Heartbeat, Medicine, Stink, Rae Rae, Haunted, and Eighty-Five riddim
Riddim
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm," but in dancehall/reggae parlance it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song. Thus, a dancehall song consists of the riddim plus the "voicing" sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure may be taken for...
s. Some of the biggest hits on the label were "Action" by Terror Fabulous & Nadine Sutherland
Nadine Sutherland
Nadine Sutherland is a Jamaican reggae singer whose early career was nurtured by Bob Marley. She went on to become a successful dancehall artist in the 1990s.-Biography:...
, "Sycamore Tree" by Lady Saw, "Dude" by Beenie Man & Ms. Thing, "Slam" by Beenie Man, and "Ghetto Story" by Cham. In 2003, Madhouse inked a label deal with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, which released Baby Cham's Ghetto Story album.
Artists
- Baby Cham - A Jamacian dancehall ragga artist from Kingston, JamaicaKingston, JamaicaKingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, who signed with Atlantic Records in 2005. - Buju BantonBuju BantonBuju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
- A Jamaican dancehall ragga, and reggae singer. - Spragga BenzSpragga Benz-Career:He began his career around 1991. Once known to his friends as "Spaghetti" , but this was later shortened to Spragga. The Benz in his name comes from the sound system for which he used to work for, L.A. Benz, and it is through this that he found his way into the music industry at a Dubplate...
- A Jamaican dancehall ragga artist hailing from Kingston, Jamaica. - Wayne WonderWayne WonderWayne Wonder is a Jamaican reggae fusion artist...
- A Jamaican reggae and R&B artist from Kingston, Jamaica. - Lady SawLady SawLady Saw is a Jamaican reggae singer, known as the queen of dancehall.-Biography:...
- A Jamaican reggae artist known as the first lady of dancehall. - Tanya StephensTanya StephensVivienne Tanya Stephens, better known by her stage name Tanya Stephens is an influential reggae artist who emerged in the late 1990s...
A Jamaican dancehall reggae singer known as one of the genre's most influential artists.
Producers and engineers
- Dave KellyDave Kelly (producer)Dave Kelly is a Jamaican Record Producer. He began his career as an Engineer in the late eighties. After getting into producing at the "Penthouse" label of Donovan Germain, he started his own label "Madhouse" together with business partner Janet Davidson in 1991...
— A songwriter, musician, producer, and engineer from Kingston, Jamaica, and the co-founder of Madhouse Records. - Janet Davidson — A business manager from London, England, UK, who, alongside Dave Kelly, helped found Madhouse Records.