The Prodigy : iSOUND.COM™

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wikipedia sez... The Prodigy are a British electronica act, consisting of Liam Howlett (keyboards), Keith Flint (vocalist/dancer) and Maxim (vocalist, live MC). Leeroy Thornhill (dancer) was also a member of the band from 1990 to 2000. A female dancer/vocalist called Sharky was also briefly associated with the band during their early period. The Prodigy first emerged on the underground rave scene in the early 1990s, and since then have achieved immense popularity and worldwide renown. Some of their most popular songs include "Charly," "Out of Space," "Smack My Bitch Up," "No Good (Start the Dance)," "Breathe" and "Firestarter." The Prodigy have developed various styles over time, initially pioneering the underground rave scene, and now creating techno tracks with punk vocal elements. Formed in Essex, England, the Prodigy started life with an initial 10-track demo by Liam Howlett, put together on a Roland W-30 sequencer keyboard. XL Recordings picked up the demo and an initial 12" pressing of What Evil Lurks was released in February 1991. The band's name is thought to have come from the keyboard Moog Prodigy (created by Robert Moog) The band's first performance was at Four Aces in Hackney, London. Charly, released six months later, was a huge hit in the British rave scene of the time, catapulting the band into the wider public consciousness for the first time. Some critics were later to identify the release of Charly, with its memorable sample of a government television infomercial aimed at children (Charley Says), as the song that instigated the ultimate destruction of the underground rave scene, opening the door to a flood of rave tracks many of the genre's devotees considered of lesser quality, such as Urban Hype's Trip to Trumpton, and Smart E's Sesame's Treet. Charly was soon followed by the band's first full length album, The Prodigy Experience, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of the rave genre ever recorded. After this album, and the run of singles that accompanied it, the Prodigy moved to distance themselves from the "kiddie rave" reputation that now dogged them. The rave scene was beginning to implode, with promises of "anti-rave" legislation on the horizon. In 1993, Howlett released an anonymous white label, bearing only the title Earthbound I. Its hypnotic, hard-edged sound won wide underground approval. Many former critics of the band were astounded when they finally acknowledged responsibility for the record. It was officially released as One Love later that year, and went on to chart at #8 in the UK. In 1994, the Prodigy's second album, Music for the Jilted Generation, displayed a much wider spectrum of musical style. Heavyweight dancefloor tunes still abounded, but were complemented by more unusual tracks such as 3 Kilos, and rock-oriented inclinations (Their Law). The album was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. In the liner notes, the band did not hesitate to succinctly express their feelings for the newly-passed Criminal Justice and Public Order Act: "HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT STOP YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING A GOOD TIME. FIGHT THIS BOLLOCKS." The international success of Music for the Jilted Generation meant that touring beyond the UK was now a viable prospect. The band augmented their line-up with guitarist Jim Davies (from the group Pitchshifter) in 1995 for tracks such as Their Law, Break And Enter 95, and various live-only interludes and versions. The 1996 release of Firestarter, featuring vocals for the first time courtesy of a new-look Keith Flint, helped the band break into the US and other overseas markets, and reached number one in the UK. In this year the Prodigy also headlined the prestigious Lollapalooza festival. The Prodigy have toured all over the world, including Beirut and Moscow's Red Square. The third Prodigy album, The Fat of the Land, was released in 1997. Like its predecessors, the album represented a new milestone in the evolution of both the band and the wider mainstream dance scene. Featuring simplified melodies, sparser sampling, and more sneering, punk-like vocals, the album nevertheless retained the bone-jarring breaks and buzzsaw synth so idiomatic of the band. The album cemented the band's position as one of the most internationally successful acts in the hard dance genre, entering the British and American charts at number one. The best selling single, Breathe (1996), was taken from this album.	paulyhart