HAPPY MONDAYS INTERVIEW
HAPPY MONDAYS formed in 1980 in Salford, Greater Manchester: the original line-up included Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, with brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, Drummer Gary Whelan who are all still with the current line up! The group’s work bridged the Manchester independent rock music of the 1980s and the emerging UK rave scene.
1987 saw their first album ‘Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile’ and this was followed by the classic album ‘Bummed’ in 1988.
But it was 1990’s ‘Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’ an majorly influential album, produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne which saw the band break big time and go platinum in the UK selling more than 350,000 copies. This put the band firmly on the map as one of the most influential bands to come out of the UK in the early 1990s. Singles Step On and Kinky Afro from this album both reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. ‘Yes Please!’ followed in 1992,By the late 1980s the HAPPY MONDAYS were an important part of the U.K. music scene. Numerous world tours meant the band had international success to go along with the massive success in their home country.
It wasn’t until 2007 that they released their first album in fourteen years ‘Uncle Dysfunktional’. The band played Coachella Music Festival in California and toured throughout the summer of 2007. The band continued to make festical appearances, and after a successful UK tour in November/December 2017 HAPPY MONDAYS are were back playing festivals throughout 2018. Joining the Ryders Brothers and Mark Day are Bez (Percussion & dancer), Gaz Whelan (drums), Rowetta (vocals) and Dan Broad (keyboardist and musical director). Now it is Australia and New Zealand’s turn to see this visionary band and they have a huge surprise in store! They will be playing their seminal album ‘Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’ in full!
Twinmusix got to speak to Rowetta Satchell from Happy Mondays about their upcoming Australian tour and more.
TM - What can fams expect from your Australian tour?
RS - I think we are really lucky that we are coming to Australia now. I have never been to Australia before. We are playing better than ever the reviews are better than ever we will be playing pills and thrills so what will be a great time.
TM - What song are you most looking forward to playing off Pills and Thrills?
RS - I love playing Bob's your uncle because they have added this new bit where is like a dance tune but to be honest I love seeing them or a lot of the songs have been updated and rearranged.
TM - How did you come to join Happy Mondays?
RS - It started because I was a big fan and I followed them around for 6 months. I knew from the moment I saw them that I wanted to sing with them. I use to work in the office and sit in it and no one would notice. Paul was looking for a singer and I had already asked and told Nathan i wanted to sing with them. When the opportunity came along I was the obvious choice because I already told them I wanted to sing with them. The only one I hadn't meet was Sean but we all get along really really well, I sung a song with them and they asked me to sing on everything so it was great.
TM - You were headlining Golden Plains festival what are you most looking forward to?
RS - It is my first time to Australia so to be headlining a festival is amazing, I am looking forward to the Australian crowds. We have been asked to come and play for so long and people on Facebook have been sending me messages saying they are so excited to see us. It is the first time the original lineup will be playing in Australia so I am really looking forward to playing for everyone because I know everyone will love it.
TM - What are you most looking forward to doing Australia?
RS - Meeting the people I have so many friends over there and they have so many fans who are have flown over here and meeting us. I can't wait to fly over there and play a show for them, obviously I want to see everything because I haven't been there before. I had an Australian boyfriend back in the 90s but I never went to Australia so im looking forward to it it looks like a beautiful country. I think every time one of my friends has gone over there they want to live there.
TM - If you could have any band play one of your songs which band would it be which song and in your style or theirs?
RS - Nile Rodgers and chic doing Bobs your Uncle.
TM - If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be and why?
RS - Nile Rodgers and chic and I'm collaborating with Todd Terry at the moment.
TM - Will Happy Mondays bring out another album?
RS - I hope so I think they are just waiting for the right date to do one.
TM - What is your favourite memory of watching someone else perform live?
RS - I loved watching Prince and George Michael play rock in Rio and then David Bowie was playing Glastonbury. We played just before him and me when we played Hallelujah and time of stage. David Bowie said to us that it was very eclectic and I nearly fainted I'm not normally Starstruck but I was with him.
TM - Anything else you want to announce to your fans?
RS - We are going to give them everything performance wise when we come over. We are really excited to come over this is the first time the original line up is coming to and we are so excited.
TM - Thank you so much for this interview today, we really appreciate it.
