Therapy?

Therapy? is an Irish alternative metal and alternative rock group from Belfast, formed in 1989 by guitarist and vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer Fyfe Ewing. The first demo is recorded with Cairns also playing bass, before bassist Michael McKeegan joins to complete the line-up. The group develops from the punk rock scene and is associated with alternative rock, hard rock, metal, grunge, noise rock, post-hardcore and power pop.

The band’s core line-up centres on Andy Cairns on guitar and vocals and Michael McKeegan on bass and backing vocals, with Neil Cooper on drums from 2003. Earlier members include Fyfe Ewing on drums from 1989 to 1996, Graham Hopkins on drums from 1996 to 2001, and Martin McCarrick on cello, guitar and backing vocals from 1996 to 2004.

Therapy? comes to wider attention in the early 1990s as alternative rock gains prominence, while retaining a style that combines pop sensibility, dark humour and heavy, hard-edged playing. Their recorded output includes Babyteeth (1991), Pleasure Death (1992), Nurse (1992), Shortsharpshock E.P. (1993), Face the Strange E.P. (1993), Troublegum (1994), Infernal Love (1995), Semi-Detached (1998), Suicide Pact - You First (1999), So Much For The Ten Year Plan - A Retrospective 1990-2000 (2000), Shameless (2001), High Anxiety (2003), Never Apologise Never Explain (2004), One Cure Fits All (2006), Crooked Timber (2009), A Brief Crack of Light (2012), Disquiet (2015), Cleave (2018) and Hard Cold Fire (2023).

The group is known for lasting well beyond its early rise and for resisting easy classification while remaining active from 1989 to the present.