The Reels - Prefab Heart (1980)

Music from Australia and New Zealand in the year 1980:

The Reels' promo-video for the hit single 'Prefab Heart' (March, 1980) taken from the 1979 album 'The Reels'.

Band Origin: Dubbo, NSW, Australia
Band Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Track: Prefab Heart
Album: The Reels
Composed By:
Produced By:
Label: Regular
Chart Position: # 52 (Australia)
Release Date: March, 1980
Links:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reels
- http://thereels.info/
- http://www.howlspace.com.au/en2/reels/reels.htm

Line-up:

Dave Mason -- Vocals
[ Native Sons (1976-1978) -- The Brucelanders (1979) -- The Reels (1979-1992) -- The Reels reformed (2009-present) ]

Craig Hooper -- Guitar, Keyboard
[ Native Sons (1976-1978) -- The Brucelanders (1979) -- The Reels (1979-1992) -- The Reels reformed (2009-present) ]

Colin "Polly" Newham -- Keyboard, Saxophone, Guitar
[ The Reels (1979-1981) ]

John Bliss -- Drums
[ Native Sons (1976-1978) -- The Brucelanders (1979) -- The Reels (1979-1982) -- Dog Trumpet (1991-1993) -- The Reels reformed (2009-present) ]

Paul Abrahams -- Bass
[ The Brucelanders (1979) -- The Reels (1979-1992) -- The Reels reformed (2009-present) ]

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NZOZ NZOZ1980 1980 Australia Early Eighties 1980's 1980s 80's 80s

Musical Terms: New Wave, Rock, Pop, Aussie, Old Australian Band

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Reels
• 1980
• Australia
• Early
• Eighties

[buggylrp]

this is nothing like Elvis Costelllo lol what are you smoking bro :)



[nzoz1980]

@buggylrp it's way to easy to give credit to those who are recognised and famous. It doesn't strike any resemblence to EC songs, whatsoever.

[poppylights]

Was the slow version ever released as a single? This is cute, but the slowed-down, torch song version is hauntingly beautiful. One of my favourites.

[nzoz1980]

i don't know if the slow version was ever a single. i saw the reels perform both versions live a couple of months ago (they've re-formed and are gigging). They started with the slow version, which was lovely and the moved into the version that's present in this video. some woman was shouting 'speed it up' during the slow version, much to my irritation.

[TheMichaelseymour]

@buggylrp sorry i, got to say ...whoever said the costello thing ...sounds spot on . How can you say that it sounds nothing like it ? I would consider that a compliment - even though costello is a bit of a tosser { which muso isnt ? } HA ! !

[oldredun]

@lurch558 - they were a very clever band . . . Mason's acid tongue live on stage was something to behold . . . any loudmouthed homophobes, yobbos and haters were quickly silenced by the boy from Dubbo !!!

[lurch558]

lol, I'm in a band with Newham. Soooo weird to see him younger here.

The guys like a musical mad scientist. very clever.

[FishingBrisbane]

"Ghosts of the civil dead" directed by nIck Cave, this guy played a gaol tranny.

Quite an artist forgotten

[rorydaniel]

I think Rikki has made an interesting point about Elvis Costello.

It's the first thing that came to my mind (that it sounds a little like Elvis Costello) when I listened to this song first time in 30 years.

I'm no music scholar, but have a listen to Pump It Up, by Elvis Costello):

Because The Reels are an amazing and original group, I'm not saying they copied Elvis. It's just a sign of the times that sounds were similar and bands influenced each other.

[panarion12]

This brings back some memories of a mispent youth. Saw the Reels live at a concert in Canberra . 10 Bands for 10 bucks , the head bill was Cold Chisel who had just released the album "east".

As for the EC comparison may be not his later stuff but there is an element of the EC touch from his earlier stuff in the reels music. Probably the closest would be "theres no action" which was released around the same time as this song.

[GodisNavyBlue]

@poppylights The slow version was on the Beautiful album - one of my fave albums of all time