Happy Mondays | Artist

Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed 1980 in Salford, UK by brothers Shaun Ryder (vocals) and Paul Ryder (bass) plus Mark Day (guitar). They were joined by Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboards), Mark "Bez" Berry (dancer, percussion) and Rowetta Idah (backing vocals). The group's work bridged the Manchester indie rock music of the 1980s and the emerging UK rave scene, drawing influence from funk, house and psychedelia to pioneer the "Madchester" sound. The band were an early signing of Factory Records, and their debut Forty Five EP was released on Factory in September 1985, numbered FAC129. Their first album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) was released in 1987 and was produced by John Cale. The following album Bummed was produced by Martin Hannett, and their third and most successful album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne was released in 1990. The rest of their career went downhill, fuelled by drugs and rock star excess, as documented in the film "24 Hour Party People". In 1993, after the release of the sub-par fourth album Yes Please! the band split and Shaun Ryder formed new band Black Grape, who went on to release three albums. In 2004 the Happy Monday's reformed and released one last album Uncle Dysfunktional in 2007. Standout releases include Squirrel and G-Man.., Bummed, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, plus the 1993 compilation Double Easy: The US Singles. The band's 1992 album Yes Please!, produced by Talking Heads' Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, and recorded at Eddy Grant's studio in Barbados, was so commercially draining that it bankrupted the financially stretched Factory Records.

Artist Website: wikipedia/Happy_Mondays blackgrapeofficial.com

Featured Albums: Happy Mondays

Related Artists: Black Grape