The Prayer Chain
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Tim Taber |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
The Prayer Chain emerged in the 1990s as a Christian alternative rock group, often regarded as a defining example of the Christian underground music scene. Their sound was marked by introspective, emotionally charged compositions, influenced by internal creative tensions within the band and challenges with their record label.
History
The band came together in February 1990 following the dissolution of Campuzano and Prickett's previous project, Laughing Boy, alongside Taber's former band, Tapestry. Campuzano connected with Taber through participation in a Bible study group. Initially, Taber took on both vocal and drum duties, supplemented by drum machines until drummer Wayne Everett joined later that year.
Their first release, The Neverland Sessions, was self-produced at Neverland Studios with Steve Hindalong and distributed independently. After securing a contract with Reunion Records, they issued the Whirlpool EP and embarked on tours while preparing their initial full-length album, Shawl, which debuted in 1993. This release represented their first new material since 1990. In April 1994, they followed up with a live album capturing performances from the Shawl tour, including additional bonus tracks.
After extensive touring both domestically and internationally, they recorded Mercury, which came out in 1995. Originally conceived as a worship-focused record, producer Steve Hindalong played a key role in its development. The album delved into themes such as alienation ("Mercury," "Creole"), emotional separation ("Grylliade"), affection ("Manta Rae," "Bendy Line"), and spiritual worship ("Humb," "Sky High").
Following their breakup, The Prayer Chain reunited sporadically for various performances: a 1998 show in Chicago, the 2000 tribute to Gene Eugene, multiple local gigs in California, appearances at the 2003 Cornerstone Festival, and the Flevo Festival in the Netherlands. They also made rare tracks available through Bandcamp.
In April 2015, they initiated a Kickstarter campaign to fund a double vinyl edition of Mercury commemorating its 20th anniversary; the goal was met within three hours. Early in 2018, the group announced reunion concerts honoring the 25th anniversary of Shawl.
Members
- Tim Taber – lead vocals; founder of Floodgate Records (notable for Cool Hand Luke and The Myriad) and Transparent Productions.
- Andrew Prickett – guitarist; currently active with CUSH; skilled in recording, producing, and engineering; has collaborated with The Violet Burning, My Brother's Mother, and OneRepublic.
- Eric Campuzano – bassist; also guitarist for The Lassie Foundation and Stranger Kings; has released drone-focused solo work under the name Charity Empressa; plays bass with CUSH and has contributed to Starflyer 59.
- Wayne Everett – drummer; guitarist and founder of The Lassie Foundation; has performed alongside Starflyer 59 and CUSH; solo artist and producer with albums such as KingsQueens (2003) and Two Ghosts (2020).
Full-length albums
- The Neverland Sessions (1992)
- Shawl (1993)
- Mercury (1995)
EPs
- 4 Song Demo (1990)
- Whirlpool (1992)
- Live (available in both 4-song and 8-song editions) (1994)
- Live at CBGB's (2005)
Singles (7-inch vinyl)
- Shine (1992)
- Crawl/Like I Was (1993)
Two-disc editions
- Mercury & Mercurios Tin: Limited Edition Collector's Set (1995)
- So Close...Yet So Far (Retrospective & B-sides) (1998)
Double vinyl editions
- Mercury (20th anniversary reissue) (2015)
Compilation albums
- Antarctica (1996)
- Live at the Strand (1997)
- A Live Tribute Recording for Gene Eugene (2000)
- Here Comes the Rust (retrospective) (2003)