Re: Happy Rhodes

[vickie@pilot.njin.net (Vickie Mapes)]

Robert Burbank asks about Happy. Has anyone here ever heard of Happy?
Do we know Happy? Oh my goodness....I'm savoring this like you wouldn't
believe!!!! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes...we have heard of Happy.

She's a 26 year old singer/songwriter/musician/producer from Albany, NY.
She has 5 albums out and is currently working on her 6th. She's never had
a recording contract and is the definition of "independent artist."

The song you heard was called "Words Weren't Made For Cowards" and I'm 
pleased and amazed you just heard her out of the blue and then came here
to ask about her. Believe me, you couldn't have come to a better place.

There is a Happy Rhodes mailing list called ecto and any additional
questions you have can go there. To subscribe, write to Jessica at:

ecto-request@ns1.rutgers.edu        to post:  ecto@ns1.rutgers.edu

There's a very long FAQ which will get you pretty familiar with Happy and
Ecto, plus tell you about all the projects going on, if you're interested.

If you don't want to join Ecto, a quick rundown of her discography is:
1) Rhodes I (1986)
2) Rhodes II (1986)
3) Rearmament (1986) 
4) Ecto (1987)
5) Warpaint (1991)

Her 5th will(should) be out at the beginning of next year, at which point
she'll tour. (oops, make that her *6th* album...I have no editor on this
account.) She only played 2 shows in support of Warpaint, because she
couldn't afford to undertake a full tour. She played Albany, NY and
Philadelphia, PA. Both concerts were excellent!

She doesn't have any videos yet (remember, everything comes out of her
and her SO Kevin's pocket) but probably will for the next album.

All 5 albums are on CD and they can be bought from:

Aural Gratification
P.O. Box 8658
Academy Station
Albany, NY  12208

They're $13.99 each. P&H for one CD is $2.00 and 35 cents for each 
additional CD. If you like Warpaint (and please let us know what you think
after you hear the whole thing) then I would highly recommend her other
albums too. You can hear the progression that led to Warpaint. I love them
all, and I find it impossible to be objective. :-)

Any other questions? Just ask me or on Ecto.

Vickie Mapes (check out the credits...it's one of my proudest moments)

ps, if you're curious, she was born Kimberly Tyler Rhodes. Her brother
started calling her "happy baby" because he couldn't pronounce Kimberly.
It became her permanent nickname.

pps, She's a big Kate fan and the song "Feed the Fire" on Warpaint is a
tribute to all the artists who have inspired her, including Kate, Peter       
Gabriel, Bach, Queen, David Bowie, Yes, Wendy Carlos and others.