Prozzak

Prozzäk (The correct spelling), is a Candian based band. It consists of two members of the Philosopher Kings; Jay Levine (AKA: Simon*) and James McCollum (AKA: Milo*). The bands first disc "Hot Show" (Also refered to as "Prozzäk's Hot Show") relased in 1997, contained such gleeful earcandy as "Sucks to be you", "Wild Thing", "New York", "Europa", and "Omobolasire".

Prozzäk relased the majority of the Hot Show album as videos, so much so, they later relased the "Hot Show Video", which contained the videos for all the hits that came off Hot Show.

Prozzäk second disc "Saturday People" from what I've heard, is a lesser disc - Most songs are quite obviously lack origionality and detail that was found in the origional Hot Show disc. However, the first single to be relased (aperently) will be "www.nevergetoveryou".

One of the more celver things Prozzäk did was portray a story of a love doomed person by the name of Simon, and his all to supportive assistant Milo in a quest to find Simons true love - by the end of the Hot Show Disc, Simon is still without a love, all be it, he has had some interesting expereces. The whole disc plays out much like an opera. However, as I've not purchaed "Saturday People" yet, I cant really say if it follows along the same lines.

* People have been playing head games with me, and I'm currently conflicted whos who, but I think I have it right as current.

"Saturday People" follows along similar operatic lines as Prozzak's first album. In this case, though there are songs about Simon finding true love, (such as www.nevergetoveryou, concerning love and ICQ, or Pretty Girls (Make Me Nervous), which is self-explanitory), most of the album is concerned with the night club experience. Sort of a working for the weekend theme. An introductory track explains that Simon and Milo engaged in too much partying, and wrote the album to warn others before they encounter a similar fate, (i.e. finding oneself passed out in his/her own banana milkshake.)

Prozzäk - Hot Show

1. Intro* - "Welcome, to Prozzäk's Hot Show. Enjoy."
2. Europa* - Featuring the grade 2 choir from St. Bonaventure School and additional keyboards by Stephan Moccio.
3. Strange Disease* - Featuring additional vocals by "Minnie Mae"
4. Omobolasire** - The first single. A very fun thing to try get text-to-speech to say correctly.
5. Shag Tag (You're It!) - Wurlitzer: Jon Levine
6. Hot Show - The title track, again with "Wurlitzer: Jon Levine"
7. Mediterranean Lady - Featuring additional vocals by Stephen Moccio.
8. Wild Thing/Poor Boy (Medley)* - Wild Thing written by Chip Taylor. Featuring additional vocals by "Minnie Mae".
9. Sucks To Be You* - Anna Goodman joined Jason and James writing this one. Featuring additional vocals by "Tamara"
10. New York* - Featuring "smarmy" piano licks by Stephen Moccio and drum samples by Dylan Fusillo. Was featured on Fromage, MuchMusic's annual collection of atrocious videos.
11. I Like To Watch (Milo's Night Out) - Featuring background vocals by "Minnie Mae." Milo finally gets to sing in this track.
12. Tsunami* - This track has a "karaoke" video, although the vocals are left in. Still fun to sing along, though.
13. Sleep With Myself - "It may sound a little funny..."
14. Anna-Lisa - Featuring string arrangement by James McCollum and Jason Levine (I do not know why this is pointed out in the liner notes, but it is)
15. Simon's Final Thought - James McCollum didn't co-write on this one.

Unless mentioned otherwise, songs are written by Jason Levine and James McCollum. Tracks marked with an * are included on the Hot Show Video. Omobolasire has two *'s because the Hot Show Video includes the original version and a special "rave edit."

The mysterious "Minnie Mae" who provides vocals on some tracks, according to a faq listed at the bottom of this writeup, is actually Jason Levine (Simon), with his voice run through a synthesizer. "Tamara," from "Sucks To Be You," is Anna Goodman, one of the co-writers of the song.

The cover art for this CD covers the backs of all five pages of lyrics. From the left, they show: Simon riding an elephant while Milo hangs from a tree photographing some white cats, Simon and Milo on their boat cruising by the Statue of Liberty, Simon and Milo standing on a globe with the title above and below them, Cupid shooting an arrow through Simon's dream while Milo carries a glass of something orange, and finally Milo runnng from a bull while Simon sits alone at a table.

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Prozzäk Saturday People

1. Saturday People Story - "From nightclub to rave, from juicebar to discotheque..." Music written by Jeff Dalziel.
2. Pretty Girls - Featuring "Minnie Mae".
3. www.nevergetoveryou - Featuring Jamie Price as Stacy the Computer and some ICQ sounds.
4. Be As - Featuring sound bytes from David Rendall, Mark Rendall, Mitchell Freed, Sara Farb, Chritine Cerullo, and Jamey Grant.
5. It's Not Me It's You - The music used for this is "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy". Features "Minnie Mae" and the Shannon Topper Singers (Shannon Topper, Jade Kroll, Chloe Goldberg, Rebecca Wise, Jayme Alter) and string arrangements by Jeff Dalziel.
6. Infatuation - Verse lyrics written by contest winner Iris Fraser.
7. Saturday People - "Your dreams are just a Saturday away..."
8. Feed the Night - Milo does some more singing. I don't know who this "Paulina" person is. How frustrating.
9. Usted es Muy Loco - Additional vocals and rap performance by Meesah. Trumpet by Kevin "Chico" Turcotte. Scratching by Miss Felicia.
10. Introduction to a Broken Heart - Piano intro by Stephan Moccio.
11. Monday Morning - "for Lisa."
12. Lonely American Nights - Scratching by Miss Felicia.

This time, the cover has a (limited edition, as I recall) moving image that shows Simon and Milo in their new outfits approaching the viewer on a dance floor. A still image variant of this is visible as the third panel if the motion piece is not there. The first and second panels show the duo walking down a street past a cafe. The fourth and fifth panels show another street with a record shop, subway, and news stand.

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According to their story, a long time ago and far away there was a great war known as "Ochiyaki". On one side of the conflict was a lonely young orphan named Simon. Simon was drafted into an elite group of small soldiers who were known for their speed and their ability to be crammed onto ships in large numbers. On the other side of the conflict was a large, muscular man named Milo. Milo joined the war after his brother was killed by the "Wasabi" bomb off the Morgan peninsula, and was famous for his ability to pull his massive boat through the waters with a single sweep of his oar. By chance, one day Simon's boat came across Milo's boat, and the two ships engaged each other. Simon leapt aboard the other boat, and there he found himself against Milo, and the two fought with all their strength. Suddenly, there was a loud noise and the heavens were cast open. A voice from above declared: "Simon and Milo, you have been chosen. Chosen to live in a time that is not your own, sentenced to walk the earth in search of love. Only true love holds the key to your destiny." They were then sent into the present, and became friends on their quest. Using an abandoned castle on the Isle of Man as their studio/compound, they document their journeys in song. Or, you could just believe that story about them being in the Philosopher Kings.

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info from CD liners, the Hot Show Video, and http://members.tripod.com/~prozzak/faq