So here's a true but hard to believe story... I am a 70s kid...Prog Rock all the way...we listened to this band as teens along with the other big prog bands. 45 years later I would eventually be playing guitar WITH Stanley Whitaker (lead guitarist/Vocalist). How weird is that!?!? I moved to Maryland and he was doing gigs in bars and we became friends.
One of the most underrated prog albums of all time. I think if they arrived earlier in the 70s when prog was still in its prime, Happy the Man would've been way more popular.
In an age of threatening storms everywhere (July 2022) this album reaffirms prog rock as the enlightenment of a new age which may be destined to pass us without taking up the mantle of reconciliation as to our true nature which should be one with the planet and not the pernicious momentum we are rushing to the cataclysm of our species bringing down the others with us. Having the inability or unwillingness to live in harmony. Prog rock is the essence of our potentialities.
Record stores were so limited back then, so we all missed a ton of great stuff! At least now we can occasionally stumble across something this wonderful here!
16:17 and 16:44 are the perfect example of the difference between 3/4 and 6/8 16:17 can be counted like 2 bars of 3 and 16:44 like 3 bars of 2, with a 4/4 transition really good band !
Their album would turn up in second hand record shops all over the place in the 1980's. Easy pickings and a way to expand ones prog palette. I saw Kit when he was a touring member of Camel.
Un saludo desde las tierras de Aysén. Chile Que maravilla esta música . Soy amante del rock progresivo.vale por lo happi los mejores años donde hay mucha creatividad desde 1966 hasta 1976..
First time listening to this for me and I am very impressed. Wonder why no one has mentioned them to me before? Bee listening to proggy stuff for years. Always great when you find new stuff that hits the spot.
I was fortunate to see their maiden appearance in October 1973 at the Madison College (today James Madison University) student union center. I was blown away by their musicianship and artistry. HTM - one of the very best bands to have ever graced this planet.
I saw them at Godwin Hall at James Madison University in 1977. It was the second concert I’d ever seen. When they started playing Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo everybody went crazy. The urban legend was they went to Madison College, and one of the guys dad was a music teacher at the school. They would do LSD, grab instruments and play whatever they came up with. They are some of the most unusual and talented musicians that have ever lived
@@kevincage1641 Kit Watkins' father Lowell was a piano teacher at Madison. It was nothing unusual to see members of the band walking throughout the music building or campus. Stan Whitaker and Frank Wyatt played in the stage band. Drummer /percussionist Mike Beck worked at the dining hall. As for the drug thing, I have no idea yet I seriously doubt anyone could compose those compositions under the influence as their attention to detail was meticulous. These guys were artisans of their musical craft.
@@jamescpotter Thanks @jamescpotter for the lesson. By the time I got there in 1977, they were already legendary. I almost majored know music, but the classes were each 1 credit hour, so the music majors were running scales and arpeggios at midnight, while we were listening to Led Zeppelin , Hendrix and UFO.
John, It is amazing stuff! The band cultivated in Virginia/DC area in the mid to late 70s. Living there myself as a teenager, I was exposed to HTM early. Me and my friends were “ blown away” by the quality of this progressive fusion at that time. Check out their album “ Crafty Hands” my overall favorite!!! Peter Gabriel, as I understand it, may have considered the band as his new band upon leaving Genesis. However, it’s my understanding that Gabriel turned them away as they sounded to close to Genesis! Lol Kit Watkins, the keyboardist had a brief time with British band Camel. His solo material is excellent… “ Labyrinth” and “ In Time” , etc etc.
Such a great band and LP. I won't do my 65 year old rant about the prog music of the 70's and how much better it is than what's going on now...ooops just did.
Masterpiece. We always looked towards England and Europe for prog. But this is so wonderfully orchestrated. The only other prog. band that came close to this. Gentle Giant.
I would say this are probably the only band I've ever heard that has successfully approximated Giant, but imo it's just as good as their "classic era" stuff.
Born in 1989, listen to this album since 4 or 5 years because i like music of the 60-70-80's a lot, 50% of the time its progressive rock, when i discover this band it blew my mind like when i first listen to some gentle giant, now spotify ad remove this gem :(
Saturdays in the late 70s people used to hang out on the lawn at American university after checking out the ride board. That ride board was a good way to get to the west coast without flying. Anyway, saturdays bands would set up to play free while we were looking for girls with gauge etc. I saw happy the man and quill this way. Saw Foreigner's first us shows on that lawn when they sounded a bit like a hard rock crimson. We were teenagers, amazed.
THE BEAUTY OF THIS WONDERFUL TRACK AT 41:00.....I STILL FALL IN LOVE EACH TIME I HEAR THIS SONG.....WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TIME IN MY LIFE....THIS SONG IN ITSELF IS A JOURNEY FROM LIFE TO DEATH...OR LIFE TO LIVING AND UNDERSTANDING IT....
Saw them perform live several times, including a free release concert at Carter Barron Amphitheater in Rock Creek Park, Washington DC (August 30, 1977). I don't know how, but they sounded even better than on their albums. Completely magical experience.
very very well...................................................................................................................................................................
This album should be in a record store but that’s not convenient enough for the modern moron. Grip that phone tight. Record stores were cool. What’s cool now? Nothing. Stare at phone...
@@michaelrandall9034I'm 17 and I wholeheartedly agree and sorrow for the modern generation. My brother and I are prog lovers and we always talk about this band. We can't decide whether HTM or Gentle Giant is better (or ANY prog band), but we pretty much always conclude that all of these bands are the best in their own way. Beautiful album and it's on my CD list this Christmas!
@@michaelrandall9034 My favorite is Yes! And... Well... "yes"... King Crimson is amazing. Red is my favorite one by them. Discipline is also awesome. Merry Christmas!!
Hard to believe that its been 40 years, since this amazing album was released! It still sounds as crisp and relevant as when I first heard it back in '77.
Saw them a few times at The Cellar Door in Georgetown back in '77.. Just wanted to see a band...Liked the name, and was blown away the first time seeing them..Mike Beck's drum kit took up almost the whole stage... This still sounds great all these years later !
+Tim Scott Tim, I saw them back in 73 while doing covers of Watchers Of the Skies, 21st Century Schizoid Man, Man Erg, etc. at Madison College intermixed with originals from their Beginnings LP. I was absolutely floored!
Mike Beck was a beast back when I first saw them..his drum kit took up most of the stage, with pots and pans..all kinds of things hanging from a frame..
I agree.. Too bad he never gained the recognition of those drummers you named..He was very entertaining to watch..Such a creative talent..I wonder what he's up to these days ?
What a surprise to find this gem here! It disappeared from Spotify some time ago. I do have the vinyl and a player but.. Published at the time when my eight-year prog era was ending in the 70s (never truly ended) and heard this too many years later. Contains some of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard. Echoes of Genesis here and there.
One of the greatest prog gifts of all. Unfortunately known to but the few at the time. I haven't heard in decades. What memories. I am an old guy, but recent "Moogfest" Asheville attendee. So am now way back in the world of everything from Eno and Keith Emerson (met both there on different years) to Neon Indian to everything else. And ditto from the modular end to the ubiquitous Minimoog. Which of course brings us to Happy The Man. Now to get on to some righteous Brand X to round things out. What an amazing time re uber creativity the mid-late 70's and early 80's were. And people could PLAY stuff.
Local heroes for me and my music buds in HS. Really shows how there is so much interesting music that goes unnoticed. Yet the Machine makes us listen to inferior stuff for years on end. Wow it would be nice to be in a grocery store and a Happy the Man track is allowed to be heard.
For me the go to band of the 70s was “return to for ever” (chick corral, Stanley clarke, al di meola, and Lenny white on drums) with chick leading on piano. Stanley being one of the great bassists of all time (arguably) and al a genius composer and guitar virtuoso both who are probably still going strong with or without chick the never ending genius on piano. Love them but who new about “happy the man” except those lucky few. At the time nobody was calling Genesis or PF prog rock; this just goes to show the duration of stupendous works of art which this album represents. Instrumentation is broader than RTF. WYATT, WATKINS AND WHITAKER (the3 W’s) pretty much divided up the number of compositions on this album which just goes to show the immensity of each of their talents. Thank goodness for the quality of sound mastership that we get to enjoy such brilliance.
Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo blew me away the first time hearing it back in 1977. Absolutely brilliant! Gets my vote for all-time greatest prog composition.
Snup, I just discovered this through a rolling stone article. Can you recommend me any more albums which are similar to this? I already own Yes discography, Genesis DG and have heard Pink Floyd Dark Side. Thanks.
+Tobias Davies : Van Der Graaf Generator is the band I like the most. I like a lot too the solo albums of the singer, Peter Hammill. Albums like : (solo) Over, The Silent Corner and The Empty Street, (with the whole group) H to He, Who Am The Only One, Godbluff, Pawn Hearts... They could appear a little chaotic (above all when there is the whole group) at the first listening, but it becomes really beautiful when you listen to it again. From the Strawbs I like a lot the album "Hero and Heroine" and from Caravan I like a lot "1st album" and "For Girls Who Grows Plump In The Night", but their most famous album is "In The Land Of Grey And Pink". I think you should enjoy Emerson, Lake and Palmer (album : Trilogy, Tarkus), Hawkind (album : Space Ritual), Gong (album : You, The Flying Teapot). Maybe you will like Camel (album : Mirage), Amon Düül II (album : Hijacks, Wolf City), Funkadelics (album : Maggot Brain). Have a nice day.
This is my favorite album ever. HTM is my favorite band. I'm obsessed with them. I think they were the best prog band ever, they took prog to a whole new level. Absolutely outstanding.
35 years ago, it was RAD. Now, it's ageless. Everyone I play this for cannot believe it wasn't made yesterday. And in this age of electronic music perfection, everything perfectly on the beat (almost TOO perfectly), the musical virtuosity displayed in this project, done the hard way before digital tape, is beyond comprehension. NObody does starlight (waltzing among the stars?) or far out fugue better - or even *begins* to approach these folks. An earlier poster called it "prog rock-jazz fusion" but even this is inadequate. In fact, you *can't* categorize HTM without leaving a LOT out. Since I was 10 I've been trying to find music that approaches what I hear in dreams -- these guys are the Real Deal. The good news, you can go on to Camel and Kit Watkins solo works for more undiscovered incredibleness. When I need music to take me away, these and HTM are the go-to. Back when all I knew was Kit Watkins, I was poking through Houston's Records and Tapes (and Drugs, we used to joke). Scary as shopping there was, it paid off with pristine vinyl promo copies of this album and Crafty Hands (also available here on YT). They were $25 each. We could hardly contain our excitement to find them and with trembling hands we paid the ransom. Took 'em home and I can't tell you how happy it made us or how many tears of joy we shed to hear for the first time to this music that for us had been made of pure Unobtainium until then. Thanks to Happy The Man and *especially* the poster, for making this wonderful music widely available. You have no idea how wonderful it is to find it on YT...
I could imagine Leonard Bernstein "Age Of Anxiety"(& W.H. Auden poem) influenced Kit Watkins and Happy The Man to create this 1977 Arista album.Excellent album backed by top-notch musicianship.8-10-1977 purchase.
@@rabarebraI think it has unique enough soundscapes to warrant calling it magnificent… but music is subjective and that is the most beautiful part… if it does not connect with you it does not mean it is worthless art and clearly it connects with others. Have a good day and best of luck on your life journey
@@jacobmb Too weak singer for my liking, along with weak compositions. Maybe that's why they didn't go anywhere? What do I know? It's just my subjective meaning, and I am allowed to say what I mean about it. Summed up in one word: weak.
Happy the Man's second album "Crafty Hands" is a great one . There was a 3rd but it was never officially released by Arista. (3rd...better late) Somehow I have seven different Happy Cd's. Kit Watkins has some great solo work. This music is softer and maybe at one time considered New Age. The solo work was listed under Linden Music and I hope still available. I had a multiple disc Cd player at one time and I would play 3 or 4 disc on random play. Nice!
I checked this out after reading the biography of Ken Scott "Abbey Road To Ziggy Stardust", a great read. Ken produced and recorded this LP.. and yes, morons at Arista didn't know what to do with it..great album!!
It's actually the second half of the original piece. The first half was light and breezy. Ken Scott wanted to do this and the band went along with it. Also, those Jimi Hendrix-sounding licks at the end are Kit on Mini-Moog.
thx for the upload...my dad used to play htm for me when i was a baby....they amongst others made me the musician i am today. i've played music festivals since :)
Rock Zombie. I love the post and all the great comments. Maybe the most underrated dvd of all time is Rob Zombie’s video compilation which I would be willing to stake my non-existent reputation suggesting it is up there with the greatest of all time and guaranteed to be the funniest. Rob Zombie proves genius can come in many forms. Thank you Rok or Rob whoever you are to make me remember greatness in its multitude of forms.
I saw the band live, Just imagine if in the middle of a song they had to stop for an ad to be aired then pick up where they left off. It is a disgrace what RU-vid has done to this wonderful album.
Even though there technically were more than just two, I presume you must be taking about this self-titled debut and its follow-up ("Crafty Hands")? These two ARE the real important ones for sure. The first time I had ever heard these guys (back in the mid-'90s), I was played a best-of compilation disc from them, titled "Retrospective". Later, when I was looking to buy their music, this compilation was not one of the ones I could find. But I was then told, by the owner of the copy I was played, that everything on Retrospective is from the first two albums. There's a third one from the same time period...but he told me that it doesn't measure up to the first two for some reason. Pretty sure he had a copy of it too. So, I imagine that there might be some truth to what he was telling me. Anyway, after seeing them live at NEARfest '00, I bought a more-recent CD from them (titled "Death's Crown"), which is a collection they put together containing preliminary material. Interesting to hear the origins of some stuff from the first couple records. But I'd never use it to introduce HTM to anyone.
@@davidryan7386 Yes, indeed! A while back, I've looked up some of the tracks from that record after commenting here, and it's definitely not bad. I also came to realize that one or two of its tracks were on the aforementioned compilation ("Retrospective"). But there's no doubt that the first two releases would be in my 5 all-time favorite "instrumental prog albums" if you will, despite a few tracks having the vocals. Gryphon's "Red Queen to Gryphon Three" will always be my number one, and the other two would have to be Solaris' "Marsbélli Krónikák", and the proto Brand X record, entitled "Marscape".
