2003 saw Paddy release a solo album, 'i trawl the MEGAHERTZ' which is mostly instrumental, though Paddy does sing on track 7, and the title track (a 22 minute whopper) features spoken word vocals from Yvonne Connors. The album is a highly personal project which apparently documents Paddy's eyesight problems of a few years previously. Calum Malcolm appeared again as producer.
Sometime in 2004, a plan was hatched to co-ordinate a re-release of Steve McQueen with a new album produced by Thomas Dolby (who was al
Prefab Sprout formed sometime in the late 70's, and at that time was comprised of Patrick 'Paddy' McAloon, his brother Martin, and Michael Salmon as the first in a long line of drummers - as of 2006, there have been at least eleven.
They first came on the scene in February 1982 with their debut single 'Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone),' with a b-side of 'Radio Love.' This single was released on their very own 'Candle Records' label, with the now-famous motto: 'The Wax That Won't Get On Your Wick.' Shortly after this, Wendy Smith joined the band to provide backing vocals at live shows.
In 1990 the band returned with another Thomas Dolby produced album, 'Jordan: The Comeback,' which recieved a nomination in the Brit Awards for 'best album' and reached #7 on the album chart in the UK. A new tour also begins, and all reports say it was fantastic.
In 1992 'Life Of Suprises - The Best Of Prefab Sprout,' was released and was their biggest hit, making it to #3 in the UK. Unfortunatley this appeared to be the end of the road for the Sprouts, signifying the end of their poo
Wendy was still with the Sprouts the following September at the recording of 'The Devil Has All the Best Tunes' and 'Walk On,' where she provided backing vocals with her friend Feona Atwood. In March 1983 they were spotted by Keith Armstrong, one of the founders of Kitchenware Records, and signed up. 'Lions' was re-released on Kitchenware in April.
Shortly after this Michael Salmon left the band, and they spent the next year looking for a replacement. Session drummer Graham Lant was used in the recording of their first album, 'Swoon,' completed in August 1983. In October, Kitchenware released 'The Devil.../Walk On' as a single, and were signed to an eight-album distribution deal by CBS, with Kitchenware staying as management.
After several months of touring (which included supporting Elvis Costello), Swoon was released in March 1984. Shortly after this Neil Conti joined as drummer, and played his first Prefab Sprout gig in Dublin. Over the next year they proceed to record 'Steve McQueen,' with famed producer Thomas Dolby becoming 'the fifth sprout' after Paddy wants to get in someone 'experienced' and 'up on the technical side.' The album, released in June 1985, was a huge sucess and highly praised by critics - but despite this, complaints from Steve McQueen's estate caused it to be titled 'Two Wheels Good' for the US release. This was also the title of the ensuing tour, which included a couple of shows in Japan.
In September 1985 the band recorded 'Protest Songs,' which was to be their third album, but around this time 'When Love Breaks Down' finally became a hit after several releases. The label thought that having a new album out would confuse things, so Protest Songs was shelved. It was eventually released in 1989, but not before 'From Langley Park To Memphis' had come out in 1988, with Dolby again on production duties for some tracks. This album spawned the Sprout's biggest hit single, 'The King Of Rock 'N' Roll' which charted at #7 in the UK. The video gained a certain notoriety, featuring dancing hot dogs and frogs, and was popular with kids.
- Paddy came up with the band's odd (but strangely apt) name at the age of 14, as an attempt at mimicing one of the unusual names that were popular at the time. According to a 1991 Rolling Stone article, other names considered for the band's name included 'Grappled Institution,' 'Dry Axe,' and 'Village Bus.'
- Neil Conti played drums on the Mick Jagger/David Bowie release of "Dancin' in the Streets" and performed on Live Aid with Bowie.
- The Sprouts have only released two cover versions - 'He'll Have to Go' and 'The Streets of Laredo.'
- The word 'Rollmo' (as heard on 'Machine Gun Ibiza') came to Paddy in a dream. In this dream, Michael Jackson was producing one of their records and said the song needed some 'Rollmo.' He then adjusted a knob that would add a 'touch of magic' to the recording.
- Talking of 'Machine Gun Ibiza,' Paddy explained in 1990 that he got the name whilst struggling to hear his friend across a noisy table in a pub. "He said something to me across the noisy table, about 'Machine Gun' - which is a track by Jimi Hendrix - and Ibiza, where we'd just been on holiday. I thought, 'Machine Gun Ibiza? What's he on about?"
- The opening dialogue in 'Blueberry Pies' is from the very first episode of the TV series 'The White Shadow.' Jim Willis (played in this episode only by Jason Bernard), the principal of Carver High School, spoke the line to Ken Reeves (Ken Howard), the title character of the show.
- The female voice murmuring on 'Wild Horses' belongs to Jenny Agutter, an actress perhaps best known as the girl in Nicholas Roeg's film 'Walkabout.'
- 'Emma Welles,' who is credited with several early sleeve notes and as talking to Paddy on 'The Great Escape' promo tape, actually does not exist. It's a pseudonym for Paddy himself! As for the tape, that was a woman called Paula Goldberg, who designed record sleeves for Kitchenware in the early days.
- Paddy apparently has hundreds of unreleased tracks and ideas. These include an album where every track was called 'Goodbye Lucille,' a Christmas album called 'Total Snow,' a film musical called 'Zorro the Fox,' a concept album about Michael Jackson ('Behind the Veil') and my personal favourite, 'Let's Change the World With Music.' That one is an album that is possibly about the gulf war, possibly about the cliches of music, and one track is a history of the world - a track that Paddy claims consists of about 20 to 30 individual songs! The Austrailian artist Wendy Matthews actually covered some of these tracks on her 1994 album 'The Witness Tree,' and you can listen to clips here and here.
association with both Dolby and Neil Conti, the latter going on to session work. Wendy and Martin apparently go to work with children in 'music therapy,' and none of the Sprouts are heard from for five years.
In 1997, however, the band reappeared with a new single (performed on the UK's National Lottery Show, no less) and a new album, 'Andromeda Heights.' Fans were a little dissapointed at the lack of Conti, and Wendy and Martin's minimal participation, but it gained mostly positive reviews and peaked at #6 on the UK chart. Paddy and Calum Malcolm were responsible for production, though Dolby is credited in the notes for his 'encouragement and advice.' It was never released in the US.
In 1999 a second Prefab Sprout compliation was released, '38 Carat Collection.' Since Andromeda, Paddy has got married and had a daughter - the story goes that he met his wife in the classical music section of a Newcastle record store. Wendy has given birth too, causing her to miss out on the 2000 tour - but Neil Conti makes a welcome return. The tour includes a performance at the Fleadh Festival in London.
A new album is rumoured to be coming, but is set back by Paddy developing a serious medical problem with his eyesight - later described as 'eye surgery followed by shingles followed by eye surgery.' Eventually 'The Gunman And Other Stories' is released in June 2001, but there's no sign of Wendy or Neil, with Paddy preferring to use session musicans and 'programmed percussion.' It is mostly comprised of songs Paddy wrote for artists such as Cher and Jimmy Nail in the preceding decade, on the theme of the American West, and was produced by Tony Visconti.
also going to remaster SM for the new release.) Paddy got working on some new material, and recorded some acoustic versions of Steve McQueen (intended for disc 2 of the set.) Unfortunatley, disaster struck - during the process Paddy started suffering from meniere's disease and lost hearing in one of his ears, meaning that all musical projects had to be abandoned.
However, come March 2007, we were greeted with a digital single of 'When Love Breaks Down' (the acoustic version) and, after years of waiting, the 'Steve McQueen' re-release finally arrived on the 2nd April. As of today, Paddy's hearing has been restored and Martin is busy managing and producing new bands Chopper Harris, Indigo Colony and Babygod. With all contracts now fulfilled and expired, there are no plans at the moment for new Prefab Sprout material - but you never know what the future may hold.
Sprout Trivia
(The info comes mostly from Bedford McIntosh's site)
