Prefab Sprout’s new album
A belated note about the latest Prefab Sprout album, ‘Let’s Change The World With Music’, which was released a few weeks ago. It has a curious history. Paddy McAloon wrote the songs at the beginning of the 90s, intending to make a follow-up album to 1990′s ‘Jordan: The Comeback’. As he liked to do, Paddy made demos of all the songs in his home studio, and sent them both to me and to the band’s record company, Sony. I immediately fell in love with the songs, especially ‘Ride Home To Jesus’ and ‘I Love Music.’ I was keen to produce them and we’d started to make plans. However Sony’s head of A+R, Muff Winwood, who had always been a huge supporter of the Sprouts, was a bit negative about the album, saying that the religious overtones of many of the songs would create a perception of a ‘Christian rock’ band, which would destroy their credibility and commercial appeal. He was very aware that U2 had narrowly dodged a bullet round about the time of songs like ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’ and ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ when many accused them of veering towards ‘God Rock’—even though those titles were referring to something completely different.
Ultimately it didn’t do U2 any harm though, did it. And Paddy’s songs were not actually promoting God or religion. If anything they were an analysis of faith and integrity. They seemed to aspire to a love of something above, beyond ourselves. In ‘Music Is A Princess’, for example, the author characterises himself as a lowly boy in rags, willing to die for Music but unworthy to carry her flag. In ‘Ride’, Paddy praises people who work thanklessly for the greater good. I thought the songs were excellent, with great chords and melodies, and it was very refreshing to hear some subject matter that wasn’t just about sex, relationships, money or starvation. But the band felt unable to deal with the friction caused by the record company’s push-back, and Paddy decided to move right on and start from scratch. I believe Muff Winwood has since claimed that he only wanted a few changes to the words and titles and perhaps the addition a couple of extra songs that were not so controversial.
It’s easy in retrospect to say that the original decision not to release ‘Let’s Change The World With Music’ did irreperable damage to the band’s career. Certainly it threw a spanner in the works, because the next twelve years saw only two more Sprouts albums, neither of which approached the critical or commercial success of their previous four. There were several other song projects that never got off the ground, including a musical about Zorro and an album of Michael Jackson-themed songs. Paddy or his managers at Kitchenware would send me the tapes and I always enjoyed them and was impressed by how good his home studio recordings were becoming.
During those years, which also ushered in the era of Internet music and self-publishing by artists, I repeatedly told Paddy I thought he should ditch his major label contract altogether and just release his stuff himself via the Net. His output was so prolific that he could easily have released two or three albums per year, maintained a great mailing list (his brother Martin having become something of a Web expert), and made a perfectly good living without any interference from A+R men and radio promotion people. But he is quite conservative in his view of the music business, and always felt that success had to include the conventional trimmings of commercial acceptance, like seeing your poster in the window of WHSmiths, getting played on BBC Radio 1, and so on. He’s perfectly entitled to cling to that view. In this day and age though, what’s survived of the Industry star machinery is reserved for celebrity-hungry 20-something hotties that can sing, dance and disrobe like world champs. Paddy’s health is not good and he’s in no mood to be out there under the spotlights, so perhaps now he will reconsider my suggestion and make some new music to release softly on the Internet for the legions of devoted Sprouts fans to enjoy.
A couple of years ago Keith Armstrong, the Sprouts’ manager, talked Paddy into the idea of reviving ‘Let’s Change The World With Music’ and releasing it independently. With the help of engineer Callum Michael, Paddy cleaned up the recordings and replaced a few parts, though he stuck with the original vocals. It’s a pretty sweet-sounding record. Of course, I feel it would have been even better if the mainly programmed backing could have been replaced Martin, Wendy Smith and Neil Conti, and the whole package produced by me. After all it’s been billed as a Prefab Sprout album, not a solo project like Paddy’s beautiful ‘I Trawl The Megahertz.’ But this release needed to be swift and the costs kept low. One of the challenges of the new music business landscape is how to pull off a project that requires several musicians and expensive recording studios, without going heavily into debt with a label who will then demand their pound of flesh in return. There’s not really a new system in place for compensating musicians and producers without incurring the huge ridiculous costs of accounting and royalty calculations.
Still, what we’re left with is a gorgeous piece of work. I’m really glad it saw the light of day, and hope that its warm reception from fans and critics alike will encourage Paddy to do some new work, despite the problems he’s having with his hearing and eyesight. If you want to feel inspired, just read his sleeve notes, about Brian Wilson and ‘The yawning caves of blue.’ He’s a brilliant writer and would make a fine novellist. There’s a very candid interview with him transcribed here which explains the album much better than I can. Do seek it out if you can. I notice it’s not on iTunes for some reason but it is on Amazon.
I would love to see Prefab Sprout on iTunes. That said, I’ll pick up this effort on Amazon. Thanks for the history and heads up Thomas.
“One of the challenges of the new music business landscape is how to pull off a project that requires several musicians and expensive recording studios”
I hope answers emerge, because I miss quality studio recordings played by multiple musicians! Relatively few CDs form a musically satisfying whole (like say “Jordan: The Comeback”), so album sales decline, so musicians make average-sounding self-indulgent home recordings which are more unlikely to be a satisfying CD’s worth of music, so album sales decline further. Maybe making one or two great songs at a time is a way to break the downward spiral. Why can’t “Spend substantial $$$ to record sensational single, self-release on iTunes and Amazon, rake in the money. Repeat 6 months later” be a workable strategy for artists?
Thanks for your TOWERING work with Prefab Sprout. I remember seeing “Two Wheels Good” in Tower Records with an “Album of the Decade – NME” sticker on the cover and “Produced by Thomas Dolby” on the back and deciding to buy it unheard. Shock and awe ensued!
It is indeed a magical and brilliant album, in my view. If recorded in full glory back then, with musicians and your production, it surely would have become a classic. Thanks very much for sharing your knowledge of the background to it.
Steve McQueen has always been and always will be one of my favorite all-time albums. The version I bought was called Two Wheels Good, but after loving it so much I actually went to Tower in LA and bought the import version.
I remember being mightily insulted when an associate said they didn’t like the album and made fun of Paddy’s singing. I simply couldn’t believe (and still can’t) that anyone with half a brain could not love Prefab Sprout. That insult is the only thing I remember about the woman. It’s funny what sticks with us.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to the new work. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I had already bought 3 Thomas Dolby bazillian LPs (Golden Age, Blinded By Science & Flat Earth) when Two Wheels Good appeared in Rio de Janeiro. I knew nothing about Prefab Sprout, but I bought the LP just because it was written on the back cover “produced by Thomas Dolby”…. and PS became my favourite 80′s pop group.
I don’t have a favourite PS album, cause it’s a difficult task to pick up just one or 2. As soon as I hear THE GOLDEN CALF, I think LANGLEY is the best. But then I hear WILD HORSES and the best on is JORDAN. Contrary to many PS fans, I love THE GUNMAN and ANDROMEDA HEIGHTS.
I bought LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD WITH MUSIC and (to me) it is just as good as anything Paddy wrote.
Considering the state of the music business and the crap that is being made today by ‘modern’ and ‘relevant’ groups, I don’t think that sophisicated and melodic music (like that of the 80′s) will ever surface again in a large scale movement.
So it’s great that artists like THOMAS DOLBY, SWING OUT SISTER, PREFAB SPROUT, TEARS FOR FEARS, KATE BUSH, SADE and PET SHOP BOYS are still around. The POP scene needs some class.
QOUTE: ‘Paddy’s health is not good and he’s in no mood or shape to be out there under the spotlights, so perhaps now he will reconsider my suggestion and make some new music to release softly on the Internet for the legions of devoted Sprouts fans to enjoy’
Thats the first thing you’ve ever said that I’ve found distasteful.
You went way too far with that remark.
I think you owe him an appology.
Anyone else find that comment really out of order?
I’m so dissapointed Thomas – you are such a hero of mine – I couldn’t imagine you could be so insensitive.
Sorry but if I were Paddy McAloon I’d tell you to mind your own business.
Anyone else find that comment really out of order?
“Anyone else find that comment really out of order?”
No. It’s opinionated, but not distasteful. Maybe it’ll inspire Paddy McAloon to write future classic songs like “When I want your advice I’ll beat it out of you” and “Opinions are like [rude body part] – everybody’s got one.”
Paddy McAloon’s been very open about his health woes in some interviews, including the link Thomas Dolby provided.
Oops, you misinterpreted my language, which is my fault for choosing those words badly. What I meant was, he would surely have trouble with the loud stage volumes, bright lights, hotel lobbies and endless aeroplane trips. As in ‘the band is not in good shape to go on tour.’
I will edit out the words ‘or’shape’ in case anyone else gets offended. I don’t think Paddy will be, because he knows I would never make a disparaging remark.
Thanks for putting in your two cents about the history of this project. Paddy’s penchant for concept albums was clearly coming to a head when he created this bunch of tunes. It’s a gorgeous set of melodies that display a real seriousness of intent. They are, indeed, impressive demos and they stand up to (and surpass) a lot of the pro-studio material that was being put on the airwaves in the early 90s. However, a big part of me can’t help but wonder ‘what might have been’ if these tracks had been done by the full band with you in the producer’s seat. Guess we’ll never know, but I sincerely hope that Paddy’s health will allow him to start recording again and that a new collaboration with you will happen…
Thanks for the illuminating post. I too hope at some point soon Paddy embraces the internet and old/new material makes it out to the wider world.
By the way, as a massive fan of Wireless and Flat Earth, your name on McQueen tipped me in to buying it all those years ago.
Thanks for that
CB
I’d just like to echo some of the other posts and thank you for your own material and the work you’ve done with Prefab. I bought The Flat Earth and Steve McQueen at almost the same time, and didn’t realise your involvement with PS until then. To this day, both of these albums still shine as stars in the music world. Good luck and health to you Thomas, cheers
I read Paddy’s linked interview and was struck by the mention of boxes of demos he has hiding under his bed. (Christmas album called “Total Snow” – wow!) Perhaps someone could convince him to take Mr. Dolby’s advice and start dribbling out releases of these demos via a PaddyMcAloon.com distribution site. Any artist with that large a reserve of recordings, and that devoted a fanbase, can do much with imaginative use of the net.
Great post, thanks! So glad to hear you’ve been advising Paddy to take the independent route. All reports and interviews paint him in this eternal funk about having a glut of unreleased music. Not to wholly sound like a selfish fan, but getting the rest of the canon out there that way might do his soul a world of good. Gently keep on ‘em, TMDR.
I’m not much of a one for Blogs and Forums, but I was prompted to register and leave a comment after following the Sproutnet link to read your comments about the latest Prefab Sprout album.
At last! a breath of fresh air. Someone who writes, clearly with a deep love and respect for Paddy’s words and music as Prefab Sprout* with precision, clarity and empathy. Thank you Thomas.
I agree totally with what you say. It will be a sin if the mounds of recordings Paddy has made are allowed to never see the light of the day: In whatever form that may take. Using the Net makes perfect sense to me. I admit, his wishes ought to be respected -but he knows how good he is. Even when he’s bad he’s better than most of the rest. As merely an insignificant artist/photographer also battling with a chronic degenerative condition, I know how tired you can get, how there’s so much of the crap you DON’T want to do (in my case; framing, mounting, organising exhibition space) That’s when your body is doing most of what its supposed to! But (and Paddy will be the same) I never lose the urge to create, and ultimately to see what I have done find its way into the public domain. Yes, I get a massive kick out of the creative process and we all know that’s the most important thing – not the product … but there really is nothing quite like it when your work is ‘out there’ and people begin to respond to it positively. It’s a reason to live AND it gives others a reason too. My first two weeks with ‘Lets change..’ were magical. As defining as the nights spent listening to ‘Love breaks…’ While the first time I heard ‘Trawling…’ I was moved to tears.
I often think of him, and how cruel life can be. I remember – it must have been at the time of the last tour that they did – he said some songs were on the very ‘edge of memory’ Now that’s scary!
Go on Thomas, have another word with him.
Andy Daly
(* and as such – as I read it – include Martin, Neil and Wendy as essential to that entity…and if you’ll forgive me ‘fifth sprout: Self)
Thank you for the refreshing insights in the Sprouts new album. The concerns you express over Mr. McAloon’s work are both heartfelt and heart-wrenching. I first discovered Prefab Sprout in my teens, drove cross-country across America by myself with only A Life of Surprises as my sole soundtrack for 3,000 miles, and have taken their music with me in life as I approach the big 4-0. I’m not articulate enough to explain how deeply the words and the music and how everyone’s participation in the albums have touched me, but it’s comforting to know the sound is still alive, and how much it means to so many. Thanks for your own contributions to music, Mr. Dolby, and for what you’ve done for the Sprouts.
Hello, Thomas!
So glad to hear about the new Prefab Sprout album coming out…I hadn’t thought of them in years, frankly, and suddenly KCRW played “Jordan” last week…which made me think of them, and you, and their stay with you on Whitley Ave….which made me wonder if they would have any new recordings…which led me to do an internet search…and voila’ ! Good news —
Hope you’re all well,
Lauraine
Hello Thomas, a year with a new album of Prefab Sprout can’t be a bad year. Of course it should have been produced by you …
Good Luck! BM