True to their namesake, Happyness are purveyors of sun-dappled indie nuggets - yet underneath their youthful optimism lurks a melancholic introspection.
Since 2012, pals Ash Cooper, Benji Compston, Jonny Allan having been creating the kind of kitsch college-rock that might excite fans of Sparklehorse, Pavement, MGMT and Yo La Tengo - expertly layering charming melodies with jingle-jangle guitars.
2014 was a deservedly great year for the lads, landing their debut album Weird Little Birthday into a fair few ‘Best of…’ lists from the likes of NME and The Sunday Times.
And, with a headline slot on the forthcoming NME Awards show secured, things are only looking up.
We spent 30 seconds with them to learn more about their musical beginnings and dream collaborations...
We first started making music together because....
We mutually liked, or disliked, a lot of music and agreed to not talk about anything we didn't agree on - kind of like a honeymoon period where the ice never gets broken.
We have been making music as Happyness since...
Probably late 2012. That's when we started making songs that would become Happyness songs. They were kind of unformed and we didn't have a name for a long time. We'd hang out most weekends and write stuff and record some of it and move broken furniture out and move less broken furniture in until we had a place that we could call our "studio" without too many people ridiculing us. Not that anyone really comes there.
Our music is...
Largely ghost-written.
You'll like us if you listen to...
Arvo Part or Jerry Almond and the Nonstops
Our favourite venue is...
The Kazimier (Liverpool) or The Paradiso (Amsterdam) to play. The Ritz in Manchester to watch.
Music is important because...
We're not good waiters.
Our biggest inspiration is...
Fats Domino's backing band, alcohol, plastic cheese, Macaulay Culkin's exasperation and Dionne Warwick.
Our dream collaboration would be...
John Woo.
To try us out, listen to our song...
Weird Little Birthday Girl.
If we weren't making music we'd be...
Ok... Customer Service Representative/Dental Hygienist/Customer Service Representative.
In 10 years’ time we want to be...
Matthew McConaughey in 10 years' time.
https://www.facebook.com/Happynessmusic/info
Since 2012, pals Ash Cooper, Benji Compston, Jonny Allan having been creating the kind of kitsch college-rock that might excite fans of Sparklehorse, Pavement, MGMT and Yo La Tengo - expertly layering charming melodies with jingle-jangle guitars.
2014 was a deservedly great year for the lads, landing their debut album Weird Little Birthday into a fair few ‘Best of…’ lists from the likes of NME and The Sunday Times.
And, with a headline slot on the forthcoming NME Awards show secured, things are only looking up.
We spent 30 seconds with them to learn more about their musical beginnings and dream collaborations...
We first started making music together because....
We mutually liked, or disliked, a lot of music and agreed to not talk about anything we didn't agree on - kind of like a honeymoon period where the ice never gets broken.
We have been making music as Happyness since...
Probably late 2012. That's when we started making songs that would become Happyness songs. They were kind of unformed and we didn't have a name for a long time. We'd hang out most weekends and write stuff and record some of it and move broken furniture out and move less broken furniture in until we had a place that we could call our "studio" without too many people ridiculing us. Not that anyone really comes there.
Our music is...
Largely ghost-written.
You'll like us if you listen to...
Arvo Part or Jerry Almond and the Nonstops
Our favourite venue is...
The Kazimier (Liverpool) or The Paradiso (Amsterdam) to play. The Ritz in Manchester to watch.
Music is important because...
We're not good waiters.
Our biggest inspiration is...
Fats Domino's backing band, alcohol, plastic cheese, Macaulay Culkin's exasperation and Dionne Warwick.
Our dream collaboration would be...
John Woo.
To try us out, listen to our song...
Weird Little Birthday Girl.
If we weren't making music we'd be...
Ok... Customer Service Representative/Dental Hygienist/Customer Service Representative.
In 10 years’ time we want to be...
Matthew McConaughey in 10 years' time.
https://www.facebook.com/Happynessmusic/info
