A Chat With The Happy Fits
Pop-punk group, The Happy Fits, released their third studio album “Under The Shade of Green” on August 26, 2022. Since then, the New Jersey natives have hit the road on a three-month tour promoting the new album and capturing the attention of new fans along the way. After a chance interaction during their high school years, members Calvin Langman (cello and lead vocals), Ross Monteith (guitar), and Luke Davis (drums) have emmassed over 87 million Spotify streams across all albums.
“Under The Shade of Green” Tracklist:
Around and Around
Dance Alone
Changes
In The Lobby
Little One
Sweet Things
Another Try
Cold Turkey
I’ll Be Somewhere
Long Way Down
Place In The World
Do Your WorstThe trio recently played the Zona Music Festival in Phoenix and we had the opportunity to chat with them.
How did the band come up with the name The Happy Fits?
I (Calvin) was a very happy guy growing up but when I performed I would sort of lose myself and it would look like I was having a stroke of sorts. We started out with Smiley Fit but Ross really hated it so his mum suggested The Happy Fits and it stuck.
What was the inspiration behind the new album?
Our generation is fed up with the lack of action America is showing towards the climate crisis and rising inequality. We want a better world not run by those with privilege and power.
What was the writing process like for this album?
I was living in our old practice space for a lot of the writing process. It was a very isolated time but also a very reflective time in my life. We took some demos to the studio where we record in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in April, and loved so much working there that we moved completely to Brooklyn by June 2021. We spent almost 6 months writing and recording the remainder of the record, giving us a lot of time to experiment and layer like we’ve never done before.
What is their favorite track from the new album? Why?
My favorite track is “In The Lobby”. It started out as a cheeky tune chronicling the life and devolution of a government lobbyist, but as the track evolved, I realized it was more of a projection of myself. A big overarching theme of this album is how money corrupts and destroys, yet at the end of the day we all need it to live. We’re all stuck playing the dog-eat-dog game of capitalism or we starve.
What inspired the music video for "Little One"?
I knew I wanted to make a puppet video for “In The Lobby”, so we figured “Little One” with it’s cosmic, ethereal vibes would be a perfect song to introduce our little space alien friend Bilfo. As we started producing the video more, we realized we were kind of ripping-off “E.T.” so we thought we would just go in deep.
Who are a few of their favorite artists or groups they have toured with? Why?
We really loved touring with M.A.G.S.., Snarls, and Sarah & The Sundays. It’s a very unique lifestyle that we live, so when we meet other people that go through the same ringer, it’s extremely comforting and amazing getting to know others like yourself. It also helps that all three the bands I mentioned have amazing music and it was a treat to watch them perform and innovate every single night.
Who is their dream collaboration?
I thinker dream collar would be Dave Grohl. We have a heavier side to our tunes and I think Dave would get a kick out of playing with a rock cello.
Who are some of their biggest musical influences?
We all really like early 2000’s indie rock like Arctic Monkeys, Two Door Cinema Club, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Killers, Alabama Shakes, and Royal Blood.
What keeps the band busy when they are not on the road or making music?
We love playing video games, binging TV shows, and eating. I think my personal escape off the road is Pickleball.
What is their favorite performance of their career?
We just sold out The Fonda in LA and Metro in Chicago oaths last tour. Both shows were incredible. We also played Bottlerock in Napa, CA this last summer and played to a sea of people further than we could see.
Tell us about your experience playing at the Zona Festival! What was the experience for all of you and share any stories you would love for our readers to know?
Zona Festival was such a great time! We can’t believe we got to play in Phoenix on the one day it rained, but I think it made for a really spectacular show and a very unique energy in the crowd. We’re so thankful for all the awesome fans that watched us in the cold rain; it really means the world.
