about happy hour sessions
The Show
Happy Hour Sessions began during 2020. George was cooped up as a result of the pandemic, unable to perform live shows and looking for a creative outlet he started dreaming up what would become Happy Hours. The idea evolved over time, for example the initial idea for the songwriting starting point was to use the fortune from a fortune cookie. But the core concept of the show has stayed the same: pulling back the curtain on the songwriting process.
The Host
George Chase jr has been in the music industry for over twenty years. He’s led bands like The Sublets. Played bass in Pretty Pretty Awful. And he’s hosted this small show called Happy Hour Sessions.
The Format
Each episode begins with an introduction to our guest, who they are and the kind of music they make. Before we get into songwriting, George and the guest need a starting point for the songwriting. To find that they choose a song at random from the top of the charts from 1950 til today and use that song as inspiration for the new one. The guest can take whatever they want from it, some choose to riff on the melody or use the same theme as the original and some even choose to write a response to the original.
Once the inspiration is locked in the songwriting begins, but songwriting can take days, weeks or months and Happy Hour doesn’t last that long. So we put a hard deadline on the writing and whatever George and the guest have at the end is what gets performed at the end of the episode. No matter how rough or polished the song is, that’s what you’ll hear.
The Video Team
Alchemy Cinema is our video production team. Responsible for every aspect of our visual style, Happy Hours wouldn’t be what it is without them.
Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Alchemy is a boutique film production company that began in 2022. They’re dedicated to crafting compelling images paired with approachable storytelling.