Happy Mondays are an alternative rock band formed in Salford, Greater Manch… Read Full Bio ↴Happy Mondays are an alternative rock band formed in Salford, Greater Manchester, U.K. in 1985, notable for being a forerunner of the immensely popular neo-psychedelic indie-dance movement (known as 'madchester' for some groups) that mashed up funk, pop, rock, and other genres. Still touring to this day, the band is fronted by Shaun Ryder, who formed the band with his bass-playing brother Paul Ryder. The classic line-up for the rest of the band consisted of their friend Bez, who danced and played percussion, plus guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan. Although facing numerous challenges from drug abuse to label-related meddling, causing the band's recorded output and touring to be sporadic, they have had massive influence among genre-bending 80s and 90s groups such as EMF, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, and many others.
There are several theories about why the Happy Mondays are called what they are. One is that the band's name refers to what Manchester's unemployed population called the day that welfare checks were issued, or that simply they didn't have to go back to work on Mondays unlike the poor working sods. However, Shaun Ryder did remark in an interview with drug smuggler Howard Marks that the name Happy Mondays was merely a quick solution to naming the band and bears no real relevance at all. Despite fan speculation, he name has no connection with the song "Blue Monday" by synthpop band New Order, as the Mondays were together and had named the band before this song was released.
First incarnation
Manchester pop impresario Tony Wilson discovered the Mondays at a battle of the bands contest held at his Hacienda nightclub. The story goes that Wilson signed them to his label, Factory Records, even though they came in last. Their first album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), debuted in 1987. A number of other albums followed, most of which were released in the United States on the Elektra Records label. By the late 1980s, the Happy Mondays were an important part of the Madchester music scene and personified rave culture. By this time frontman Ryder was fighting a serious drug problem and the band's productivity plummeted.
Musically, the band fused indie pop guitars with a rhythmic style that owed much to house music, techno and northern soul. Much of their music was remixed by popular DJs, emphasizing the dance influences even further. In terms of style and dress, they crossed hippy fashion and ideals with 1970s glamour. Sartorially and musically, the band helped to encourage the psychedelic revival associated with acid house. One of their most popular songs was Lazyitis, featuring a surreal duet between Ryder and country music legend Karl Denver.
The Mondays disbanded in 1992, and Shaun Ryder and Bez formed Black Grape with ex-Paris Angels guitarist, Paul Wagstaff a.k.a."Wags" and ex-Ruthless Rap Assassins star, Paul Leveridge a.k.a. "Kermit".
Second incarnation
Seven years passed, but in 1999 Happy Mondays reformed, minus Paul Davis and Mark Day. In their place were Wags and a number of other musicians close to Shaun Ryder. However, the reunion with a world tour and the release of a new single, The Boys Are Back In Town, was to be short-lived. The single sunk in the charts, reaching only number 30 in the UK singles chart. It was also dropped from the live set after proving difficult for the band to perform live. In 2000 the band called it a day after providing support for Oasis on their "Standing on the Shoulder of Giants" tour.
The band is featured in the 2002 movie 24 Hour Party People, with Danny Cunningham as Shaun Ryder. Paul Ryder had a cameo role as a gangster and Rowetta (who sang for the band on Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches and Yes, Please!) appeared in the film as herself.
Third incarnation
2004 saw another reformation, comprising Bez, Gary Whelan and Shaun Ryder, following the latter's unsuccessful solo career. The musicians released a live DVD that year of a show in Barcelona, and rumours abounded that the band was recording a new album. The Mondays played a variety of festival dates in 2005 (including Glastonbury), capping it off with a concert at the Manchester Evening News Arena in their hometown.
In June 2006 the Mondays performed another one-off gig in Liverpool, although Paul Ryder was not present - having sworn to never perform with his brother again following the 2000 break-up. On Sunday 30th July 2006 the Mondays were special guests at The Fuji Rock Festival - a 3 day festival held at the Naeba Ski Resort in Japan. They performed a 60 minute set - starting with Loose Fit and ending with 24 Hour Party People. Only Shaun, Bez and Gaz Whelan were present from the original lineup.
In early August of 2006, the band announced that they had completed their first album in 14 years with producers Sunny Levine and Howie B, and have recently signed to Sanctuary Records. A new single, "Playground Superstar" from the soundtrack for the football film "Goal!" was released a few months prior to completion of the new album, titled Uncle Dysfunctional and released in Summer 2007.
Happy Mondays performed before another reformed act, Rage Against the Machine, to put the finishing touches at the venerated 2007 Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007. The band then toured medium-sized venues in England in May 2007, playing old and new material. Various festival dates in the UK and New York City were performed throughout Summer 2007.
Fourth incarnation
On 29 January 2012, Shaun Ryder announced on radio station Xfm that the band would return with the original and definitive lineup of himself, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, Gary Whelan on drums, Rowetta as female vocalist, Mark Day on guitar, Paul Davis on keyboards and dancer Mark Berry. They appeared on ITV's This Morning, and were interviewed by Philip Schofield. Shaun Ryder pronounced that amends had been made, friendships reinstated and that it was just like the old days, but without the madness. They did a 13-date UK tour in May 2012, most of which were sold out, and an extra date was added at London's Brixton Academy due to the demand for tickets.[26] The tour included other shows at the Manchester Arena, plus other dates in Bournemouth, Glasgow, Dublin, Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham. To coincide with the band's reformation tour a best of album, Double Double Good was released in July 2012, as well as a live recording of the band's May 2012 gig in Brixton. The band went on to play gigs in Chile and Argentina in May 2012 and then a number of European festivals in the summer of 2012, including Ireland's Sea Sessions, Scotland's T in the Park, the band were headliners at Camp Bestival in Dorset in July 2012 and they performed at the V Festivals in August 2012. They then travelled to Majorca and Ibiza to play the Ibiza and Majorca Rocks events.
The band announced in September 2012 that they were writing their first album with the original lineup in more than 20 years.[citation needed]
The band played two nights at the Roundhouse, London and in Manchester in December 2012. They travelled to Dubai in April 2013 to perform and in May 2013 played gigs at Bristol's Vegfest and one in Brighton. June 2013 brought gigs at the Isle of Wight Festival and Scarborough, then in July 2013 they played at the Warrington Music Festival and at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey. They played dates in Belfast, Crewe and Dublin in August 2013. In October 2013 they travelled to Spain to do gigs in Barcelona and Madrid then in November 2013 they kicked off a 16 date UK tour to celebrate 25 years since their second critically acclaimed album Bummed was released, and the band plan to play most of the songs from that infamous album. The band signed to Creation Management in 2015. They have announced an international tour to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches.
In September 2015, a special programme on Watch called Singing in the Rainforest followed the band as they travelled to Panama to record a new song with an isolated tribe called the Embera. The band composed a track with members of the tribe for a performance, penning the track "Ooo La La to Panama". Although billed as the first original line-up recording since 1992, Paul Davis was not present, and no mention of him was made. Gaz Whelan confirmed via the Happy Mondays Twitter account (in answer to a question from a Twitter user named ormi_shinobi) that Davis had left the band.
The band toured New Zealand and Australia in February and March 2019, performing their 1990 album Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches.
On 15 July 2022, the band announced via their Facebook page that Bassist and original member Paul Ryder had died in the early hours of that morning. He was 58 years old.
Happy Mondays have continued to perform live after Ryders death.
- - - - - -
Discography
Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) (1987)
Bummed (1988)
Hallelujah (1989)
The Peel Sessions 1989 (1990) #79 UK
Madchester Rave On EP (1989) #19 UK
Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990) #4 UK, #89 US
Live (1991) #21 UK
Yes Please (1992) #14 UK
Loads (1994) #41 UK
Greatest Hits (1999) #11 UK
Step On - Live In Barcelona (recorded Dec. 2004) (2005) #194 UK
The Platinum Collection (2005) #19 UK
Uncle Dysfunktional (2007) #73 UK
There are several theories about why the Happy Mondays are called what they are. One is that the band's name refers to what Manchester's unemployed population called the day that welfare checks were issued, or that simply they didn't have to go back to work on Mondays unlike the poor working sods. However, Shaun Ryder did remark in an interview with drug smuggler Howard Marks that the name Happy Mondays was merely a quick solution to naming the band and bears no real relevance at all. Despite fan speculation, he name has no connection with the song "Blue Monday" by synthpop band New Order, as the Mondays were together and had named the band before this song was released.
First incarnation
Manchester pop impresario Tony Wilson discovered the Mondays at a battle of the bands contest held at his Hacienda nightclub. The story goes that Wilson signed them to his label, Factory Records, even though they came in last. Their first album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), debuted in 1987. A number of other albums followed, most of which were released in the United States on the Elektra Records label. By the late 1980s, the Happy Mondays were an important part of the Madchester music scene and personified rave culture. By this time frontman Ryder was fighting a serious drug problem and the band's productivity plummeted.
Musically, the band fused indie pop guitars with a rhythmic style that owed much to house music, techno and northern soul. Much of their music was remixed by popular DJs, emphasizing the dance influences even further. In terms of style and dress, they crossed hippy fashion and ideals with 1970s glamour. Sartorially and musically, the band helped to encourage the psychedelic revival associated with acid house. One of their most popular songs was Lazyitis, featuring a surreal duet between Ryder and country music legend Karl Denver.
The Mondays disbanded in 1992, and Shaun Ryder and Bez formed Black Grape with ex-Paris Angels guitarist, Paul Wagstaff a.k.a."Wags" and ex-Ruthless Rap Assassins star, Paul Leveridge a.k.a. "Kermit".
Second incarnation
Seven years passed, but in 1999 Happy Mondays reformed, minus Paul Davis and Mark Day. In their place were Wags and a number of other musicians close to Shaun Ryder. However, the reunion with a world tour and the release of a new single, The Boys Are Back In Town, was to be short-lived. The single sunk in the charts, reaching only number 30 in the UK singles chart. It was also dropped from the live set after proving difficult for the band to perform live. In 2000 the band called it a day after providing support for Oasis on their "Standing on the Shoulder of Giants" tour.
The band is featured in the 2002 movie 24 Hour Party People, with Danny Cunningham as Shaun Ryder. Paul Ryder had a cameo role as a gangster and Rowetta (who sang for the band on Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches and Yes, Please!) appeared in the film as herself.
Third incarnation
2004 saw another reformation, comprising Bez, Gary Whelan and Shaun Ryder, following the latter's unsuccessful solo career. The musicians released a live DVD that year of a show in Barcelona, and rumours abounded that the band was recording a new album. The Mondays played a variety of festival dates in 2005 (including Glastonbury), capping it off with a concert at the Manchester Evening News Arena in their hometown.
In June 2006 the Mondays performed another one-off gig in Liverpool, although Paul Ryder was not present - having sworn to never perform with his brother again following the 2000 break-up. On Sunday 30th July 2006 the Mondays were special guests at The Fuji Rock Festival - a 3 day festival held at the Naeba Ski Resort in Japan. They performed a 60 minute set - starting with Loose Fit and ending with 24 Hour Party People. Only Shaun, Bez and Gaz Whelan were present from the original lineup.
In early August of 2006, the band announced that they had completed their first album in 14 years with producers Sunny Levine and Howie B, and have recently signed to Sanctuary Records. A new single, "Playground Superstar" from the soundtrack for the football film "Goal!" was released a few months prior to completion of the new album, titled Uncle Dysfunctional and released in Summer 2007.
Happy Mondays performed before another reformed act, Rage Against the Machine, to put the finishing touches at the venerated 2007 Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007. The band then toured medium-sized venues in England in May 2007, playing old and new material. Various festival dates in the UK and New York City were performed throughout Summer 2007.
Fourth incarnation
On 29 January 2012, Shaun Ryder announced on radio station Xfm that the band would return with the original and definitive lineup of himself, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, Gary Whelan on drums, Rowetta as female vocalist, Mark Day on guitar, Paul Davis on keyboards and dancer Mark Berry. They appeared on ITV's This Morning, and were interviewed by Philip Schofield. Shaun Ryder pronounced that amends had been made, friendships reinstated and that it was just like the old days, but without the madness. They did a 13-date UK tour in May 2012, most of which were sold out, and an extra date was added at London's Brixton Academy due to the demand for tickets.[26] The tour included other shows at the Manchester Arena, plus other dates in Bournemouth, Glasgow, Dublin, Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham. To coincide with the band's reformation tour a best of album, Double Double Good was released in July 2012, as well as a live recording of the band's May 2012 gig in Brixton. The band went on to play gigs in Chile and Argentina in May 2012 and then a number of European festivals in the summer of 2012, including Ireland's Sea Sessions, Scotland's T in the Park, the band were headliners at Camp Bestival in Dorset in July 2012 and they performed at the V Festivals in August 2012. They then travelled to Majorca and Ibiza to play the Ibiza and Majorca Rocks events.
The band announced in September 2012 that they were writing their first album with the original lineup in more than 20 years.[citation needed]
The band played two nights at the Roundhouse, London and in Manchester in December 2012. They travelled to Dubai in April 2013 to perform and in May 2013 played gigs at Bristol's Vegfest and one in Brighton. June 2013 brought gigs at the Isle of Wight Festival and Scarborough, then in July 2013 they played at the Warrington Music Festival and at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey. They played dates in Belfast, Crewe and Dublin in August 2013. In October 2013 they travelled to Spain to do gigs in Barcelona and Madrid then in November 2013 they kicked off a 16 date UK tour to celebrate 25 years since their second critically acclaimed album Bummed was released, and the band plan to play most of the songs from that infamous album. The band signed to Creation Management in 2015. They have announced an international tour to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches.
In September 2015, a special programme on Watch called Singing in the Rainforest followed the band as they travelled to Panama to record a new song with an isolated tribe called the Embera. The band composed a track with members of the tribe for a performance, penning the track "Ooo La La to Panama". Although billed as the first original line-up recording since 1992, Paul Davis was not present, and no mention of him was made. Gaz Whelan confirmed via the Happy Mondays Twitter account (in answer to a question from a Twitter user named ormi_shinobi) that Davis had left the band.
The band toured New Zealand and Australia in February and March 2019, performing their 1990 album Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches.
On 15 July 2022, the band announced via their Facebook page that Bassist and original member Paul Ryder had died in the early hours of that morning. He was 58 years old.
Happy Mondays have continued to perform live after Ryders death.
- - - - - -
Discography
Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) (1987)
Bummed (1988)
Hallelujah (1989)
The Peel Sessions 1989 (1990) #79 UK
Madchester Rave On EP (1989) #19 UK
Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990) #4 UK, #89 US
Live (1991) #21 UK
Yes Please (1992) #14 UK
Loads (1994) #41 UK
Greatest Hits (1999) #11 UK
Step On - Live In Barcelona (recorded Dec. 2004) (2005) #194 UK
The Platinum Collection (2005) #19 UK
Uncle Dysfunktional (2007) #73 UK
Performance
Happy Mondays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One day he was admiring his reflection
In his favorite mirror
When he realized all too clearly
What a freakin' old beasty man he was
Who is? You is, you is now son
I took to hiding, I took to hiding
I took to hiding, hiding strange things
I took to dribbling, we took to dribbing down my front
I starting running, I starting running on the spot
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat your
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat ya
We're all food, your cake
We're all the food, your weirdos' cream
Quick quick, fast fast, quick quick, fast fast
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
You took to hiding, you took to hiding strange things
One day she was touching her reflection
In her favorite mirror
When she realized all to clearly
What a freakin' old weirdo she was
Who was? She was, she is
Fast fast, quick quick, quick quick, fast fast
She took to hiding, she took to hiding strange things
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
In his favorite mirror
When he realized all too clearly
What a freakin' old beasty man he was
Who is? You is, you is now son
I took to hiding, I took to hiding
I took to hiding, hiding strange things
I starting running, I starting running on the spot
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat your
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat ya
We're all food, your cake
We're all the food, your weirdos' cream
Quick quick, fast fast, quick quick, fast fast
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
You took to hiding, you took to hiding strange things
One day she was touching her reflection
In her favorite mirror
When she realized all to clearly
What a freakin' old weirdo she was
Who was? She was, she is
Fast fast, quick quick, quick quick, fast fast
She took to hiding, she took to hiding strange things
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
The lyrics to Happy Mondays's song Performance explore the theme of self-reflection and the realization that one may not be as perfect or attractive as they once thought. The song begins with a man admiring his reflection in his favorite mirror, only to realize that he is an old "beasty" man. The lyrics "Who is? You is, you is now son" emphasize the point that the man is now fully aware of his flaws.
The chorus features the repetition of "Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat your, Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat ya," which can be interpreted as a metaphor for how society consumes and discards people who are no longer attractive or useful. The lyrics "We're all food, your cake, We're all the food, your weirdos' cream" further reinforce this idea.
Throughout the song, the man and a woman both take to hiding and dribbling down their fronts, suggesting a sense of embarrassment and shame about their physical appearance. The fast-paced and repetitive nature of the lyrics add to the frenzied feeling of the song, emphasizing the sense of panic that can come with self-realization.
Overall, Performance is a provocative and thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to consider their own self-perception and the ways in which society values appearance.
Line by Line Meaning
One day he was admiring his reflection
He was looking at himself in a mirror
In his favorite mirror
The mirror he liked the most
When he realized all too clearly
He had a sudden moment of understanding
What a freakin' old beasty man he was
He thought he looked old and unattractive
Who is? You is, you is now son
He admits that he is the one who looks old
I took to hiding, I took to hiding
He started to hide
I took to hiding, hiding strange things
He started hiding things that were strange
I took to dribbling, we took to dribbing down my front
He started drooling
I starting running, I starting running on the spot
He started to run in place
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat your
He is going to consume or destroy something
We're all food, your cake
They are all food for someone else
We're all the food, your weirdos' cream
They are all weird things for someone else's enjoyment
Quick quick, fast fast, quick quick, fast fast
He is moving quickly
One day she was touching her reflection
She was looking at herself in a mirror
When she realized all to clearly
She had a sudden moment of understanding
What a freakin' old weirdo she was
She thought she was strange and unattractive
Who was? She was, she is
She admits that she is the one who is weird
She took to hiding, she took to hiding strange things
She started to hide things that were strange
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
He started drooling
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL ANTHONY RYDER, GARY KENNETH WHELAN, MARK PHILIP DAY, PAUL RICHARD DAVIS, SHAUN WILLIAM RYDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Ὁ Ὑπεράνθρωπος
Performance
Happy Mondays
One day he was admiring his reflection
In his favorite mirror
When he realized all too clearly
What a freakin' old beasty man he was
Who is? You is, you is now son
I took to hiding, I took to hiding
I took to hiding, hiding strange things
I took to dribbling, we took to dribbing down my front
I starting running, I starting running on the spot
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat your
Picture, picture, now I'm gonna eat ya
We're all food, your cake
We're all the food, your weirdos' cream
Quick quick, fast fast, quick quick, fast fast
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
You took to hiding, you took to hiding strange things
One day she was touching her reflection
In her favorite mirror
When she realized all to clearly
What a freakin' old weirdo she was
Who was? She was, she is
Fast fast, quick quick, quick quick, fast fast
She took to hiding, she took to hiding strange things
I took to dribbling, I took to dribbing down my front
Bun Hoyle
The Happy Mondays at their absolute best, I always default to this video to remember them in their prime. RIP Paul
Rick Astley
2:54 this part is pure fire
Aron
They absolutely smashed it here, nice and raw.
The_egg_man
Guitar is on point
Genedefekt1916
Absolutely shit hot here .
Ewan mcarthur
Gone too soon
Eleventh Monkey Gaming
Sometimes you don't need a remastered version, this sounds just perfect the way it is!!!
b kooo
i wish this was available in a high quality audio version. this is simply the best performance of this song.
Stephen Barton
Thats them
Jon
Ye agree nice and raw better than lp