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Information About

Prefab Sprout




  Img Capt
  Background group_or_band
  Origin County Durham , England
  Genre Pop , Alt-Rock
  Formed 1977
  Years Active 1982 &ndash present
  Label Kitchenware <br> EMI
  URL The band's official site closed in 2004
  Current Members Paddy McAloon <br />Martin McAloon
  Past Members Wendy Smith<br />Neil Conti


Prefab Sprout are an English Pop Band from Witton Gilbert , County Durham , who rose to moderate fame during the 1980s . Critically acclaimed and considered by many to have released some of the best pop Album s of the decade, the band never became part of the mainstream, but saw moderate commercial success.


CAREER

They debuted in 1982 with their self-released '' which found only limited release, but yielded the Song "Life of Surprises", which later became the Title Track for their greatest hits Compilation .

Their biggest commercial .

Their greatest hits, ''Life of Surprises: The Best of Prefab Sprout'' yielded their biggest U.S. Hit , "If You Don't Love Me", which spent several weeks in the Top 10 on the dance Charts . McAloon joked in the Album Liner notes about the band's lack of touring over the past decade.

In 1997 Prefab Sprout released a new album '' Andromeda Heights '' in the UK. A short, but well received UK tour followed in 2000. This tour (and the subsequent album) did not feature Wendy Smith, who by this time had reportedly left the band. In 2001 the band released 'The Gunman and Other Stories' a Concept Album themed on the American West. The opening track "Cowboy Dreams" was originally a success for the British Actor , Jimmy Nail . These albums while critically acclaimed in places, have not been as commercially successful (and only been available in the United States on import).

Their greatest hits collection, 1999's ''38 Carat Collection'', was released in the United States in 2001 with a new title ''The Collection''.

After being diagnosed with a medical disorder which impaired his vision .

In January 2007, a remastered edition of ''Steve McQueen'' was announced for a UK release in April 2007 with a second disc of recently recorded Acoustic versions of eight of the album's tracks to be included as well. The remastering was done by original Record Producer , Thomas Dolby . There has been some speculation about another release of new music but nothing definite has been set.


PERSONNEL

Core members:


ALBUMS



UK TOP 75 SINGLES

  • "Don't Sing" (#62 - 1984)

  • "Faron Young" (#74 - 1985)

  • "When Love Breaks Down" (1985 re-Release) (#25 - 1985)

  • "Johnny, Johnny" (#64 - 1986)

  • "Cars and Girls" (#44 - 1988)

  • "The King of Rock 'N' Roll" (#7 - 1988)

  • "Hey Manhattan" (#72 - 1988)

  • "Looking For Atlantis" (#51 - 1990)

  • "We Let The Stars Go" (#50 - 1990)

  • "Jordan - The EP" (#35 - 1991)

  • "The Sound of Crying" (#23 - 1992)

  • "If You Don't Love Me" (#33, U.S. #3 Hot Dance Club Play - 1992)

  • "All The World Loves Lovers" (#61 - 1992)

  • "Life of Surprises" (#24 - 1993)

  • "A Prisoner of The Past" (#30 - 1997)

  • "Electric Guitars" (#53 - 1997)



SEE ALSO



REFERENCES


  • Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7

  • Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X

  • Guinness Rockopedia - ISBN 0-85112-072-5

  • The Great Rock Discography - 5th Edition - ISBN 1-84195-017-3




EXTERNAL LINKS

The following are websites created by fans of Prefab Sprout: