Happy the Man
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=99671
Printed Date: November 25 2024 at 18:25
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Happy the Man
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Subject: Happy the Man
Date Posted: September 12 2014 at 12:15
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I can't say I've ever seen a thread about this band on here. Happy the
Man are considered to be one of the all time greatest US prog bands.
I've heard some say they are the best. They were sort of a cross between
fusion and traditional symph prog with probably a leaning towards the
fusion end. Some of their stuff even predated the new age sound(mainly
the softer tunes). I've seen them live about three times and they always put on a great performance. Not sure if they are still around or not. They put out an album in 2004 which while good was maybe a bit too similar to their vintage material. My only complaint about this band is that usually the vocals which aren't that great seem a bit out of place. However, they usually didn't have more than two or three vocal tracks on their classic albums(same and Crafty Hands). Any fans on here? |
Replies:
Posted By: Darious
Date Posted: September 12 2014 at 12:53
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I guess they moved on as Oblivion Sun. I'm currently awaiting arrival of their CD, which I have recently ordered ------------- Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth) |
Posted By: tamijo
Date Posted: September 12 2014 at 13:10
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Never heard about them before, but im You-tubing the debut right now, first impression is fine.
Sort of proto-neo-prog  ------------- Prog is whatevey you want it to be. So dont diss other peoples prog, and they wont diss yours |
Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 02:23
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Stan Whitaker's vocals on the OS albums are quite a bit better than the original HtM albums.
------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 02:36
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Love them, my personal favorite is the long-lost Death's Crown finally released by Cuneiform in 1999. The Muse Awakens also very good. BTW they took their name from the Genesis single. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Darious
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 04:25
That's lovely, although Happy The Man website states something different on the band's history tab. The small print there reads as follows: "It was now early 1973, and Whitaker’s elder brother, Ken, having elected to become the band’s sound engineer, suggested the name Happy The Man, a reference to Goethe’s "Faust", and the Bible, rather than the obscure Genesis single which, at the time, nobody in the band even knew existed" ------------- Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth) |
Atavachron wrote:Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 04:34
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^ Ah, well I suppose that sounds right. I'll bite. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 04:54
| Between admiring my Christensen/Akro/Peltier marble collection (which I have found quite therapeutical when up against my weekly work demands.....) I have spun my Oblivion Sun LP - The High Places. This album is superb, especially the first side (tracks 1-4). I did acquire HTM's debut LP years ago, and love it immensely. Especially the blissfully serene and mellow track 'Hidden Moods'. Great band, Whitaker and his fellow travellers. I really should seek out more of their recorded magic. |
Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 07:31
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I`ve only gotten there first two album, lost off the radar after that... ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 11:42
Well I can understand why someone might think they got their name from the early Genesis single but ultimately that's just wishful thinking.  However, it is worth mentioning that when Peter Gabriel struck out on his own after he left Genesis Happy the Man were initially chosen to be his backup band. In the end though Gabriel chose not to have a proper back up band instead going for various studio musicians. What came out of that for Happy the Man was some exposure(no pun intended)and a record deal.
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Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 16:48
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wow that shouldn't have happened but its all well and it didn't as we wouldn't have two amazing musicians to enjoy.... ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: dr prog
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 17:15
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Second album is great stuff. First album is a bit hit and miss. Third album isn't bad ------------- All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock. |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 13 2014 at 18:35
| They did put out Beginnings which was released officially in 1991 or so which actually predates the first album. I think it's ok but mainly for completists. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: September 14 2014 at 11:26
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One of those great bands that not a lot of people know about.
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 14 2014 at 12:43
Tell that to the 1,000 people who saw them headline Nearfest back in 2000. You could probably say that a lot of people don't know about most prog bands though. They are actually pretty well known in prog circles(even though it doesn't necessarily seem that way on here). Because they aren't a recent band they haven't been promoted in the current wave of prog but that doesn't mean they aren't legendary in their own right. |
Posted By: Dean Watson
Date Posted: September 14 2014 at 14:01
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Fantastic band, loved them since Crafty Hands. Oblivion Sun is awesome too. It's funny, lots has been said about Stan's singing, I personally love it. Particularly special to me is his vocals on "Wind Up Doll" from CH. Their early use of minimoog turned a lot of heads, Kits Watkins was master on that instrument. Yep, they're were ( and are ) great!
------------- Find me at: http://deanwatson.bandcamp.com/ www.soundcloud.com/dean-watson http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/RGVhbiBXYXRzb24%3d/0 |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 06:13
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I still maintain that amongst, prog fans they are relatively unknown. The essential studio albums are the original Happy The Man (1977), Crafty Hands (1978), and The Muse Awakens (2004). If you get noting else, go for the 1978 live album. It may be out of print now. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 06:16
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^ I've got that '78 live one, it is very good, probably a good starter too ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Dean Watson
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 06:19
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I have the vinyl. Might be worth a pretty penny no? ------------- Find me at: http://deanwatson.bandcamp.com/ www.soundcloud.com/dean-watson http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/RGVhbiBXYXRzb24%3d/0 |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 12:48
I still maintain they aren't(although relative is a relative term;) )!  For me that's like saying Gentle Giant or Nektar are relatively unknown among prog fans. I think most of the real prog collectors are very familiar with them especially the older ones. I think because this site has a lot of younger fans it seems like they aren't as well known as they really are. I have read that they are the "greatest American prog band." I would say they are one of the most well known US bands(top ten if not top five)imo. I suppose it depends on the prog circles you are in though(I've spent over 15 years studying prog online and off and except on here their name has popped up a lot especially when mentioning US bands). However, you don't get to headline two prog festivals in the US by being an obscure prog band that only a few people know about. But I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.  I do agree with essential albums you listed although I only heard TMA once. Better late third is not bad either but I wouldn't start there. I haven't heard the live album. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 13:27
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I did get The Muse Awakens when it came out in 2004. I also bought the Beginnings CD when it became available. I've not heard anything else from them, but do have the two Oblivion Sun albums. I imagine that they are probably better known in the Baltimore/East Coast area than they are in other parts of the country.
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 14:04
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I have Crafty Hands. 3 stars. Some very good tunes. Open Book and Service with a smile spring to mind. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 14:11
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[I imagine that they are probably better known in the Baltimore/East Coast area than they are in other parts of the country. ] Well, yes I do agree with that. I would say the same thing about Crack the Sky and the Muffins as far as being more well known in the Baltimore and DC area though. I think if we aren't initially exposed to a band on our own we tend to think of them as being "obscure" when in reality it's not always that cut and dry. But ultimately it's all about the music. About 98 percent of prog could be considered "obscure" or not that well known. It doesn't make the music any less appealing(at least to us ). I suppose because they were mentioned a lot in catalogs and in the earlier days of the internet(PE and RMP specifically)and headlined three times at festivals I have been to personally(Nearfest once and Progday twice)I tend to think of them as one of the better known US bands. Heck even Anglagard, the Flower Kings and Echolyn didn't headline Nearfest. But again the most important thing is the music and whether or not you like it. |
Posted By: DaleHauskins
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:37
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As a longtime Los Angeles professional guitarist,working,touring,recording with Switzerland's progressive rock band Flame Dream http://www.facebook.com/groups/50092213229/" rel="nofollow - https://www.facebook.com/groups/50092213229/ ,I would truly like to inform "Prog_Traveller" that Happy the Man,even though their keyboardist is American;Happy the Man's best works isn't by "a US prog band". Happy the Man best works were by enlisting the amazing French drummer;and dear old friend Coco Roussel (Heldon and Clearlight Symphony Orchestra). I've gig,performed with talented Coco Roussel a few times in Los Angeles.Coco is a serious gent;and hell of a drummer.Coco also still lives in my sunshine state of Southern California in Simi Valley. http://www.everythinghappytheman.com/coco.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.everythinghappytheman.com/coco.html Wönsch everyone euch es super Wochestart! Hebed euch Sorg aus soo rüüüdig record breaking heist temps im sunshiny Southern California vo de Kalifornischer gitarristen Dale . ------------- Ｄａｌｅ Ｈａｕｓｋｉｎｓ (858) 401-2973 (310) 293-0432 https://artistecard.com/Dalehauskins |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:54
| Well, you aren't informing me or anyone else you are just simply sharing your opinion. ;) |
Posted By: DaleHauskins
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:59
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Well,at least you know now Happy the Man wasn't a US prog band.
------------- Ｄａｌｅ Ｈａｕｓｋｉｎｓ (858) 401-2973 (310) 293-0432 https://artistecard.com/Dalehauskins |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:59
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This is old news on Stanley Whitaker, but seeing this thread brought back my memory of these old threads helping to raise money for his medical care as he was fighting cancer. http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52928&KW=whitaker&PID=3016792#3016792" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52928&KW=whitaker&PID=3016792#3016792 Sounds like he is a survivor and for that I am glad to hear. -------------
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Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:12
Of course they were(and are). Most of the members are from the US and they were formed in the US. One foreign member(who wasn't an original member and only on one album) doesn't change that. Here look at this if you don't believe they are a US band. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_the_Man%20" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_the_Man |
Posted By: DaleHauskins
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:20
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Their drummer Coco is French;and mostly known playing in French bands. http://www.everythinghappytheman.com/coco.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.everythinghappytheman.com/coco.html ------------- Ｄａｌｅ Ｈａｕｓｋｉｎｓ (858) 401-2973 (310) 293-0432 https://artistecard.com/Dalehauskins |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:39
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Bergamini" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Bergamini |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 22:25
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Great band....have all of their releases including Deaths Crown .
I thought that Gabriel wanted them for his backing band at one time after he left Genesis..? ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 06:18
Me too.  Oh and by the way, if an American band has one French member play drums with them for a while, they automatically become a French band. That's just the way it works. Sorry. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Darious
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 07:02
Yeah, so I heard - Phil Collins looks a bit Italiano to me. He is such a little Joe Pesci at times. Shall we consider Genesis as Progressivo Italiano from now on? ------------- Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth) |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 09:40
 ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: September 18 2014 at 19:52
Yeah apparently it only works with French musicians. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 08:30
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I would have liked to have heard a couple of albums with Gabriel and Happy the Man in a collaborative effort.
I think they would have done some really interesting music. His first 4 albums are good but after that I think his work became somewhat boring compared to his older material. Happy The Man might have been what he needed to keep his songs proggier but with a new edge using some of their musical ideas. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 08:49
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I have always been a devoted fan. I first discovered Happy The Man in 1979 when I traveled the road with a Progressive Rock band that was doing 50% originals and 50% prog covers. As we traveled...a DJ gave the first 2 Happy the Man albums to my drummer. After our gig, we sat and listened to the albums at our headquarters in Media P.A. At that time we were using western P.A. as a springboard. We were amazed by their music, although I had seen their name posted in various towns/cities that I performed in during the 70's. I had never heard the band prior to that evening. Finally on one particular night we played this huge club in P.A. and a DJ handed me a copy of Crafty Hands. He was brutal as he remarked to me that no one was interested in this type of music. Finally I put 2 and 2 together realizing that because Prog was getting pushed further and further away from media promotion, that new bands like Happy the Man really didn't have a chance at anything short of clubs and theatres. Eventually the drummer and I attempted to race across town to see the band on our breaks and didn't get any further than the parking lot at our venue...as we were stopped by roadies who told us we wouldn't make it back in time for the next set. We were disgusted. When we played in Fort Dix , NJ...Happy the Man were performing at Alexanders. Nektar were also performing there. I played Kit Watkins keyboard parts on guitar and during soundchecks, we ran through several Happy the Man pieces. They were a major influence on my writing. I also recall playing in Maryland and Delaware and seeing their name posted here and there. It was a fantastic time traveling the east coast and playing the same circuits as these bands. Happy The Man were so incredibly outstanding that fine musicians in the important cities were shocked by their tightness. Everyone on the circuit in 79' knew about the band and praised them endlessly. I miss those times and I greatly miss Happy The Man. I long for some record label to officially release their performance at Nearfest in 2000. The piece "Service With A Smile" was released on a compilation cd from Wayside Music years ago. It was a performance from Nearfest 2000 and it was beautiful. Someone must have that performance on tape and I hope that someone will go the distance one day and release it in it's entirety.
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Posted By: Dean Watson
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 11:03
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My introduction to them is as follows: We decided to drive to NYC from Toronto for a weekend. Being a musician, we hit all the music stores there. I was a big fan of UK at the time and I was sitting at a Fender Rhodes piano playing - probably - In The Dead Of Night, and the salesrep comes up to me and says "If you like that stuff, you'll like Happy The Man". So, on a whim, right after, my friend and I went to the nearest record store and purchased "Crafty Hands". We couldn't listen to it while we were away and anxiously waited to get back to T.O. and put the LP on. We got back, put it on the stereo and that was that! We were hooked on HTM. Been so ever since.
------------- Find me at: http://deanwatson.bandcamp.com/ www.soundcloud.com/dean-watson http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/RGVhbiBXYXRzb24%3d/0 |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 12:22
| Masters of syncopation and way way undervalued. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 26 2014 at 12:59
I just learned of this missing link album between Happy The Man and Oblivion Sun. -------------
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Posted By: Tobias273
Date Posted: October 08 2014 at 10:01
I've never heard of them before. Is their name based on an unreleased Genesis song ("Happy the Man")? I thought this was going to be about that song
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Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: October 08 2014 at 10:52
Happy The Man were American Genesis fans and they probably owned the single/45. I'm sure they intended to adapt the name. They were mostly instrumental , influenced by Gentle Giant, Yes, Genesis, and Mahavishnu Orchestra, created a voice of their own ..becoming Happy The Man. Their music has personality and their distinctive sound is totally original...which!..makes them unique in a day and age where many Prog bands have struggled with musical identity. Happy The Man are one of a kind.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 08 2014 at 10:58
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Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: October 08 2014 at 11:05
Happy the ManHappy the man, and happy he alone, John Dryden 1670?? |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: October 08 2014 at 11:41
Correct! Wow ..that other theory has been quite cemented into people's heads. even mine.
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Posted By: Tobias273
Date Posted: October 09 2014 at 12:22
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Oh wow. That's even more obscure than if they based their name on the Genesis song. I've read Goethe's Faust (but in german) and I could only guess how it's associated with the phrase Happy the man (it's surely used in the english translation and reflects the story but it's still rather vague). Both the Bible (most Bible translations are based on Luthers bible at least) and Faust are essentially german and as I found out the guitarist and the bassist first met in germany. I guess they liked the german culture but the association with both books is very vague. |
Posted By: DaleHauskins
Date Posted: October 09 2014 at 13:26
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Whhoa,can't believe you're just gettin' enlighten and schooled up on this Tobias.... Sonnig grüässlie us immer sunshiny Southern California.☼♫ ^-^ ♫☼ __̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲ ------------- Ｄａｌｅ Ｈａｕｓｋｉｎｓ (858) 401-2973 (310) 293-0432 https://artistecard.com/Dalehauskins |