DoctorMusic.com

The Prodigy, possible summer release

• 23rd April 2001

Following separation rumours, the techno-punks could be delivering "No Souvenirs"

Absolute secrecy shrouds the official space belonging to the Prodigy techno-punks. However, numerous fan websites more or less match up with setting the likely release date for the track “No Souvenirs” for sometime between July and September this year. The waters were stirred by a supposed remark from the band’s manager, Mike Champion, on the site ProCon, a cult Prodigy page attentive to every minuscule movement made by Liam Howlett and company. However, some days ago, Liam himself caste a gauzy cloth over the revelation; there will be a single this summer, yes, but it won’t necessarily be “No Souvenirs”. 

"No Souvenirs" is no run-of-the-mill track, as it features the collaboration of Prodigy alongside no other than Robert Del Naja aka 3D from Massive Attack. The track in question has a history marked with pit falls, as the piece goes back to 1999. During that period, Liam Howlett and 3D worked separately on a couple of cuts for the soundtrack of the porno film "The Uranus Experiment". Around the same time, Liam met Alex Garland, screenwriter of “The Beach” starring Leonardo Di Caprio. In passing, Liam commented that he was interested in writing a track for Garland’s film; the lyrics would be the sole responsibility of 3D. Of course, the folks involved in “The Beach” project were over the moon with the proposal, which was none other than the aforementioned “No Souvenirs”. 

Nevertheless, when Liam and 3D saw the tracklist of said soundtrack, it did not seem sufficiently good enough for them; too much pop and party techno. So, “No Souvenirs” was shelved and consigned to a later Prodigy album, which in theory will be entitled "Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned". 

Some time back, 3D mentioned on Massive Attack’s official web page that “No Souvenirs” (a track no one has heard yet) sounded like a sick collision between Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys and the incendiary rhythms of The Prodigy. 

But don’t get excited yet, dear reader. The release of “No Souvenirs” or its mysterious replacement single does not mean there’s going to be a new LP from The Prodigy before the end of 2001. In fact, some rumours put all this procrastination down to a possible dissolving of the band. Maxim has brought out a solo album, the dancer Leeroy Thornhill has left the group (on 23 April an album under the alias of Flightcranck is scheduled to be released) and Liam has devoted himself to DJing, among other things, for the likes of Madonna’s premier in London, an act that didn’t exactly go down very well with faithful Prodigy fans. 

All the same, releasing the now 2-year-old “No Souvenirs” seems to be more a token effort to bring out the track before it rots as well as earn themselves a hefty wad of pound notes, something which can never be sniffed at.

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• Madonna
• Massive Attack
• Uranus Experiment
• No Souvenirs
• Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned
• Solo works
• Maxim
• Liam Howlett
• Leeroy Thornhill