Happyness (band)
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Happyness | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | London |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Years active | 2013 - present |
| Labels | Weird Smiling, Moshi Moshi, Bar/None |
| Members | Jon E E Allen Ash Kenazi |
| Past members | Benji Compston Paul Abderrahim |
| Website | facebook |
Happyness are an English alternative rock band based in London, England, consisting of Benji Compston (guitar / bass / vocals) and Paul Abderrahim (drums).
Their debut album Weird Little Birthday was released on 16 June 2014, later to be re-released in 2015 by Moshi Moshi Records in the UK / Bar/None Records in the USA, accompanied by four bonus tracks, including the previously excluded fan favourite "Montreal Rock Band Somewhere".
History
[edit]2013 - 2015: Weird Little Birthday
[edit]Initially meeting during educational pursuits, the core members of Allan, Compston and Kenazi shuffled in and out of various projects before making Happyness their primary output. Stripping their name out of the Brute Force song “Hello Moscow”,[1] the band have explained the misspelling as a tribute to the Happy Shopper brand of convenience goods; “It's probably more of a 'satisfied with the quality and standard of...' kind of happy. Like Happy Shopper.”[2][3]
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Performing their first show at The Square, Harlow in November 2013, the group self-released the Happyness EP soon after through their own Weird Smiling label. Recorded at their base of Jelly Boy Studios, the EP was mixed by Ed Harcourt and mastered by Adam Lasus, two collaborators who would also contribute to their full length effort, Weird Little Birthday, which followed on 16 June 2014; Harcourt contributing vocals to Pumpkin Noir, and Lasus taking over mixing duties. Grammy Award winner Greg Calbi also helmed the mastering process.
Before long, the group managed to attract attention from a variety of labels who were keen to re-release their first effort. Both Moshi Moshi Records (UK) and Bar/None Records (USA) signed the group, commissioned a series of additional tracks and presented the record in its debut vinyl form in March 2015, which acquired further acclaim from NME,[4] The Guardian,[5] Sunday Times, Q, Uncut and Stereogum[6] among others.
Festival appearances followed, with Reading and Leeds Festivals, Green Man Festival, Bestival, South by Southwest and End of the Road Festival playing host to the group, plus tours alongside Mac Demarco, Speedy Ortiz and Suede.
The group also won an award for Best Lyric at the 2015 NME Awards for the line "I'm wearing Win Butler's hair / there's a scalpless singer of a Montreal Rock Band Somewhere", lifted from the song of the same name.[7]
2016 - 2018: Write In
[edit]After touring in excess, the group reconvened at Jelly Boy Studios and spent close to twelve months assembling their follow-up. During this time, Compston and Kenazi battled with health issues which ultimately delayed the process, but returned with "SB's Truck" on 5 May 2016 - the first glimpse of new material ahead of upcoming EP Tunnel Vision On Your Part. Another single followed, "Anna, Lisa Calls", during which time the group toured Europe with The Dandy Warhols, eventually celebrating the release with a one-off headline show at Vauxhall City Farm.
After several further months of recording, their follow-up LP Write In was announced on 10 January 2017, accompanied by "Falling Down". During this period, the band toured with Twin Peaks (band), The Wytches, Fazerdaze and Her's.
Shortly after the completion of their second record, the lease of Jelly Boy Studios expired and the property was sold - therefore closing the studio for good.
2019 - 2020: Departure of Compston and third album
[edit]It was announced on 12 February 2019 that founding member Benji Compston had left the group to focus on his family and new solo project, Jelly Boy.
On May 1, the group released their third record, Floatr.
Discography
[edit]LPs
[edit]| Title | Title |
| Weird Little Birthday |
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| Weird Little Birthday (re-release) |
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| Write In |
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| Floatr |
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EPs
[edit]| Title | Album Details |
| Happyness EP |
|
| Tunnel Vision On Your Part |
|
Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Album | Format |
| "Great Minds Think Alike, All Brains Taste The Same" | 2014 | Weird Little Birthday | 7", Digital |
| "Montreal Rock Band Somewhere" / "It's On You" | 2015 | Weird Little Birthday (re-release) | Digital |
| "A Whole New Shape" | 2015 | Weird Little Birthday (re-release) | Digital |
| "SB's Truck" | 2016 | Tunnel Vision On Your Part | Digital |
| "Anna, Lisa Calls" | 2016 | Tunnel Vision On Your Part | Digital |
| "Falling Down" | 2017 | Write In | Digital |
| "Through Windows" | 2017 | Write In | Digital |
| "Bigger Glass Less Full" | 2017 | Write In | Digital |
| "Uptread / Style Raids" | 2017 | Write In | Digital |
References
[edit]- ^ "Happyness - want to know where we got our name ? | Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ Taylor, Rob. "Interview: "Cowboys, pancakes, kissing and holding hands" Happyness talk to Soundblab". Soundblab. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ "Happyness Interview: "Easy Listening Sex Rock" - Overblown". Overblown. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ "Who Should be Nominated for the Mercury Prize? NME Writers' Picks | NME.COM". NME. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^ Hann, Michael (12 June 2014). "Happyness: Weird Little Birthday review – charming UK slacker-rock". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (10 June 2014). "Band To Watch: Happyness". stereogum.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^ "NME Awards 2015: 5 Seconds of Summer named worst band as Kasabian win". The Independent. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
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