The Prids are an American post-punk/indie rock band based in Portland, Oregon,[1] led by former couple David Frederickson and Mistina La Fave.[2][3] AllMusic described them as specializing in "a moody form of indie rock influenced by '80s college radio stalwarts",.[1] and their influences include the Smiths, Unrest, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Built to Spill, Wire and Sonic Youth.[2]
The Prids | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Portland, Oregon |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Death Tech Music, Luminal Records, Five03 Records, This-A-Way, Velvet Blue Music |
| Members | David Frederickson Mistina La Fave Geordie Thompson Cass Yates |
| Past members | Trenor Rapkins Jairus Smith Lee Zeman Eric Hold Joey Maas Maile Arruda Gordon Nickel |
| Website | theprids |
The Prids are known for following a strong DIY ethic, including the home recording of several of their records, booking their own tours and running their own Portland label collective, This-A-Way Records.[4]
History
editThe Prids were founded in the small town of St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1995 by Frederickson (guitar, vocals) and La Fave (bass, vocals).[5]
Frederickson moved to St. Joseph from Riverside, California after meeting a friend in rehab, with whom he’d started writing his first songs. He soon met La Fave, who attended one of his early shows. They eventually struck up a romance and formed The Prids soon after. The band name was a reference to a pet name that Frederickson had for La Fave.[4] The group continued to develop in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska,[1] and in Lincoln, they befriended Harry Dingman III, guitarist of 1980s post-punk band For Against.[6]
The band relocated to Portland in November of 1999 over their mutual love of the band Team Dresch,[5] and released their debut EP, Duracraft, in 2000 on the Death Tech Music label, featuring cover artwork by Dingman. In a contemporaneous live review, the Portland Mercury described the Prids as: "Imagine if My Bloody Valentine and New Order decided to collaborate when they were both at their peaks".[7]
The Prids have performed with the likes of TV On the Radio, The Faint and Slowdive, and Deerhunter played their first-ever show opening for The Prids in Atlanta, Georgia. The Prids played one of their earliest shows at the legendary Satyricon.
Their second EP, Glide, Screamer, was self-released in 2002, and The Prids released their debut full-length album, Love Zero, on May 6, 2003 on Luminal Records. The band went on to release two 7-inch singles on Luminal: "Let It Go" and "Shadow and Shadow.”
The Prids signed with New York-based label Five03 Records,[6] and released a second album, ...Until the World Is Beautiful (August 29, 2006) and a third EP, Something Difficult (October 9, 2007).
On July 20, 2008, the Prids were involved in a serious highway accident while driving south from San Francisco to Los Angeles.[8] All four members and two of their significant others were injured to varying degrees, and their van and gear were destroyed. In the aftermath of the accident, fans and friends worldwide donated over $16,000 to help the band with medical bills and equipment costs, and Five03 released a digital-only benefit/tribute album, Dots to Connect: The Music of the Prids, featuring Prids covers by A Place to Bury Strangers, the Suffocation Keep (with Brett Nelson of Built to Spill), The Upsidedown, Entertainment, Helvetia (band) and others.[9]
In 2009, the Prids issued the song "Break" on a split single with Lookbook. The band's third album, Chronosynclastic, featuring guest guitar from Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, was released on the Velvet Blue Music label on June 11, 2010.[2][10]
In 2015, the Prids celebrated their 20th anniversary as a band, and they released their fourth album, Do I Look Like I’m In Love? in 2018.[5]
The Prids will release their fifth full-length album I Only Care About You and Me on Sept. 7, 2024, on This-A-Way Records. The album was produced by Larry Crane, and will include the first single, “Tell You Nothing.” [11]
Members
edit- David Frederickson - guitar, vocals (1995–present)
- Mistina La Fave - bass, vocals (1995–present)
- Geordie Thompson - drums (2019–present)
- Cass Yates - keyboards, bass (2014–present)
Former members
edit- Trenor Rapki - keyboards (1998-2001)
- Jairus Smith - drums, keyboards (1998-2004)
- Lee Zeman - drums (2002-2005, 2009-2015)
- Eric Hold - keyboards (2004-2007)
- Joey Maas - drums (2005- 2009)
- Maile Arruda - keyboards (2007-2015)
- Gordon Nickel - drums (2015-2019)
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Love Zero (2003, Luminal Records; 2006, This-A-Way Records)
- ...Until the World Is Beautiful (2006, Five03 Records)
- Chronosynclastic (2010, Velvet Blue Music; 2011, This-A-Way Records)
- Do I Look Like I'm In Love? (2018, This-A-Way Records)
- I Only Care About You and Me (2024, This-A-Way Records)
EPs
edit- Duracraft (2000, Death Tech Music)
- Glide, Screamer (2002, self-released)
- Something Difficult (2007, Five03 Records)
Singles
edit- "Let It Go" 7-inch (2004, Luminal Records)
- "Shadow and Shadow" 7-inch (2004, Luminal Records)
- "Something Difficult" 7-inch (2008, Catastrophe Ballet)
- "Break" split 7-inch with Lookbook (2009, Poison Apple Records)
Compilation appearances
edit- "Persona Solara" on Portland Mercury Presents Compact Disc of Sound (2001, Portland Mercury)
- "Contact" on New Dark Age Vol. 2 (2004, Strobelight Records)
- "The Problem" on Dark Awakening Vol. 5 (2006, COP International)
- "One Thousand Five" on A Compilation of Portland Music Volume 5 (2008, Failing Records)
- "Fragile" on Songs From a Sonic Land (2010, Reverb Records)
- "I'm Sorry" on Friends and Acquaintances (2013, Cassingle and Loving It)
- "Lie Here" on "Portland Cream Vol.1" (2016, Voodoo Doughnut Recordings)
- "Adore" on Got That Feeling, a Tribute to Skywave (2015, The Blog That Celebrates Itself Records)
Tribute albums
edit- Dots to Connect: The Music of the Prids (2009, Five03 Records)
References
edit- ^ a b c "The Prids Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c "The Prids : Velvet Blue Music". Velvetbluemusic.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Arnold, Kami. "The Prids". Riverfronttimes.com.
- ^ a b "Portland's the Prids brings new meaning to the term pop | Online Athens". Archived from the original on 2016-08-19. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
- ^ a b c "Sitting Pretty with the Prids | Music | Portland Mercury". Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
- ^ a b Herrera, Dave. "Q&A with David Frederickson of the Prids". Westword.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Shepherd, Julianne. "Lose My Breath". Portland Mercury.
- ^ Ezra Caraeff (July 21, 2008). "The Prids in Serious Van Accident". Portland Mercury.
- ^ "Dots to Connect: The Music Of The Prids". Popshifter.com. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Carson Vaughan (30 June 2010). "Prids feel free from boundaries on new release". JournalStar.com.
- ^ "Biography". Prids. Retrieved 2024-08-01.