Cathal Smyth

Chas Smash
Smash (right) and Lee Thompson performing live, in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Cathal Joseph Smyth
Born	(1959-01-14) 14 January 1959 (age 58) Fitzrovia, London, England
Genres	Ska pop new wave 2-Tone
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist
Instruments	Vocals keyboards guitar trumpet percussion flute
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Rolled Gold
Associated acts	Madness
Website	cathalsmyth.co.uk chas-smash.com

Cathal Joseph Smyth (born 14 January 1959), also known as Chas Smash, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Smash came to prominence in the late 1970s as the backing vocalist, trumpet player, harmonica player and dancer for the English ska band Madness.

In addition to trumpet, Smyth plays the bass guitar (having initially joined Madness as a bassist), acoustic guitar and other various percussion instruments. He occasionally performs the lead vocals, such as on the songs "Michael Caine", "Wings of a Dove", "One Step Beyond" and "Madness (Is All in the Mind)". He was initially an occasional songwriter, but became a more regular contributor over the course of Madness's career and was credited as co-writer on the band's major 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 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, and then to the Middle East because of his work. 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.

In 1976, the North London Invaders recruited Smyth to play the bass guitar with them when he was only 17 years old, but he was replaced a year later by Gavin Rogers. During the late seventies, Cathal became friends with members of the band Madness, and performed as a dancer onstage at their concerts.

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. 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.