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die_happy

Die Happy

Heavy Metal / Hard Rock
California, USA

Die Happy was a Christian rock band that formed in 1990. The band was formed when Vengeance Rising members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Glen Mancaruso, and Roger Dale Martin split the band, citing unrest with that band's front man and vocalist, Roger Martinez. According to Martin, most of the band wanted to end Vengeance Rising with one last concert to pay off their debt and end the band. Martinez wanted to continue. So the four other members gave the band and debt to Martinez and went their separate ways. Martin joined the Triple Ace band with no intention of recording anything related to Vengeance Rising.

Later on, Thieme signed a contract with Frontline Records to record an album. He called up Martin to see if he would play bass on the album. Martin agreed, so they also contacted Farkas and Mancaruso to join the project. They also agreed. Finally, Thieme hired Robyn Kyle Basauri, formerly of Jaguar, as a vocalist. Basauri sung all of the vocals based on the directions from Thieme.

Lyrically, the band was more socially focused than Vengeance Rising. Songs dealt with issues such as Magic Johnson and HIV-AIDS (“Real”) and American Indian massacres (“Painted Truth”).

At the time of their first album, the band was seen as “Vengeance Rising with a new Vocalist.” For their second release, however, their sound changed to more of a hard, classic rock sound. Basauri had officially joined the band after the release of their eponymous debut. Additionally, Martin had gone back to playing with the Triple Ace band, viewing his time in Die Happy as project. The band recruited Greg Chaisson, formerly of Badlands, as Martin's replacement for their second album and live ep.

According to Thieme, “The Cage” was originally supposed to be on the third Vengeance Rising record. The song “The Contract” was also an unrecorded Vengeance Rising song that made it on the first Once Dead album.

Thieme also once stated that he had envisioned a claymation video for “Bone Doctor.”

Following the demise of Die Happy, Robyn Kyle Basauri and bassist Greg Chaisson formed the band Red Sea. Hiring Chris Howell (Fear Not) on guitar and Jeff Martin (Badlands, Racer X) on drums, the band released one album, Blood, on Rugged Records in 1994. They were initially scheduled for a support tour with Ken Tamplin, but were dropped in favor of Greg X. Volz. Musically, they were compared to the English band Deep Purple.

Larry Farkas, Glen Mancaruso, Roger Dale Martin, and Doug Thieme had reformed under the new name Once Dead with the addition of Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters. Originally planning to be a Vengeance Rising reunion, Martinez owned the original rights to the name. Instead of fighting for the rights to “Vengeance Rising,” they instead used the name “Once Dead.” Once Dead has released one album so far, Visions of Hell. The line up for this release included Jim Chaffin (The Crucified, The Blamed, Fasedown, Deliverance) on drums and Devin Schaeffer (Fasedown) on vocals. A follow up album has been delayed due to a vocal condition of Schaeffer's.

Discography

1992 Die Happy Intense Records
1993 Volume II Intense Records
1993 Intense Live Series Vol. 4 Intense Records

Die Happy

1992 Intense Records (FLD9283)

Robin Kyle Basuri - Vocals
Doug Thieme - Guitars, vocals
Larry Farkas - Guitars
Roger Dale Martin - Bass
Glen Mancaruso - Drums

  1. Renaissance (3:11)
  2. Perpetual Motion (3:21)
  3. Die Happy (4:52)
  4. Bone Doctor (3:16)
  5. Cage (4:07)
  6. Real (5:10)
  7. Slide Rule (5:54)
  8. Painted Truth (3:11)
  9. Celebration (5:38)
  10. Melrose (4:12)
  11. Silver Cloud (6:05)

Volume II

1993 Intense Records (FLD9430)

Robin Kyle Basuri - Vocals
Doug Thieme - Guitars
Larry Farkas - Guitars
Greg Chaisson - Bass
Glen Mancaruso - Drums

  1. Sticks and Stones (3:55)
  2. Justified (3:32)
  3. Love Sick Dog (4:11)
  4. Tear Gallery (5:57)
  5. Blue (4:18)
  6. Talk (5:29)
  7. Eden (5:15)
  8. Cole's Atomic Funk Thang (2:05)
  9. Temple of the Soul (5:02)

Intense Live Series Vol. 4

1993 Intense Records (FLD9436)

Robin Kyle Basuri - Vocals
Doug Thieme - Guitars
Larry Farkas - Guitars
Greg Chaisson - Bass
Glen Mancaruso - Drums

  1. Justified (3:57)
  2. In Studio (0:07)
  3. Painted Truth (3:48)
  4. In Studio (0:07)
  5. Temple of the Soul (5:57)
  6. In Studio (0:10)
  7. Celebration (5:39)
  8. In Studio (0:36)
  9. Endless Time (4:16)
  10. All over Me (5:57)

die_happy.txt · Last modified: 2019/09/16 16:19 by admin