Prodigal Returns On CD To Celebrate 30th Anniversary Of Electric Eye

CINCINNATI, OH, April 24, 2014 (Press-News.org) 1982 to 1985 seems like a blip on the radar screen, but almost an eternity in the lifespan of a rock band. That was the span between Prodigal's first album to its last, Just Like Real Life. Since then, a small but fiercely loyal fanbase has waited for the eventual re-release of the recordings in a digital format. Neither these, nor the second album Electric Eye which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2014, have officially been on CD. Fans had to rely upon their vinyl and cassettes...until now.

In June 2014, the entire output from Prodigal will be released as a 3-CD set to commemorate Electric Eye's anniversary, with the original analog tapes remastered to sound better than ever. The package will be available through the band's official website, www.prodigalnow.com

"(The band's original label) Heartland Records went out of business soon after the release of the third Prodigal album, Just Like Real Life in the mid '80s. The Prodigal library of analog recordings went into storage for about 20 years," explained Rick Fields, guitarist and one of three vocalists for the group. "Several things have developed in recent years that have made a digital re-issue worth considering. The occurrence that made any thoughts of a digital release feasible was the donation of the complete Prodigal tape library by the former owner of Heartland Records to (vocalist, keyboardist) Loyd Boldman, one of the original members of Prodigal."

Perhaps to the band's surprise, interest in the band and these albums continued to grow through online communities. "A major influence on our discussions about whether or not to restore the tapes was the blossoming of the social media community," Fields said. "We became aware, through all the different forms of social connectivity on the Internet, that there were still fans out there that had worn out their vinyl and cassettes and would be willing to 're-up' for a digital version of their favorite Prodigal album."

But one major roadblock remained. "We just couldn't afford to take on the initial costs of tape restoration and remastering," said Fields. However, in early January of 2014, an unnamed benefactor approached the group as 'just a fan who wants to make sure that the Prodigal catalog survives' and helped make the financing of the project a reality. "It was a kickstart that we couldn't ignore," said Fields.

So what began roughly 32 years ago finally arrives as a pristine, limited release 3-CD set collecting Prodigal (1982), Electric Eye (1984), and Just Like Real Life (1985); a reintroduction to the music of Loyd Boldman, Rick Fields, Mike Wilson, and Dave Workman, and a chance for a new audience to see what they missed.

For further information, contact: rickfields@prodigalnow.com

Prodigal was formed in the early 1980s, and subsequently released three records - the self-titled debut, Electric Eye, and Just Like Real Life. From their home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, the group introduced a level of high-production standards that had not yet been heard in the "Contemporary Christian Music" scene. The band consists of Loyd Boldman, keyboards and vocals; Rick Fields, guitars and vocals; Mike Wilson, bass guitar; and Dave Workman, drums, guitar and vocals.