Stranded In Stereo: The Stranded Local Q & A- The Prime Movers

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Stranded Local Q & A- The Prime Movers

This week’s Stranded in Stereo Q & A comes from veterans of the Boston scene. And I do mean veterans (in the most respectful and praising way). The Prime Movers formed in 1981 and were opening for bands like Ministry and The Bangles before I was born.

Things seemed to be setting up nicely for the Prime Movers and they were ready to go tour Europe and get their records there. However, things were slowed down and soured by legal issues. The group was sued in an international court by a band with the same name, preventing them from touring or distributing records in Europe. The group eventually disbanded in 1988.

That wasn’t the end however, as the band got back together in 2003, and finally got to record their first full length LP in 2006. Their dreams to tour Europe were realized in 2007, free from the legal constraints that plagued them in the 80’s.

The Movers’ frontman Dick Tate spoke with us this week to answer the Stranded 5. I’m going to call the questions the “Stranded 5” from now on, to pretend like it’s a group of guys that busted out of prison. To add character, ya feel me?

Hailing from Boston makes us better than all those non-Boston bands because:

We don't expect anything in return for our music.

Name at least three bands that are still around and touring that you’d love to be on a bill with, and think it fits well:

The Who, The Hoodoo Gurus and Cheap Trick.

Your favorite Boston venue to perform in is:

The Middle East Upstairs

Are there any genres that influence your music conceptually, rather than sonically? (In that you can’t hear from simply listening to the music, but from getting into the structure or mathematics of the song-writing, etc.)


Late 60's, early 70's power pop like the Raspberries or Big Star.

Your favorite local bar to hit up when not doing the whole band deal is:

Even though I work there, I still like the Middle East because I'll always run into someone I know and like.