Prong was founded in 1986 by singer/guitarist Tommy Victor (then a soundman at New York City's renowned CBGB's). With bassist Mike Kirkland (formely of NYHC band Damage and doorman at CBGB’s) and ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons, Prong released two independent CDs that were noted for their brutal hardcore sound.
Epic Records saw the band's potential and signed them in 1989. Prong's major label debut album Beg to Differ, was released in 1990.
In the following year, Kirkland left the band and was replaced by Ex-Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Troy Gregory. Prong issued their fourth release Prove You Wrong which saw the band experiment with programming and electronic samples while still retaining an aggressive yet melodic sensibility.
By 1994, Troy Gregory was out of the band and was replaced by Paul Raven (bassist) and John Bechdel (keyboard), both from Killing Joke and Murder, Inc. The new line up released Cleansing (Prong’s 5th major release). With a strong industrial sound that still managed to be hard and heavy, Cleansing contained songs that are still considered Prong classics ("Broken Peace" and "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck") and is Prong’s most successful release to date. The videos for these two songs became staples of MTV’s legendary Headbangers Ball.
Prong's sixth album Rude Awakening was released in 1996. The album was not as successful as the last three albums. Shortly thereafter Parsons left the band to join Godflesh. Tommy Victor left New York and moved to Los Angeles. As the band Prong sat idle, Tommy Victor worked with legends of the rock world, including Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, celldweller and Glenn Danzig.
In 2002, Victor re-formed Prong with bassist Brian Perry, drummer Dan Laudo and guitarist Monte Pittman (Madonna). In 2002, after a 42-show American tour that was recorded for a live CD (100% Live, Locomotive Music) Prong entered the studio and recorded a new CD titled Scorpio Rising which was received with mixed responses.
Victor played on and off again with Glen Danzig from 1998 -2005 in between time with Prong. His final goal of playing and writing on a Danzig record was met with Circle of Snakes in 2004.
Prong released a live 2-disc DVD in 2005 entitled "The Vault" which features performances from the Hulstsfred and With Full Force festivals and a full show in Amsterdam. This disc has Mike Longworth on bass as well, who later replaced Perry. As a result of the drum performance on Scorpio Rising , band members Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman decided a change needed to be made. This resulted in the firing of Dan Laudo and the enlistment Aaron Rossi, who used to be in the bands Strife (Victory Records), Shelter (Century Media Records), John 5 (Shrapnel Records), and Ankla (Bieler Bros. Records)
Victor and Raven joined Ministry in 2005 to write and tour in support of their album Rio Grande Blood (2006). They were nominated for a Grammy in 2007 for the song Senior Peligro in the "Best Metal Performance" category. The two also appear on Ministry's follow up album The Last Sucker (2007), although in a more limited capacity.
On June 4th, 2007, Prong posted a MySpace bulletin stating that they were recording in El Paso, Texas. The band left Locomotive Music, and were signed to Al Jourgensen's 13th Planet Records, who released their latest album Power of the Damager on October 2, 2007.
The band embarked on the "Slicing Across America" and "Slicing Across Europe" tours supporting Power of the Damager in 2007 and early 2008. Joining Tommy Victor in the current live membership of the band is bassist Monte Pittman and drummer Aaron Rossi.
Paul Raven died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007 at the age of 46. He was recording with French recording artists Treponem Pal on their new album with Ted Parsons at the time of his death.
Aaron Rossi was joining Ministry as their new drummer on the "C U LaTour" which started in March 2008.
In February 2008, Headbanger's Ball premiered the video "Power Of The Damager".
Spirit Guide
Prong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dimensions fate: how to sort you
A hit or miss - want to succeed?
No way to tell - how falls the mustard seed
Spirit guide calling, won't you intervene?
I've been waiting for someone to come
And take me by the hand
And take me by the hand...away from here
I've been waiting for someone to come
Awoke in daze, what was told here?
Less to trust - the mind is untrue
Which way to quit of what is not real?
In need of help from the allies of the unseen
Spirit guide calling, won't you intervene?
I've been waiting for someone to come
And take me by the hand
I've been waiting for someone to come
And take me by the hand...away from here
Push or shake? You never know
I can't feel with anything I got
Eternal woe, the need in sight
You cannot fear that: everything in fright
What is right?
I've been waiting for someone to come
And take me by the hand
I've been waiting for someone to come
And take me by the hand...away from here
I've been waiting for someone to come
I've been waiting for someone to come
One to come
The lyrics to Prong's song Spirit Guide are a plea for guidance and help from an unseen force. The first verse talks about fate and destiny, and how it is difficult to navigate and make sense of it. The metaphor of a square or round wheel suggests that one's fate may not fit into a conventional or expected mold. The line "how falls the mustard seed" refers to the biblical parable where Jesus uses the mustard seed as an example of faith and its ability to grow into something great. The chorus then asks for a spirit guide to intervene and take the singer by the hand and away from their current situation.
The second verse talks about the unreliable nature of the mind and the need for help from allies that are beyond the physical realm. The lines "push or shake" and "I can't feel with anything I got" suggest a feeling of being stuck and unable to make progress or make decisions. The final lines "You cannot fear that: everything in fright, what is right?" further emphasize the confusion and uncertainty that the singer is experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Selected shape, a square or round wheel
Uncertainty in life and its unpredictable nature explained through the shape analogy of square or round wheel
Dimensions fate: how to sort you
As dimensions shape the structure of an object, the uncertain fate is being looked upon helplessly, wondering how to handle it.
A hit or miss - want to succeed?
The success is an unpredictable phenomenon and one cannot anticipate whether the efforts invested will lead to the desired outcome.
No way to tell - how falls the mustard seed
The path to success cannot be foretold, much like how the fortune of mustard seeds is deemed uncertain in popular culture.
Spirit guide calling, won't you intervene?
Looking for help from an unseen entity, in times of distress through the guidance they provide, to navigate life
I've been waiting for someone to come
Desire to be rescued from the distress and be provided with guidance.
Awoke in daze, what was told here?
Feeling lost and uncertain, wondering whether the source of information received is reliable or not.
Less to trust - the mind is untrue
The mind's working is not always reliable or trustworthy, creating a situation where one cannot trust their own judgments.
Which way to quit of what is not real?
In order to sort the authentic from the fake, there is a need for guidance to determine the path that is right for oneself.
In need of help from the allies of the unseen
Feeling lost and helpless, searching for guidance and security from a higher power
Push or shake? You never know
It is impossible to determine the right approach, as there is no guaranteed standard method to deal with the problems life presents
I can't feel with anything I got
The feeling of being incapable or insufficient to handle situations that arise, despite trying hard to do so.
Eternal woe, the need in sight
The endless pain or distress is visible, and there is a requirement for something or someone to provide a solution for relief.
You cannot fear that: everything in fright
Accepting that fear or phobia is natural when surrounded by uncertainty or incomprehension.
What is right?
With the endless amount of choices and paths to take, it becomes hard to ascertain what is good or bad
One to come
The need for a singular entity to assist and guide towards the right path.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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