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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 1695
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Topic: Happy The Man - An Open Discussion Posted: February 24 2006 at 20:01 |
I never really touched on this subject before mainly for redundancy, seems everybody here knows about them. But this group touches very close to home. I grew-up in the Washington DC area where these guys come from. They have over the years since the 70's been reputed as one of the best American Prog bands. In 1976 they performed at my high-school and I was hooked since then. I was playing drums in scattered jazz-fusion bands after high-school and even opened for them in '78 at a club called The Keg in Georgetown 'til they tore it down. We were called Phase I, nothing all that great. Just a jam band doing loose instrumentals. We were mostly kids getting into "The Scene", not bad, but still amatuerish. What do you all know or think about them?
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Snow Dog
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Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
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Points: 32995
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 20:10 |
Happy The man? really like them a lot. great band.
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TheProgtologist
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Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Baltimore,Md US
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Points: 27802
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 20:18 |
I really like Happy the Man,and have only recently known of them.Their album Crafty Hands is amazing.What's another good HtM album to get?
It's weird,I grew up in Maryland and still reside there and I have never heard of them.
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timothy leary
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 29 2005
Location: Lilliwaup, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 5319
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 21:42 |
my favorite american band the best sycopation ia all of prog rock the only american band near to them might be echolyn
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Empathy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1864
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 22:10 |
I'm originally from the DC/Northern VA area as well, and I had never heard of this band until just a few years ago. I only own their debut, but it's quite impressive. I do find them to be a tad cheesy at times (primarily the vocals), but I usually can look past that due to the outstanding musicianship.
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 1695
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 22:52 |
TheProgtologist wrote:
I really like Happy the Man,and have only recently known of them.Their album Crafty Hands is amazing.What's another good HtM album to get?
It's weird,I grew up in Maryland and still reside there and I have never heard of them. | I grew up in Falls Church, Va, during the late 60s and 70s. Kit Watkins and HTM resided in Reston, Va. What you want to get is their "Beginnings" CD. Early previously unreleased recordings during their more experimental phase. It's a bit rough but well worth it. They were pretty much at a peak there. Mike Beck's percussion gave Bruford a run for his money. Unfortunately keyboardist Kit Watkins left in late '79 and sessioned for the likes of Alan Holdsworth and God knows who else.
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marktheshark
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Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 22:56 |
Empathy wrote:
I'm originally from the DC/Northern VA area as well, and I had never heard of this band until just a few years ago. I only own their debut, but it's quite impressive. I do find them to be a tad cheesy at times (primarily the vocals), but I usually can look past that due to the outstanding musicianship.
| Where abouts are you from? As I stated before I'm from Falls Church. And you're right about the vocals. Stanley Whitaker can't sing worth a crap! And what's funny is he knows it!
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Empathy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1864
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:29 |
I grew up in the seedy underbelly of Springfield, VA.
Goldenspiral's another VA alumnus, down there in Hokie Town (Blacksburg). And I can't sing worth a crap either, so I certainly should not be hurling projectiles at domiciles made of liquid sand.
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kenmeyerjr
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 30 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 235
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:32 |
I was wondering about this band as well. I have XM, and they play them on the Music Lab station, the prog/jam/fusion station. I have liked what I have heard so far, but don't remember any vocals..are they enough to really put you off the music? I have been thinking of getting something by them...large catalog at all?
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If you like art of musicians, check my site (the music section) and tell me what you think! http://www.kenmeyerjr.com
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:38 |
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:44 |
kenmeyerjr wrote:
I was wondering about this band as well. I have XM, and they play them on the Music Lab station, the prog/jam/fusion station. I have liked what I have heard so far, but don't remember any vocals..are they enough to really put you off the music? I have been thinking of getting something by them...large catalog at all? | Fortunately there is very little vocals in their catalog. About 90% instrumental. So whatever you buy, it's worth it. Go for it, you won't be disappointed. Stanley was very humble about his singing. He never took it seriously. He just used it occasionally to express some poety he'd write. He took his singing about as seriously Steve Howe took his.
Edited by marktheshark
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Empathy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1864
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:46 |
marktheshark wrote:
Ah yes, you're right there at the worst interstate intersection in the country. 495 meets 95. Absolute hell! I can't even remember how many near accidents I've had there! |
That is a really, really stupidly designed intersection. Sadly, there are even more infuratingly stupidly designed roads here in Boston. I will be _first_ in line when they start selling flying cars.
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 23:59 |
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Empathy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1864
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Posted: February 25 2006 at 00:32 |
Well, it now has towering exit ramps, and cloverleafs...
... and 4-6 lanes of traffic merging at full speed, right at the Springfiled exit.
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 25 2006 at 00:40 |
Congradulations NoVa, you're now at LA levels! Great, I now know to avoid that area altogether now. Like it was hard enough to get to Springfield Mall in the 70s.
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Cygnus X-2
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Joined: December 24 2004
Location: Bucketheadland
Status: Offline
Points: 21342
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Posted: February 25 2006 at 01:18 |
Crafty Hands is a great album, I remember when I first got it I listened to it for about a week straight, really strong instrumental stuff on that album.
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marktheshark
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1695
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Posted: February 25 2006 at 02:49 |
Cygnus X-2 wrote:
Crafty Hands is a great album, I remember when I first got it I listened to it for about a week straight, really strong instrumental stuff on that album. | Crafty Hands is fine, but take my word for it and get Beginnings. You really hear the REAL HTM on that one!
Edited by marktheshark
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Empathy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1864
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Posted: February 26 2006 at 19:22 |
marktheshark wrote:
Unfortunately keyboardist Kit Watkins left in late '79 and
sessioned for the likes of Alan Holdsworth and God knows who
else. |
Oddly enough, I was just on the Camel website the other day, and
discovered that Kit Watkins did a stint with them as well (1979-1981),
which I hadn't known!
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
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Posted: February 27 2006 at 04:52 |
I would like to elaborate on y previous post, and bring this topic back at the same time.
I first heard HTM on an internet Prog station. I was interested enough to download the MP3s from PA(This was before I was a member). At first I thought nothing of the tracks, but the second time I played them something clicked.
Since then the more I played them , the more I liked them and I'm currently enjoying the album "Crafty Hands".
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eugene
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 30 2005
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 2703
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Posted: March 01 2006 at 18:34 |
Happy the Man is one of great bands from USA, along with Yezda Urfa, Mirthrandir, Pentwater etc etc etc..., and maybe the best. I like all their albums I have, which are: "Beginnings", "Death's Crown", "Crafty Hands" and "Muse Awakens". All are brilliant. I think I only miss one album called "Better late..." in my collection. Absolutely wonderful band!!!
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carefulwiththataxe
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