In 1989, through contact with friends in Dublin who were mutual friends with some of the group, Tracy heard that Something Happens would be at the 'Rebel Rebel' music store on Bleeker Street in New York just prior to their first ever American show. She headed down there, introduced herself, then went to the show at The China Club. After that, there was no going back.
When I moved to the USA in 1997 to be with Tracy, she came as a package. I also got 'Something Happens'.
After releasing a live EP in 1988, their first studio album 'Been There, Seen That, Done That' was produced by Tom Erdelyi, better known professionally as Tommy Ramone, the drummer for the punk rock band the Ramones. The album contains great tracks like 'Beach', 'Forget Georgia' and 'Burn Clear', but funnily enough, one of the main criticisms I've come across about this album is poor production.
Their second album though - this one - "Stuck Together With God's Glue" was picked as one of the best Irish rock albums ever in a 1998 list that included U2 and Van Morrison.
U2 acknowledge that they used the album title directly in the words to their 1997 song 'Staring at the Sun'
"Over me and over you
Stuck together with God's glue"
My favourite tracks from the album, in no particular order, are 'Parachute', 'Kill The Roses', 'Room 29' ... ah, what the hell, the whole album is up there with the best of them. 'Brand New God' contains one of the best verses ever written ..
"There's a girl in a dress in a sinful mess
With a face just made for kissing
What kind of god gives you a rod
And say's you can't go fishing
Brand New God"
After a couple more albums - 'Bedlam A Go-Go' in '92 and 'Planet Fabulous' in '94, the big worldwide break they were waiting for just never seemed to come, despite a successful American tour with Warren Zevon.
"Warren Zevon - Irving Plaza
Something Happens, an Irish band, backed him up, transferring some keyboard lines to electric guitar and providing lean, hard-hitting riffs behind Mr. Zevon's stalwart baritone.
Something Happens opened the show with its own tuneful, well-constructed, sometimes optimistic songs about romance, with touches of the Beach Boys, the Beatles and Elvis Costello. But it took Mr. Zevon to unleash their more aggressive instincts."
New York Times By Jon Pareles July 18 1995
Also in '95 the group released their compilation album "The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves" which was almost a swansong for the bands recording career, and seemed like a statement about their place in music history. Other than 'Alan, Elvis & God' released in '97, which was really just a re-release of 'Planet Fabulous' with a few track changes, Something Happens left the studio and apart from appearances occasionally at Whelans pub in Dublin, music festivals here and there and the odd appearance on RTE's 'The Late Late Show', the band members essentially went back to their day jobs.
I think they are a great collective talent and a missed opportunity for people outside their circle of devoted fans to hear solid well constructed music that deserved a much wider audience.
The last word goes to a quote from the lostsongs.co.uk website .
"What do they sound like? They started off as a post-punk leaning rock band with a pop feel. They became a pop-rock mainstream act that the mainstream didn't notice. Latterly they wrote some sublime pop songs that hardly anybody got to hear, but you can if you go looking!
Imagine the invention and commerciality of James, but with a more Rock N Roll upbringing."
Am listening now, Paul. Not heard them before. Think my wife will like this Album as well.
ReplyDeleteThey're a hidden gem John 😊
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