Prime STH

In the closing years of the 1990s, numerous contemporary rock outfits emerged with an eye toward more adult audiences, among them Everclear, Our Lady Peace, and Live. Sweden’s Prime STH carried that same flame. The group’s lineup, identified solely by first names or initials—NOA handling vocals and guitars, Martin on guitar, JSPR on bass, and Kaz on drums—first assembled while its members were still teenagers. A self-released four-song EP appeared in 1994, securing a contract with a modest regional imprint. That label collapsed after the band finished six additional tracks, leaving the quartet entangled in legal proceedings that lasted until 1998. Throughout the delay the musicians maintained an active concert schedule, cultivating a loyal audience and supporting Faith No More and Rage Against the Machine at local gigs and festivals. Reprise Records eventually offered a deal, which yielded the quartet’s first full-length release, Underneath the Surface, in 2001.