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 band's 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 Easter's Drive-In Studios to record 1987's brooding, more assured
Boylan Heights, which featured the superb single "Scotty's 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 1993's
Ring, highlighted by the single "Slackjawed," as well as "74-75," a major hit throughout Europe. After another three-year hiatus, the
Connells issued 1996's
Weird Food and Devastation, released concurrently with
Huntley's solo debut brain junk. The group returned in 1998 with
Still Life. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide