Happy Betty: bass, vocals, backing vocals
Patrick Slowhand: guitar
Andy Abraham: guitar
Bertl Baumgartner: drums

Music & Lyrics by © Happy Betty, based on the classical piece 'June: Barcarolle' (The Seasons, op. 37a, no. 6) by Pjotr Iljitsch Tschaikowski.

Cover artwork by Yse Design- Find her works here:
linktr.ee/designbyyse

Engineered and produced by Andy Abraham, farbTon Studios, Vienna 2021
Copyright © 2021 Happy Betty.
All rights reserved. Any reproduction or illegal distribution of the content in any form will result in immediate action against the person concerned.

Unique

Unique- Portobello Express Incorporated

For those with a musical background based on early seventies rock, there are many details in this track that are easy to recognise. This song was written at a time when Betty's health was in poor condition and her only wish was to be able to perform on stage once more. 
Her greatest joy was to have Fendahlene, a band that Betty loves very much, as guests on the backing vocals. 

Rock on, brothers and sister: "age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter.” - Mark Twain

B.P.M.

Previously released hit-single, here remixed and remastered for CD purpose. 

Music based on P. Tchaikovsky - The Seasons Op. 37, no. 6 "June: Barcarolle"

Betty studied classical piano. One evening she tried to learn this piece by Tchaikovsky over and over again, for hours on end.
Then, very tired, she went to bed.
The next morning, the structure and lyrics of the song suddenly came to her, along with this incredible bass line.

To this day, none of the bass players who have been involved with the Portobellos have been able to reproduce this bass line.

Unique Remix 23

There is not much to say about this track. Many of us have or have had a friend who is suspicious of everything. It is not an easy thing to live with this kind of person. Sometimes it is better to let it go so that it does not poison your life.

This was a difficult song for Betty to record. She had been ill with covid until a few days before and still had pleurisy. Do you hear the voice that is an octave lower in the background? No, it's not auto-tuning, it's Betty's voice!

This Hate I Feel

Semi-unplugged studio live recording!

The words are taken from a traditional song and have been adapted by Betty; the lyrics reflect the problems that many artists (especially the independent and underground ones) are facing in the Austrian music scene at the moment.
Mister" stands for "Minister" (Minister of Education and the Arts).

Mister

Another song came into being in a very strange way. 

Betty wasn't very convinced. She didn't like the music and there were no lyrics yet. Patrick, on the other hand, was immediately in love with it.
The words for this song were born on a shopping receipt on the way to the holidays, in the car, thinking of a dear friend who was going through a difficult time in his life. 
For him and also for Betty this song is written.

Keep Going

'I always say a woman alone has power; collectively we have impact. Traditionally we have been taught to be competitive with one another, because there was such a scarcity of jobs at the top. It’s so clear that strategy doesn’t work. The truth is that raising each other up and channeling the power of collaboration is truly how we’ll change the equation—and have a lot more fun along the way.' Shelley Zalis 

The sound was deliberately kept dirty and rough during mixing and mastering, and we were inspired by the '70s sound of Heart. 

Dedicated to Sara at The Bucket Playlist, Dr. Kristen Hillaire Glasgow and to all those women & fellow female musicians who have helped us along the way. You know who you are...

Sisterhood

Music by Happy Betty, words by Edgar Lee Masters.

The way this song came about is completely magical and strange. It was always Betty's intention to write a song with the tense of a poem as the basis. 
The Spoon River Anthology by E.L.Masters has been one of her favourite books ever since she was a teenager.

One morning, Betty opened the book and found this poem, which she hadn't seen for years, and she immediately began to sing it...

William and Emily

William And Emily

The music of "Sorrow & Pain" is inspired by the classical piano piece "Sonata for Piano No. 20 in A major, D 959" by Franz Schubert and is Betty's own arrangement.
Portobello Express will once again venture into the interpretation of a piano classic, as they did with 'Unique' - inspired by Tchaikovsky. One of Betty's favourite classical composers is the Austrian romantic Franz Schubert (1797-1828).
This piece is from the composer's last collection of sonatas, written in the last months of his life, between the spring and autumn of 1828. He died of siphilis at the age of 31.  
As so often in the past, 'Sorrow & Pain' was born from a bass line that Betty had dreamed up in the night after studying Sonata No. 20 the previous evening.

____________

LondonPeaky (find him on X @LondonPeaky) said: 

"For me, I absolutely love 'Sorrow & Pain' It's really got under my skin.
Upon hearing the first few seconds, I thought, "here we go, it's going to have a touch of goth..." 
How wrong I was, although I can imagine Siouxsie singing it. But then again, Grace Jones would also do it justice - in a kind of pre-war, Parisian La Vie en Rose style.
There's some blues floating in there ever so gently too. But the song is 'Betty's,' her vocals are a mix of strength and tenderness/vulnerability and I doubt there will be many better releases within the 'indie/unsigned' community this year"

MAL HALLETT (Transvisions Vamp/ Rotten Hill Gang) said:

"My initial impression is that it’s very Germanic, torch song and vaguely expressionistic"
___________________________________________________________________
released May 10, 2024
Bass, vocals, backing vocals: Happy Betty
Guitar: Patrick Slowhand
Guitar: Andy Abraham
Drums: Bertl Baumgartner

Words and Music by Happy Betty

A big shout out to Matthew for all the help, inspiration and friendship he has given me!

Arranged and produced by Happy Betty, Patrick Slowhand, Andy Abraham

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Abraham at farbTon Studio,
© Vienna 2024

Copyright Ⓒ & ℗ 2024 Happy Betty

Sorrow & Pain

Single

Rebels on the Run

Rebels On The Run

Semi-unplugged version of our latest single release on vinyl. Happy Betty on bass and vocals, Patrick on guitar. 
Recorded in 2020 on our couch in the living room with a simple 4 tracks recorder; rough mix by Andy Abraham at farbTON Studios.

All trademarks and rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved.

Support independent music!

Unplugged

The Sea Rises Unplugged

The Sea Rises- Unplugged

Semi-unplugged version from our 2018 EP "2-3-4!".
Happy Betty on bass and vocals, Patrick on guitar and backing vocals. 
Recorded in  2020 on our couch in the living room with a simple 4 tracks recorder; rough mix by Andy Abraham at farbTON Studios.

All trademarks and rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved.

Support independent music!

Unplugged on the couch

2-3-4! Unplugged

2-3-4!- Unplugged

Up all night losing my time
It helps me not to think
The sunrise welcomes another day
And I get me another drink

Be cool, be funky, be easy, 
why can’t you be a bit sleazy?!
They couldn’t know the hell you’ve gone through
The one torn up, is just you

Don’t hurt me with your word
It’s like a heavy rock lying in my soul
Don’t watch me with that glance
I can’t stand the pain because
Everything you do, burns me I’m
A highly sensitive person, you see
If you want to know me
Welcome to my world

Every time you open your mouth
Be sure you switched on your brain
Millions of people, millions of faces
We are not all the same
Be kind, be nice and respectful
If you can hate, I can love

We all shall try to be more careful
And let the stars shine above.....
_________________________________

Vocals & Backing Vocals: Happy Betty
Guitars: Patrick Slowhand
Drums: Bertl Baumgartner
Bass: Danny Bianchi

Engineered and produced by Andy Abraham @ farbTON Studios, Vienna 2020
All trademarks and rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, hiring, lending and broadcasting prohibited.

You Cry

Highly Sensitive

Highly Sensitive (single ed.)

Vienna-based band Portobello Express are like a time portal into the golden age of the Psychedelic Heavy Blues Rock , exploring a sound that has its roots in the late 60s and early 70s and harnessing that era’s unique, raw energy whilst paying homage to their multicultural roots. “Portobello” is both a reference to London’s famed Portobello Road, the psychedelic mushrooms of the same name and singer Betty’s Italian heritage, whereas “Express” is a neat reference to “espresso” - an Italian staple - and trains and their sheer power. The band has evolved to become a force that reminds us what it was like when Psych & Heavy Rock were in their heyday, with a powerful stage presence that unites the room.

Portobello Express

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