HAPPY THE MAN
Happy The Man/Crafty Hands ICONOCLASSIC
New remasters champion cult US proggers’ Arista years.
Formed in Virginia in 1973, Happy The Man belonged to a relatively small subset of American musicians responding to and, in some cases, directly inspired by progressive music emanating from the UK and Europe. Although early incarnations of the group’s evolving line-up cut their live teeth performing VdGG and Genesis material, by the time they signed to Arista Records to release their 1977 self-titled debut, they had acquired a substantial clutch of original compositions showcasing a highly crafted blend of symphonically inclined music.