Year: 2004
Country: UK
City: Chatham
Label: Big Beat
Format: CD
Tracks: 21
Time: 60 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Mod Garage Rock
MOD band formed in 1982 in Chatham, England. They were a regular live
fixture on the London "garage revival" mini-scene of the early 80´s and
often toured with sparring partners THE MILKSHAKES who included Billy
Childish on guitar. The Prisoners sound combined catchy, retro flavoured
melodies, punk guitar riffs, a Steve Marriott-esque vocal style and a
lead instrument of the then-unfashionable Hammond organ. The Prisoners
never met with much commercial success during their original lifespan
but have latterly been likened to Paul Weller and The Charlatans. Indeed
Tim Burgess of the Charlatans has cited the Prisoners as a major
influence. After releasing several self-financed records and
spending a year with "Big Beat Records", in 1985 The Prisoners signed a
new management deal with "Acid Jazz" that saw them move away from the
London garageband tag and instead directly into the MOD revival
mainstream. They also made a patchy final album, "In From The Cold", for
the ailing "Stiff Records" label. These deal were unsuccessful and the
band split up acrimoniously in 1986. They have however reformed for live
shows several times since then and managed to release a final one-off
single in 1997. Since splitting up the members of The Prisoners
have featured in a wide range of bands. James Taylor and Allan Crockford
formed mainstream jazz funk band The James Taylor Quartet in 1986,
although Allan Crockford is no longer part of their line-up. The
Solarflares, who released four albums before splitting up in 2004, were
Graham Day and Allan Crockford basically reprising The Prisoners sound
along with drummer Simon "Wolf" Howard and Mr Parsley on organ. Other
bands who have featured former members of The Prisoners are Planet, The
Buff Medways, The Prime Movers, The Mighty Caesars and The Stabilisers …
among many others.
