''Happy Daze'' is a

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

of songs linked to the

Madchester Madchester was a musical and cultural scene that developed in the English city of Manchester in the late 1980s, closely associated with the indie dance scene. Indie-dance (sometimes referred to as indie-rave) saw artists merging indie music w ...

music genre distributed by Island Records in 1990.

Influence

The

sound had been developing during the later 1980s, from its nascent jangly sounds originally showcased on the NME's classic

C86 ''C86'' is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine ''NME'' in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from British independent record labels of the time. As a term, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based music gen ...

cassette. By 1990, Madchester and related music was becoming more mainstream, but Happy Daze's release helped to crystallise awareness of the new overall Madchester sound by featuring tracks from several different yet converging forces. Although all have the 'Madchester spirit', by no means all the bands were from Manchester:

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums) ...

The Shamen The Shamen ( ) were a Scottish psychedelic band, formed in 1985 in Aberdeen, who became a chart-topping British electronic dance music act by the early 1990s. The founding members were Colin Angus, Derek McKenzie and Keith McKenzie. Peter St ...

, and

The Soup Dragons ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

being Scottish, The Charlatans from

Northwich {{Infobox UK place , static_image_name = Northwich - Town Bridge.jpg , static_image_caption = Town Bridge, the River Weaver and the spire of Holy Trinity Church , official_name = Northwich , country ...

and the

Pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas arou ...

American. Likewise, not every group on the compilation performed the

dance rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and dis ...

style typical of Madchester bands: e.g.

Ride Ride may refer to: People * MC Ride, a member of Death Grips * Sally Ride (1951–2012), American astronaut * William Ride (19262011), Australian zoologist Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Ride'' (1998 film), a 1998 comedy by Millicent ...

were a

shoegazing Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with "dream pop") is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volu ...

band. This has been seen as a criticism of the album, along with the glaring omission of songs by New Order or

The Stone Roses The Stone Roses were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...

and for not anticipating the imminent arrival of

Grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...

music. However the album's mythical aura continues to inspire nostalgia in fans of Madchester era music with some bloggers still remembering the 'happy daze of 1989/1990' in a semi-conscious reference to this album.e.g. i

Track listing

#" Loaded (Primal Scream song), Loaded" -

Real, Real, Real "Real Real Real" is a song from the UK band Jesus Jones' 1991 album ''Doubt''. It was released in 1990 as the first single from ''Doubt'', just prior to the release of the album. It was succeeded by the ''Billboard'' Top 10 hit " Right Here, Rig ...

" -

Jesus Jones Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently globall ...

#" Come Home" -

James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

#"Hippychick" (Original SG Mix) -

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

#"Big" - New FADs #"

Velouria "Velouria" is a song by the American alternative rock band Pixies, written and sung by the band's frontman Black Francis. "Velouria" was released as a single in July 1990 and was the band's first UK Top 40 hit. It was included as the third tra ...

" -

Taste The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor ...

" -

#"She Comes in the Fall" -

Inspiral Carpets Inspiral Carpets are an English rock band, part of the late-1980s/early-1990s Madchester movement. Formed in Oldham in 1980, the band's most successful lineup featured frontman Tom Hingley, drummer Craig Gill, guitarist Graham Lambert, bassist ...

Groovy Train "Groovy Train" was the second single released by Liverpool-based group The Farm. It was released in 1990 as the first single from their debut album ''Spartacus'' (which would be in 1991), having been produced by Graham "Suggs" McPherson of M ...

" - The Farm #"

The Only One I Know "The Only One I Know" is the second single by English rock band the Charlatans. It was their first top-10 hit, reaching 9 on the UK Singles Chart. In the UK it was the highest-charting single from the ''Some Friendly'' album. Its best showing ...

" - The Charlatans #"Circle Square" -

The Wonder Stuff The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band. Originally based in Stourbridge in the West Midlands, England, the band's first lineup released four albums and nearly 20 singles and EPs, enjoying considerable chart and live success in the ...

Sheriff Fatman "Sheriff Fatman" is a single by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, released in 1989, and featuring on the album '' 101 Damnations''. The track is probably their best-known original composition. The lyrics rail against slum landlords and their int ...

" -

Carter USM Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (also known as Carter USM or simply Carter) were an English indie rock band formed in 1987 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style o ...

#" ProGen" -

Wrote For Luck ''Bummed'' is the second studio album by English rock band Happy Mondays, released in November 1988 on Factory Records. During 1987 and early 1988, the band discovered house music and the rave drug ecstasy. Factory producer Martin Hannett was su ...

" -

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder ( bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joined t ...

#" I'm Free" -

Soup Dragons Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Happy Daze (Madchester Album) 1990 compilation albums Madchester albums Island Records compilation albums