History Music / SlappHappy

* {{Cameo}}: Music/RobertWyatt recorded a live version of the track "A Little Something" with the band.

** Pushed UpToEleven with the first title of their 1980 album which was called ''Slapp Happy'' or ''Slapphappy''. Then they turned it into SdrawkcabName.

Several [[ReunionShow reunions]] happened later, first in 1982 when a one-off single was followed by a one-off show in UsefulNotes/{{London}}. In the early 1990s, Blegvad and Moore wrote [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent an opera]] for German television, ''Camera'' (released on CD some years later), in which Krause played the lead role, then in 1995 the trio recorded a new album, ''Ça Va'', generally thought to show a shift towards adult contemporary and lounge music. Their first serious tour took place in 2000 and produced the ''Live in Japan'' album. A further reunion happened in 2016 and featured a concert tour. In 2018 they played several dates with Faust as their backing group.

* BigGuyLittleGuy: Moore is ''at least'' OneHeadTaller than Blegvad and Krause.

Their debut failed to sell and they made something even more experimental in 1973 with ''Music/CasablancaMoon'', which again featured Faust as backup, recorded for Polydor. However, it was not released that year. Instead they rerecorded the more sentimental versions of the same songs with the orchestra and Creator/VirginRecords released them under the name ''Slapp Happy''. The originally-arranged songs were released only in 1980 on an album called ''Acnalbasac Noom''.

Their debut failed to sell and they made something even more experimental in 1973 with ''Music/CasablancaMoon'', recorded for Polydor. However, it was not released that year. Instead they rerecorded the more sentimental versions of the same songs with the orchestra and Creator/VirginRecords released them under the name ''Slapp Happy''. The originally-arranged songs were released only in 1980 on an album called ''Acnalbasac Noom''.

However as two bands were very different in their worldviews, with Henry Cow being very politically engaged and Slapp Happy quite the opposite, soon they parted their ways. Except for Dagmar Krause who stayed with Henry Cow, also patrticipating in the Art Bears. Moore and Blegvad, now orphaned, dissolved the band. Slapp Happy still managed to rerelease the original versions of their songs which later appeared on ''Casablanca Moon'' in 1980.

Anthony Moore, the experimental composer from England, in 1971 while in Hamburg united with the American-born Peter Blegvad who was his classmate and whom he invited from England. Blegvad was more pop-oriented, meaning the "out there", oddball brand of pop. Then German singer Dagmar Krause joined their team and the trio made their first album ''Sort of... Slapp Happy'' in 1972. Faust were their backup band during the recording. The sound of Sort of... was relatively poppy but already tinged with the avant-garde feel.

* 1975 - ''In Praise of Learning'' (with Music/HenryCow)

* GenreBusting: A must for you if you are an avant-pop band.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: A must for you if you are an avant-pop band.

* BigGuyLittleGuy: As can be seen in the page photo, Moore is ''at least'' OneHeadTaller than Blegvad and Krause.

-->--''"Casablanca Moon"''

* NewSoundAlbum: All of them, really. The self-titled album is chamber pop, ''Desperate Straights'' has a strong cabaret influence, "In Praise of Learning" is prog, and ''Ca Va'' is synth-based. Even the ''Live in Japan'' album counts, as it features stripped-back semi-acoustic trio arrangements. The closest they got to ''not'' making a New Sound Album was ''Acnalbasac Noom'', which was rejected and not released until some years later.

* ReferenceOverdosed: The band were keen on shoutouts, Blegvad always included many references in his lyrics.

** Interestingly their 1980 SdrawkcabName album contains the original raw versions of the songs. The one from 1974 is actually made of rerecordings which the producers of Virgin made them to do because that original material sounded too outlandish for Polydor and probably for them too.

* ShoutOut: Mr Rainbow is a shout out to the French poet Rimbaud.

* LighterAndSofter: Their much later release Ça Va. Earlier albums were not hard but edgy as avant-pop should be.
** Interestingly zigzagged with their twin releases Casablanca Moon and Acnalsabac Noom. The former while containing presumedly the later, lighter and softer versions of the same songs was released earlier
* LiveAlbum: Live in Japan (2001)

* MusicIsPolitics: Subverted in the case of Slapp Happy which resulted in their split with Henry Cow which were extremely politically engaged.

* OverlyLongGag: The alternative name of their 1980 album - Slapp Happy or Slapphappy.
* RedOniBlueOni: Henry Cow and Slapp Happy

* RockOpera: Camera, released in 2000.
* SdrawkcabName: They named Acnalbasac Noom the 1980's rerelease version of their 1974 album. Played with because the former album was known as both Casablanca Moon and Slapp Happy.

Several [[ReunionShow reunions]] happened later, first in 1982 when a one-off single was followed by a one-off show in london. In the early 1990s, Blegvad and Moore wrote [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent an opera]] for German television, ''Camera'' (released on CD some years later), in which Krause played the lead role, then in 1995 the trio recorded a new album, ''Ça Va'', generally thought to show a shift towards adult contemporary and lounge music. Their first serious tour took place in 2000 and produced the ''Live in Japan'' album. A further reunion happened in 2016 and featured a concert tour. In 2018 they played several dates with Faust as their backing group.

!!Discography

* {{Cameo}}: Creator/RobertWyatt recorded a live version of the track A Little Something with the band.

* GratuitousFrench: In Mr Rainbow, somewhat justified because it is dedicated to Arthur Rimbaud.

-->''"Casablanca Moon"''

However as two bands were very different in their worldviews, with Henry Cow being very politically engaged and Slapp Happy quite the opposite, soon they parted their ways. Except for Dagmar Krause who stayed with Henry Cow, also patrticipating in the Art Bears. Moore and Blegvad, now orphaned, dissolved the band. Slapp Happy still managed to rerelease the original versions of their songs which later appeared on Casablanca Moon in 1980.

Anthony Moore, the experimental composer from England, in 1971 while in Hamburg united with the American-born Peter Blegvad who was his classmate and whom he invited from England. Blegvad was more pop-oriented, meaning the "out there", oddball brand of pop. Then a German singer Dagmar Krause joined their team and the trio made their first album Sort of... Slapp Happy in 1972. Faust were their backup band during the recording. The sound of Sort of... was relatively poppy but already tinged with the avant-garde feel.

Their debut failed to sell and they made something even more experimental in 1973 with ''Music/CasablancaMoon'' recorded for Polydor. It however was not released that year. Instead they rerecorded the more sentimental versions of the same songs with the orchester and Virgin released them under the name Slapp Happy. The originally-arranged songs were relased only in 1980 on an album called Acnalbasac Noom.

Late in 1974 they united their efforts with Music/HenryCow. The latter were somewhat more avant-garde in spirit qualifying as avant-prog/rock in opposition rather than avant-pop. The joint team released two albums, ''Music/DesperateStraights'' (which was halfways between two bands respective manners) and In Praise of learning, already closer to the pure avant-prog. Both albums were creatively successful and Desperate Straights sold a fair amount.

-->''You better watch your step, 'cause sooner or later, You'll find his headless body in a ventilator''
--->"Casablanca Moon"

!! Tropes and Parvati

** Their 1972 albums is called Sort of... Slapp Happy.
** Their 1974 album is called both Slapp Happy and Casablanca Moon.
** Pushed UpToEleven with the first title of their 1980 album which was called Slapp Happy or Slapphappy. Then they turned it into SdrawkcabName.

* WordSaladLyrics: Plenties, including Casablanca Moon and Mr Rainbow

--->"Casablanca Moon" - ''Music/CasablancaMoon''

* 1980 - ''[[OverlyLongGag Slapp Happy or Slapphappy]] '' reissued in 1982, as ''[[Music/CasablancaMoon Acnalbasac Noom]]'')

* 1980 - ''[[OverlyLongGag Slapp Happy or Slapphappy]] '' reissued as ''[[Music/CasablancaMoon Acnalbasac Noom]]'', in 1982 (reissue / rerecording of ''Music/CasablancaMoon'')

* 1980 - ''[[OverlyLongGag Slapp Happy or Slapphappy]] '' or ''[[Music/CasablancaMoon Acnalbasac Noom]]'' (reissue / rerecording of ''Music/CasablancaMoon'')

* 1980 - ''[[OverlyLongGag Slapp Happy or Slapphappy]] ''subsequently in 1982, once more reissued as ''[[Music/CasablancaMoon Acnalbasac Noom]]''

-->''Slap Happy'': term used to describe one's mood when sleep deprived or tired. Signs of being 'slap happy' include inane rambling, strange remarks, odd random behavior (such as giving oneself a wedgie), uncontrollable laughter at one's own jokes.''
--> ''Website/UrbanDictionary''

* 1980 [[OverlyLongGag Slapp Happy or Slapphappy]] subsequently in 1982 once more reissued as [[Music/CasablancaMoon Acnalbasac Noom]]

* 2000 - Camera
* 2001 - Live in Japan.

* 1972 Sort of... Slapp Happy
* 1974 [[SelfTitledAlbum Slapp Happy]] or Music/CasablancaMoon
* 1975 ''Music/DesperateStraights'' (with Music/HenryCow)
* 1975 ''In Praise of Learning'' (with Music/HenryCow)

* 1998 ''Ça Va''
* 2000 Camera
* 2001 Live in Japan.