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Originally Posted by batreleaser
You know that's kind of funny? Before this thread, as you can see from my above comment, I wasn't a fan of Beat Happening at all. I always kind of viewed them as doing the same things Half Japanese did but not as good and 8 or so years later. After seeing all you're responses, I realized maybe I unfairly judged them. I then downloaded some of thier live stuff and "Jamboree", and realized what an idiot I am for not having loved them for all these years. This is the type of thing that I love; extremly lo-fi Punk music with melodies buried underneath tons of poor production. The songs on "Jamboree" sound so honest, and the music so basic and elemental, it's a record one could listen to a thousand times and not get sick of. So, I am glad to say I'm not a fan of Beat Happening, partly because of this thread. Times like these make me realize why I post on message boards in the first place (besides the fact I'm a huge nerd).
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That's cool. That's part of the thing about Beat Happening, you're sort of NOT supposed to like them at first. They have so many traits that can seem awkward and annoying that it takes a kind of "Aha" moment to get that they really are punk in all the right ways and the music really is a minimalist statement in art.
When I fist saw them in 1986 with Mecca Normal, Girl Trouble, and the Screaming Trees, I didn't like them. I told Calvin about that ten years later, and he looked hurt and just said, "Sorry." I don't even think he was kidding! I told, him, no, I just wasn't ready.
When I saw them open for Fugazi in like '92 and he had this awesome sarcastic stage banter mocking the club and Nation of Ulysses (who were up first, yes they went on between those two band and pulled it off!), and dancing like a possessed man, it hit, and I got it, and I've loved them ever since.