Naked Prey
Encyclopedia
Naked Prey was a rock band from Tucson, Arizona
formed in 1982 by former Green on Red
drummer Van Christian and David Seeger, who had been in the original lineup of the Giant Sandworms (who later became Giant Sand
) as well as The Pedestrians, a band credited with having performed the first punk rock
show in Tucson. Other artists who recorded or performed with the band included members of Green on Red
and the Sand Rubies, John Convertino and Joey Burns, later of Calexico, Chuck Prophet
, Rainer Ptacek
and long time drummer Tommy Larkins, who currently plays with Jonathan Richman
, famously appearing with him as half of the two-man Greek chorus in There's Something About Mary
. Christian himself also performed with The Band of Blacky Ranchette (an occasional project of Giant Sand's Howe Gelb
) and was in the original lineup of The Friends of Dean Martinez
.
Naked Prey's aggressive, distorted sound was characterized as "rough-edged country rock
" and "folk-distorto-rock" and the band was credited with helping to pioneer the guitar-heavy "Desert Rock" sound associated with Tucson in the 1980s and 1990s. The band was also associated with the vaguely psychedelic Paisley Underground
scene out of Los Angeles
.
In 1984 Naked Prey recorded their first record, produced by Dan Stuart
of Green on Red
for the Down There label of Steve Wynn
(Dream Syndicate
). Two subsequent releases were on Los Angeles-based independent label Frontier Records
. Though they never achieved commercial success, they, like many Tucson bands, acquired a substantial following in Europe. The band broke up in the late 1990s, but Christian re-unites Naked Prey from time to time for occasional performances.
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
formed in 1982 by former Green on Red
Green on Red
Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground...
drummer Van Christian and David Seeger, who had been in the original lineup of the Giant Sandworms (who later became Giant Sand
Giant Sand
Giant Sand is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The name is shortened from the original Giant Sandworms, a reference to the creatures in the Dune books. Overseen by singer-songwriter Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years—at times with each album...
) as well as The Pedestrians, a band credited with having performed the first punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
show in Tucson. Other artists who recorded or performed with the band included members of Green on Red
Green on Red
Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground...
and the Sand Rubies, John Convertino and Joey Burns, later of Calexico, Chuck Prophet
Chuck Prophet
Chuck Prophet is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. A Californian, Prophet first achieved notice in the American psychedelic/desert rock group Green on Red, with whom he toured and recorded in the 1980s...
, Rainer Ptacek
Rainer Ptacek
Rainer Ptacek was a Tucson, Arizona based guitarist and singer-songwriter. His guitar technique, which incorporated slide, finger-picking, tape loops and electronic manipulation, earned him admiration of some notable musicians such as Robert Plant and Billy Gibbons...
and long time drummer Tommy Larkins, who currently plays with Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
, famously appearing with him as half of the two-man Greek chorus in There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
. Christian himself also performed with The Band of Blacky Ranchette (an occasional project of Giant Sand's Howe Gelb
Howe Gelb
Howe Gelb is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer based in Tucson, Arizona.-Projects:Gelb's approach to music is collaborative and he has recorded with a number of side projects...
) and was in the original lineup of The Friends of Dean Martinez
Friends of Dean Martinez
Friends of Dean Martinez is an instrumental rock/post-rock band featuring members of Giant Sand, Calexico, and Naked Prey. FoDM music may be described as a combination of americana tunes with bits of electronica, ambient, lounge, psychedelia and dub intertwined with surf rock inspired lead...
.
Naked Prey's aggressive, distorted sound was characterized as "rough-edged country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
" and "folk-distorto-rock" and the band was credited with helping to pioneer the guitar-heavy "Desert Rock" sound associated with Tucson in the 1980s and 1990s. The band was also associated with the vaguely psychedelic Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground is an early genre of alternative rock, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s.- History :...
scene out of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
In 1984 Naked Prey recorded their first record, produced by Dan Stuart
Dan Stuart
Dan Stuart is an American musician best known as the leader/singer/songwriter of 80's post punk, alt-country rock band, Green On Red , and for his teaming with Steve Wynn as Danny & Dusty.-History:Raised in Tucson, Arizona, Dan Stuart founded punk band The Serfers in 1979...
of Green on Red
Green on Red
Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground...
for the Down There label of Steve Wynn
Steve Wynn (songwriter)
Steve Wynn is a songwriter based in New York . He led the band the Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 and afterward began a solo career.- Career in bands :...
(Dream Syndicate
Dream Syndicate
The Dream Syndicate was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California active from 1981 to 1989. The band was associated with the Paisley Underground music movement.-History:...
). Two subsequent releases were on Los Angeles-based independent label Frontier Records
Frontier Records
Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways....
. Though they never achieved commercial success, they, like many Tucson bands, acquired a substantial following in Europe. The band broke up in the late 1990s, but Christian re-unites Naked Prey from time to time for occasional performances.
Members
- Van Christian - Vocals, guitar
- David Seger - Guitar, vocals
- Richard Baden - Bass, vocals
- Tommy Larkins - Drums
Discography
- Naked Prey (1984)
- Under the Blue Marlin (1986)
- 40 Miles from Nowhere (1987)
- Kill the Messenger (1989)
- Live in Tucson (1990)
- Jumbo's Shinebox (1992)
- And then I Shot Everyone (1995)