PRONG covers RUSH classic 'Working Man'
17-04-2024
PRONG has shared a video for the band’s version of the RUSH classic “Working Man (Regular Version)”. The track appears as a shorter version on PRONG‘s latest album, “State Of Emergency”, which was released last October via Steamhammer/SPV.
Watch and listen to the band’s version of the RUSH classic “Working Man (Regular Version)”below.
PRONG mainman Tommy Victor commented: “RUSH had the big riffs and that’s something PRONG always wants as well. Especially in the song ‘Working Man’ with that all-time classic opening riff. We have a new lyric video for the regular version of ‘Working Man’. It’s a bit industrial and trippy at the same time. Check it out!”
Produced by legendary producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN),, “State Of Emergency” surprises on the post-punk track “Disconnected” and then grooves on the title track. Originally released as a standalone single in early 2023, “Breaking Point” takes no prisoners with honest lyrics and cutting attitude, while hard-hitting “The Descent” is a lightning quick, classic ripper.
Victor told Decibel magazine about the decision to cover RUSH: “The thing is, when I was a kid, I didn’t play guitar, so I was a bass player in bands when I was in high school and shit. So, of course, Geddy Lee was the guy. He was one of the top dudes, right? I saw RUSH so many times. There was no way of not having them influence you. It was impossible because they were so popular. They weren’t on the big scale, but guys that were playing in garage bands, we were doing LED ZEPPELIN covers and BAD COMPANY and then RUSH songs, and that’s the way it was back in the day. And ‘Working Man’ was the standard one. I know it’s not with Neil Peart, but the riff is so easy and it’s so basic that it’s a killer track. I mean, I love the lyric and everything. So that’s one of the reasons why that one stood out to me. The lyrics fit into the whole ‘State Of Emergency’ theme too. It fit in for some reason, so I really wanted to do it.”
Stream the previously released “The Descent” below.
Tommy Victor comments: “‘The Descent’ has a narrative of isolation, confusion, and hopelessness due to the intervention of media.”
Stream the previously released “Breaking Point” below.
PRONG leader Tommy Victor commented: “The origins of the song happened during the waning part of the pandemic. I have to admit that I came up with the main riff while we were out on the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY tour. I guess that would make sense to some. There was so much insecurity going on. What we were told kept changing. The crowds on that tour were so intense. It seemed like everyone was just sweating out all this frustration. Everyone was just fed up. I think that sentiment has remained and even grown with a lot of people. It’s a ‘general frustration in the world’-type song.”
He added about the track’s sound: “I’ve been getting back into these heavy, solid, mean riffs. I think moving back to New York has helped with these. I’m really happy where I’m at all around. I think it’s coming across in the new songs and showing a rejuvenated attitude.”
Last year Victor confirmed to Heavy New York that he and his bandmates were hard at work on the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s “Zero Days” album. “I can tell you the single will be out, the digital single, in January,” he said. “‘Cause the record is almost done. So for our European tour with LIFE OF AGONY in January, the single will be out. And the full-length record will be out in, I guess, April or something. It depends on when the pressing plant can do it. It’s on Steamhammer/SPV again, the same label. All the basic tracks are done. I’ve just gotta do vocals and solos now.”
Speaking about his approach for the upcoming LP, which was produced by Steve Evetts, who previously helmed 2012’s “Carved Into Stone” and 2014’s “Ruining Lives”, Tommy said: “This one is special because it’s the first record I’ve written since I moved back to New York, (to) Amityville. So that concept is there, where it’s, like, you know what? This is where the early PRONG stuff was written. I wrote it in my apartment in Amityville, and it’s killer. So that’s the concept, is that it’s written back where I’m from. It’s very hardcore, it’s really heavy, but PRONG has to have the hooks, so it’s still in there too. There’s a lot of good choruses and understandable lyrics.”
PRONG‘s latest release was the aforementioned “Age Of Defiance”, which came out in November 2019 via SPV/Steamhammer. The effort, which was produced by Chris Collier, included two new studio songs, the title cut and “End Of Sanity”, along with live recordings of three tracks: “Rude Awakening”, “Cut-Rate” and “Another Worldly Device”.
As previously reported, PRONG has recruited Jason Bittner (OVERKILL, SHADOWS FALL) to play drums for the band on its upcoming European tour as the support act for LIFE OF AGONY.
The first leg of LIFE OF AGONY‘s “30 Years Of River Runs Red” tour will kick off in Europe on January 13 in Bochum, Germany and end in Milton Keynes, England on February 11. Additional support will come from MADBALL (on U.K. dates only), with rock duo TARAH WHO? opening all shows.
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