Chas Smash

{{Short description|English singer-songwriter}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Madness (band) 2008.06.20 006.jpg | landscape = yes | alt = Smash standing onstage, playing a trumpet | caption = Smash performing live in 2009 | birth_name = Cathal Joseph Smyth | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|1|14}} | birth_place = Fitzrovia, London, England<ref>{{cite web |url= http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-births-1837-2006?firstname=cathal&lastname=smyth&eventyear=1959&eventyear_offset=2 |title=Results for England & Wales Births 1837–2006 |work=search.findmypast.co.uk |year=2015|access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref> | genre = {{hlist|Ska|pop|new wave}} 2-tone | occupation = {{hlist|Singer-songwriter|multi-instrumentalist}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|trumpet|bass}} | years_active = 1978–2015 | label = Rolled Gold | associated_acts = Madness }}

'''Cathal Joseph''' "'''Carl'''" '''Smyth''' (born 14 January 1959), also known as '''Chas Smash''', is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the secondary vocalist, trumpet player and dancer for the English band Madness from their inception in the late 1970s until 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4819/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography: Madness |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |website=AllMusic |access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref>

In addition to trumpet, Smyth plays the bass guitar (having initially joined Madness as a bassist), acoustic guitar, piano, and various percussion instruments. He performs lead vocals on some Madness tracks, such as "Michael Caine", "Wings of a Dove", "One Step Beyond" and "Madness (Is All in the Mind)". Initially an occasional songwriter, he became a more frequent contributor and was credited as co-writer on the band's international hit "Our House".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun06/articles/classictracks_0606.htm |first=Richard |last=Buskin |title=Classic Tracks: 'Our House' by Madness |work=Sound on Sound |date=June 2006 |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref>

==Early years== Cathal Joseph Patrick Smyth was born on 14 January 1959, in Middlesex Hospital, Fitzrovia, London, England, and grew up in Marylebone. As a child he went by the name of Carl. His parents were Irish immigrants. His father worked in the oil business and moved the family from Ireland to England, then to Iraq and subsequently Iran because of his work.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Magnificent 7 |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/the-magnificent-7 |website=Record Collector |access-date=25 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222173430/https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/the-magnificent-7 |archive-date=22 February 2025 |date=13 October 2009}}</ref> Smyth has said he was bullied at school in both Northern Ireland and London.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/madness-star-cathal-smyths-misery-over-childhood-bullying-in-coleraine-38608481.html|title = Madness star Cathal Smyth's misery over childhood bullying in Coleraine|newspaper = Belfasttelegraph}}</ref> The Smyths were competitive Irish dancers, and Cathal grew up around dance, but never took much of an interest until he began to dance as a performer.<ref name=Ska>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bUba45txcJ8C&q=chas+smash+born&pg=PA155|title=Ska: An Oral History|author=Augustyn, Heather|date=2010|publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786461974}}</ref>

In 1976, the North London Invaders recruited Smyth to play the bass guitar with them when he was 17, but he was replaced the following year by Gavin Rogers. During the late 1970s, he returned to the band - which by this time had been renamed Madness - and performed as a dancer on stage at their concerts.

==Music career== {{Main|Madness (band)}} In 1980, Smyth became the last of the seven original Madness members to join the band. He soon moved on to playing other instruments instead of bass.<ref name=Ska /> While not initially a major songwriter, Smyth's writing came to prominence in the albums ''The Rise & Fall'' and ''Keep Moving'', with more of his songs being used as singles, such as "Our House", which became one of their biggest international hits. After keyboardist and founder Mike Barson left, Smyth assumed the implicated role of musical director in his place.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=269}}</ref>

After Madness broke up in 1986, he formed a short-lived spin-off called The Madness in 1988 along with Suggs, Lee Thompson and Chris Foreman, which broke up at the end of the year.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/may/17/madness-new-album-norton-folegate-liberty |first=Simon |last=Garfield |title=Madness has released a new concept album about London and it may be their masterpiece |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 May 2009 |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref> This left Smyth in uncertainty, who tried to form a new band to no avail, and also considered returning to a career in petrochemicals before starting a career in A&R.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=332}}</ref>

However, in 1992, Smyth facilitated the release of their commercially successful greatest hits album, ''Divine Madness'', which peaked at number 1 in the UK Album Charts. This helped him initiate Madness to reform in 1992 for ''Madstock!'', their first gig in six years.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=344-347}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-03-07 |title=DIVINE MADNESS |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/madness-divine-madness/ |access-date=2026-01-09 |website=Official Charts |language=en}}</ref>

Cathal also had a small part in Suggs' solo career, co-writing the song "Green Eyes",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-lone-ranger-mw0000463580 |title=The Lone Ranger – Graham "Suggs" McPherson |first=Evan |last=Cater |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref> and he also performed backing vocals on ''The Lone Ranger'' album. In 1999, Smyth formed and fronted the folk-influenced band The Velvet Ghost, which played at the Fleadh festival in 2000.

In 1999, Madness released their first album of new material in ten years, ''Wonderful''. This was followed up six years (2005) later with the Dangermen Sessions Vol 1, and in 2009 Madness released "The Libery of Norton Folgate, and Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da (2012).

{{Quote box | quote = It was like An American Werewolf In London, that scene where he wakes up from a dream, but it’s still a dream, then he wakes up again and again. I was going through sleepless nights, like, have I done the right thing? This was my day job! I might end up poor in a garret in Paris! Then, a leap of faith is aeap of faith. I applied a bit of the old Sun Tzu aspect, which is – burn your boats and leap. Otherwise I wouldn’t have done it, I would just be there forever. | source = Smyth, ''[https://www.hotpress.com/music/cathal-smyth-interview-14835436 Hot Press]'', July 2015 | width = 44% | salign = right }}

Smyth announced that he was leaving Madness in October 2014, having abruptly left the previous summer tour in July due to a sudden illness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-10 |title=Madness Information Service Newsletter 791 |url=https://www.madness-mis.com/madness-information-service-online-newsletter-issue-number-791-sunday-6th-july-to-saturday-12th-july-2014/ |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Madness |language=en-GB}}</ref> His departure was characterized at the time as a break to concentrate on his solo career and not necessarily a permanent departure, but he has not rejoined the band.

Smyth's debut solo album, ''A Comfortable Man'', was released in May 2015 and reached No. 68 in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="guardian2014" /><ref>{{cite web |date=6 May 2015 |title=Listen to Cathal Smyth's A Comfortable Man – plus read his guide to the album |url=http://www.qthemusic.com/9873/listen-to-cathal-smyths-a-comfortable-man-plus-read-his-guide-to-the-record/ |access-date=12 September 2015 |work=Q}}</ref> In 2016, Madness released ''Can't Touch Us Now'', the first Madness album since ''One Step Beyond'', to be recorded without Smyth being credited as a member of the band.

Smyth has still been partially involved with some of the band's projects, such as their collective 2019 autobiography ''Before We Was We'' and the accompanying miniseries adaptation in 2021. He also appeared with Suggs, Barson, Bedford, and Woodgate at the Camden Walk Of Fame in March 2020.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14217088/fullcredits/ |title=Before We Was We: Madness by Madness (TV Mini Series 2021) - Full cast & crew - IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2025-08-23 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Patrick |date=2020-03-02 |title=Madness unveil their stone on Camden's Music Walk Of Fame |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/madness-unveil-their-stone-on-camdens-music-walk-of-fame-2619471 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== A&R career === In 1990, Smyth became an A&R executive for Go! Discs, where, at his suggestion, the label signed The Stairs.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 December 2002 |title=Music: Madness, Brighton Centre, December 18 |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5119827.music-madness-brighton-centre-december-18/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325085123/https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5119827.music-madness-brighton-centre-december-18/ |archive-date=25 March 2025 |access-date=25 March 2025 |website=The Argus}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mead |first1=Matt |date=25 May 2016 |title=The Stairs – Liverpool's great lost Psych band return for 2016 tour |url=https://louderthanwar.com/the-stairs-liverpools-great-lost-psych-band-return-for-2016-tour/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623052934/https://louderthanwar.com/the-stairs-liverpools-great-lost-psych-band-return-for-2016-tour/ |archive-date=23 June 2021 |access-date=25 March 2025 |website=Louder Than War}}</ref> He also worked with The La's and helped them promote their eponymous album, ''The La's'', in America.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=John |title=House of Fun: the story of Madness |date=2010 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=978-1-84772-619-3 |location=London |pages=333}}</ref>

In late 1990, he became friends with former Smiths singer Morrissey, who had once asked him to be his manager. Smyth declined, claiming "I didn't fancy having to iron his socks."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://madness7.comuv.com/bio_chas.html |title=Chas Smash |work=Camden Town, Home of Madness |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref> Smyth introduced Morrissey to Boz Boorer, who went on to work with him from 1991 onwards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://true-to-you.net/questions_with_answers_from_morrissey |title=Questions with answers from Morrissey |work=True To You |date=19 June 2007 |access-date=2 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626114539/http://true-to-you.net/questions_with_answers_from_morrissey |archive-date=26 June 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He also provided backing vocals on Morrissey's version of the Jam's "That's Entertainment".<ref>{{cite web |year=2015 |title=Morrissey – Sing Your Life |url=http://www.discogs.com/Morrissey-Sing-Your-Life/release/573163 |access-date=2 June 2015 |publisher=discogs}}</ref> Cathal is also the subject of the 1992 Morrissey single "You're the One for Me, Fatty".<ref>{{cite book|last=Goddard |first=Simon |title=Mozipedia: The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O3pEsVdZWUoC&q=youre+the+one+for+me+fatty+carl+smyth&pg=PA507 |access-date=2 June 2015 |date=6 September 2012 |publisher=Ebury |isbn=978-0-09-192710-3 |page=507}}</ref>

In 2002, Smyth started his own record label, Rolled Gold Records (RGR Music), at an office in Camden Town. He released a debut single, "We're Coming Over", with The England Supporters Band (billed as Mr. Smash & Friends) and it reached number 67 in the UK Singles Charts. RGR released an album and three singles by London rapper Just Jack. The label also released material by dance and rap artists Autamata and Border Crossing.<ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jgk9BAAAQBAJ&q=cathal+smyth+closed+rgr&pg=PT426|title=House of Fun: The Story of Madness|author=Reed, John|date=2014|publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9781783233342|access-date=12 September 2015}}</ref> In 2004, after briefly moving his office to Islington, he closed RGR.

==Personal life== Smyth became a Freemason in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://zani.co.uk/archive/music-archive/item/343-carl-smyth-of-madness-talks-to-zani |title = Carl Smyth of Madness Talks to ZANI |publisher = Zani.co.uk |access-date = 18 November 2018 }}</ref>

After being a couple since their teen years, Smyth and his wife of 28 years, Joanna Brown, separated in 2005.<ref name=guardian2014/> He has three grown-up children from the marriage: Caspar, Milo, and Eloise. He appeared with Eloise at the 2012 Q Awards ceremony.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.contactmusic.com/pictures/79487898/chas-smash-from-madness-with-his-daughter-the-q-awards-2012-held-at_4138554 |title=Chas Smash from Madness with his daughter |publisher=Contactmusic.com |date=22 October 2012 |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref>

After his marriage ended, Smyth started to practise transcendental meditation.<ref name=guardian2014>{{cite news |last=Duerden |first=Nick |title=Chas Smash: After the madness, going solo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/04/chas-smash-after-the-madness-going-solo |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=24 October 2014 |date=4 October 2014}}</ref> He also spent time in rehab in Arizona,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishpost.com/entertainment/ten-minutes-with-cathal-smyth-of-madness-50821|title=Ten minutes with… Cathal Smyth of Madness|newspaper=The Irish Post|access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref> and moved to Ibiza in 2008.<ref name="theguardian.com"/><ref name=guardian2014/>

In January 2017, Smyth was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour and, after having it removed, went through a six week procedure of radiotherapy starting in March. On August 11, he announced on Facebook that he had gotten "the all clear".<ref>{{Cite web |title=PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-star-sunday/20170813/283334702389496?srsltid=AfmBOord4bLl1neaBO5g7SmSPui3x8_tXKQMYpn_hW9UfXC_3WNZ2H9a |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=www.pressreader.com}}</ref>

==Solo discography== {{For|Smash's albums and singles with Madness, The Madness and The Fink Brothers|Madness discography}}

===Studio albums=== *''A Comfortable Man'' (11 May 2015) – UK No. 68<ref>{{cite web|website=Official Charts Company|title=Chart history of A Comfortable Man|access-date=7 July 2025|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/cathal-smyth-a-comfortable-man/}}</ref>

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Single ! colspan="1"| Peak position ! rowspan="2"| Album |- ! style="width:35px;"|UK |- |2002 | style="text-align:left;"| "We're Coming Over" {{small|(as '''Mr Smash & Friends''')}} |67<ref>{{cite web|website=Official Charts Company|title=Chart history of We're Coming Over|access-date=7 July 2025|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/mr-smash-and-friends-were-coming-over/}}</ref> | Non-album single |- |2015 |style="text-align:left;"| "Do You Believe In Love?" {{small|(as '''Cathal Smyth''')}} |— | ''A Comfortable Man'' |- | colspan="7" style="font-size:85%"|"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{discogs artist}} *{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=mn0000085078|title=Chas Smash|access-date=7 May 2016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smash, Chas}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from the City of Westminster Category:Musicians from the London Borough of Camden Category:People from Marylebone Category:Madness (band) members Category:20th-century English male singers Category:20th-century English singers Category:21st-century English male singers Category:21st-century English singers Category:English new wave musicians Category:English male songwriters Category:English people of Irish descent Category:English trumpeters Category:English male trumpeters Category:Singers from the City of Westminster Category:Singers from the London Borough of Camden Category:English pop singers Category:British ska musicians Category:English reggae musicians Category:People educated at Dominican College, Portstewart Category:People from Ibiza Category:Transcendental Meditation exponents Category:20th-century British trumpeters Category:21st-century British trumpeters Category:English Freemasons Category:A&R people Category:English expatriates in Iran Category:British expatriates in Iraq Category:British expatriates in Spain