The Prodigy: An Oral History, Part II by Michael Vazquez

"I was DJing on the back of a van on the beach at sort of six in the morning..." Thus begins this two-part oral history of The Prodigy. These brothers met in classic style: DJing, trading mixtapes and demos, trying to get into parties for free...unbeknownst to them there lay ahead a twenty-year relationship that would find them defining a scene, being reviled by a scene (at times they finish each other's sentences as they look back), making peace with the whole affair, creating a live act from the soundsystem culture they knew, "being ballsy enough to be our own band" and sharing a stage with huge bands that spoke to a completely different audience, during a "turning point" gig at Rothskilde Fest alongside The Chili Peppers, Biohazard, Helmet -- all established bands who "gave us respect" backstage after the show, and made them realize that they were right about themselves all along, which is a great thing that everyone should eventually learn...

They also reflect on hearing the first Rage Against The Machine album and Dr Dre's "The Chronic" as key fresh sounds, discovering the L.A. scene, touring with Cybersonik and Moby (That was fun...NOT!" quips Liam), rushing into the studio in the a.m. to see who would "claim the track", rebelling against the UK's Criminal Justice Bill which most bizarrely and quite frighteningly singled out cars with four or more young persons and music with repetitious beats for heavy prosecution, their creation of "Poison" as a reaction to the at times tyrannical pitch-up of drum and bass...They also speak honestly about the strains they faced, 'not speaking for a year, and dealing with the classic struggles that can tear apart the unique, fragile bond that comes through collaboration...

Speaking about the past with artists who've helped define a time can be difficult; so often the artists -- understandably -- prefer to speak about new stuff, but sometimes you can get them on the right day and they'll just sit and reflect honestly, and this was the case with these brothers, in a New York hotel room just ten hours after coming offstage, triumphant.

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Music

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