3dotmag November 2012

TOMMY KINGS OF NEWYORK UNDERGROUND HARDCORE VICTOR WRITER | Rob Grissom PHOTOGRAPHY | Scott Smallin

fter being a part of several self-destruc- ting bands, Tommy Victor decided to get a steady gig as the soundman at the legendary punk mecca, CBGB’s. He met doorman John Kirkland on the job, and he convinced a reluctant Tommy to return to the over-populated, cut-throat underground New York hardcore scene and start a band. The two young and eager musicians recruited ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons in 1986 and Prong was incarnated unto the New York underground. The trio independently released the EP Primitive Origins with the short hardcore punk tracks “Watching,” “Cling to Life,” and “Dreams Like That,” all written by Victor and Kirkland. With the enthusiasm still on fire, they quickly released their first full-length album, Force Fed, in 1988 and Parsons was included in the writing process for the first time. Showcasing the brilliant tunes “Freezer Burn,” “Forgery,” and “ Third From the Sun,” Epic Records was swift to acquire Prong to their label in 1989. Their inaugural major label release in 1990, Beg to Differ, offered the crushing tracks of “For Dear Life,” “Steady De- cline,” and the title track “Beg to Differ.” Featuring unmistakable harmonies, melodies, and complex timing changes the album earned Prong much deserved MTV airtime on the classic Headbanger’s Ball

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