Beat Happening (album)

Beat Happening is the debut album by Beat Happening, released in 1985 through K Records. It was produced by Greg Sage, singer and guitarist for post-punk band Wipers.

Beat Happening
Studio album by
Beat Happening
Released1985
Recorded1983 – 1985
GenreIndie pop, lo-fi
Length19:01 (original LP)
51:13 (1990 reissue)
LabelK
ProducerGreg Sage
Beat Happening chronology
Beat Happening
(1985)		 Jamboree
(1988)

Background and recording

Beat Happening was formed in 1982 in Olympia, Washington by vocalist and guitarist Calvin Johnson, who was working as a radio DJ at the KAOS station, drummer Heather Lewis and guitarist Heather Laura. They contributed to a Sub Pop sampler under the name Laura, Heather and Calvin in 1983; that same year, Bret Lunsford took Laura's position in the band. Their early sound, which lacked a bassist, was akin to the work of the Cramps, as captured on the cassette EPs Beat Happening and Three Tea Breakfast.[1] They began working on their debut studio album with local musician Greg Sage of the Wipers in December 1983. "Our Secret", one of the first two songs tracked, was released as a standalone single. Further sessions were held in late 1984.[2]

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Alternative Rock6/10[2]
Pitchfork9.0/10[4]

Beat Happening played consistent shows on a roughly monthly basis at the Tropicana club in Olympia throughout 1984.[2]

In 1986, the album was reissued with "Our Secret" and "What's Important", the two tracks from Beat Happening's first single. These were placed as the fourth and fifth track, with "fourteen" and "Bad Seeds (live)" pushed to the sixth and seventh place on the same side.[5]

The album has been reissued multiple times since its initial release with slightly altering track listings, sometimes under the title "1983-85". The version with the most comprehensive tracklist is the initial 1990 CD on the Feel Good All Over label, which bears the following track list:[6]

Author Dave Thompson, in his book Alternative Rock (2000), wrote that the band's "primary objective was to make records which retained the freshness of the ideas that spawned the songs in the first place. This lack of complication and contrivance would remain Beat Happening's touchstone for the remainder of their career." He noted that the 1983–85 version was "draining, but complete."[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Calvin Johnson, Bret Lunsford, and Heather Lewis.

Original 1985 tracklist
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Foggy Eyes"2:46
2."Bad Seeds"1:50
3."I Let Him Get to Me"1:32
4."I Spy"1:50
5."Run Down the Stairs"1:55
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."In Love with You Thing"1:11
2."I Love You"2:45
3."Down at the Sea"1:26
4."Fourteen"1:44
5."Bad Seeds (live)"2:02
Total length:19:01

1983–85
No.TitleLength
1."Our Secret"2:51
2."What's Important"2:02
3."Down at the Sea"1:26
4."I Love You"2:04
5."Fourteen"1:50
6."Run Down the Stairs"2:12
7."Primitives"1:33
8."I Spy"2:00
9."Bad Seeds (live)"2:02
10."Down at the Sea"1:37
11."In My Memory"2:04
12."Honey Pot"1:06
13."The Fall"1:46
14."Youth"1:57
15."Don't Mix the Colors"3:04
16."Foggy Eyes"2:46
17."Bad Seeds"1:50
18."I Let Him Get to Me"1:32
19."I Spy"1:50
20."Run Down the Stairs"1:55
21."Christmas"1:24
22."Fourteen"1:44
23."Let's Kiss"2:46
24."1, 2, 3"1:46
25."In Love with You Thing"1:11
26."Look Around"2:45
27."untitled"0:10
Total length:51:13

Notes:

  • 1-4 produced by Greg Sage, Dec. 11, 1983, Young Pioneers' practice room, the old Fire House.
  • 5, 7, 8, 10 recorded Nov. 27, 1983, Ray Apts. number three.
  • 6 live broadcast, Dec. 11, 1983, KAOS-FM.
  • 9 recorded by Rich Jensen, Jan. 1984, 13th Precinct, Portland, Or
  • 11, 12, 14, 15 recorded Spring 1984, Nakameguro, Tokyo, Japan, and 13 recorded April 4, 1984, Takashimadaira, Tokyo, Japan
    • These five tracks were taken from the band's 1984 EP "Three Tea Breakfast"
  • 16-20 produced by Greg Sage, Nov. 1984, YoYo Studio.
    • 16 originally appeared on K Records compilation cassette, "Let's Together"
  • 21 recorded late Fall 1984, Thompson Apts.
  • 22 produced by Patrick Maley, Nov. 1984, the Recital Hall.
  • 23-26 recorded Feb. 13, 1985, Martin Apts. number twelve
    • 23 originally appeared on K Records compilation cassette, "Let's Kiss"
    • 24 originally titled as "One Two Three" and appeared on K Records compilation cassette, "Let's Sea"

Personnel

Adapted from original LP liner notes.[7]

References

Citations

  1. Thompson 2000, p. 181
  2. Thompson 2000, p. 182
  3. Allmusic
  4. Moreland, Quinn (December 9, 2019). "Beat Happening: We Are Beat Happening". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  5. "Beat Happening - Beat Happening (1986, Vinyl)". Discogs. Discogs.com. 1986. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  6. "Beat Happening - 1983-85 (1990, CD)". Discogs. Discogs.com. 1990. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  7. "Beat Happening - Beat Happening (1985, Vinyl)". Discogs. Discogs.com. 1985. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

Sources

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