By Jim Barber
They’re a type of bands that sort of will get misplaced within the shuffle when speaking concerning the glorious Canadian rock music of the Seventies and early Eighties. Overshadowed? Typically. Underrated? At all times. Prism was as distinguished a reputation on the airwaves of Canada, and North America for that matter, throughout that point interval as contemporaries equivalent to April Wine, Trooper and Triumph, and maybe solely eclipsed by the juggernaut that was – and is – Rush.
With a blisteringly potent, immediately memorably, and brilliantly compelling collection of hit songs from the powerhouse ‘Take Me to the Kaptain,’ ‘Younger and Stressed,’ and “Spaceship Celebrity’ to the sublimely melodic ‘Flying,’ ‘See Without end Eyes,’ and ‘Virginia,’ epic ballads like ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘It’s Over’ to the monumental epic, ‘Armageddon’ Prism was a bona fide rock hit making machine – maybe the Nice White North’s model of Kansas, Boston, Journey or Styx.
A lot of these songs are nonetheless performed on old-school terrestrial radio, particularly with the proliferation of the ‘Basic Rock’ or ‘Basic Hits’ codecs, in addition to on satellite tv for pc radio and streaming platforms. However their elevation to the pantheon of nice Canadian bands, commercially and touring smart, solely lasted 5 years. The vicissitudes and vagaries of the music business, and the numerous points, each enterprise and personnel associated, took a toll, and by 1983, there have been no authentic members left.
The ’traditional lineup’ of Prism was constituted by lead vocalist Ron Tabak, lead guitarist Lindsay Mitchell, keyboardist John Corridor, drummer Rocket Norton and bass/rhythm guitarist Al Harlow. At instances, the early lineup of the band, particularly for his or her first, self-titled album, additionally included Jim Vallance, quickly to turn into considered one of Canada’s most profitable and lauded songwriters/producers, on drums, in addition to trumpet participant Bruce Fairbairn, later additionally turning into a legendary rock producer. It even included bassist Tom Lavin, who would go on to discovered Juno successful blues act, the Powder Blues Band.
After the 1977 first album, three others shortly adopted, establishing Prism as one of the crucial prolific and in-demand bands in Canada. See Without end Eyes got here in 1978, adopted by Armageddon a 12 months later, with Younger and Stressed being launched in 1980. Later that 12 months, their All The Better of Prism compilation dominated gross sales. However by then the ‘points’ had settled in. Small Change in 1981 spawned one hit single (oddly sufficient, far more profitable within the U.S. than in Canada) ‘Don’t Let Him Know,’ adopted by the album Beat Road in 1983, which was not promoted by the label, and featured not one of the traditional members.
However over these superb few years, Prism garnered 11 Juno Award nominations, together with for Group of the 12 months 4 instances (successful in 1981) with Fairbairn successful for Producer of the 12 months for the Armageddon Album in 1980.
Quick ahead to 2025, and Prism, beneath the management of Harlow, continues to be on the market, nonetheless enjoying these songs, in addition to a number of newer ones, with the identical power, vigour, enthusiasm and fervour as at all times – a real instance of rock and roll resilience.
After a pair of exhibits opening for British rock legends Nazareth, which incorporates an Oct. 9 date on the new Onerous Rock On line casino and Resort simply exterior Ottawa, Prism heads again west for exhibits in Oliver and Kamloops B.C., earlier than a Halloween live performance on the Regent On line casino in Winnipeg and a New 12 months’s Eve efficiency on the Deerfoot On line casino in Calgary.
What would finally turn into Prism started within the extremely fertile and dynamic Vancouver music scene of the early Seventies. Harlow mentioned that the longer term members of the band have been already in demand performers and songwriters, venturing into numerous studios to report and launch music – all on the similar time. Rubbing shoulders, sitting in on each other’s classes, preserving tabs on what the opposite of us have been doing, these have been all half and parcel of being younger, hungry musicians on the rise.
“There was a band, The Seeds of Time, which was Rocket, and Lindsay and John Corridor and me. And we have been round about ten years earlier than Prism. However on the time, like most younger bands, we have been like a dysfunctional household, let’s assume. And other people got here and went. A bit later, there was Bruce Fairbairn, and Rocket Norton had the Rocket Norton Band. So, they have been recording, and The Seeds of Time was recording, and I used to be solo Al Harlow, in a means I’ve at all times been solo Al Harlow. If I wasn’t within the Seeds of Time, out and in of The Seeds of Time, I used to be within the studio making my very own recordings. So, there was all this mishmash of recording that was occurring, and it sort of morphed into the Prism undertaking, insofar as Bruce Fairbairn and Lindsay Mitchell, they sort of roped in Jim Vallance, they usually have been chopping some tunes on the similar time that the Rocket Norton Band was recording, and the Al Harlow band was recording. Nonetheless, they grabbed Jim Vallance’s songs, let’s assume. After which once we have been all collectively, they realized that between all of those initiatives, there wasn’t actually a singer within the room,” Harlow defined.
“They went out and located Ron Tabak. So, if you wish to use that because the lightening rod, then you would need to say that bringing in Ron Tabak to sing on the recordings that Bruce Fairbairn and Jim Vallance have been making, and Lindsay Mitchell was within the room as nicely, that might be mentioned to be the start of Prism. Nonetheless, John Corridor and Rocket Norton and I have been sort of lingering round. When it lastly acquired severe, and we needed to type of congeal as a band, as an alternative of being only a bunch of fellows, as a result of there have been like 5 drummers and 7 bass gamers – there have been every kind of individuals coming and going – once we realized this was going someplace, there’s some magic right here, we’d higher kind a band round it. And that turned the Prism on the album covers.
“We had a number of names; really the band was known as Beneath Development for a beat there, after which any individual got here up with the concept of Prism as a result of it appeared to have a visible connotation. You’ll be able to shut your eyes and type of think about the way you may current this factor, with mild exhibits and rainbows and crystal reflections and all of that. And it’s humorous as a result of it match in additional with a few of the stuff we did on the unique demos, all of which I’ve. There have been some jazz fusion stuff that was being recorded, but it surely was the songs that Jim Vallance was engaged on, that was what attracted the report corporations. They sort of mentioned, ‘nicely that’s nice guys. You’re enjoying jazz fusion. Effectively, you possibly can simply put that in your again pocket and reserve it for the field set. We’ll go together with ‘Spaceship Celebrity,’ and ‘Open Soul Surgical procedure,’ and ‘Take Me to the Kaptain’ and ‘It’s Over.’ We’ll go together with these songs. And so they did. In order that’s sort of the way it all started, and heaven is aware of, if nothing else had occurred, Prism was on the centre of this little group there, which spawned a lot different exercise. Like, Jim Vallance met Bryan Admas round Prism’s songwriting demoing course of. And naturally, Bruce Fairbairn himself went on to an illustrious profession producing AC/DC [The Razor’s Edge] and Bon Jovi [Slippery When Wet, New Jersey] and Aerosmith [Permanent Vacation, Pump]. In order that’s a fairly cool legacy by itself.”
After which there was the child hanging across the studio. With tousled blonde hair, a rasping voice that belied his unbelievable youth (he was 17 turning 18 in 1977) however with a assured streak a mile large, Harlow witnessed firsthand the nascent Bryan Adams studying his craft by watching Fairbairn, the Prism lads, and particularly from working carefully with Vallance.
“Even earlier than he did the stuff with Sweeny Todd [replacing Nick Gilder as a 15 year old!], I knew he had one thing. He was so centered. I imply, he blew all people away as a result of he was only a very decided younger man. Everyone else was type of bouncing round and making a number of errors and getting concerned in medicine and partying, however he stayed away from that, and it was noticeable simply how severe he was. I imply, it’s exhausting to say, , sure, I knew the Titanic was going to sink, or sure, I knew Bryan Adams was going to turn into this large worldwide star – no one is aware of for certain. However I bear in mind him from in the beginning occurred for him. And I bear in mind being actually impressed that, to start with, he was very gregarious, you might really feel as if you have been pals, and you might chat and hang around and do all that. He was very straightforward to interact with. However foremost, he was very, very intent and really, very centered. Nothing was going to dissuade him from reaching his objectives. I like him nonetheless.”
The entire of us concerned within the early Prism days have been influenced by many alternative kinds, together with jazz, therefore the factor of horns launched into lots of the band’s songs. At one level, an American music critic known as them, ‘The Who with horns,’ due to the bombastic riffs after which the scintillating cascade of horns. Harlow mentioned the music of the Nineteen Sixties, as with lots of their era, was basic to their improvement as gamers and writers, in addition to their abiding need to affix or kind bands.
“Rocket, John Corridor, Lindsay and I, as The Seeds of Time, we have been the Beatles and Stones era, that sort of stuff. All of us noticed The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Present in February of 1964. I even had copies of ‘Love Me Do,’ and ‘I Need to Maintain Your Hand,’ in late 1963. Nonetheless, we have been additionally youngsters of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry and in addition early Motown and the Stax, Volt stuff – the good rhythm and blues. So, we have been bathed in horns and horn sections. It was our dream to make music that may have all these components in it. It was a direct results of our influences, between Motown and the British Invasion and all that sort of stuff. I imply, the Rolling Stones’ authentic mission was to show us little younger suburban youngsters that this all got here from Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, means again there. All of us turned college students of the blues by that. And in that sense, we have been very like Trooper and April Wine and people guys as a result of we have been all the identical era. To at the present time I can hear all of the little similarities within the songs that all of us wrote. However for us, what actually thrilled us and turned us on got here out in our personal stuff,” he mentioned.
It’s sort of within the eye of the beholder as to when the ‘official’ 50th anniversary of Prism is, and when it ought to be celebrated. Most throughout the music business depend the primary launch as the start line, so that may imply 1977, when the self-titled debut album got here out. However as Harlow mentioned, the band had been within the works and possibly had its identify in late 1975 and into 1976. For the sake of argument, let’s say someday between now and subsequent 12 months is the 50th, only for the sake of argument … and to make a good portion of this text far more related. Even when it’s 1977, that also means Prism has been round for a extremely lengthy friggin’ time period. The songs are nonetheless performed on terrestrial radio, folks nonetheless flock to their exhibits and at the same time as lately as two years in the past, the band was nonetheless receiving accolades, this time from Canada’s Stroll of Fame. So, what does it imply to Harlow as, by far, the longest tenured member of the band, to achieve such a milestone and nonetheless be out on the highway and nonetheless have relevance to followers and the Canadian music business.
“You recognize what? It’s invigorating. I’m grateful. I’ve an perspective of gratitude, as a result of so lots of our contemporaries are now not right here. And of these which can be, a few of them should not in adequate form to truly acquired out and do the rigours of what it takes to get on the market and lay it out on stage, journey throughout the nation and all that stuff. However I really feel nice and, mercifully, nonetheless acquired my well being and all that. I really feel like I’m 25 years previous. I actually do. And I nonetheless recognize the possibility to get on the market and sing and play these songs. I’ve the privilege of representing that catalogue. Some folks nonetheless ask me how I can get on the market and sing, ‘Younger and Stressed,’ and ‘See Without end Eyes,’ or ‘Armageddon’ each evening? And I say, similar to Tony Bennet would say, you reinterpret it each evening. It’s at all times contemporary, and also you at all times should sing it such as you imply it. It’s acquired to return out of your intestine and our of your coronary heart. So, you must imbue it with all of the which means that you could give it now. And I additionally get the power from the gang, from the viewers. I feed off the passion and the adrenaline. If persons are exhibiting as much as hear that music, they wish to hear it for actual. And so they’re coming to see Prism, not a canopy band doing Chuck Berry covers or no matter. You’ve acquired to point out up as a result of they’ve. I do know it sounds overly sentimental, but when the viewers is exhibiting up stuffed with power, I’m exhibiting up stuffed with power. It’s a mutual gesture. We’re all there for one motive, and it’s a beautiful feeling,” he mentioned.
“These have been the songs that we wrote, and once we wrote them, we meant it. We put the whole lot we had into writing and recording and performing these songs. None of it was mercenary for us. If you’re younger and also you’re a child simply new to the music enterprise, you’re not self-editing. You’re not analyzing what you’re doing and looking on your personal ulterior motives or being strategic. There isn’t any of that. You’re simply in love with what you’re doing. So these songs, these recordings, these albums seize these moments. I could have written ‘Younger and Stressed,’ or ‘Take Me Away,’ or ‘Flying’ once I was in my 20s, however I understand how I felt. I can nonetheless bear in mind how I felt. I used to be speaking to somebody concerning the lyrics to ‘Flying’ lately and I informed them it was about an actual woman. What you hear within the tune actually occurred, and I understand how I felt about her, and I bear in mind how she felt about me. So, if I occur to be singing that tune tomorrow evening, or Thursday evening up in Ottawa, I’m proper again in that second.
“And there is a component of paying tribute not solely to the songs, but additionally doing my greatest to do justice to the tune’s as a result of Ron’s not right here to sing them [Tabak was killed not long after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle to Harlow’s house in 1984, to a meeting that was possibly leading to a reunion of the classic Prism lineup]. We have been friends. We have been brothers. We have been in it collectively, and he’s now not right here, proper. It’s been some time, however I do have these non-public moments the place I’m wondering what it could be like of Ron was nonetheless round. Effectively, he’d in all probability be the third particular person on this telephone name proper now, for one factor. He’d be right here and really current. I’m representing what all of us needed to precise by these songs. We have been happy with what we did and I’m nonetheless happy with it. And it’s type of my duty to be the keeper of the flame. Earlier than Rocket handed [in April 2024] we have been capable of discuss this as a result of we did some pretty large-scale most cancers profit live shows, which Rocket produced in his final days, however which he didn’t personally profit from. There’s a little bit of a misunderstanding there as a result of folks thought the exhibits have been elevating cash for his battle, but it surely was for the Youngsters’s Hospital, the Canadian Most cancers Basis. A bunch of us from Prism have been doing these exhibits and it actually introduced us collectively. And naturally, the elephant within the room was the truth that I’m out right here nonetheless doing it. However we have been capable of discuss that, John Corridor, Rocket and I. We had our little conversations, they usually have been giving it the thumbs up and mentioned, ‘yeah, you’re carrying the torch. We’re happy with you.’”
Prism blasted into the Canadian music business from the opening, prog-like keyboard twinkles for ‘Spaceship Celebrity’ in 1977, by to the only ‘Cowl Woman’ launched on 45 rpm and on the band’s All of the Greatest From Prism compilation, in 1980. Tabak left the band shortly thereafter taking away one of many basic elements of the band’s sound. Even with the distinctive success of the following single, that includes new singer Henry Small, ‘Don’t Let Him Know,’ which really made all of it the best way to primary on U.S. rock charts, the band couldn’t maintain it’s success and roughly drifted aside by late 1983. Then got here the dying of Tabak and one other hiatus, which noticed a reasonable resurgence in consideration with the tune ‘Good to be Again’ from their 1988 compilation, Over 60 Minutes with Prism (that includes Darcy Deutch on lead vocals. Deutch lasted till round 2003, Mitchell left the band a few years later. Norton, who returned in 1988, solely lasted till 1994 earlier than stepping into present manufacturing and different ventures.)
In 2005, and ever since, Harlow has been the constant presence – and lead voice – of the band onstage and within the studio. A brand new album, Massive Black Sky, got here out in 2008, and Harlow himself launched a solo album, Now! in 2022. By way of all of it, he has trod the boards on phases in golf equipment, at festivals, in arenas and all kinds of different venues, preserving that proverbial flame alight for Prism’s music and for Prism followers.
“Relying on the venue, it’s a fairly large fan base. If it’s a on line casino theatre versus a day set at an out of doors summer season pageant, or if it’s an all-ages factor or a comfortable seater or indoor hockey rink it might differ. At quite a lot of locations, you’ll have an viewers that I can break up into like three generations. There’s the primary era of followers. So, a Prism live performance can be ‘a night with Prism’ of their minds. It’s like, ‘okay darling, dinner and a present. After which we’ll be residence by 11. Time sufficient to take our tablets and get to mattress.’ Then there’s the center followers who might have found us within the Nineties. And for them a present may imply hiring a babysitter or leaving the youthful youngsters residence with the oldest. And I’m not taking something away from that subsequent era. A few of these followers know as a lot concerning the Prism story and the lyrics to the third verse of every tune as I do. I can look on the market and see all of them singing alongside to the second and third verse. I’m simply their pal onstage,” he mentioned.
“That first era of followers, the older ones, they’re exhibiting as much as most something we do. If it’s a three-day out of doors pageant, they’ll deliver their garden chairs they usually’ll sleep within the Winnebago. The center followers, who might have found us within the Nineties or early 2000s, they’re youthful and you’ll catch their vibe. After which there’s the actually youthful one who may even nonetheless be of their teenagers or very early 20s. And so they don’t appear to know the way previous I’m, they usually clearly don’t care. They simply know the music. They comprehend it and should prefer it sufficient to point out up and know that it’s us. So, it’s a complete cake combine. There could also be somebody who was tagging together with a pal and simply appreciated the vibe, or another person will come who will unexpectedly bear in mind all these songs of ours that they used to listen to. I get that remark on a regular basis once I’m on the merch desk. They’ll say, ‘I knew all these songs, however I didn’t know all these songs have been by you guys.’ And I do attempt to discuss to the youthful ones as nicely. And also you’ll get ones who say, ‘my dad was an enormous fan of yours and I discovered the whole lot.’ Or older brothers and sisters had the information. After which after all, as you’ve mentioned, terrestrial radio. And whereas a lot of folks say it’s lifeless, it retains quite a lot of music from our period alive. And it’s humorous as a result of it’s not at all times the songs that you just may suppose. I imply, we’re sort of caught with ‘Spaceship Celebrity’ being our second nationwide anthem for the remainder of our lives. However what are you going to do?
“’Armageddon is one other one, however being seven minutes lengthy, it’s performed somewhat bit much less. It’s humorous how terrestrial radio will leap on two or three songs out of your catalogue, they usually’ll simply spin them for 3 or 4 years. ‘Younger and Stressed’ will get quite a lot of terrestrial play. And ‘Flying’ was one of many high two or three most performed songs in america in 1978, in order that sort of washes throughout the border up right here too.”
Returning to the topic of Massive Black Sky, the 2008 album, and the final one the band has launched, Harlow mentioned there are songs on that album that also slot in nicely with the Prism again catalog, and ones which can be even usually requested from followers.
“There was a tune known as ‘Ya Trouble Me,’ which we performed stay for some time. After which there was a Center Japanese factor, ‘Tangiers.’ Individuals nonetheless ask about that, though we haven’t completed it shortly. It had a cool sitar factor occurring. There’s really been some discuss throughout the band of bringing it again, which might be for longer, headlining exhibits. For the exhibits we’re doing opening for Nazareth with Helix, it’s just about simply going to be the best hits.
“There’s a little bit of an irony factor there there’s an perspective, particularly a radio perspective, the place they are saying, ‘what, a brand new album by an previous band? Who cares? I’ve acquired all of your previous information. I don’t want to listen to what you’re doing now.’ I imply, that’s simply not us, that’s common for many bands. So [the band’s manager, another iconic name on the Canadian musical landscape] Bruce Allen suggested me in 2008, he mentioned that I’d have gotten extra mileage out of that album had I simply known as it an Al Harlow solo album as a result of then it wouldn’t carry any expectations or baggage that has to stay as much as some sort of extension of Prism. So, there’s at all times going to be that push pull in terms of releasing new music,” he mentioned.
“I sincerely wish to take Prism again into the studio. I believe it could be a really wholesome factor to do and make it significant. I’m not saying we might imitate ourselves or be sure that it’s at all times the identical keyboard sound, however that it could have that distinctive Prism character. When my solo album got here out, there have been a few tracks on there the place I believed, oh my goodness, I’m sporting my Prism boots proper now. Like, I used to be bringing a sensibility to the preparations. A kind of is a tune known as ‘Meet Me within the Sky,’ and it’s acquired a groove, and it rolls, however there’s a sure airiness about it that has that Prism vibe.”
The Prism story has been considered one of perseverance, significantly from the band’s followers, and Harlow himself. He’s having fun with the band’s continued reputation, even when it’s not reaching the heights that it did from 1977 to 1981. However, it should be mentioned, for 40 years there was a query that has been lingering within the hearts and minds of long-time Prism followers. What would have occurred had Tabak not been hit by a automobile whereas driving his bike, subsequently struggling an aneurysm and dying so out of the blue and tragically through the Christmas season of 1984. The immediately recognizable voice of the band would have rejoined Harlow, Mitchell, Corridor and Norton, wrote new music, and maybe picked up proper the place they left off as bona fide rock sensations in Canada, and rising in recognition and business success south of the border within the U.S. What number of extra good and memorable songs would have been written and recorded that may be part of the numerous nonetheless populating traditional rock radio at the moment? Would they’ve turn into worldwide sensations? Would iconic British exhausting rockers Nazareth be opening for Prism on their present tour as an alternative of the reverse?
“Capital ‘Y’ sure, we might have had a reunion, as a result of we have been placing the unique band again collectively simply as Ron died. We took the Christmas week off and Ron was coming to my place to spend the vacations. It was nonetheless a detailed sufficient time to our heyday that we had labels , and Capital Data, who had dropped us the 12 months earlier than, possibly have revised and continued on with our contract. At that second, the labels have been really knocking on our door, not the opposite means round. Proper after New 12 months’s in January of 1985, we have been simply going to renew with Ron on vocals. We’ve questioned what might need occurred many instances. It’s one thing that we’ve repeated to ourselves individually on multiple event. Earlier than Rocket handed, we had loads of time to replicate on it once more. These days bands take for much longer breaks. There was not a lot time between when Henry got here in after which leaving after which bringing Ron again in and having the unique band. However it was sufficient time to be older and wiser, all of us. To at the present time, John Corridor and I’ve mirrored within the easiest phrases that had Ron not handed away and we simply resumed, we might have simply picked up the momentum the place we left off and there would have been a minimum of 10 extra years, and there would have been 10 extra albums. What a sobering thought, eh? However it’s like, what if Pete Greatest had been a greater drummer and stayed within the Beatles?” Harlow mentioned, earlier than speaking about Tabak’s authentic run with the band, and the way one veteran American artist took the younger, inexperienced lead singer, who had jumped from golf equipment to arenas virtually in a single day, and helped him discover his kind and confidence on stage.
“Bruce Allen was managing us after which picked up Bryan Adams as a consumer. And there was a extremely, actually quick time period, early on when Ron was sort of struggling to rise to the event. He was studying as a result of as The Seeds of Time, Rocket, Lindsay, John and I had already completed some large gigs. We already had some mileage. Ron was youthful than us and was fairly inexperienced. Once we began doing our first large world tour with Meatloaf, when he was actually exploding on the scene with Bat Out of Hell, Meatloaf, or Michael Lee Aday as a result of a extremely good mentor to Ron. Ron actually discovered quite a lot of his stagecraft as a result of he had Meatloaf educating him, which was very cool. So, he acquired higher, however earlier than he did, there was like a five-minute interval the place Ron was very uncomfortable, and Bruce was going to stay Bryan in as lead singer of Prism. Happily for everyone, that concept lasted solely about 5 minutes.”
At the moment, alongside Harlow is keyboardist Marc Gladstone, who joined in 2010, longtime drummer Gary Grace [22 years in the band] and bassist Greg Cox, who was launched into the fold earlier this 12 months.
“Gary Grace is a monster. He’s a high teacher and clinic man. I’m so proud to say now now we have Greg Cox, who simply joined the band on bass and he’s additionally an absolute killer lead guitar participant. So now on ‘Take Me Away’ which has twin guitars, which on the report was each me, now he can step up and play some lead guitar too, so how cool is that? I’m actually pumped about the place we’re going to have the ability to go together with all this. And Mark Gladstone on keys, he’s really a cousin of John Corridor, our authentic keyboard participant. Mark has completed tons of session work and he and his spouse Shirelle have the Stone Poets band, they usually put me to disgrace. They put out albums as frequently as I want I used to be doing,” he mentioned with a chuckle.
For info on exhibits and different Prism information and updates, go to https://prism.ca.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Moreover his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising and marketing specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at bigjim1428@hotmail.com.
