The Forgotten Prophets

From different walks of life across the United States which found them crossing paths in Austin, Texas, The Forgotten Prophets are a musical collective— immediately accessible to any listener seeking genuine musicianship, song craft, and honest performance.  At their foundation, this is a band of music lovers playing for those who love music.

Original yet familiar, The Forgotten Prophets forge their own path through the backwoods roots of American rock and roll. Their debut album, The End (2016), was recorded live in the studio in four days. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel,” begins bassist Pat Harris. “We just want to play the music that resonates within us– it’s somewhere between Jackson Browne, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and Ry Cooder.”  It’s music for the sake of music, without click-tracks, tuned vocals, or auxiliary players; just a group of friends enjoying their time together.

As a group with many eclectic tastes, influences, and abilities, The Forgotten Prophets spent much of 2017 dedicated to the performance and recording of The Empress: a 4 movement, 45 minute, through composed progressive piece based on the symbolism in The Empress Tarot card.

Since 2019, The Forgotten Prophets are digging deep into American blues and roots music to inspire their original material and continue to play to appreciative listeners throughout Central Texas.

Chris Bell – guitar & vocal, from Burlington, Vermont is a lifelong student of the blues, the leader and vocalist for the Belltower Blues Explosion, and has been described as “world class player.”  He studied jazz guitar at the Berklee College of Music and composition at Texas State University.  In addition to performing, he is an accomplished luthier designing, crafting, and playing his own guitars. Belltower Guitars on Instagram

Pat Harris – bass & vocal, from Bay City, Michigan is an in demand first-call sideman.  Pat studied classical performance at Central Michigan University and has a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. His songs have been described as, “…So good and clean in their construction that they feel almost ageless upon first listen.”   He blogs regularly about his experiences, travels, and philosophical musings on art and music. www.gpatharris.com

Aaron Lack – drums & vocal, from Muskegon, Michigan studied at Central Michigan University and the University of Texas.  With an incredibly diverse set of skills, and a chameleon of genres, Aaron can be heard playing drums, classical percussion, jazz vibraphone, or traditional steel pan music seamlessly moving from one instrument to the next.  He leads the Aaron Lack Vibetet and the Organic Mechanics. www.aaronlack.com

PRESS
If a lot of acts today are considered genre-bending, The Forgotten Prophets are tying genres in knots using only their tongues, while doing backflips through flaming hoops over shark-infested waters. Chris Bell (guitars, vocals), Aaron Lack (drums, vocals), and Pat Harris (bass, vocals) put a focus on blending .. popular music in a way that will make everyone want to listen. Part of the reason that they can pull that off is because they’re all ridiculously talented, and .. they’ve all been playing music in Austin for decades.  – James Parker, KUTX

Stay Safe

We’ve all been caught up with the rapid developments of Covid-19.  What more can we do or say?  At this time, we implore everyone to stay safe, stay isolated, be mindful, be kind, be patient, and at some point, we’ll be able to look back and hopefully say, “Never thought I’d have to go through that.”

We have taken all dates off of our calendar.  As much as we love playing music with each other and for anyone that will listen, the risk is too great.  As much as you may love live music, now is exactly NOT the time to support it.  If you simply must spend your hard earned money, please consider purchasing recorded music or merchandise directly from artists that no longer have the stage as a place of commerce.

We wish the best for everyone in this difficult time.  We’ll see you when we see you.

Steady at the Saxon

The Forgotten Prophets have had the good fortune to be able to showcase their music on a monthly basis at the Saxon Pub which is one of Austin’s best listening rooms. It’s an honor to be able to perform on the same stage as so many local legends. Check out the “Shows” tab for up to date listings.

Tracking

On August 7-8, Aaron, Chris and Pat tracked six new songs at Austin Signal Recording Studio with Charlie Kramsky reprising his role as engineer. While it has yet to be determined when and how this music will be released, it is the result of the three musicians meeting and working together over the past year to hone their craft as songwriters and arrangers. It is a back-to-basics approach with heavy emphasis on characters and their stories while providing a deep foundation to build upon.

The Empress Preorder

We are very excited for the second live performance of The Empress this evening for the Revel Solstice Festival, and we are heading into the studio to record it in early July. Rather than mounting a time and energy intensive crowd funding campaign, we are humbly offering a few preorder options as a means to raise capital for this project. We are grateful for your interest and support. Please follow the link below for preorder options and packages (digital download, CD, 180g vinyl, and even a printed & bound copy of the score). All preorders will be sent out on or before August 24, 2017.

The Empress Preorder on Bandcamp

Summer 2017

More behind the scenes activities than on stage so far in 2017. See the SHOWS page for dates. We’ve been busy writing new material to debut this summer, and on June 20, we’ll be reprising our performance of The Empress for the Revel Solstice Festival. It will be a great evening of music with some of the best classical/art musicians in Texas. Always searching for inspiration, we will be taking a band field trip to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tonight. They are undoubtedly the best American rock and roll band still in the game.

The Empress

On Sunday, February 12, The Forgotten Prophets will be debuting an original long-form, through-composed piece inspired by the mythology, lore, and symbolism of The Empress Tarot Card:  The Empress. The mother, the world of nature and sensation, Mother Nature, being fertile, bringing something new into the world.

“And here, in this quiet place I own, worlds are born.” – Cassandra Wilson, Run the Voodoo Down
Presented as part of the REVEL Unclassified concert series with KMFA 89.5FM, and 4th Tap Brewing Co-op.

“The Empress” (2017)
I. 6 Points, 12 Stars
II. The Defense of Love and Art
III. Extreme Force and Tranquility
IV. Fields of Abundance