The Prisoners - Info. Page

What Its All About...Own Label, Own Teeth?

Harry Palmer would have definitely loved this band. The Prisoners were/are cool but hard. Sixties/Garage/Psychedelic/Punk music with equally loud and up front guitar and keyboard sounds bursting with rawness. A band whose gigs excite. A band which had the guts to go it alone returning to their own label (Own Up Records) for the release of their third album when the record industry attempted to cramp their style and neuter their music. A band which had a fight in their record label's office to retrieve demo & master tapes of their fourth album. A band which has been quiet for a number of years but is now back, for the moment at least, via a series of gigs which will pack in their dedicated fans, and a one-off single deal (probably the only sort of deal that The Prisoners could accept from a record company these days).

For me the Prisoners offered the best music available in the early 80s, and I moshed and grooved at around a dozen of their gigs. This ended, to my stunned amazement, on the 18th Septmeber 1986 at the 100 Club in London. When I heard The Prisoners were to release a new single in 1997 my immediate thought was "Thank **** for that, at last some decent music!" But enough of what I think, read on...

What other people have said about The Prisoners

Gary Crossing, The Big Issue (No.235): "The Hammond organ sounds so damned fat and cheesy you could slap it in a family sized quiche. Add rootsy Sixties rock guitar, meaty beats and a garnish of gutsy white R&B boy vocals for instant chart topper. [A] fusion of psycedelic Sixties vibery [and] acid-fuelled garage band beats"..."the ballsy energy and excitement is still intact".

Ted Kessler/Roger Sargent, NME (7 June '97): "The toughest and coolest platoon to ever emerge from this isle's only true punk outpost". "If you're a fan of either The Charlatans or Kula Shaker, then you owe your allegiance to these bands to The Prisoners because they invented them".

Steve Lamaq, Radio 1 DJ (May '97): "Style, that's what you get with The Prisoners". Read Steve Lamaq's review here. Copied from the old Deceptive Records Site.

The Nearly NEW Single: Shine On Me

Shine On Me released in a "one-off" deal in June 1997 contains three new tracks from The Prisoners, 11 years on from their previous recordings. Shine On Me, Judgement Song and Small could hardly be a better example of Prisoners' music. Trust me, GET THIS CD. If you are a 1980s Prisoners purist worried about potential diappointment - don't be! If you're a Charlatans fan, a fan of the later Paul Weller stuff (Stanley Road etc.), or a "would be if they weren't such a bunch of hippies" Kula Shaker fan, GET THIS CD. If you're a musical adventurer, interested in exploring the roots of today's BritPop, GET THIS CD.

Real record buff bit: Published by Deceptive Records (Bluff 043CD). Distributed by Vital. Photo by Tracy Jackson. Design by Flirt.

The WiserMiserDemelza & 7

This is probably (as far as I know anyway) the only other Prisoners release that is available at the moment. This CD was originally released by Big Beat Records in 1990 and is a re-release of the 1983 vinyl album of the same name plus 7 bonus tracks recorded by the group and released on singles/compelations around 1984. The CD comes with a brief history of the band and a discography which I have reproduced, please click the icon below to view. Of the original album stuff, the track that leaps out and hits you where you get most pleasure is "Hurricane". "Unbeliever" is also great, and oh don't you just wish "Go Go" would get the full 3 minute treatment - Ah well!! Bonus tracks "Melanie", "Coming Home" and "Reaching My Head" are much treasured additions for the dedicated fan.

...Just click here for some ancient history and discography.

Drop Down for Track Listing........ 1) Go Go 2) Hurricane 3) Somewhere 4) Think Of Me 5) Love Me Lies 6) Tonight 7) Here Comes the Misunderstood 8) A Dream Is Gone 9) For Now And Forever 10) Unbeliever 11) Far Away 12) Go Go 13) Tomorrow (She Said) 14) Melanie 15) What I Want 16) The Last Thing On Your Mind 17) Revenge Of The Cybermen 18) Coming Home 19) Reaching My Head 20) Go Go

Real record buff bit: Original LP published by ACE Records (subsidiary of Big Beat) 1983 (WIK1G). Photo by Eugene Doyen. Sleeve design by Phil Smee. CD published by ACE Records 1990 (CDWIKD 937). Compiled by Roger Armstrong. Package design by Nick Garrad.

Collectors Items

Of course, having said that these are the only two CDs available, it might be possible to get hold of some stuff from other sources on the net. Why not try The Medway Corner for deleted Prisoners and other Medway Bands' Stuff. For example...

A Taste Of Pink

This is the first... a live studio recording, recorded and mixed in only 8 hours on 12/9/82. This album was recorded for the fans, not for the money! For a devoted fan it is difficult to distinguish much between the tracks, but "Coming Home", "Maybe I Was Wrong", "Mushroom" and "'Till The Morning Light" certainly stand out as fine examples, given the full deserving treatment achieved only by live performance. Sleeve notes with the CD give the added bonus of lyrics for those given to decyphering the angrier wails. Currently out of print but, I am assured, not deleted.

Drop Down for Track Listing........ 1) Better In Black 2) A Taste Of Pink 3) Maybe I Was Wrong 4) Creepy Crawlies 5) There Can't Be A Place 6) Pretend 7) Coming Home 8) Threw My Heart Away 9) Come To The Mushroom 10) 'Till The Morning Light 11) Say Your Prayers 12) Don't Call My Name

Rare and Unissued

This album is a collection of live, promotional, and own-mix recordings which span the band's original seven years together. This being the case the sound quality of the album is often not at its best, but this only enhances the memories of the raw power of a live performance. For this reason, my personal favourite is the live recording of "Come To The Mushroom". As a sad old fan from the early days I have seen this done many a time and, even though during the track all semblance of a tune disappears at one point, you cannot help but appreciate the full-on simultaneous assault of wailing guitar and keyboards.

Drop Down for Track Listing........ 1) Coming Home 2) Revenge Of The Cybermen 3) He's In Love 4) Trophies 5) Far Away 6) Ain't No Tellin 7) Come To The Mushroom 8) Happyness For Once 9) Be On Your Way 10) Buccaneer 11) Deceiving Eye 12) Mourn My Health 13) Popstar Party 14) The More I Teach You 15) Mourn My Health (not listed)

The Last Fourfathers

Can you fault this album? I can't. OK yes I can, the guttural cough at the beginning reminds me of too many of my own, and the clear use of the F-word during the fake radio intro makes it difficult for me to play in front of the kids. Small price to pay for a superb album that, back under their own control, throbs with essence of Prisoner. Check out all the tracks, but especially "Nobody Wants Your Love", "I Am The Fisherman" and "FOP", another personal favourite. If you can find a friend with this album - tape it. If you really don't like them that much - steal it, and watch them dispair at the loss of a prized possession.

Drop Down for Track Listing........ 1) Nobody Wants Your Love 2) Night Of The Nazgul 3) Thinking Of You (Broken Pieces) 4) I Am The Fisherman 5) Mrs Fothergill 6) Take You For A Ride 7) The Drowning 8) FOP 9) Whenever I'm Gone 10) Who's Sorry Now 11) Explosion On Uranus 12) I Drink The Ocean

In From The Cold

Under Construction - More to come as and when, hopefully SOON!

P.S. You are hit number - Sad isn't it?

Guestbook

Hey looky, a guest book! Yes it may not be original, but please sign it/view it... who knows you might come across your old buddies cruising on by from The MIC, The King Charles, The Hope & Anchor, The 100 Club, (The Pentagon Centre???) etc, or even a comment from a real, live Prisoner!!!

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Links

OK here are a few links....

Revenge of the Cybermen - notice the similarity in the images, you saw them here first! What the hey, this is the web. Good luck to the bloke. You'll definitely get good some stuff from here, even if the wallpaper ain't so good.

Compiled by The Psyberman. Last updated 27th September 1999.

Please send additions or comments to my Guestbook. All rights reserved © 1999 UrbSat

PS to all those who have signed it, cheers! I've been off-line for a bit, but will try and gee up my activities soon! (as time allows). Meanwhile, thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoyed.

The Psyberman thanks all those who have helped in this endevour especially: Andy P. Dicky B. Clive T. David F. & Paul W. - you know who you are.