As far as bands go, there were few as influential in the UK scene as King Prawn. Unfortunately they are destined to be remembered rather than continually enjoyed, as this recording of their final attack on London warmly appreciates. It wasn’t the actual blend itself of ska, punk, funk and ragga that makes them so important, but their willingness to make the effort to throw stuff together that made them so exciting. And as the 18 songs captured here show, they weren’t always 100% successful but they had a hell of a time doing it.
Technically, the package is solid without being showy. There are no extras (save a fairly standard video for ‘The Dominant View’) and the camera work is functional rather than flashy. But even despite the limitations of a low-budget attempt at a notoriously tricky format, the night itself is remarkably well-preserved. For those of you unlucky enough to miss it, t’Prawn ripped through what was basically a greatest-hits set, hardly pausing to draw breath, and the energy and punch of the performance is admirable captured. From Al screaming the intro to ‘The Sound of We’ right along to the final, chaotic stage invasion at the climax of ‘Gather Round’, King Prawn are literally captivating. Babar and Al make engaging frontmen, while Devil Hands acts more as a musical marshall than as a showman.
Even if you weren’t the biggest KP fan in the world this is still worth picking up, if only as a documentation of their genius. If you do have a hankering for the sound of the Prawn then buy this, put it on loud and rock out: it’s what they would have wanted.
Ben