Originally together from 1981-1983, they played basement and club shows fairly often. Aside from the 1983 cassette Flex Your Mind, though, no recorded material was available from them until 1998's Devolver CD-R anthology. Several songs on the album were produced by their friend (outsider psychedelic singer-songwriter) Bobb Trimble.
At their first-ever gig, the band distributed a simultaneously prank-ish and poker-faced "manifesto", using 60s rock album liner notes as a wobbly template. It began:
"...Was it only 3 or 4 weeks ago that the future PREFAB MESSIAHS first pooled their cosmic energies and talents, and – crooning their messages about our Plastic Age – decided to totally revolutionize Pop Music? The Concept was shocking in its boldness – 4 young men with a Destiny – from the Store 24 to Mister Donut their eyes burned with what they saw, even as they lapped it up faster than a small order of McDonald's fries. Reality could not keep the PREFAB MESSIAHS down! Still, if the Media is the Message, just what are these guys talking about? In short, they're talking about you and me and no one in particular – about the kind of Eternal Struggle that most "bands" and "musicians" don't even realize exists..."
Armed with borrowed guitars, puny amps, and a mission to confound the status quo, the three Clark University undergrads began a unique post-punk musical trajectory through the burgeoning-yet-insular Wormtown (Worcester, MA) underground.
The stark reality of the Reagan Era had already taken hold, with its yuppie-driven consumerist, conformist and "product"-focused fetish culture. In an attempt to deal with it all, our heroes sought refuge in the Dada reverie and post-WWII existentialism that ended up yielding their moniker. In the New Religion of mall culture, product placement and instant gratification, "prefab messiahs" like Ronald McDonald and the Pillsbury Dough Boy were trotted out by their corporate masters to replace the old guard of unprofitable prophets.
That was the working Concept, at least – and the The Prefabs mischievously (naively?) married it to an unlikely collision of primitive post-punk, grainy psych, and left-field garage pop – all at a time when terms like "indie" and "alternative" weren't even bandied about yet.
The Prefab Messiahs have reunited (or as they say, "re-franchised") several times for the Wormtown Anniversary Bash festivals, including the 20th in 1998 and the 25th in 2003. The anniversaries marked time since the first issue of the '70s/'80s punk fanzine Wormtown Punk Punk Press.
An appearance of the "2008 franchise" of the Prefabs occured at the Wormtown 30th Anniversary Bash on May 3, 2008, in a combined set with Bobb Trimble. Guest members in this franchise included Gary War and Ned Egg (Gary was a member of Ariel Pink's band; also, Gary and Ned previously comprised the band Chas. Mtn.).
In early 2011, Almost Ready Records (known for their The World's Lousy With Ideas compilation series) issued a 7" single of archival Prefabs material, "Franz Kafka / Prefab Sun".
In December 2011, Fixed Identity released Peace Love & Alienation, a collection of eight archival Prefabs songs newly remastered by Jay Rajeck (of TRS-80), who has also worked with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. Two of the songs were produced by Bobb Trimble in 1982.
In June 2012, the band embarked upon on a four-date 30th Anniversary "Reunion micro-Tour™" with Bobb Trimble's Flying Spiders, playing shows in New York and Massachusetts. Other bands playing on the tour included Spectre Folk, Sore Eros, Weyes Blood and the Dark Juices, and Secret Lover.
In September 2013, Burger Records reissued the Prefabs' Devolver on cassette. Also beginning in 2013, the band began their first new sessions in 30 years, recorded by Doug Tuttle (formerly of MMOSS) and Jesse Gallagher (ex-Apollo Sunshine; recorded the first Quilt LP).
On March 10, 2015, Burger Records and KLYAM Records co-released the 8-song Maxi-EP Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive, the band's first new sounds in 32 years. The album peaked at #58 on the CMJ Top 200 Radio chart, and was widely praised.
On January 26, 2018, Lolipop Records and Burger Records will co-release the 10-song Psychsploitation Today, the band's fourth album.
Beyond All That
The Prefab Messiahs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Read Herman Hesse by a 60-watt light
Part your hair on the improper side
You think you're cool but you're just trying to hide
Think you know what's in my mind
But you're not even close
You're looking for where it's at
The fads will come and they may go
You'll get sucked in and dragged below
There's one thing you'll never understand
That there's a reason behind the man
Think you know what's in my mind
But you're not even close
You're looking for where it's at
But we're beyond all that
Order pizza for your frisbee game
Got lots of thoughts, but they're all the same
You're up on the latest Truths
But the problem is inside of you
Think you know what's in my mind
But you're not even close
You're looking for where it's at
But we're beyond all that
The lyrics of The Prefab Messiahs’s song “Beyond All That” speaks about the pressure people face to fit in and be accepted in society, and the struggle to find their own identity amidst the chaos. The first verse paints the picture of someone trying too hard to be different, from their unconventional hair parting to reading of Herman Hesse under a dim light. The pre-chorus talks about the misinterpretation of one's thoughts and actions by others who try to understand them on a surface level. The chorus "Think you know what's in my mind, but you're not even close, you're looking for where it's at, but we're beyond all that" hints at the deeper levels of consciousness that this person is operating at and that their attempts at being different are not just for show, but authentic to their being.
The second verse highlights the transient nature of trends and how people often get swept up in them, leading to losing themselves in that process. The bridge reads, "Order pizza for your frisbee game, Got lots of thoughts, but they're all the same. You're up on the latest Truths, But the problem is inside of you," which suggests that while the person appears to have it all figured out, deep down, something is amiss.
Overall, "Beyond All That" is a commentary on the societal pressures to conform and the battle to assert one's individuality in a world that expects everyone to adhere to a certain standard. It's a reminder that true authenticity comes from the understanding of oneself and not from external validation.
Line by Line Meaning
You tie your laces left over right
You have a peculiar way of doing things, but it doesn't make you unique or special.
Read Herman Hesse by a 60-watt light
You think that reading intellectual books in dim lighting makes you enlightened, but it only makes you pretentious.
Part your hair on the improper side
You try to break conventions and be different, but it's only a superficial attempt to stand out.
You think you're cool but you're just trying to hide
You project an attitude of confidence and superiority, but it's only a mask to cover your insecurities.
Think you know what's in my mind
You assume that you understand my thoughts and motives, but you're clueless.
But you're not even close
Your assumptions are far from the truth.
You're looking for where it's at
You're searching for meaning and purpose, but you're looking in the wrong places.
But we're beyond all that
We have transcended your narrow-minded views and simplistic beliefs.
The fads will come and they may go
The trends and popular opinions are constantly changing, but we don't follow or care about them.
You'll get sucked in and dragged below
You're vulnerable to peer pressure and conformism, and it will make you lose yourself.
There's one thing you'll never understand
You lack the insight and depth to comprehend the complexities of life.
That there's a reason behind the man
We have a purpose and a mission, and it's not just for selfish or trivial reasons.
Order pizza for your frisbee game
You prioritize pleasure and leisure over meaningful pursuits and responsibilities.
Got lots of thoughts, but they're all the same
You have a superficial and limited worldview, and you repeat the same ideas and cliches.
You're up on the latest Truths
You think that you have access to objective and universal knowledge, but it's just temporary and subjective.
But the problem is inside of you
Your issues and difficulties stem from your own flaws and weaknesses, not external factors.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Seth Feinberg, Michael Michaud, Kris Thompson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind