A taste of Happy Mondays this weekend. In concert from Lyon at Le Truc, recorded by Radio France International on March 3, 1990. One of the pivotal bands for the late 80s/early 90s. The Funk/Psych mashup that became Madchester and the tsunami of bands which followed, kept things interesting and evolving for a good chunk of the 90s. Happy Mondays were at the forefront; one of the bands responsible for the mashup and the indelible mark it made on Pop music during this time.
The 90s certainly signified that the disconnect between the mainstream and the underground was growing by the minute. While the Mainstream was floundering, a product of continuous copying and regurgitation of the previous hit record, coming up with less and less with each “borrow” – the underground, or the non-mainstream was busy exploring, finding new combinations and nuances to add to an already exciting new form – it became the genre that held the most interest, along with the Seattle scene around the same period. In retrospect, the 90s where a much more interesting and fruitful series of collaborations than previously thought.
Started in 1980, during a period of time where the underground became the flourishing collection of styles and genres in the wake of Punk, Happy Mondays were no overnight sensation. It was a gradual process, involving Indie with Rave and adding Acid House and Funk with elements of Psychedelia into the mix. The result was Madchester and a sound that continued to evolve well into the 90s. This concert comes around the time of the release of their third album, Pills n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, which became their biggest album and a commercial smash, going Platinum in the process.
Needless to say, this is a watershed concert, and the French audience is over-the-moon, so it’s a good energy exchange. What you always want in a live setting.
Crank it up and enjoy,
