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90s at 9 'Only Happens When It Rains' is Garbage Making Fun of Themselves

The band bonded over dark music.

by Nikki "Nikilicious" Montgomery

In 1995, Garbage released "Only Happy When It Rains" as the lead single off their debut album, replacing "Queer" at the last minute. The album was recorded in their own studio, Smart Studios, in Madison, WI. 

When the band first met they bonded over their love of dark music and this song is a great representation of that.

In a 1995 interview with Addicted to Noise , Steve Marker, the band's guitarist, said, "It's really just us poking fun of ourselves... We're poking fun at the alternate rock angst, wearing your heart on your sleeve thing and at ourselves for writing such dark songs."

Singer Shirley Manson is from Scotland, where it rains a lot, she sees this song as a representation of the Scot's self deprecating humor.

The song charted at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #16 on the Alternative Songs Chart.

Garbage "Only Happy When It Rains" 1995

Nikki "Nikilicious" Montgomery

I'm a Central Wisconsin girl born and raised. I grew up in Port Edwards and participated in cheerleading, basketball, volleyball and softball as well as many clubs like National Honor Society, SADD, yearbook and forensics. I was a very busy high school student and still managed to get good enough grades to go to college at UW-Stevens Point where I was just as busy between working 3 jobs including executive staff positions at the campus alternative rock radio station and volunteering at the campus television station.

After graduation I thought I would take my BA in Mass Communications with emphasis in Broadcasting and Journalism and Minor in Political Science and become a big time reporter in some major city. But instead my internship with our news station here at Midwest Communications turned into a part-time job and opened the door to the morning show co-host position at WDEZ. After 9 1/4 years of fun in the mornings I was promoted to Assistant Brand Manager and moved to The Workday Getaway.

I couldn't deny my love for rock anymore! It was time dive head first into the genre I spent my formative years listening to day in and day out. When the opportunity arose for me to become the Brand Manager for Rock 94.7 and host the morning show I couldn't pass it up.

I'm so happy that I stayed in Central Wisconsin I couldn't imagine raising my three daughters anywhere else.

Favorite band: STP

First concert: Bryan Adams 1992 at the Target Center in Minneapolis (I was 12)

Favorite color: Yellow

Favorite pasttime: Watching Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Covert Affairs

Vice: Wine