The Connells

小Connells，1984年組建于美國(guó)北卡來(lái)羅納州，一支獨(dú)立搖滾樂(lè)團(tuán)，他們很低調(diào)，他們不時(shí)尚，他們從不懂得如何用商業(yè)去炒作自己的音樂(lè)，這群相貌平平，衣著樸素，老實(shí)巴交的中年男人，彈奏著最簡(jiǎn)單樂(lè)器，用樸實(shí)的guitar旋律，最原始的鼓點(diǎn)節(jié)奏，譜寫(xiě)、演繹著一首首關(guān)于愛(ài)情，親情的優(yōu)美而清新的浪漫搖滾歌謠，盡管他們努力使樂(lè)隊(duì)保持著獨(dú)立，非主流的風(fēng)格，但事實(shí)， 《Ring》成功推出并熱銷，令the connells這群guys在美國(guó)成為家喻戶曉的人物，74-75，是該專輯中最著名的傳奇性單曲，其風(fēng)格清新，郎郎悅耳，甜美異常，很快便登上德國(guó)、法國(guó)、意大利、奧地利、瑞士、比利時(shí)、挪威、丹麥、瑞典、芬蘭和土耳其等地單曲排行榜首，從此the connells的名聲紅遍整個(gè)歐洲。

by Jason Ankeny：The Raleigh, North Carolina-based jangle-pop outfit the Connells formed in the spring of 1984. Fronted by guitarist Mike Connell and his bassist brother David, the first incarnation of the group also featured vocalist Doug McMillan and drummer John Schultz, who was soon replaced by former Johnny Quest percussionist Peele Wimberley. In late 1984 the quartet recorded a four-song demo; after one of the tracks, Darker Days, was selected to appear on the North Carolina compilation More Mondo, the Connells ranks expanded with the addition of singer/guitarist George Huntley, who made his debut on a March 1985 session co-produced by Don Dixon.

With the help of the bands friend Ed Morgan, the resulting demo made its way to the offices of the British label Demon, which agreed to fund the recording of enough additional tracks to complete a full-length LP. Darker Days was released in Europe by Demon in 1985, and when Morgan returned to the U.S., he formed his own label, Black Park, to issue the album domestically. After the low-budget videos for the tracks Seven and Hats Off garnered MTV airplay, the Connells won a contract with the TVT label prior to entering producer Mitch Easters Drive-In Studios to record 1987s brooding, more assured Boylan Heights, which featured the superb single Scottys Lament.

The edgier Fun and Games followed in 1989, and a year later the group resurfaced with One Simple Word, scoring an alternative radio hit with the single Stone Cold Yesterday. After a three-year tour which saw the Connells add keyboardist Steve Potak to their lineup in 1991, they finally returned to the studio to begin work on 1993s Ring, highlighted by the single Slackjawed, as well as 74-75, a major hit throughout Europe. After another three-year hiatus, the Connells issued 1996s Weird Food and Devastation, released concurrently with Huntleys solo debut brain junk. The group returned in 1998 with Still Life.