| Beat Happening | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:BeatHappeningAlbum.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1985 | |||
| Recorded | 1983–1985 | |||
| Venue | 13th Precinct, Portland, Oregon | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 19:01 (original LP) 51:13 (1990 reissue) | |||
| Label | K | |||
| Producer | Greg Sage | |||
| Beat Happening chronology | ||||
| ||||
Beat Happening is the debut album of the American rock band Beat Happening that was released in November 1985 through K Records. After the end of their previous band, guitarist Calvin Johnson and drummer Heather Lewis formed Beat Happening, and guitarist Bret Lunsford joined them soon after. Between November 1983 and February 1985, the band recorded several tracks that appeared on different versions of their debut album. Greg Sage of the Wipers produced two of the recording sessions, which occurred at the studios The Firehouse and Yoyo, both of which are in Olympia, Washington. Other tracks were recorded at Johnson's residence at the Martin Apartments and with friend Pat Maley in a recital hall at Evergreen State College.
The album has been described as indie pop and jangle pop, and was compared to the work of the Cramps with its simplistic guitar work. The artwork for Beat Happening has a basic design and was used on gig flyers Johnson printed. Photographs of the band for the album sleeve were taken at Capitol Lake, Olympia. In 1984 and 1985, before the album's release, the band issued two cassettes of songs from the album's sessions. Johnson personally sold copies of the vinyl LP to record stores while traveling across the Unites States. With the help of journalist Jerry Thackray, Rough Trade Records issued Beat Happening in late 1986.
Beat Happening was met with positive reviews; contemporaneous critics praised the songwriting and retrospective reviews focused on the album's production. Melody Maker included Beat Happening in its list of the best 30 releases from the year. Tracks from all of the album's recording sessions are included on the compilation album 1983–85. Beat Happening has been issued several times, alone and as part of box sets. Musicians including Ian MacKaye and Phil Elverum of Mount Eerie have expressed admiration for the album; and artists including Ben Gibbard, Scrawl, and Seaweed have covered tracks from it.