ast weekend, I went to see a local ‘band’ that went by the rather portentous moniker of “The Sleaze.” One of a million faceless bar bands void of personality or serious musical merit, roaming this land of ours, with the sole purpose of entertaining a few drunks with insipid originals and tired covers, right? I was partly right. The two-piece band performed no originals, and pounded out the sorry covers with the most rudimentary of prowess imaginable.


But halfway through the night, something extraordinary happened. Perhaps it was due to the gin and tonics I was consuming, but somewhere between the Bad Company covers and “Cinnamon Girl,” I let myself go, and joined in with my fellow bar patrons in clapping along; having the simplest of fun. I realized that, serious critical examination aside, there was really nothing wrong with this band, because it could’ve been any of us up on the tiny stage, banging out half-assed versions of our favorite tunes. The Sleaze was a ‘good’ band for the simple fact that there existed absolutely no air of pretentiousness about them. They weren’t playing to achieve widespread or critical success; they didn’t play to expand the boundaries of music. They simply played to entertain the crowd, which was made up mostly of close friends and family. And they had fun doing it, too.


And therein lies the secret to Beat Happening. On a person’s first listen to this epochal indie band, it seems to be the crudest of music, simple and childish to the point of irritation. Guitars strain to slap even two chords together; the tinny drums occasionally latch onto the beat, losing it just as fast. So what is the reason that the music of Beat Happening has endured all these years, and their cult only expanded, culminating in the release of the box set Crashing Through, the definitive retrospective of their career?


It’s simply the fact that it sounds like any of us could do it. It seems that anyone with only a passing knowledge of music could pick up a guitar and hammer out these seemingly effortless songs. But I’m willing to bet you couldn’t. Calvin Johnson, the force behind Beat Happening, and the now-legendary label that was spawned to distribute them, K Records, has a creed that simply states, “Unlearn your instruments.” If Beat Happening sounds at times like a Velvet Underground for the Fisher Price set, that’s intentional.


While Beat Happening are in many ways the most rudimentary band you’ll ever run across, they’re also one of the most cerebral, a concept band that by all rights should have buckled under the weight of their experiment after an album or two. But of course, even a cursory listen to any of their albums, from the 1985 doe-eyed self-titled debut to 1992’s winding, wistful You Turn Me On, the Happening have remained true to their original goals, while allowing their music to become eclectic, growing and changing identities with each subsequent album.


Now, with the 7-disc Crashing Through, it’s never been easier to discover the singular magic of Beat Happening. Many of their albums have been out of print for years, meaning that many would-be fans have been deprived of a proper introduction to this band. Included in the lavish set is every single album recorded by Beat Happening, along with various detritus never before released on a Beat Happening album. A CD-ROM of live and video material is also included, making this set both essential for longtime followers and neophytes. Also provided with the box set is a 96-page book written by Lois Maffeo, with plenty of photographs and information about the band.


Every single note, from the sentimental declarations of “Foggy Eyes” and “In Love With You Thing” from Beat Happening, to the Burton-esque morbidity of Black Candy’s “Grave Digger Blues” and “Cast A Shadow,” is here. The cacophonous, lustful come-ons of “Nancy Sin” and the pop song masked in beat poetry moves of “Red Head Walking” from Dreamy are there as well. The point is, you get it all with this collection. You’ll watch them progress from the jarringly hummable melodies of their first songs to the experimental and masterful extended compositions of their final work, including the ebb-and-flow tension release of “Godsend.”


Box sets both this rewarding and comprehensive don’t come along often (the last was Joy Division’s perfect Heart And Soul). Take advantage of it. Crashing Through will be the best sixty bucks you’ve spent in a long time.