Madness and the Film

1. What do you do?

We are a duo called Madness and the Film. We write, record, and play music.

2. When/ how did you start?

Madness and the Film formed in the summer of 2012 when we were introduced through a mutual friend. David was temporarily living in New York and was spending a lot of time searching for musical inspiration and writing songs. We got on really well and found a lot of common musical territory. For example, the first track off our EP, “London Town” was written six hours after we first met. I think we’re still kind of amazed at how far this band has come since we first met, since so much of it was due to circumstance and coincidence.3. How would you describe your music, do you have a genre?

Our musical style is a little bit nebulous, in that Scrapbook doesn’t really adhere to a specific genre. We put the EP, and our music in general, under the umbrella of “Alternative”, but all the songs off the EP have a slightly different feel, some are more rock based, some more pop, and some more folk. However, the songs were written in a “singer-songwriter” style (acoustic guitar/piano and vocals).

4. What’s your portfolio looking like?

‘Scrapbook’ is our first and only studio effort as a band, but each of us (Caroline and David) has albums and recordings in our past. Caroline recorded her first solo album at age 15 at a studio in New York City, and David has been in numerous bands around England, including a battle of the bands winning group called “Murdock”. In terms of Madness and the Film promotion, we are very excited about the press we’re gotten so far. We have had numerous music blog and magazine reviews, including articles in the New York Times, USA Today, Business Inside, and soon to be New York Magazine. We have a phone interview lined up with the Melbourne Radio Station “Syn”, and are going to have one of our songs featured on the soundtrack of the MTV show “Friendzone”.

5. What are your influences, inspirations?
David: I have had a huge love for Guns N Roses since I was five, Iron Maiden followed and then AC/DC. These bands taught me how to play the guitar. I think my biggest influences are Joni Mitchell, Joseph Arthur, Bright Eyes and Bob Dylan. Lyrically, I am influenced by a lot of hip-hop as I respect the way words are used so poetically. I’m constantly searching to write the perfect song like ‘A Case of You’.

Caroline: To start I’m obsessed with The Beatles, and Green Day has been my favorite band since I was 7 years old. Those two are definitely big for me, but some other influences include Tegan and Sara, Death Cab for Cutie, Florence + the Machine, Ed Sheeran, Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor. I’ve recently gotten obsessed with Queen as well. There’s nothing like hearing a song and feeling like it’s about an event in your own life; bands that evoke that visceral reaction are on the top of my list. Also, anyone who’s making different and interesting music that really grabs you both lyrically and sonically.

6. Where do you ultimately want to be with your career?

David: I would just like to get our music out there to people who will listen to it and appreciate it for what it is. There are so many people making good music and getting it heard these days. I would like to know that our music was good enough to stand out. Ultimately, I would like us to be remembered.

Caroline: I think that we ultimately want to have the freedom to record albums and do tours to support them. It’s been a bit of a challenge working overseas; if one of us has a song idea, it takes a bunch of email exchanges to work it out, whereas if we were in the same room it would take just a few minutes. We are hoping that in the near future we’ll be rid of all the logistical factors that have been preventing us from working as well as we could. We also just want to accumulate a diverse fan base and get our music heard by a lot of people.

7. What are your hopes, dreams and fears regarding becoming famous?

I don’t think we’ve really thought about fame as its own entity, but more success and what that entails. Successful and famous people can wield their power in many ways; if we were in a position to do so, we would definitely try to use our influence for the good. We would also have much more musical freedom.

8. Who would you love to work with in the future?

There are a few record producers who seem to match our style and would really help bring our future material to life. Beyond that, it would be really cool to collaborate with someone from a totally different genre.

9. What are you currently working on?

We are currently working on sharing and promoting our EP “Scrapbook”. We have also been trying to write new material, though, so hopefully we’ll be able to record something soon.10. Where can people find you?

The best way to connect with us is to “like” us on Facebook. We’re also on YouTube, Twitter, and have our own website going, so feel free to check us out on any - Artist Isle

Madness and the Film are a duo producing attentive and accomplished pop tracks. Comprising of David Breeze from London and Caroline Gorman from New York, their first EP Scrapbook was released in May 2013.

An accomplished guitar picking intro invites the listener into Scrapbook’s first track, Moonlit Shadows. The layered male and female vocals complement each other and balance against the sparse instrumentation. Moonlit Shadows’ soaring cymbals and simplistic keys let the vocals become the focus of attention, to its credit.

Second track Persuasion shifts from the melancholic, sombre mood of Moonlit Shadows. Persuasion is a faster paced lament, lyrically pondering the eternal should I stay or should I go question. It has a fuller drum sound and warm vocals that hint at great potential.

The first minute of the The Motions has (deliberately) been dubbed over with a crackling low quality production sound, eliciting a nostalgic vinyl-esque effect. A clearer sound begins around the 1.10 minute mark and The Motions becomes more in keeping with the rest of Scrapbook. It’s a pop song with simple lyrics and thoughtful musical arrangement.

EP closer London Town was apparently written within six hours of Madness and the Film meeting. While obviously having been tweaked slightly since its first inception, there remains a raw and sincere quality to the song as it tells of their respective cities; London and New York.

Despite there being a 15 year age gap between band members they are obviously able to connect on a musical level. Their vocals intertwine effectively throughout Scrapbook, though it would be interesting to hear more of Gorman’s ethereal voice. Scrapbook is a thoughtful first release from Madness and the Film. The potential of this group is yet to be realised and they are sure to impress further with future releases - AdamNOTeve

London meets NYC in this heavenly duo. Caroline Gorman and David Breeze make up Madness and the Film and it’s an infectious alternative pop outfit who have just released their first EP Scrapbook. They may seem an unlikely pairing with David being a 31-year-old Londoner and Caroline, a 16-year-old New Yorker but one listen to their unique sound proves that it works and it’s not such a weird match at all.

Although I listen to a lot of unsigned bands, Madness and the Film is really something unlike anything I’ve heard before. It’s pop but done in a melodic, soulful way much like hipster’s indie with a dreamy style laced in. Despite being based in New York, the first track is named London Town. The slow acoustic which becomes commonplace begins and a ghostly chant emanates. Incredibly chilled, it allows you to lie back and enjoy the spaced-out piano and quirky poetic lyrics. Their voices blend well and it’s the first taste of their one-of-a-kind flavour.Onto the folksy sounding Moonlit Shadows, which has a soothing hippy vibe. The drums arrive and it becomes a little more dramatic and beautiful before a blippy electronic sound enters the backing, bringing it up-to-date but with the retro theme going strong. It feels like a magical clashing of worlds and it sounds like it would be a great live performance, resonating throughout the room.

Persuasion has a definite American country twang. It’s slightly more upbeat than the other tracks on the EP but has a great Mumford And Sons vibe going on. There are some funky piano licks and a slight blues motif too. Once again the harmonies are gorgeous and bring out the pretty melody. It casually drifts into final track The Motions, which is definitely my favourite. The first minute or so is clouded in radio interference fuzzes before it turns into a clear, piano-led pop song. So much emotion is invested in the words as it tells the tragic story of a dying relationship. As a result of the dark subject matter, the blues vibe is back. I think this is possibly their best commercial hit, as it touches the current trends of retro America with folksy acoustic love stories.

Madness and the Film are without a doubt a very exciting prospect. They are very new and fresh out of the studio, so they have a lot more to give. Scrapbook is a really good start and I only hope they release something big within the next year or so. - Show Me Something Different

Madness and the Film MTV Artist Page - MTV

Normally, when it comes to friending strangers, I am the one who knocks. And normally, it's on the subway. Planes are good too, though. And in this particular case, I wasn't even the chatty blonde doing the friending. That was all David Breeze. Well, maybe not ALL.

On a flight from NYC back to London-- a flight I NEVER should have made...I STILL can't believe I talked my way onto that flight, I was so late-- I was seated next to the friendliest, most America-loving Brit currently living. Even though I had taken a sleeping pill right before he sat down (as is my usual pre-flight ritual) we ended up talking the whole 8 hours.

And we are still friends to this day! Despite frequent moves and job changes on both our parts, and that one time where I threw up on the street in front of him, (whoops!) he still comes to see me! In fact, it's almost like he's following me. (Just kidding.) We've hung out in NYC when we both lived there, and now we rock it Cali style. Funnily enough, the one place we've never hung out is London. But I digress.

While living in New York, David became friends and later band mates with the young Caroline Gorman. And by young, I mean 17. They recorded an EP that's getting more press than you can shake a stick at-- I'm talking New York Times, New York Magazine, and 2 songs (TWO!) featured on the MTV show, Friendzone that aired last week.

You can stream and download Madness & The Film's EP, Scrapbook, for free. But don't let that stop you from buying it, either. Because... support the arts, people. Even banking honchos are realizing it's important. - Fergie & Fife

On Wall Street, it’s not uncommon for children to follow their parents into finance. However, Caroline Gorman, the daughter of Morgan Stanley’s chief executive, James Gorman, appears headed down a much different path.

Mr. Gorman sent an e-mail on Wednesday promoting the music career of his daughter, whose band, Madness and the Film, released an EP, four songs on iTunes, over the weekend. “She recorded the music with a British musician over the past six months,” Mr. Gorman wrote in the e-mail. “They co-wrote lyrics, music and play and sing the songs. He is lead vocals and she sings back-up and plays numerous instruments.”

In an interview, Mr. Gorman said Caroline, 17, has always had a passion for music and plays piano in her school’s orchestra. When she was 15, Ms. Gorman was playing in bars and had booked studio space in Chelsea. She spent every Friday night for months recording her first CD.

“She plays everything,” he said. Last year, while in upstate New York, Ms. Gorman met David Breeze, a British musician, and the two of them joined together to form Madness and the Film. The songs released on iTunes have a melodic, indie pop rock feel to them.

Ms. Gorman isn’t the only child of a Morgan Stanley chief with a passion for the arts. The son of John Mack, who ran Morgan Stanley before Mr. Gorman, is a photographer (also named John), and some of his work is on display at Morgan Stanley.
- The New York Times

This is Matilda!” says Caroline Gorman, the 17-year-old daughter of Australian-born Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman, as I step over a buttermilk-colored Labrador on my way into the family’s Upper East Side apartment. Another dog, a Maltese named Taz, comes scurrying in. “I’ve always wanted to get a rescue dog,” she says after closing the door behind us. “But I guess that can wait until I get older.”

Caroline, a senior at the Spence School with a drape of brown hair and a smattering of freckles, has invited me over on a late-summer afternoon for a private concert. She’s a guitarist, pianist, and singer whose two-man band, Madness and the Film, released a four-song EP earlier this year. Gorman is only the latest aspiring musician among the progeny of the Wall Street elite. Hedge-fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones’s daughter Caroline has four albums, and Emma Lasry, daughter of Avenue Capital co-founder Marc Lasry, released a single for her 18th birthday called “Closet Bitch.” (The music video had a Khloé Kardashian cameo.) Gorman, by comparison, is more relaxed about her pop-star ambitions. For the concert, it’s just her, a guitar, and the baby grand next to the fireplace.

A press-shy former McKinsey consultant, Gorman père is known as a risk wrangler. Since he took over in 2010 from his predecessor, John Mack, his signal accomplishment has been turning Morgan Stanley from a troubled trading powerhouse into a sleepy but profitable brokerage business, a strategy that boosted the bank’s stock price and won him fans among the pro-reform crowd. Success at work seems to have given him time to serve as a pro bono publicist for his daughter. In May, he e-mailed more than 50 of his banker colleagues with a hard sell. “This is my first blast e-mail but it is for a good cause,” he wrote. “In the spirit of Sheryl Sandberg I am ‘leaning in’ for a young woman.” He then encouraged them to download her EP.

When I contacted Caroline about an interview, the drama-averse Gorman was quick to set some ground rules. He wouldn’t be able to attend in person, but he asked that I omit details about their apartment and “lifestyle” that might compromise the family’s privacy. So I’ll just say that the Gorman living room, where I sit while she fusses with her amp, is very nice by any standard other than “Wall Street CEO,” by which it is downright modest.

After offering me a bottle of water, Caroline, dressed in fraying jorts, black boots, and a tank top, launches into a piano-and-vocals cover of Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity.” Her bandmate, a 32-year-old Brit named David Breeze, usually does most of the singing, but he’s had to return to the U.K. because of visa issues, so she’s going solo. Caroline has been playing piano since she was 4, but singing is a newer skill that carries some residual childhood trauma.

“I was in a musical when I was 10 or 11, and I had a song,” she says. “The accompanist played dun dun dun dun, and I was supposed to come in. And I just never came in. He kept playing it. Dun dun dun dun. Eventually, he had to start singing for me, which was mortifying.”

In person, Caroline is sweet and well ­spoken, a normalish Manhattan teen who is shockingly grounded for a child of such privilege. She’s steady on piano, with a breathy Fiona Apple voice that makes up in rich tone what it lacks in polish. She plays me covers of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Skyfall,” then switches to guitar for some original songs. Her solo album, which she paid for with her “life savings”—“I mean, obviously if there’s a time where I’m living on the street, my parents aren’t going to ignore me; but it’s a very me, homemade project,” she says—was filled with age-appropriate angst and lyrics about misery and black abysses. “My mom was like, ‘Is everything okay?’” But being in a band has mellowed her out. Now she and Breeze write wispy alt-rock songs with somewhat impenetrable lyrics.

Caroline was “freaked out and delighted” when her father intervened, she says—freaked out because she’d wanted to succeed on her own, delighted because his efforts actually helped. Since his blast e-mail, Madness and the Film has been featured on several business blogs, and Caroline says that MTV is planning to put one of her songs in an upcoming show. She’s been looking for a manager and promoting her music on Facebook. She’s clear-eyed about the possibility that all of this will be for naught (“I know I’m so young, and if it doesn’t work out, I can do something else”), but she’s also trying to build on her early successes.

“It’s really hard to get noticed these days,” she says. “There’s not that guy with the shades and the notepad who comes in and sits in the back while you play.” Whether music stardom ever happens, the ­experience—even with a nervous father’s periodic help—has been a good lesson in privilege and its limits. “It’s not about having connections,” she says, before walking me out past the dogs and down to the lobby. “It - New York Magazine

A new and upcoming band, Madness & the Film, features a chic and unique dynamic duo: Caroline Gorman and David Breeze. Their artistic collaboration fashions a quirky chick meets sophisticated Brit personality that is reflected in their work. Although the band is just getting started, it is releasing a 4-track EP on itunes at the end of this month. London Town, the first single off the album, gives a promising introduction to their debut. Gorman’s smooth and ephemeral-like vocals glide through the piece alongside Breeze’s effortlessly expressive sound. With a simplistic composition of instruments they manage to create a dream-like layer of harmonies that enables a noteworthy coalescence of two distinct and talented artists. Let’s keep an eye on these guys. Besides, think of all the awesome duos like Karmin and The White Stripes, artists that similarly had small beginnings but genius work. - Frickinsound

Photo by Kristin Hoebermann Hey AMBY! We are a duo called Madness and the Film. There are two members in our band: David (31 years old) and Caroline (16 years old). David is from London but moved to New York in the summer of 2012 where he met Caroline through a mutual friend. Dodging visa problems and schoolwork, we managed to record an EP during this past fall and have plans to release it soon. In the meantime, we just released our first single called “London Town”, which can be listened to on SoundCloud - Elbows

Don’t be deceived… This weekend’s playlist has absolutely nothing to do with remixes! We just find it overly amusing to say Weekend Wiki-Wiki-What Playlist. Although there are no remixes, there ARE however some amazing new songs and bands to check out. So go ahead and enjoy them, and your weekend! X - A Music Blog Yea?

London Town by Madness and the Film! Our Song of the Day can be heard beneath or over on the left sidebar throughout AMBY. Enjoy! - A Music Blog Yea?

Hey AMBY!

We are a duo called Madness and the Film. There are two members in our band: David (31 years old) and Caroline (16 years old). David is from London but moved to New York in the summer of 2012 where he met Caroline through a mutual friend. Dodging visa problems and schoolwork, we managed to record an EP during this past fall and have plans to release it soon. In the meantime, we just released our first single called “London Town”, which can be listened to on SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/madnessandthefilm

There are quite a few concepts behind the name “Madness and the Film” that we have developed after choosing it as a name for our band. When we initially came up with “Madness and the Film” (after a long list of names that didn’t seem quite right…) it just seemed to fit so we didn’t actually begin to analyze the meaning behind the name until after we had decided to use it. Some thoughts about the meaning include the idea that someone’s madness has been encapsulated in a film and thus is on display for everyone to see. There is a kind of tragedy to it. But maybe also a dark humor… of not knowing whether you are actually insane or you are a performer trapped inside of a film and perhaps stuck in character. These are just some ideas… the meaning behind the name is really quite open to liberal interpretation!

Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/madnessandthefilm

Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/madnessandthefilm

Watch us on YouTube! www.youtube.com/madnessandthefilm

And you can visit the OFFICIAL MADNESS WEBSITE for more information: www.madnessandthefilm.com - A Music Blog Yea?

Hello friends, today I bring you Madness and the Film. Madness and the Film is a duo made up of David Breeze and Caroline Gorman. David from London and Caroline from NYC, the two met through a mutual friend. Each with separate musical projects from the past, David and Caroline came together to form Madness and the Film. If you’ve been following me since I started Good Tunes, you will recognize one of the members of this duo. One of the first big pieces I wrote was on Caroline’s great album Portrait of a Picture of a Person. I reviewed her album and included an interview. It was great to work with Caroline, so I am very excited to be bringing her music back on to Good Tunes. Madness and the Film just released their spankin’ new single “London Town”. Have a listen! - Good Tunes for Good People