Happy Mondays

Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays in 2006
Background information
Origin	Little Hulton, Greater Manchester, England
Genres	Madchester, indie rock, baggy, alternative dance, post-punk
Years active	1980–93, 1999–2001, 2004–10, 2012–present
Labels	Factory, Elektra
Associated acts	Black Grape, Buffalo 66, Amateur Night In The Big Top, Big Arm, The Hippy Mafia
Members	Shaun Ryder Mark "Bez" Berry Gary Whelan Mark Day Paul Ryder Rowetta
Past members	Paul Davis

Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder (bass), Mark Day (guitar), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Gary Whelan (drums). Mark "Bez" Berry later joined the band onstage as a dancer/percussionist. Rowetta joined the band as a guest vocalist in 1990.

The group's work bridged the Manchester independent rock music of the 1980s and the emerging UK rave scene, drawing influence from acid house, soul, and psychedelia to pioneer the Madchester sound. They experienced their commercial peak with the releases Bummed (1988) and Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990), with the latter going platinum in the UK. They disbanded in 1993, and have reformed several times in subsequent decades.

The first official release from Happy Mondays was the "Forty Five EP", often called the "Delightful EP" after its first track. It was released on Factory Records in September 1985.

Manchester music impresario Tony Wilson discovered them (then managed by Phil Saxe) at a battle of the bands contest held at his Hacienda nightclub. Their first album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), debuted in 1987 and was produced by John Cale. This was followed by two classic albums; Bummed in 1988, produced by Martin Hannett, then Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches in 1990 produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne which went platinum in the UK selling more than 350,000 copies. This put the band firmly on the map as one of the most influential bands to come out of the UK in the early 1990s. The album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. Singles "Step On" and "Kinky Afro" from this album both reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. Yes Please! followed in 1992, produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, recorded at Eddy Grant's studio in Barbados. By the late 1980s, the Happy Mondays were an important part of the Manchester music scene and personified rave culture. Numerous world tours meant the band had international success as well as massive success in their home country. The line up of the band during this first and most important ten year phase never changed, and the six original members Shaun Ryder, Paul Ryder, Gary Whelan, Paul Davis, Mark Day and Mark "Bez" Berry remained a tight unit until the first incarnation came to an end in 1994. Earlier that year, the band had appeared on the bill at the 1990 Glastonbury Festival.