Skunk Anansie | Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)
Skunk Anansie’s “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” - how Skin and Len Arran crafted the Britrock band’s biggest international hit, reaching #1 in Iceland and proving their softer side in 1997.
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Story Behind “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)”
The Simplest Lyric That Says Everything
Sometimes the most profound statements come wrapped in the simplest words. For Skin, frontwoman of Skunk Anansie, “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” represented that rare moment when less became more. As she explained about the track: “This is one of my favourite lyrics on the album, just because it is so simple but says so much. As a band, you are forced into so many situations where you are pushed to just have a good time all the time, and you sometimes have to take a step back and see what success is doing to you.”[1]
The song emerged during sessions for Stoosh, Skunk Anansie’s second album, as the British rock band navigated the intense pressures of their rapidly accelerating career. After their 1995 debut Paranoid & Sunburnt had established them as one of the most confrontational acts in Britrock, the expectations for their follow-up were enormous.
From Len Arran’s Partnership to International Breakthrough
“Hedonism” was co-written by Skin and Len Arran, her longtime songwriting partner who had been collaborating with her since 1991.[2] Their partnership, which began before Skunk Anansie even formed, had already produced eight Top 40 singles by the time “Hedonism” emerged as the standout ballad from Stoosh.[2]
The track marked a deliberate creative risk for a band known for aggressive, politically charged anthems like “Yes It’s Fucking Political.” Where other Stoosh tracks maintained Skunk Anansie’s confrontational edge, “Hedonism” showed vulnerability—a quality that critics and fans immediately recognized as genuine rather than calculated.
“Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” Recording and Production Details
GGGarth’s Polished Approach at Great Linford Manor
“Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” was produced by GGGarth (Garth Richardson), a Canadian producer known for his work with Rage Against the Machine and L7.[4] The recording sessions for Stoosh took place at Great Linford Manor in Milton Keynes, England, a studio renowned for its serene environment that contrasted sharply with the album’s intense themes.[4]
GGGarth’s production approach captured Skunk Anansie’s raw energy while ensuring a polished final product that could compete on international radio.[4] The sessions spanned several months in 1996, with the band and producer working closely to refine each track.[4]
The Ballad That Balanced the Album’s Fury
While Stoosh contained heavy rockers like “All I Want” and “She’s My Heroine,” the album also made space for more introspective moments.[1] “Hedonism” became the centerpiece of this softer side, showcasing Skin’s vocal range beyond the powerhouse screams she delivered on the album’s harder tracks.
The production highlighted the song’s dynamic range, building from whispered verses to its powerful chorus. This approach allowed Skin’s voice—described by critics as one of the UK’s greatest and most underrated female vocalists—to demonstrate its full emotional spectrum within a single track.
Notes About “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” by Skunk Anansie
Release Date: January 1997 (single), October 7, 1996 (album)
Duration: 3:27
Genre: Alternative Rock / Britrock / Rock Ballad
Album: Stoosh (2nd studio album, track 5)
Writers: Skin (Deborah Dyer), Len Arran
Producer: GGGarth (Garth Richardson)
Label: One Little Indian Records
Chart Performance: #13 UK Singles Chart, #1 Iceland, #6 Netherlands, #8 Norway, #2 Switzerland[3]
Certification: Silver (BPI, February 2019 - 200,000+ sales and streams)[3]
Skunk Anansie “Hedonism” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Stoosh
Release Date: October 7, 1996[1]
Label: One Little Indian Records[3]
Producer: GGGarth (Garth Richardson)[3][4]
Recording Location: Great Linford Manor, Milton Keynes, England[4]
Commercial Performance: #9 UK Albums Chart, #91 Billboard 200[4]
Certifications: Gold (several European countries), Platinum (Italy, UK)[5]
European Sales: 2 million copies[5]
Band Members/Personnel
Skin (Deborah Dyer) - Lead vocals, songwriter
Ace (Martin Kent) - Guitar
Cass (Richard Lewis) - Bass, backing vocals
Mark Richardson - Drums
Len Arran - Songwriter (not a performing band member)[2]
GGGarth (Garth Richardson) - Producer
Production Notes
Second album following 1995’s Paranoid & Sunburnt
Recording sessions took place over several months in 1996[4]
Album described as “sludgy retro metal” by CMJ New Music in July 1997[1]
Featured more polished, confrontational sound compared to debut[1]
Singles “All I Want,” “Hedonism,” and “Brazen (Weep)” achieved notable chart positions[4]
Album ranked #367 in Rock Hard magazine’s “500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time” (2005)[1]
Featured in PopMatters’s “15 Overlooked and Underrated Albums of the 1990s”[4]
Interesting Facts About “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)”
The Music Video That Showed Skin’s Gentler Side
The music video for “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” was directed by Thomas Krygier, who also directed the video for “Brazen (Weep)” from the same album.[6] The visual approach marked a deliberate departure from Skunk Anansie’s typically confrontational aesthetic, focusing instead on intimate performance footage that emphasized the song’s emotional vulnerability.
Critics immediately recognized the shift. David Sinclair from The Times wrote: “Wild-woman singer Skin shows her gentler side, at last, on this rock ballad.”[3] Tania Branigan from Melody Maker felt the song “could be Sheryl Crow or Joan Osbourne; expect heavy rotation on MTV.”[3] These comparisons—to mainstream American singer-songwriters rather than the British alt-rock acts Skunk Anansie usually toured with—demonstrated how effectively “Hedonism” crossed genre boundaries.
The Song That Conquered Europe and Became a Concert Staple
While “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart, its true dominance came across continental Europe.[3] The track peaked at #1 in Iceland, broke into the top 10 in the Netherlands (#6), Norway (#8), and Switzerland (#2), and charted strongly across multiple European territories.[3]
The song’s international success helped Stoosh achieve multi-platinum status in Italy and reach #9 on the UK Albums Chart.[1][5] More significantly, “Hedonism” became one of Skunk Anansie’s most recognized singles and a popular concert choice.[3] Even after the band’s 2001 split, Skin continued performing the song at her solo gigs, cementing its status as a defining moment in her catalog.[3]
When Skunk Anansie reformed in 2009, “Hedonism” remained a setlist staple, its themes of success, excess, and self-reflection resonating just as powerfully with new audiences as they had in the mid-1990s.
Common Questions
Q: Who wrote “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” by Skunk Anansie? A: The song was written by Skin (Deborah Dyer) and Len Arran, Skin’s longtime songwriting partner.[3] Arran and Skin developed their writing partnership in 1991, leading to the formation of Skunk Anansie, and together they produced eight Top 40 singles including “Hedonism.”[2]
Q: What is “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” about? A: According to Skin, the song addresses the pressures of success and constant partying that bands face. She explained: “As a band, you are forced into so many situations where you are pushed to just have a good time all the time, and you sometimes have to take a step back and see what success is doing to you.”[1]
Q: How successful was “Hedonism” on the charts? A: “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” reached #13 in the UK and #1 in Iceland. It also achieved top-10 positions in the Netherlands (#6), Norway (#8), and Switzerland (#2).[3] The song was certified Silver by the BPI in February 2019 for exceeding 200,000 sales and streams.[3]
Q: Who produced “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)”? A: The track was produced by GGGarth (Garth Richardson), a Canadian producer known for his work with Rage Against the Machine and L7.[3][4] The album was recorded at Great Linford Manor in Milton Keynes, England.[4]
Q: When was “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” released? A: “Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” was released as a single in January 1997 by One Little Indian Records.[3] The song first appeared on the album Stoosh, which was released on October 7, 1996.[1]
References
“Stoosh” - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoosh
“Len Arran” - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Arran
“Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)” - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism_(Just_Because_You_Feel_Good)
“The Essential Story of Skunk Anansie’s Stoosh” - Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums, March 8, 2025. https://riffology.co/2025/02/10/the-making-of-stoosh-by-skunk-anansie/
“Skunk Anansie discography” - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Anansie_discography
“Thomas Krygier Music Video Credits as Director” - IMVDb. https://imvdb.com/n/thomas-krygier/videography-by-position/dir