Prism

Formed in Vancouver in 1977, Prism emerged from the late-1970s North American rock wave with a blend of melodic rock, hard rock, and progressive touches strongly driven by keyboards. Centered around Ron Tabak, Lindsay Mitchell, Al Harlow, John Hall, and songwriter Jim Vallance, Prism developed an FM rock–oriented sound with accessible structures often enriched by more atmospheric passages, as showcased on the albums Prism (1977) and See Forever Eyes (1978). With Armageddon (1979) and then Young and Restless (1980), the band at times toughened its approach and moved further toward arena rock, while remaining focused on anthemic choruses and amplified guitars, as Bruce Fairbairn’s production placed Prism alongside certain Canadian and American acts of the era. The 1980s were marked by numerous lineup changes, the death of Ron Tabak in 1984, and more sporadic activity, including the releases Small Change (1981) and Beat Street (1983), followed by a hiatus. Revived in the early 1990s around Al Harlow, Prism released Jericho (1993) and later Big Black Sky (2008), then concentrated on touring, mainly on classic-rock stages in Canada and the United States, where the band’s historic repertoire remains at the center of the shows.