Artist: Prism
Album: Prism Live Tonite At Detroit's Royal Oak
Country: Canada
Genre: Arena rock
Release: 1978 (2011)
Quality: FLAC | lossless
Declicked, denoised, pitch, phase and levels corrected from the limited edition blue vinyl promo LP on Ariola PRO 50034, ca. August 1978 at Remasters Workshop December 2011.
This exceptionally rare album was found on Usenet in 2007. Vancouver natives Prism recorded for the GRT label in Canada, but were signed to Ariola in the US, who failed miserably to break the group in the States. Prism never had an officially released live album during their time together.
Songs credited to Rodney Higgs were written by Jim Vallance under a pseudonym. He figured that if this group failed to go anywhere and his real name was on it, he might never get another chance for a recording contract. He need not have worried, although there was a great deal of personnel turnover in this band. They are still listed as a going concern, with Al Harlow, with the longest continuous tenure in the band, the only original member.
Original lead singer Ron Tabak (heard here) was fired in 1981 for substance abuse and trouble with the law. In 1984, talks were underway to reunite Prism after a hiatus. Tabak, impaired, rode his bicycle through the snow to spend Christmas with Al Harlow. He was struck by a motorist, and his head hit the ground. While in hospital, he became abusive and uncooperative, and was arrested and taken to jail, where he died of an aneurysm due to a brain bleed from his accident, on December 24, 1984.
Never issued to the public, and receiving little or no airplay beyond a broadcast by Westwood One, and one or two spins in some radio markets along the Canada-US border area, this album remains a little-heard document of the live sound of this popular Canadian group, in one of their most consistent hit-making lineups.
Tracklist:
01. See Forever Eyes
02. Take Me To The Kaptin
03. Open Soul Surgery
04. Freewill
05. Vladivostok
06. You're Like The Wind
07. Flyin'
08. Nickels & Dimes
09. Spaceship Superstar
10. N-N-N-No!