Rick, Stanley, Kit, Michael, and Ron are excited to announce that after five long years of challenging negotiations and overwhelming complications, the definitive versions of their early Arista albums are finally ready to be released. Thanks to the unexpected support of an angel investor, the band now proudly owns these treasured masters—and can finally share them with the world and benefit from their hard work.

Once the masters were secured and transferred to digital, producer Ken Scott was consulted to recommend the perfect mastering engineer. Without hesitation, he chose his longtime friend Ray Staff, the chief mastering engineer at Air London Studios. Although Ray was on the brink of retirement, his impressive resume includes mastering or remastering albums for iconic artists such as Genesis, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and many more. Notably, Ray had worked on classic albums produced by Ken Scott for artists like David Bowie, Elton John, and Supertramp. Thanks to Ray’s expertise, these albums now sound exactly as they were intended—just like during the original sessions at A&M and Chateau Recorders.

Enter Jeremy Holiday from Iconoclassic Records. Happy the Man first came to Jeremy’s attention through Mike Panico, who worked in the archives departments at BMG and Sony and was involved in New York City’s experimental music scene. United by their shared passion for progressive music—ranging from mainstream bands like Yes to leftfield artists like Peter Hammill—Mike and Jeremy helped bring these albums back to life. Jeremy replaced early CD-R versions with Esoteric’s official releases. The full story is captured in the liner notes, thoughtfully crafted by music expert Syd Schwartz, who met Jeremy when he joined Sony Legacy in 2014. Syd’s deep love of prog shines through the liner notes, filled with both insight and humor. Jeremy and Syd’s combined passion ensures the deluxe physical CDs will be treated with the care they deserve.

The digital versions are handled by our trusted partners at Invasion Merch. Their mission is clear: to highlight extraordinary talent—both the visionaries shaping today’s music landscape and the pioneers who paved the way. Invasion Merch believes the label system, at its best, celebrates legends who shift sound, move hearts, and leave lasting echoes in time. They support artists by connecting them deeply with fans and opening doors for new generations of listeners. Few bands embody this mission better than Happy the Man, a groundbreaking force in 1970s progressive rock. Their music is complex, beautiful, and fearless—and remains as vital today as ever. It’s an honor to bring their work back to the forefront, where it belongs—introducing their visionary artistry to fresh audiences hungry for substance, musicianship, and discovery.

Through this reissue of their iconic Arista masters, Invasion Merch proudly celebrates a band whose legacy continues to grow stronger—and invites the world to hear Happy the Man as they were always meant to be heard.