Slapp Happy was a German/English avant-pop group, formed in Germany in 1972. Their lineup consisted of Anthony Moore (keyboards), Peter Blegvad (guitar) and Dagmar Krause (vocals). The band members moved to England in 1974 where they merged with Henry Cow, but the merger ended soon afterwards and Slapp Happy split up. Slapp Happy's sound was characterised by Dagmar Krause's unique vocal style. From 1982 there have been brief reunions to create an opera called Camera, record the album Ça Va in 1998, and perform shows around the world.
Links to Peel[]
"Slapp Happy are, if you like, a sort of avantgarde Shangri-Las, producing pleasantly eccentric stuff that could just appeal to freak and glitter fan alike."
(John Peel, shrinkwrap sticker, Acnalbasac Noom (CD, 2016))[1]; reprinted from Singles Reviews, Sounds, 1974-05-11 [2])
A group that Peel was keen on in the mid-1970's, they were one of the early signings for the new Virgin Records label. Impressed by their material, he invited the group to do a session for his show in 1974, where they performed four tracks. Further records from the group (and its individual members) were played into the '80's, but by the '90's, he had lost interest in them and never played any material from their 1998 release Ça Va - although he did play a single by Peter Blegvad in 1992.
Dagmar Krause also made records under her own name and recorded with Kevin Coyne. Peel played tracks by the duo in 1979, revisiting one of them in 1999. With John Greaves, Peter Blegvad recorded an LP for Virgin in 1977 and did a Peel session in 1978, and much later became a regular contributor to BBC Radio Three's "literary cabaret" The Verb, hosted by Barnsley-based poet and former Peel listener Ian McMillan.
Sessions[]
Slapp Happy - A Little Something (Peel Session)
- Dagmar Krause also one session with Henry Cow (1975).
- Peter Blegvad also one session with John Greaves as Greaves Blegvad (1978).
Slapp Happy
1. Recorded: 1974-06-25. Broadcast: 16 July 1974. Repeated: 10 September 1974. Available on John Peel Session (25th June 1974) digital EP, 2010 (EMI UK). "Little Something" available on Robert Wyatt - Flotsam Jetsam Rough Trade R3112
- Europa / Me And Parvati / Little Something / War Is Energy Enslaved
Greaves Blegvad
1. Recorded: 1977-12-13. Broadcast: 10 January 1978. Repeated: 01 February 1978
- Mostly Twins And Trios / From The Trees To The Wheel / Actual Frenzy
Other Shows Played[]
- 1975
- 13 March 1975: Giants (LP - Desperate Straights) Virgin
- 17 March 1975: Some Questions About Hats (album - Desperate Straights) Virgin
- 18 August 1975: Johnny's Dead (7") Virgin
- 1983
- 01 June 1983: Everybody's Slimmin' (Even Men And Women) (7" - Everybody's Slimmin' / Even Men & Women!) Half-Cat
- 09 June 1983: Everybody's Slimmin' (7") Half-Cat
- 13 June 1983: Everybody’s Slimmin’ (Even Men And Women) (single) Half-Cat
- 19 June 1983 (BFBS): Everybody's Slimmin' (7") Half-Cat
Anthony Moore (aka A. More, Tony More, Anthony More)
- 02 January 1980: Girl It's Your Time (LP - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango
- 07 January 1980: Ready Ready (LP - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango
- 07 January 1980: Useless Moments (LP - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango
- 10 January 1980: Time Less Strange (LP - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango
- 14 January 1980: Judy Get Down (album - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango HMG 98
- 16 January 1980 (BFBS): Ready Ready (album - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango HMG 98
- 16 January 1980 (BFBS): Useless Moments (album - Flying Doesn't Help) Quango HMG 98
- 04 March 1980: Judy (7") Quango
- 05 November 1981 (BBC World Service): World Service (7") Do It
Dagmar Krause (& Kevin Coyne)
- 28 June 1979: Are You Deceiving Me? (album - Babble (Songs For Lonely Lovers)) Virgin V 2128
- 04 July 1979: Dead Dying Gone (album - Babble (Songs For Lonely Lovers)) Virgin V 2128
- 19 July 1979: Stand Up (album - Babble (Songs For Lonely Lovers)) Virgin V 2128
- 31 July 1979: Shaking Hands With The Sun (album - Babble (Songs For Lonely Lovers)) Virgin V 2128
- 04 March 1999 (Radio Eins): The Sun Shines Down On Me (album - Babble) Virgin
Peter Blegvad
- 17 May 1977 (& John Greaves / Lisa Herman): Pipeline (LP - Kew. Rhone.) Virgin
- 01 November 1992 (BFBS): King Strut (7") Singles Only