The Connells
| The Connells | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, jangle pop, power pop, indie rock |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | TVT Records, Black Park Records |
| Website | www.theconnells.com |
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| Past members |
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The Connells are an American band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They play a guitar-oriented, melodic, power pop style of rock music with introspective lyrics that reflect the American South. Though mostly dormant, the band continues to play to this day. The band is best known for their song "'74–'75", which became a Top 20 hit in the UK and made them quite popular in Europe at the time.
The Connells were the first band to headline a concert at Raleigh's Walnut Creek amphitheater in 1991, and on June 4, 2010, were the first band to headline the Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown Raleigh.
Guitarist Mike Connell formed the band in 1984 along with his brother David Connell on bass, Doug MacMillan on vocals, and future filmmaker John Schultz on drums. This initial four-person line-up was quickly supplemented by the addition of George Huntley on second guitar, keyboards, and vocals. Around the same time, former Johnny Quest drummer Peele Wimberley replaced Schultz, finalizing the "classic" line-up of the band.
An early version of “Darker Days”, recorded by the band’s initial four-piece lineup, appeared on the North Carolina indie compilation More Mondo in 1984. A re-recorded version of “Darker Days” provided the title track to the band’s debut album, which was produced by fellow North Carolinian Don Dixon. The album was released in 1985 on Elvis Costello's Demon Records in the UK and the band’s own Black Park Records label in the U.S., with slightly different track listings for each country. In addition to the title track, one of the most notable songs on the album was “Hats Off”, an attack on then-President Ronald Reagan. After the release of the Darker Days album, the band re-recorded a more aggressive take of “Hats Off” for a 12” single, which was the second Connells release on Black Park, and the last until 2000. During this period, videos for the songs “Seven” and “Hats Off” were aired on MTV’s 120 Minutes program.
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