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Classic rockers Prism plays North Hill Inn
11/19/08
BY MARK WEBER
Red Deer Express
Canadian classic rockers Prism convey the elusive notion of ‘staying power’ to remarkable degrees.
They play the North Hill Inn Nov. 27. Doors open at 9 p.m.
The band’s roots hearken back to the late 1960s with Vancouver band Seeds of Time. Membership has changed big time over the years but the commitment to crafting great tunes and having a blast onstage hasn’t faded in the slightest.
“I think Canadian music of that vintage has found a place – we all tend to date our lives by music,” explains original Prism member Al Harlow during a recent interview.
“As we roll along together in life, it’s kind of like having an old friend along for the ride.”
It was in the 1970s that Lindsay Mitchell, Harlow, Rocket Norton, and John Hall would be soaring up the charts as Prism.
Others hailed from jazz band Sunshyne, yielding trumpeter Bruce Fairbairn plus songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Vallance.
Singer Ron Tabak was also recruited and it was these men who joined forces in a Vancouver recording studio in 1975.
The group deliberated over a band name until the first self-titled album Prism was chosen to reflect their influences which included blues, rock and jazz.
For his part, guitarist and bassist Harlow brought songwriting flair to the quintet as they entered the studio in early 1978 to record See Forever Eyes.
A passion for music was sparked early in his life, with both his folks playing instruments and an overall appreciation for a spectrum of genres in the household.
Harlow recalls becoming completely fanatical about music in his early teens. As time went by, any other career wasn’t even considered.
“When the energies of youth are raging, you feel you have so much to prove.”
That raw energy served Prism well — in 1980 the band recorded Young and Restless with Mitchell and Harlow as writing partners. Success and industry recognition soon followed.
That year also saw Prism win Juno Awards for Group of the Year and a Producer of the Year win for Bruce Fairbairn’s work on an earlier disc Armageddon.
The title track Young and Restless was also nominated in the Song category.
But changes were in the wind for Prism which disbanded in 1982 and remained silent until 1988 when Norton, Harlow and Mitchell entered the studio with singer Darcy Deutsch and keyboardist Andy Lorimer to record Good to be Back.
The track, written by Harlow, Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams, outlines the history of the band including a lyrical tribute to the late Ron Tabak.
The death of Fairbairn in 1999 gave pause not only to mourn a comrade but also to salute his achievements as producer for bands including AC/DC, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith.
In time Norton, Deutsch and Mitchell departed, Norton moving to television and stage musical production, John Hall remaining active as a pianist in Vancouver while breeding purebred Afghan hounds.
But Harlow kept the flame burning.
In 2003 he took over lead vocals in Prism.
It’s been quite the journey, but Harlow has never really considered calling it quits. Seeing audiences respond to the old hits and the newer material is always a delight.
“I would call that a bonding factor – it bonds the band to the audience,” he says.
This year’s release of Big Black Sky put the band back on the map as a creative force. With drummer Gary Grace, keyboardist-guitarist Steve-O and bassist Tad Goddard, Prism tours constantly. And that’s just fine with Harlow.
“I also consider myself a lifer with music – it’s my vocation,” he says.
“I love touring, getting out there and meeting the fans. Every corner of this country feels like home to me.”
mweber@reddeer.greatwest.ca 403-309-5459
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