Yes Please! is the fourth studio album by British rock band Happy Mondays, released 22 September 1992 through Factory Records. Following the non-album single "Judge Fudge", Factory allotted the band a budget of £150,000 for their next album. After settling on producers Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, both members of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, Happy Mondays decamped to Blue Wave Studio in Saint Philip, Barbados in February 1992. The sessions were plagued by a variety of issues, such as frontman Shaun Ryder developing a crack habit, and dancer Bez breaking his arm three times. With little finished material and a lack of lyrics the band returned to the United Kingdom; Ryder was admitted into a detox centre. Recording continued for two weeks in May 1992 at Comfort's Place Studio in Lingfield, Surrey, where Ryder did his vocals. Yes Please! is a soul funk album, with a bleak sound that earned it a comparison to Unknown Pleasures (1979) by Joy Division.
Yes Please! received mixed reviews from music critics, a few of whom found it to be uninspired, while others said it had some high points. It peaked at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart, going on to sell 50,000 copies by the end of the year. Happy Mondays toured the UK in October 1992, which was followed by a one-off Japanese show. Factory Records went into administration the next month; the band broke-up in early 1993. "Stinkin Thinkin", released as the lead single from Yes Please! on 31 August 1992, topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in the United States, and peaked at number 31 in the UK. "Sunshine and Love", released as the album's second single on 9 November 1992, reached number five on the Dance Club Songs chart, and reached number 62 in the UK.
Background
Happy Mondays released their third studio album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches on 5 November 1990. It peaked at number four in the United Kingdom; all three of its singles reached the top 20 in the UK, with "Step On" and "Kinky Afro" both peaking at number five. Around the album's release, a newspaper article was published, which detailed frontman Shaun Ryder's past experiences with drugs, making his addiction with heroin (and toying with crack) and stint in a detox centre public in the process. A public relations representative from the band's label Factory Records had to issue a statement on Ryder's behalf, denouncing his drug use. The album was promoted with a UK arena tour, a trek to mainland Europe, and a two-month stint in the United States, ending with a variety of headlining shows and festival appearances in August 1991.
Guitarist Mark Day got married as bassist Paul Ryder's marriage was coming to an end, resulting in him and Shaun Ryder doing more heroin. Ryder increased his crack intake while drummer Gary Whelan began suffering from depression and turned to alcohol. Rehearsals bore no new ideas; a recording session with Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, producers of Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, resulted in "Judge Fudge" and the unfinished "Baby Big Head". While the idea of a new album was suggested, both producers felt that timing was not right, saying it would descend into chaos due to the state of the band. During this time, the Madchester and baggy scenes had fallen out of popularity as Nirvana released Nevermind (1991), allowing for the success of grunge acts such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. "Judge Fudge" was released as a non-album single in November 1991, charting within the UK top 30.
Despite Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches being a commercial success, Factory Records was struggling financially. To help alleviate some of it, Factory released Happy Mondays' first live album, titled Live. Factory Records had a distribution and licensing deal with major label London Recordings, which helped to push the visibility of Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches in European countries. A potential buyout from London was threatened if Factory was unable to handle its financial security. Misguided artist development, property investments and overspent album budgets for Happy Mondays and New Order meant that Factory had little funds left. In an attempt to recoup costs, Happy Mondays manager Nathan McGough and New Order manager Rob Gretton promised Factory founder Tony Wilson that neither of their respective bands' next albums would exceed a budget of £150,000.