The Prayer Chain
Encyclopedia
The Prayer Chain was a 1990s Christian
alternative rock
band. The band has been called "the epitome of the Christian underground". The Prayer Chain was known for producing moody, angst-ridden music which was, in turn, the result of creative differences within the band and with their record label.
Their first album was recorded with Steve Hindalong
at Neverland Studios and was entitled The Neverland Sessions. This was their first release, independent. After signing to Reunion Records
they put out The Whirlpool EP and started touring, while focusing on their first LP Shawl released in 1993. After extensive national and international shows they started working on Mercury, which was released in 1995. This album, which engineer Chris Colbert has described by saying, "you can hear the band break up on the record, you can see them extend a warm and heartfelt middle finger to the industry" was their last CD, not to mention some rarities following. The band did a reunion show in Chicago
in 1998, then the Gene Eugene
tribute show in 2000, but other than some local California
shows and their 2003 reunion shows at Cornerstone Festival
and the Flevo Festival
in The Netherlands, they are finished.
The band has released some of their work & rarities on the Bandcamp
website. Most notably, they released the original version of their album Mercury titled Humb, ending years of speculation between fans as to what the original album exactly was. The original version was sent to their record label Reunion Records
in 1994 and the band were subsequently told to go back into the studio to write more songs, "something they could sell". The most evident differences between Mercury and Humb are the absence of popular track Sky High (which along with Friend or Foe was written after the record label rejecting the original version of the album) and the inclusion of Chalk, Antarctica and Loverboy (all which eventually appeared on the album Antarctica), as well as an altered track order. The mix is somewhat different as well, considered to be a darker mix of the album.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band. The band has been called "the epitome of the Christian underground". The Prayer Chain was known for producing moody, angst-ridden music which was, in turn, the result of creative differences within the band and with their record label.
Their first album was recorded with Steve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
at Neverland Studios and was entitled The Neverland Sessions. This was their first release, independent. After signing to Reunion Records
Reunion Records
Reunion Records is a Christian music record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee and operating under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982 by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.-History:...
they put out The Whirlpool EP and started touring, while focusing on their first LP Shawl released in 1993. After extensive national and international shows they started working on Mercury, which was released in 1995. This album, which engineer Chris Colbert has described by saying, "you can hear the band break up on the record, you can see them extend a warm and heartfelt middle finger to the industry" was their last CD, not to mention some rarities following. The band did a reunion show in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1998, then the Gene Eugene
Gene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
tribute show in 2000, but other than some local California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
shows and their 2003 reunion shows at Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
and the Flevo Festival
Flevo Festival
The Flevo Festival is an open air Christian music festival held each August in The Netherlands. The festival was first organized as the Kamperland Festival in 1978 by the Dutch arm of Youth for Christ and became a private foundation in 2002....
in The Netherlands, they are finished.
The band has released some of their work & rarities on the Bandcamp
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an online music store, as well as a platform for artist promotion, that caters mainly for independent artists. Artists on Bandcamp have a customizable microsite with the albums they upload. All tracks can be played for free on the website and some artists offer free music downloads...
website. Most notably, they released the original version of their album Mercury titled Humb, ending years of speculation between fans as to what the original album exactly was. The original version was sent to their record label Reunion Records
Reunion Records
Reunion Records is a Christian music record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee and operating under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982 by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.-History:...
in 1994 and the band were subsequently told to go back into the studio to write more songs, "something they could sell". The most evident differences between Mercury and Humb are the absence of popular track Sky High (which along with Friend or Foe was written after the record label rejecting the original version of the album) and the inclusion of Chalk, Antarctica and Loverboy (all which eventually appeared on the album Antarctica), as well as an altered track order. The mix is somewhat different as well, considered to be a darker mix of the album.
Members
- Tim Taber - vocals, founder of Floodgate RecordsFloodgate RecordsFloodgate Records was a part of the East West Records family of labels. It was founded in 2000 and managed by Tim Taber . Initial distribution was through Word Records, and marketing through Rocketown. Their first release was All I Have, a worship album by Rita Springer...
(Cool Hand Luke, Rita Springer), Transparent Productions, and Transparent Artists (The Myriad, Northern) - Andrew Prickett - guitar, now plays with CUSH and does extensive recording/producing/engineering, has also played with The Violet BurningThe Violet BurningThe Violet Burning is an independent rock and roll band based in Long Beach, USA. The band was formed in 1990 in Orange County, California by Michael J. Pritzl....
, My Brother's MotherMy Brother's MotherMy Brother's Mother was a Christian band from Southern California. Their only album, Deeper Than Skies, was released in 1995 on Five Minute Walk, and was the first release by that label...
, OneRepublicOneRepublicOneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
and others. - Eric Campuzano - bass guitar, now plays with The Lassie FoundationThe Lassie FoundationThe Lassie Foundation is an indie band from Southern California. Their style has been described as "pink noise pop." They disbanded in 2006 after having released three albums as well as several EPs, but have reunited and are working on a new full-length album....
and made a solo project Charity Empressa, also plays bass with CUSH, has played with Starflyer 59Starflyer 59Starflyer 59 is an alternative rock band from Riverside, California that was founded in 1993 by Jason Martin, brother of Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric. While Jason Martin has written nearly all of Starflyer 59's songs, the band has included a number of different musicians over the years, including...
. - Wayne Everett - drums, now playing guitar and started The Lassie FoundationThe Lassie FoundationThe Lassie Foundation is an indie band from Southern California. Their style has been described as "pink noise pop." They disbanded in 2006 after having released three albums as well as several EPs, but have reunited and are working on a new full-length album....
, has played in Starflyer 59Starflyer 59Starflyer 59 is an alternative rock band from Riverside, California that was founded in 1993 by Jason Martin, brother of Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric. While Jason Martin has written nearly all of Starflyer 59's songs, the band has included a number of different musicians over the years, including...
and CUSH, has done some producing, also released a solo album titled KingsQueens in 2003 on Northern RecordsNorthern RecordsNorthern Records is an independent record label located in California. It was founded in 1999. It is currently being distributed in the United States and Canada by RED Distribution .-CD releases:-Digital releases:...
.
Full-Length Albums
- The Neverland Sessions (1992)
- Shawl (1993)
- Mercury (1995)
- Antarctica (1996)
- Here Comes the Rust (2003)
- Humb (2011)
EPs
- Whirlpool EP (1992)
- Live (4-song EP) (1994)
- Live (8-song EP) (1994)
- Live at CBGB's (2005)
2-Disc Sets
- Mercury & Mercurios Tin: Limited Edition Collector's Set (1995)
- So Close...Yet So Far (1998)
Compilations
- Live At The Strand (1997)
- A Live Tribute Recording for Gene Eugene (2000)
External links
- The Prayer Chain - Official Site