“The Prodigy” is one of the most successful electronic dance music icons of all time, selling around 25 million records worldwide. Based in Essex, England in 1990, the band had a unique sound, combining elements of techno, hardcore and breakbeat in their music. Along with other bands, “The Prodigy” are considered to be the pioneers of the big beat genre, which enjoyed its greatest popularity in the 1990s.
The band began to form in 1989 when musician and songwriter Liam Howlett, the current leader of “The Prodigy”, returned to his home town of Braintree in Essex. Howlett began writing and performing music in rave clubs (a venue where electronic dance music is usually played) where he met dancers Keith Flint and Leeroy Thornhill. “The Prodigy” itself came about quite unexpectedly when dancer Flint asked Howlett to create a dance band. Flint and Thornhill created a sequence of dances based on Howlett’s tape, which impressed the musician, who suggested they form a band. The band started with 3 members, but later they were joined by Sharky, a dancer and vocalist (who didn’t stay in the band long). Their first gig was in February 1991 at “The Four Aces” club in Dalston. The gig was organised by the activist Ziggy, who later became the band’s first manager. Soon after, MC Maxim joined the band, whose rap lyrics and charisma further strengthened “The Prodigy” identity.
Shortly after the live debut, the band’s leader Liam Howlett approached “Tam Tam Records” to sign a contract, but the offer was rejected. He later approached another record company, “XL Records”, which released the band’s first official release, “What Evil Lurks”, in February 1991. In the summer of the same year, “The Prodigy” released their debut single “Charly”. The track was a hit on the rave scene and reached No. 1 in the UK Dance Singles Chart and No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.
“The Prodigy” debut album “Experience” was released in 1992. It reached number 12 in the UK album chart and was certified platinum by the British record industry, selling more than 300 000 copies. In early 1993, “The Prodigy” completed their first major nationwide property. At the time, Howlett began work on the band’s second album, “Music for the Jilted Generation”, which was a kind of response to the Criminal Public Order Act (the Act outlawed raves and their culture). The album, released in September 1994, reached the UK Top 1 spot and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
After their second album, “The Prodigy” became even more famous and started touring all over the world. The band released new singles “Firestarter” and “Breathe”, followed by the album “The Fat of the Land”. In 1999, the band finished their world tour and briefly split up. In 2000 it was announced that L. Thornhill was leaving the band, but the band did not disband, in 2001 they performed several live shows and in 2002 their single “Baby’s Got a Temper” was released. In 2018, “The Prodigy” released their 7th album, “No Tourists”. After successful shows in Australia and New Zealand, in 2019, the band’s fans heard the sad news that Keith Flint had been found dead in his home in Essex. The rest of the tour dates were cancelled, but in 2022 “The Prodigy” delighted their fans by announcing their return to the stage.
“The Prodigy” have had a definite influence on contemporary electronic music. The band’s legacy continues to resonate in the music industry. Their fearless experimentation and boundary-pushing music has inspired countless others to break the mold. “The Prodigy” is considered one of the most successful bands in electronica, winning numerous awards and amassing millions of fans. Despite a number of changes in the band (in terms of the number of members), they continue to this day to perform and create their music.
