Don’t “skip intro” this time. The theme song for new Netflix limited series “The Madness,” currently the most-watched show on the world’s most-popular streaming service, is by Billy Allen + The Pollies, one of Alabama’s best rising bands.
Titled “It’s Okay,” the song’s arthouse-soul sound is a perfect fit for the show’s prestige TV vibe.
“The Madness” stars Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo as a CNN talking head framed for the backwoods murder of “the Jesse Jackson of white supremacists.”
The thriller is set in Pennsylvania’s Poconos Mountains and Domingo’s hometown of Philadelphia, amid today’s age of conspiracy theories and widespread misinformation.
Domingo, who cut his teeth on Broadway, is best known for his roles in hit TV shows like HBO’s “Euphoria” and AMC’s “Fear the Walking Dead” and acclaimed films like “Rustin” and “Zola.” The widely acclaimed actor has also garnered Oscar buzz for his turn in the 2024 drama “Sing Sing.”
Pollies guitarist/songwriter Jay Burgess says their band got news of a possible “The Madness” sync this summer via email from their music publisher.
“We didn’t really know that it was ‘confirmed’ confirmed until about two or three weeks ago,” Burgess tells me via video call. “It was still kind of up in the air as far as, like, well, are we the theme or are we not the theme?’”
Adding to the suspense for the band, the pilot episode didn’t include an intro. Finally, about nine minutes into episode two, though, there it was. The strings-swaddled strains of “It’s Okay” and Allen’s world-class vocals set against 30 seconds or so of green-black tinted visuals from the show as credits flash.
“It’s wild, man,” Allen says. “You watch so many shows and you have so many intros — some you like, some you don’t like. And finally, I have one that I like. [Laughs]”
“The Madness” isn’t Billy Allen + The Pollies’ first sync. Several of their songs were featured on the Mississippi episode of ESPN travel series “True South.”
Burgess cowrote the song “It’s Okay” with fellow Shoals muso Caleb Elliott. Allen added the chorus hook. The track will also appear on Billy Allen + The Pollies’ forthcoming debut album, planned for a 2025 release. Tour dates at billyallenandthepollies.com.
Both Allen and The Pollies have prior bona fides. In 2012, Allen’s excelled on TV singing competition “The X Factor.”
Meanwhile, The Pollies have released three strong albums of small-batch Southern power-pop. In addition to Burgess, the band features bassist Spencer Duncan, drummer Jon Davis and keyboardist/backing vocalist Clint Chandler. They previously toured the U.S. and Europe as the backing band for acclaimed singer/songwriters Nicole Atkins and Dylan LeBlanc, as well as backing acts in the studio.
Burgess and Allen first connected years ago when Burgess and Alabama Shakes legend Brittany Howard heard Allen performing at a local bar in Florence.
In 2020, Billy Allen + The Pollies dropped an excellent debut single, “People, Turn Around,” a sanctified redo of a great unfamous song by indie band Delta Spirit. To date, their version has been streamed almost 650,000 times on Spotify. Last year, Billy Allen + The Pollies impressed as the opening act at Jason Isbell’s show at Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater.
