In this #intothevaults, we look with sadness at the brilliant rave/dance outfit Prodigy.
Their illustrious musical history heaves with the weight of seven albums and some of the beefiest dance/rave tracks to come from the UK. They along with other notable names from the dance /rave scene helped to change the face of popular music. Dance/rave once vilified for its unattractive connection with drugs, illegal raves and a youth out of control, became the music for the uber cool. Mainstream embraced the genre like an understanding parent tolerating the scene’s ‘negativity’. In turn it became ok to openly say you liked dance/rave music without the presumption that ‘you’ too must partake in some recreational (and copious) cocaine and ecstasy use every Friday and Saturday- “where ya fucking whistles?!”
Without compromising their sound, they were able to bridge the gap and open the doors for; drum n bass, garage, grime and even trap music.
Prodigy emerged as one of the pivotal names in the scene. In 1991, their track Charly Says and its drug play on words launched them into mainstream. It reached number 3 on the UK charts and set the foundation for the group of Liam Howlett (founder), Keith Flint, MC Maxim and Leroy Thornhill to go onto global acclaim and success.
Now in this #intothevaults we could go for any number of tracks from their back catalogue. Fire Starter from their third album Fat Of The Land (1997) will evidently resonate with those who may not have been aware of the Essex outfit when they started. Here we go back to the early 90’s when Prodigy released the stomping Everybody In The Place taken from their debut album Experience (1992)-the track being the second single from that debut album.
Building on Charly Says, the single was the quintessential rave track. High bpms (for then), synthesized sounds and the repetitive “Everybody In The Place” working listeners up into a dance/rave scene fuelled energy. In keeping with the whole DIY feel of the scene at the time a simple video showing Prodigy dancing on the streets of New York helped to intensify that the raw street energy that Prodigy certainly exuded at the time.
It was and is of course tracks like this which laid the solid dance foundations for all those who can be placed under the dance scene genre. Without compromising their sound, they were able to bridge the gap and open the doors for; drum n bass, garage, grime and even trap music.
Present day and middle England and the media (broad sheets included) are waxing with genuine sadness about the unfortunate passing of Keith Flint.
Featured image unknown photographer if you do know please let us know so we can credit.