In the fall of 1999 after taking a long overdue break from various musical projects, Michael Czirjak began committing to tape what would later become Prom King. The thought was: simple songs, personal words, and lots of melodies.

     Since spending the better part of the decade as the guitarist /back-up singer, for local bands around NYC and NJ, it was a natural progression and a welcomed change. 

     After playing his unfinished renditions to friend and drummer Steve Decker, it was suggested he make a demo of the songs on an old Tascam 8-track in a studio they shared. The process went so smooth, that a live band was assembled and a few Prom King shows were booked during the winter of 2001.

     Taking a break in the spring and summer to continue writing, Czirjak wanted to capture the songs through a professional recording. “I loved recording on my dusty-old 8-Track,” said Czirjak.  “But it was limiting at times as the songs started to progress because in my head I heard multiple layers that I wasn’t able to fully capture.”  While searching for the right studio, the Prom King demo was sent to Sound Spa owner/producer/musician Stephen DeAcutis. DeAcutis has been a fixture in the NYC/NJ music scene for a long time, having produced and engineered for a wide range of artists such as Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Cyndi Lauper and Corey Glover of Living Color fame. As a songwriter, his library of musical diversity has allowed him to write from a perspective where most artists dream to be. ”I've always known that my role on this planet, in this life, is to create music,” says DeAcutis. “Music that can be interpreted on many different levels, in different styles, appreciated by diverse audiences. I have a passion for writing melodies that resonate, that stir in the mind with an intense energy.”

     “I had known Stephen for a long time through mutual friends and various recording sessions that I had done over the years,” remembers Czirjak. “I had always admired his guitar playing and as a producer/engineer, I loved the sounds he could capture in the studio. It also didn’t hurt that we were both die-hard Beatles fans! I knew after reconnecting with him, he was the perfect person for the job.”

     After listening to the demo, DeAcutis wanted to not only record Prom King, but also get on board as the producer & member of the band. “I knew there was something special about the songs Michael had written,“ says DeAcutis. “After the first listen through of the demo, I found myself singing back all the choruses and thought, I need to be a part of this.” 

     Forming a band that represented the honesty and power in the music wasn’t easy. Early line-ups of the band lacked the vision and spectrum that Czirjak and DeAcutis wanted to capture. In the spring of 2002, Czirjak and DeAcutis were introduced to bassist Adam Small. Growing up in NJ, Small began playing the bass guitar in his early teens. Early influences such as Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson and John Paul Jones lead him to explore the New York Music scene in 1993. Becoming a fixture the uptown Jazz/Funk movement gave Adam the opportunity to tour nationally and internationally with Bernie Worrell (Woo Warriors/Parliament Funkadelic) and Scarlet Moore. “What Adam brings to the table is so much more than a Bass Player, says Czirjak. “His music vocabulary in both sound and song structure have been nothing short of amazing.”

     Finding a drummer for Prom King would prove to be the most daunting of tasks. “Anyone who understands music and the way any great band works knows that the relationship between the bass player and drummer is extremely critical.  They are the anchor and glue that holds the entire band together.“ says Czirjak.

     On the recommendation of Small, the band met with drummer Joe Strasser. Small and Strasser had played together on and off for years in various New York bands, including Omega 6 and the Hot Pants Sextet. Adam knew that Joe was exactly what Prom King needed. Growing up listening to bands like the Beatles, James Brown, Led Zeppelin and the Meters, Strasser left his native Connecticut in 1990 to attend the New School of Jazz to study drums and percussion. Over the years, Strasser had played with a diverse group of artists that led him on numerous national and international tours. His credits include Norah Jones, Larry Goldings (Maceo Parker), Jose Feliciano, Eddie Henderson (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock) and guitarist Peter Bernstein. “From the moment we got together and played the very first groove, everyone knew they were part of something different and special.” admits Czirjak.

Prom King, present day...

     Months of writing/recording and 2 solid years of gigs have proved to be the road worth taking for Prom King. In October of 2003, Prom King will release their first full length CD entitled, “Bound To Fall.” on Immersive Recordings. The album takes the listener on a sonic ride with dynamic songs such as the title track “Bound to Fall” and the poppy “Morgan Called” and through somber moments such as “Lullaby for a Rainy Day” and “I Know.” “Our goal was to connect with the listener the same way we felt connected to our favorite bands,” says Czirjak. “I’ve always loved those songs and albums that had the ability to take you to different places in your mind. I feel like we really captured that on this record. It’s that beauty of music that makes us get up in the morning to create and share our passion. Without it, we’d all be lost.”

Prom King, October 2003
Contact: info@promking.net
732.261.1231
www.promking.net
www.immersiverecordings.com