Something Happens

Something Happens
Something Happens
Background information
Origin	Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Rock pop rock
Years active	Mid 1980s – late 1990s 2000 – present (intermittent)
Labels	Virgin Records Charisma Records (US)
Members	Tom Dunne Ray Harman Alan Byrne Eamonn Ryan

Something Happens is an Irish pop rock band.¹² Its membership comprises vocalist Tom Dunne, guitarist Ray Harman, bassist Alan Byrne, and drummer Eamonn Ryan.³ Most active between 1988 and 1995, the members remain close friends as of 2020 and play occasional reunion shows.³

The Dublin-based band first rose to prominence when their single "Burn Clear" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1988 British-Irish film The Courier.³⁴

An earlier incarnation of the band was known as 'The Dazzmen,' fronted by singer Martin Lynch.⁵ After Lynch departed to front another early 1980s Dublin band, The Cracker Factory,⁵ the band recruited Dunne and rebranded as Something Happens.⁶

Something Happens' first release was the self-released "Two Chances" EP, which attracted the attention of Virgin Records.⁷ After initially declining the label, the band agreed to a second proposal⁶ and released a live EP, I Know Ray Harman, in 1988.⁸

Their debut album Been There, Seen That, Done That was, released on Virgin Records later in the year.⁷ One of the singles from this album, "Forget Georgia," was later covered by Canadian singer Emm Gryner on her 2005 album Songs of Love and Death.⁹ In August 1989, the band attracted further attention from supporting Simple Minds at a show performed in Dublin.¹⁰¹¹

Something Happens' second album, Stuck Together With God’s Glue, was recorded in Los Angeles and released in 1990⁷ to critical acclaim, with the song "Petrol" featuring in NME's top fifty singles of the year.¹² Despite achieving some success in Ireland and the United Kingdom, international recognition eluded the band; they were ultimately dropped by Virgin shortly after their second album's release. The band subsequently produced t-shirts bearing the slogan, "Something Happens are no longer Virgins."¹⁰

The band released its third album, Bedlam-A-Go-Go on Charisma Records in 1992.⁷ When this label folded, their final album, Planet Fabulous (1994), was released on the Wild Bikini label.¹³ A song from this album ("Momentary Thing") appeared on the original television soundtrack for Veronica Mars, released in 2005 by Nettwerk Records.¹⁴

The band released a greatest hits album, The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves, the following year,³ which was re-released in 2004 under the title, The Best of Something Happens.¹⁵ A repackaged edition of Planet Fabulous, entitled Alan, Elvis & God, was released in 1997 with the addition of five previously unreleased tracks.¹⁶

Since 1995, the band has played occasional gigs, but no longer records new material.⁶ The band plays at Whelan's in Dublin twice a year,¹⁷¹⁸ once at Christmas and a second time during the early summer. They also make appearances at various other festivals around the country, including the "Bulmers Live at Leopardstown" event in 2019.¹⁹ The band supported Horslips as part of their comeback show in 2009.²⁰ The band has appeared on RTÉ's The Late Late Show on a number of occasions since the 1990s, including a reunion to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2014²¹ and an acclaimed performance in 2020.²

• Been There, Seen That, Done That (1988)⁷
• I Know Ray Harman (1988)⁸ - live album recorded at McGonagles in Dublin
• Stuck Together With God's Glue (1990)⁷
• Live at the Town & Country
• Bedlam A Go-Go (1992)⁷
• Planet Fabulous (1994)²²
• The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves (1995)³
• Alan, Elvis & God (1997)¹⁶