The Prefab Messiahs
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Worcester MA, United States (1981 – 1983)
The Prefab Messiahs were an eccentric US proto-lo-fi/post-punk left-field garage pop band associated with the “Wormtown” (Worcester, Massachusetts) punk/arts scene of the early 1980s. Stylistically, they have been compared with Television Personalities, Swell Maps, Thee Oh Sees, The Monochrome Set, Ty Segall, The Clean, and The Twinkeyz.
Together from 1981-1983, they played basement and club shows fairly often. Aside from the 1983 cassette Flex Your Mind, though, no recorded material was available from them until 1998’s Devolver CD-R anthology. Several songs on the album were produced by their friend (outsider psychedelic singer-songwriter) Bobb Trimble.
At their first-ever gig, the band distributed a simultaneously prank-ish and poker-faced “manifesto”, using 60s rock album liner notes as a wobbly template. It began:
“…Was it only 3 or 4 weeks ago that the future PREFAB MESSIAHS first pooled their cosmic energies and talents, and – crooning their messages about our Plastic Age – decided to totally revolutionize Pop Music? The Concept was shocking in its boldness – 4 young men with a Destiny – from the Store 24 to Mister Donut their eyes burned with what they saw, even as they lapped it up faster than a small order of McDonald’s fries. Reality could not keep the PREFAB MESSIAHS down! Still, if the Media is the Message, just what are these guys talking about? In short, they’re talking about you and me and no one in particular – about the kind of Eternal Struggle that most “bands” and “musicians” don’t even realize exists…”
Together from 1981-1983, they played basement and club shows fairly often. Aside from the 1983 cassette Flex Your Mind, though, no recorded material was available from them until 1998’s Devolver CD-R anthology. Several songs on the album were produced by their friend (outsider psychedelic singer-songwriter) Bobb Trimble.
At their first-ever gig, the band distributed a simultaneously prank-ish and poker-faced “manifesto”, using 60s rock album liner notes as a wobbly template. It began:
“…Was it only 3 or 4 weeks ago that the future PREFAB MESSIAHS first pooled their cosmic energies and talents, and – crooning their messages about our Plastic Age – decided to totally revolutionize Pop Music? The Concept was shocking in its boldness – 4 young men with a Destiny – from the Store 24 to Mister Donut their eyes burned with what they saw, even as they lapped it up faster than a small order of McDonald’s fries. Reality could not keep the PREFAB MESSIAHS down! Still, if the Media is the Message, just what are these guys talking about? In short, they’re talking about you and me and no one in particular – about the kind of Eternal Struggle that most “bands” and “musicians” don’t even realize exists…”
Shouts:
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Selected by this artist
Featured Tracks
| FULL TRACK Beyond All That | 2:52 | |
| FULL TRACK Desperately Happy | 3:05 | Free MP3 |
| FULL TRACK Franz Kafka | 3:03 | Free MP3 |
| FULL TRACK The 16th Track | 5:21 | |
| FULL TRACK Prefab Sun | 2:58 | Free MP3 |
| FULL TRACK You're Gonna Miss Me | 3:20 |
Top Albums
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Devolver
The Prefab Messiahs
Buy- Download Album
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- Buy Album
- The Winter of Love Shop $7.99
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Peace Love & Alienation
The Prefab Messiahs Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
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- Buy Album
- FIXED IDENTITY
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Franz Kafka / Prefab Sun
The Prefab Messiahs Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
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- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Bandcamp
- Amazon Search
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Shoutbox
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getbentblog wrote:
Out now from Brooklyn’s Fixed Identity, the 12” comes with fold-out zine and cool points to get any music snob pouring over your good taste. Preview the record with the tape-hissed “Sacred Cow” and Trimble-flared “The 16th Track:" http://letsgetbent.tumblr.com/post/16185972202/review-the-prefab-messiahs-peace-love-alienation
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beyondwithin wrote:
@WesternRadio - there are 5 free trax here at Last.fm. more stuff cheap at their Bandcamp too.
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WesternRadio wrote:
can someone send me anything by them? please
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feelbythem00n wrote:
this is just so good to my ears
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beyondwithin wrote:
new (archival '82) 12" EP coming fall '11 from Fixed Identity. you can hear/buy the last single (7" & digital) on bandcamp
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sparrow1970 wrote:
I can't stop listening to that Franz Kafka single, is there more from these guys like that?? This is the first time I heard them, LOVE the single :-)
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ZacMagnum wrote:
Check out the PREFAB MESSIAH'S "Franz Kafka" 7" right now, originally from 1982 >> http://styrofoamdrone.com/2011/04/20/the-prefab-messiahs-franz-kafka-7/
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NaphacK wrote:
ii liiikeee
Videos
News
PrefabMessiahs: 'Peace Love & Alienation' moves up from #167 to #117 this week on…
23 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/PrefabMessiahs
PrefabMessiahs: 'Peace Love & Alienation' moves up from
#167 to #117 this week on the CMJ Top 200 Chart! 12"LP (&
digital)... http://t.co/Ir52YaVD
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22 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/PrefabMessiahs -
18 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/PrefabMessiahs -
17 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/PrefabMessiahs
Top Listeners
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hernangoma
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prefabsun
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FoxAndRabbit
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Recent Activity
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rice4asheik tagged The Prefab Messiahs with altered zones, fixed identity, 80s and 17 other tags. 8 days ago
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bobbyrose86 added The Prefab Messiahs to bobbyrose86’s library. 18 days ago
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beyondwithin wrote about The Prefab Messiahs in The Prefab Messiahs - garage/post-punk/psych oddity w/ new 12" of 1982-83 recordings!. last month
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beyondwithin wrote about The Prefab Messiahs in The Prefab Messiahs - great review in GET BENT!. last month
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beyondwithin updated the wiki page for The Prefab Messiahs. (diff) last month
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marty044 added The Prefab Messiahs to marty044’s library. last month
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ZacMagnum wrote about The Prefab Messiahs in SD's TOP THIRTY 7" RECORDS of 2011 (pt. 1). December 2011
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albarsty added The Prefab Messiahs to albarsty’s library. December 2011
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prefabcitydub tagged The Prefab Messiahs with pfabtraxx, garage pop, lo-fi indie and 34 other tags. December 2011
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SrACEchevarria added The Prefab Messiahs to SrACEchevarria’s library. December 2011
Related Journals
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The Prefab Messiahs - garage/post-punk/psych oddity w/ new 12" of 1982-83 recordings!
by beyondwithin |
25 Jan 2012
| 1 comment
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The Prefab Messiahs - great review in GET BENT!
by beyondwithin |
25 Jan 2012
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SD's TOP THIRTY 7" RECORDS of 2011 (pt. 1)
by ZacMagnum |
22 Dec 2011
More Information
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