The Prats
Encyclopedia
The Prats were an Edinburgh
-based punk rock
group, active from 1977 to 1981. More recently, their track "General Davis" was featured in the opening credits of Jonathan Demme
's 2004 film, The Manchurian Candidate
.
. Inspired by The Slits
and Mekons, the Prats debuted with three tracks on the Fast EP Earcom 1.
In 1979, the band recorded a session for John Peel
's BBC Radio 1
show. Peel also offered his fee from a DJing appearance in Edinburgh to finance a single release by the band. A series of singles then followed, including "General Davis" and "Die Todten Reyten Schnell," which was released on a German indie label.
A number of line-up changes saw Elspeth McLeod joining to provide additional guitar (including on the single "General Davis") and Jeff Maguire taking over bass duties from Tom Robinson.
In 1980, the EP "The 1990s Pop" was released on Rough Trade Music. This record contained four tracks: "Disco Pope", "Nothing", "TV Set", and "Noboty Noticed". "Disco Pope" received significant airplay under John Peel
and was re-released in 2003 on Rough Trade Shops' compilation CD Post Punk Volume 1.
The end of school in 1981 meant the end of the Prats. Paul McLaughlin was quoted as saying “Bands are like marriages between four people. You just stop getting on with each other.”
McLaughlin, now living in Chelmsford, has released one solo single, "Party Girl". He has since then given up on music and is currently an employment law executive with Acas
; Dave, Jeff, Greg, Tom and Elspeth all live in the Edinburgh area.
and Meryl Streep
, there has been a resurgence of interest in the Prats, resulting in the release of a compilation CD, Now That's What I Call Prats music released by One Little Indian in 2005.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group, active from 1977 to 1981. More recently, their track "General Davis" was featured in the opening credits of Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director, he has also directed the acclaimed movies Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, the Talking Heads concert movie Stop...
's 2004 film, The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)
The Manchurian Candidate is a 2004 American thriller film based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Richard Condon, and a reimagining of the previous 1962 film....
.
History
The group was founded in 1977 at St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Comprehensive by Paul McLaughlin, David Maguire, Greg Maguire, and Tom Robinson, whose ages at the time ranged from 12 to 15. While their instruments were basic - including a cardboard drum kit - they were able to quickly produce a demo tape which they sent to a local indie label Fast Product, who also produced the Human LeagueThe Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
. Inspired by The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
and Mekons, the Prats debuted with three tracks on the Fast EP Earcom 1.
In 1979, the band recorded a session for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. Peel also offered his fee from a DJing appearance in Edinburgh to finance a single release by the band. A series of singles then followed, including "General Davis" and "Die Todten Reyten Schnell," which was released on a German indie label.
A number of line-up changes saw Elspeth McLeod joining to provide additional guitar (including on the single "General Davis") and Jeff Maguire taking over bass duties from Tom Robinson.
In 1980, the EP "The 1990s Pop" was released on Rough Trade Music. This record contained four tracks: "Disco Pope", "Nothing", "TV Set", and "Noboty Noticed". "Disco Pope" received significant airplay under John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
and was re-released in 2003 on Rough Trade Shops' compilation CD Post Punk Volume 1.
The end of school in 1981 meant the end of the Prats. Paul McLaughlin was quoted as saying “Bands are like marriages between four people. You just stop getting on with each other.”
McLaughlin, now living in Chelmsford, has released one solo single, "Party Girl". He has since then given up on music and is currently an employment law executive with Acas
Acas
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is a Crown non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its purpose is to improve organisations and working life through the promotion and facilitation of strong industrial relations practice...
; Dave, Jeff, Greg, Tom and Elspeth all live in the Edinburgh area.
The Manchurian Candidate soundrack
With the appearance of the song "General Davis" on the soundtrack of Jonathan Demme's 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate, starring Denzel WashingtonDenzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
and Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
, there has been a resurgence of interest in the Prats, resulting in the release of a compilation CD, Now That's What I Call Prats music released by One Little Indian in 2005.
Singles, EPs
- 1990s Pop EP (1980), Rough TradeRough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
- UK Indie #31 - "Die Todten Reyten Schnell" (1980), DADA
- "General Davis" (1981), Rough Trade