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28-650: Launched on 26 September 2008, Feargal Sharkey , former member of The Undertones, became chief executive officer (CEO) and Andy Heath , former chairman of British Music Rights, became chairman. Sharkey left the organisation in November 2011, with Jo Dipple taking over as acting CEO. UK Music confirmed on 27 January 2012 the appointment of Dipple as the next CEO. In January 2017, the organisation announced that Dipple would stand down as its CEO in June 2017. In April 2017, former Labour Party MP and Shadow Cabinet member Michael Dugher

56-672: A bassist), acoustic guitar 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 ". Cathal Joseph Smyth was born on 14 January 1959, in Middlesex Hospital , Fitzrovia , London, England, and grew up in Marylebone . As

84-470: 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 the Middle East because of his work. Smyth has said he was bullied at school in both Northern Ireland and London. 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

112-563: 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. In 2004, after briefly moving his office to Islington , he closed RGR. In 2009, Madness released their first album of new material in ten years, The Liberty of Norton Folgate . At

140-514: A performer. 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. In 1980, Smyth became the last of the seven original Madness members to join

168-535: A solo career and other members of the band forming That Petrol Emotion the following year. Before his solo career took off, Sharkey was also the singer of the one-shot group The Assembly with ex- Yazoo and Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (pre- Erasure ). In 1983, their single " Never Never " was a No. 4 hit in the UK Singles Chart . Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled " Listen to Your Father ". The single

196-654: Is a singer from Northern Ireland . He was the lead vocalist of punk band The Undertones in the 1970s and 1980s and a solo artist in the 1980s and 1990s. His 1985 solo single " A Good Heart " was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. After becoming less musically active in the early 1990s, he has performed various roles supporting the UK's commercial music industry, winning several awards and honours for his work in that area. Sharkey

224-802: Is also a lifelong fly fisherman, has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams ), and is the Chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery . He has become a figurehead for the campaign to prevent water companies dumping sewage into UK waterways and coasts. Sharkey, who was born in Derry , Northern Ireland, joined The Undertones shortly after their formation in 1975. They had several UK hits, with songs such as " Teenage Kicks ", " Here Comes The Summer ", " My Perfect Cousin ", " Wednesday Week " and " It's Going to Happen! ". The band split in 1983 citing musical differences, with Sharkey pursuing

252-517: The University of Hertfordshire in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of music. In 2009, he entered The Guardian ' s MediaGuardian 100, described as the "MediaGuardian's annual guide to the most powerful people in television, radio, newspapers, magazines, digital media, media business, advertising, marketing and PR", at number 56. In 2010, he appeared in Wired ' s The Wired 100, "Who are

280-487: The amateur radio callsign G0OAN. Chas Smash 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. In addition to trumpet, Smyth plays the bass guitar (having initially joined Madness as

308-637: The Jam 's " That's Entertainment ". Cathal also had a small part in Suggs' solo career, co-writing the song "Green Eyes," 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 2002, Smyth started his own record label , Rolled Gold Records (RGR Music), at an office in Camden Town . He released

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336-514: The UK in late 1985. He also had a UK Top 5 hit in 1986 with " You Little Thief ". His eponymous debut album reached No. 12 in the UK Albums Chart . Following on from his second album Wish in 1988, he achieved further success in 1991 with his UK Top 30 album Songs From The Mardi Gras , which produced the No. 12 hit single " I've Got News for You ". Starting in the early 1990s Sharkey moved into

364-536: The band. Smyth's debut solo album, A Comfortable Man , was released in May 2015 and reached No. 68 in the UK Albums Chart . 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 became a Freemason in 1994. After being a couple since their teen years, Smyth and his wife of 28 years, Joanna Brown, separated in 2005. He has three grown-up children from

392-485: The band. In 1989/1990, 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." Smyth introduced Morrissey to Boz Boorer , who went on to work with him from 1991 onwards. Cathal is also the subject of the 1992 Morrissey single, " You're the One for Me, Fatty ". He also provided backing vocals on Morrissey's version of

420-428: The band. He soon moved on to playing other instruments instead of bass. After Madness broke up in 1986, he formed a new short-lived band The Madness in 1988 along with Suggs , Lee Thompson and Chris Foreman . In 1990, Smyth became an executive for Go! Discs , where, at his suggestion, the label signed The Stairs . He was also responsible for reforming Madness in 1992 for Madstock! , and left Go! Discs to reform

448-523: The business side of the music industry, initially as A&R for Polydor Records , and then as managing director of EXP Ltd. He was appointed a member of the Radio Authority for five years from December 1998 to December 2003. When the Undertones reunited in 1999, Sharkey was offered the opportunity to rejoin the group but turned down the offer. His position as lead vocalist/frontman for the Undertones

476-520: The collective interests of the UK's commercial music industry. He has become prominent in criticising the use of Form 696 by the Metropolitan Police ' requiring event promoters to provide data on performers and audiences. Sharkey resigned from UK Music on 11 November 2011. In 2011, Sharkey made a one-off appearance in a set named Erasure + Special Guests, singing "Never Never". He stated that he had not sung live for 20 years and that Vince Clarke

504-558: The fifth series of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on 14 October 2022, and discussed pollution in English rivers including the Thames and Wye . He is Chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery . He has subsequently become a figurehead for the campaign to prevent water companies dumping untreated sewage into UK waterways and coasts, appearing on television news coverage and gathering a large following on Twitter, as well as supporting The Times ' campaign to "clean it up". Sharkey holds

532-525: The organisation in August of 2023 to become Director of Strategy for PM Rishi Sunak , after gaining political prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic as a special adviser to Culture , and then Health Secretary Matt Hancock . He was replaced by current interim CEO Tom Kiehl. In December 2008, UK Music launched Sound Rights , a free online resource for teachers and schools to support music study in schools. This

560-605: The people who shape the Wired world," at number 45. The same year he received a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from the University of Ulster in recognition of his services to music. Sharkey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music. Sharkey is a lifelong fly fisherman and has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams ), and

588-487: The promotion of music and the understanding of the music industry to their colleagues in radio". He is the only member of the Radio Authority to have been honoured in this way by the radio industry. In 2006, he received the "Bottle Award" at the International Live Music Conference for "outstanding contribution to the live music industry". In 2008, Sharkey was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts, by

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616-472: The regulations of the water industry which affect British water resources. He gave the keynote address at The Rivers Trust Autumn Conference 2018. On 30 August 2020, Sharkey appeared in episode 2 of the third series of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing to discuss the environmental pressures faced by Britain's chalk rivers, during a conversation beside the River Lea . He reappeared on episode 6 of

644-471: The time, Smyth was rumoured to be working on several solo projects, including a dubstep album, according to Mojo . In 2012 Madness followed up "Norton Folgate" with Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da . Smyth announced that he was leaving Madness in October 2014. 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

672-541: Was aimed at supporting the study of "the role of music and musicians in society, the music industry and of artistic and intellectual property rights." In an interview with ISP Review in January 2009, UK Music Press Officer Adam Webb outlined the organisation's plans for tackling the problems of illegal file sharing over the internet and building working relationships with Internet service providers . Feargal Sharkey Seán Feargal Sharkey OBE (born 13 August 1958)

700-505: Was announced as Dipple's replacement. Dugher took over as CEO of UK Music in May 2017. In December 2019 Michael Dugher announced he would stepping down as CEO. Deputy CEO Tom Kiehl took over as acting CEO in February 2020. Former Labour Party Deputy Leader Tom Watson took over as chair, replacing Andy Heath, in April 2020. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin took over as CEO of UK Music in October 2020. He left

728-492: Was released on Madness's label Zarjazz Records in 1984, reaching No. 23 in the UK chart. The track was performed on Top of the Pops with members of Madness. Sharkey's solo work was significantly different to the post-punk offerings of The Undertones. His best-known solo material is the 1985 UK chart-topping single penned by Lone Justice frontwoman Maria McKee , " A Good Heart ", which went to No. 1 in several countries including

756-701: Was taken by fellow Derry native Paul McLoone . Sharkey became chairman of the UK Government task force the 'Live Music Forum' in 2004, to evaluate the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on the performance of live music, and gave public evidence before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on 11 November 2008. In 2008, Sharkey was appointed as the CEO of British Music Rights, replacing Emma Pike. In October 2008, he became head of UK Music , an umbrella organisation representing

784-448: Was the only person he would have returned for. Sharkey appeared on BBC Newcastle , interviewed by Simon Logan on the afternoon show on 7 August 2013. He spoke about his career and his decision to retire from the stage: "I've had an absolutely brilliant career... It's time to get off the stage and make room for [new artists]". In 2004, Sharkey was awarded the " Scott Piering Award ", by the radio industry for "recognising achievement in

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