Bummed

Raves were the backdrop to life in late '80s Britain and the most prominently featured band on the soundtrack were the Happy Mondays. They crashed onto the scene (six years into their career) with their first album, SQUIRREL AND G-MAN TWENTY FOUR HOUR PARTY PEOPLE PLASTIC FACE CAN'T SMILE (WHITE OUT)-a title which speaks for itself really.
BUMMED, the follow-up, produced by the Manchester-based producer Martin Hannett, was a further step in the direction of total Madchester domination. Strangely, however, the Happy Mondays weren't about the feel-good, ecstasy-fueled good times that most associated with the scene at the time. They were the seedy underbelly of the scene--the thugs, if you will. They stole musical ideas from everyone (note: "Lazy Itis" owes a debt to "Ticket to Ride") and singer Shaun Rider alienated everyone by issuing careless, homophobic statements to the press. But for awhile the Mondays were on top. Listen to BUMMED to find out why.|