Slapp Happy was a German/English pop group formed in Germany in 1972 when B… Read Full Bio ↴Slapp Happy was a German/English pop group formed in Germany in 1972 when British keyboardist and avant-garde composer Anthony Moore invited his friend, New York guitarist/artist/cartoonist/poet Peter Blegvad, to come over to Hamburg. Moore had already released several albums of “new music” for Polydor. When Polydor rejected one of his albums outright, he proposed a pop-oriented project instead. Local girl Dagmar Krause, a former member of the folk-rock group City Preachers, was recruited as vocalist and Slapp Happy was born.
Their early sound was a quirky, cabaret-inflected pop-rock with witty, literate lyrics from Blegvad. Their first two albums featured members of Faust in the backing band, although the second was later re-recorded with session musicians for Virgin records.
By 1975, they had been interleaved with the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, a union that produced two important works: a theatrical, Kurt Weill-esque set of songs entitled Desperate Straights and a much more daunting and avant-garde set entitled In Praise Of Learning.
The band has had fitful reunions ever since, sometimes just for the odd single, but often for major projects (the 1991 television opera Camera and the 1998 studio album Ça Va, for example).
Krause, Moore and Blegvad reformed Slapp Happy again in November 2016 to perform with Faust at the Week-End festival in Cologne, Germany. The two groups also played on 10–11 February 2017 at Cafe Oto in London. On 24 February 2017 Slapp Happy (without Faust) performed at Mt. Rainer Hall, Shibuya in Tokyo. In September 2017, Slapp Happy and Faust played at the 10th Rock in Opposition festival in Carmaux, France. They made a final appearance in November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.
Their early sound was a quirky, cabaret-inflected pop-rock with witty, literate lyrics from Blegvad. Their first two albums featured members of Faust in the backing band, although the second was later re-recorded with session musicians for Virgin records.
By 1975, they had been interleaved with the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, a union that produced two important works: a theatrical, Kurt Weill-esque set of songs entitled Desperate Straights and a much more daunting and avant-garde set entitled In Praise Of Learning.
The band has had fitful reunions ever since, sometimes just for the odd single, but often for major projects (the 1991 television opera Camera and the 1998 studio album Ça Va, for example).
Krause, Moore and Blegvad reformed Slapp Happy again in November 2016 to perform with Faust at the Week-End festival in Cologne, Germany. The two groups also played on 10–11 February 2017 at Cafe Oto in London. On 24 February 2017 Slapp Happy (without Faust) performed at Mt. Rainer Hall, Shibuya in Tokyo. In September 2017, Slapp Happy and Faust played at the 10th Rock in Opposition festival in Carmaux, France. They made a final appearance in November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.
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Casablanca Moon/Desperate Straights
Slapp Happy Lyrics
A Little Something Here's a little something for all you lovers - snuggle…
Casablanca Moon He used to wear fedoras Now he sports a fez There's cabalist…
Dawn Dawn he's in a postcard of the dawn, Where the knives…
Haiku We’re chippin’ at the moon with an old bone Issa and…
Half Way There He's only half-way there He's only half-way there Told me my…
Me and Parvati Me and Parvati In Paris, France Surrounded by musicians D…
Mr Rainbow Casquette de moire, Quéquette d'ivoire, Toilette très noire,…
Riding Tigers We're not well, dear. Toll the bell, dear. As our lives…
Slow Moon's Rose Now that the slow moons rose On a silver trellis grows, Wh…
Strayed All my dismembered, half-remembered yesterdays, snowing sou…
The Drum Get in line, keep in time with the Drum And don't…
The Secret There he goes, My hero in wonderful clothes - passing me…