Mad House drops 13 for 30th
Mad House Records: 30th Anniversary Collection, a 13-song compilation album showcasing some of that label’s biggest hit songs, will be released on April 22 by DubShot Records.
That date is recognised globally as Record Store Day, when independent music companies release high-profile projects.
Chris Schlarb, head of DubShot Records, said Mad House Records founder and producer Dave Kelly had full input in the album which will be available on vinyl and digitally.
“Dave selected the songs with recommendations from myself and DJ Max Glazer. DubShot pitched the vinyl to Record Store Day, and they accepted the album with an order of 2,000 units,” he disclosed.
Schlarb said the digital version of ’30th Anniversary Collection’ will be released shortly after Record Store Day with additional songs.
The album contains songs by Wayne Wonder and Cham, whose Joy Ride collaboration is arguably the label’s biggest hit. Wayne Wonder also has Informer on the album, while Cham’s solo effort is Ghetto Story.
Other chart-riders include Old Dog by Beenie Man, Little And Cute (Frisco Kid), Model Pon You (Daddy Screw) and Look by Bounty Killer.
Those artistes were mainstays of Mad House Records, which enjoyed its most successful period during the mid- and late 1990s. Prior to starting Mad House Records, Kelly was a studio engineer at Tuff Gong Records and Penthouse Records.
One of his first big projects as a producer was the Pepperseed rhythm released in 1994. It drove hits like Big Things (Daddy Screw), Loving Excess (Wayne Wonder and Don Yute), and Big Speech by Frisco Kid.
Mad House Records’ achievements were celebrated at the 2022 Reggae Sumfest.