Reformed Sydney band Happy Hate Me Nots follow up the release of their 2CD anthology The Good That’s Been Done, and subsequent Sydney launch show (Sat July 15), with a full national tour this August and September taking in headline shows and supports to both Radio Birdman on their Zeno Beach album tour, as well as an East Coast run with UK punk-pop legends Buzzcocks.

The roots of the Happy Hate Me Nots lie in Positive Hatred, a Civic Hotel era Sydney punk band, who performed their Clash and Stiff Little Fingers inspired originals to a bunch of third generation punks looking for kicks. Following the demise of that band, singer/guitarist Paul Berwick and lead guitarist Tim McKay formed hi-energy pop band the Happy Hate Me Nots. Drawing influence from The Jam, The Sound, The Clash and a variety of other mod, punk and post-punk influences, the Happy Hate Me Nots produced a succession of passionate power pop recordings including the classics ‘Salt Sour & Brighton’, ‘Don’t Move Too Far’ and ‘Praise For Fortune’.

The band’s only full-length album Out was released in August 1988 and the Happy Hate Me Nots found their first (and only) American release via influential independent label Rough Trade around the same time. A restructure within that label at their San Francisco base, however, reduced the likelihood of a planned US tour, which unfortunately slowed the band’s momentum.

A final single ‘I Could See It Coming’ and then mini-album A Place to Live followed in 1991, before the band took what can only be described as a premature retirement

If you missed the Happy Hate Me Nots the first time around then there is no reason to miss them now.

Tour Dates:
Thursday August 10 – Canberra – ANU (with Radio Birdman)
Saturday August 12 –  Sydney, Caringbah Bizzos + The Forevers
Thurs September 7 –  Byron Bay – Great Northern Hotel (with Buzzcocks)Friday September 8 – Brisbane, The Zoo (with Buzzcocks)
Saturday September 9 – Sydney, Metro (30 Years of Punk Spectacular with Buzzcocks, The Thought Criminals & Mach Pelican )
Wednesday September 13 – Newcastle, Cambridge Tavern (with Buzzcocks)
Friday September 15 – Melbourne – Corner Hotel (with Buzzcocks & Eddy Current Suppression Ring)
Saturday September 16 – Melbourne – The Tote (supports TBC)