Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know

  • 1. Top of the World, Ma
  • 2. Liar
  • 3. Closer to You
  • 4. Breakdown
  • 5. Penetration Guru
  • 6. Power to Love
  • 7. Sister Blue
  • 8. Foxy Lady
  • 9. Better Things
  • 10. Passion for Trash
  • 11. Old Men (Lay Down)
  • 12. Final Destination

‘Mad Bad’ (as it’s often referred to) was recorded live at Mountain Studios in Switzerland between September and December 1989, and was produced by The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith.

The title came from a quote made about Lord Byron, who had been imprisoned nearby at the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva.

The album features 11 songs written individually and collectively by all members of the band, with two songs penned by Roger alone – ‘Old Men (Lay Down)’ and ‘Final Destination’. Lead vocals throughout are sung by Roger, except on the acoustic track ‘Better Things’, where guitarist Clayton Moss sings his own composition.

‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’ was released on March 26th 1990 in the UK on vinyl LP and cassette, with the CD containing an extra track; a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Foxy Lady’.

An outrageous promotional video for the forthcoming first single, ‘Power To Love’, was filmed in Vienna in December 1989, but then the band parted company with Virgin Records and signed a new deal with Electrola in Germany, holding up the release of the single which eventually came on January 29th 1990, in that country. The same song was issued in the UK in April, and was a shortened edit. Despite a wickedly unlikely video, ‘Power To Love’ received minimal airplay and reached only No 85.

On April 1st the band played a one-off concert at the ‘Festival For Life’ event in Geneva, Switzerland and this was followed in May/June by a full tour of Germany, where The Cross had sold most records and had acquired a significant following. The tour comprised 14 shows, including two dates in Amsterdam, Holland, two at the Ku Klub in Ibiza, and an outdoor gig in Vienna, Austria.

As well as performing all tracks from the new album, some older songs were also added to the set – ‘I’m In Love With My Car’, ‘Shove It’, ‘Strange Frontier’, Heaven For Everyone’, ‘Cowboys And Indians’, ‘Man On Fire’ and the rarely heard ‘It’s An Illusion’.

A second single, ‘Liar’, followed in August and was released in Germany only, and featured a new song, ‘In Charge Of My Heart’, as the B-side. An accompanying promotional video was put together from footage shot at two concerts during the German leg of the tour, in Nuremburg in June.

A third single, ‘Final Destination’, was issued, again only in Germany, in November 1990, with a live version of ‘Man On Fire’ also included.

A special appearance at a Queen Fan Club event held at the Astoria Theatre in London in December was The Cross’ only concert date in the UK in 1990. After playing a full set, the band were joined on stage by Brian May, who played and sang on his own song ‘Let Me Out’ and a familiar Queen ditty entitled ‘Tie Your Mother Down’. Other songs that night, included ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ and a special rendition of ‘Lucille’. This concert was audio recorded and released through the fan club on cassette tape, entitled simply ‘Bootleg’.