Prong crosses the fine line between alternative and metal every night the New York band steps on stage or in the studio.
So says lead vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor."The labeling thing is old," Victor said in an interview from the Big Apple earlier this year. Prong was suppose to open for White Zombie last spring, but the show was canceled due to a Zombie's bassist Sean Yseult's ruptured appendix. "Everyone tries to pin you down. Well, we try not to let them do that."
The reason Victor despises labeling is the way it restricts a band.
"When you say `heavy metal' or `modern rock,' you automatically put limits on a band's potential," he said. "We try to cross the line for our creative process. We expand our music and, hopefully, open the eyes of our fans."
Prong will be in town to storm the stage of Club DV8, Monday, Oct. 17. The music starts at 8 p.m. Drown and Clutch will open the show.
Prong's recent album "Cleansing" clearly reflects Victor's thoughts. The band uses straight-forward guitar riffs and slick, double-time drum riffs.
The history of Prong dates back to 1986. Victor was mixing bands at the legendary C.B.G.B. (The club that shot acts like Blondie and Anthrax into the
spotlight.) "As I met and worked with different bands, I heard thousands of examples of what not to sound like," Victor remembered. "I got together with the club's doorman Mike Kirkland and we recruited the drummer from a band called the Swans (Ted Parsons) to form Prong."
After making its debut on the C.B.G.B. stage in later that year, Prong released a self-produced mini album called "Primitive Origins." The album did well with a cult following and was followed up with "Force Fed."
In 1989, Prong signed with Epic Records and released "Beg to Differ." Producer Mark Dodson, the man who worked with Anthrax and Judas Priest, tried to create a radio friendly album. Dodson also produced the follow-up "Prove You Wrong," that featured new bassist Troy Gregory.
"It was a good experience, but we wanted more creative control," said
Victor. So when plans for the next Prong album came into focus, producer Terry Date replaced Dodson and new bassist Paul Raven from Killing Joke stepped aboard.
"Date really listened to what we wanted to do," said Victor. "And with between Ted and Raven, we have one of the strongest rhythm sections
anywhere." "Cleansing" features the syncopation of the word game "Broken
Peace." "We actually made a pun of the state of the world," explained Victor. " `Pick up the broken pieces, pick up the broken peace...' get it?"
The album also features the MTV single "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" that animated critics Beavis and Butthead raved over.
"We wanted to relay the energy of a Prong concert," Victor said. "This song shows it like it is. And with those types of critics, how can the band go wrong?"