Prefab Messiahs return to music scene with spunky new album

For the few readers who are well versed in the '80s underground post-punk scene of Central Mass., the name The Prefab Messiahs may ring some bells. For the rest currently scratching their heads in confusion, don’t worry -- the Prefabs have stealthily passed under the radar despite the success they met decades ago in the niche local music scene.

The band frequented many Worcester basements, as it was then comprised of Clark University undergraduates. Playing shows with its unique brand of psychedelia-infused garage rock, the band had an excess of attitude, a slew of tiny amps and a penchant for tongue-in-cheek rebellion. Though they originally only released a cassette -- probably obsolete at this point -- 1998 saw the release of the 27-track anthology “Devolver.”Other than the anthology and scattered reunion performances, the Prefabs have been largely inactive, separated from each other by distance and other projects. But now, after disbanding more than 30 years ago, the band released a Maxi-EP of new material, aptly entitled, “Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive” (March 10).

Some may ask, “Where can I see them?” Still others may speculate, “Why should I even care about some random band of middle aged punks?”

Oddly enough, the answers to these questions can be found right here at Tufts. Little known to most, The Prefabs’ bassist Kris Thompson (aka Trip Thompson) works in Tisch Library, buried deep within the stacks in Technical Services. Although he usually prefers to keep a low profile as far as his secret rockstar life is concerned, Thompson spoke to the Daily about his band, their beginnings and the new EP.

The Prefabs formed in the early '80s at Clark University, when vocalist/guitarist Xeth “Xerox” Feinberg and former drummer Ned Egg “Egg Al” put up posters around campus searching for potential band members.

“It said something like ‘Talentless drummer and guitarist seeking collaborators for post-new-wave semi-psychedelic pseudo-pop,’” Thompson said.

Thompson and his friend, guitarist Mike “Doc” Michaud, had known Egg Al from a circle of experimental artists, and they responded to the call.

“We all shared some things in common, feeling a little bit like outsiders on a preppy-ish campus," Thompson said. "It was the early '80s, so that was sort of the thing. A couple of them had taken classes in German expressionist literature and post-World War II art and were really grabbed by that.”

It was inevitable that the four musicians would get along; their outsider mentalities and artistic obsession with Dada coincided to create catchy garage pop with a modernist edge.

“We were living sort of like this double life, trying to write primitive pop songs together, but sometimes … we would also just sort of improvise with these living-room performance art shenanigans,” Thompson said.

These dual modes of expression surface during certain points in “Devolver,” when the guitars erupt into experimental dissonance and the vocals chug along with Ramones-like simplicity. The lo-fi quality of their recordings adds to the messages of nonconformity and absurdism that permeate their songs. Wonky lyrics such as, “The onion dip is scarred with ruins of those scenes that never end,” from the contemplative track “Don’t Go to the Party” reflect the social externalism supported by the Prefabs.

This sort of rejection of the status quo is natural coming from a bunch of college kids who never felt like they fit in, but it may not be as predictable once they’re 30 years older. As the title would suggest though, “Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive” maintains much of the same attitude, albeit with a little more polish in its execution.

“A lot of guys our age have come to this point where they think they have to come out with their own personal Bob Dylan, world-weary approach ... Nothing wrong with Bob Dylan, but we already have one,” Thompson joked.

The Prefabs have clearly avoided this tactic, preferring to revel in their youthful punk rock glory. However, they’ve gotten a lot better making their music sound good.

“The early stuff … is pretty lo-fi generally, but it’s also all over the place: Three studio songs, and the rest of the tracks are live club recordings or jamming out in a small room," Thompson said. "The new thing was recorded in a small studio … There’s a more unified approach to recording.”

Thanks to this improvement in audio quality, the listener can finally appreciate the interesting musical elements of the Prefabs’ songs. The cohesive, spirited garage anthems are as every bit as raw as anything on “Devolver” and twice as tuneful. For instance, the catchy, misfit underpinnings of “Weirdoz Everywhere” and the trippy tones of “Bobb’s Psychedelic Car” are easily accessible,straddling the line between retro and contemporary noise rock. With groovy bass lines and rich, reverberating guitar textures, the eight-track EP is a much-needed reminder that you’re never too old to relive your dreams.

“One way to be in a band is to be 20 years old and play 50 ... shows a year. You know, we can’t do that, but we still have a creative burn and need to do something about it, even though we’re in our 50s now,” Thompson said. “The album is ‘Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive,’ sort of a reminder to people to hang on to them, and keep at it.”

 The Prefab Messiahs will be playing an EP release show on March 19 at the Middle East in Cambridge, with The Fagettes, Fedavees and Secret Lover. Tickets are on sale for $10 each. The show is 18+ and starts at 8 p.m.