Early Sunday evening near Fresno, California, Portland’s The Prids (a band we haven’t properly covered in a while) had some shitty, shitty luck. A tire blowout on the freeway resulted in the band’s van rolling multiple times, smashing up all of its contents—including the group’s four members and two others. Details of the crash are quoted heavily below, but the important thing is that no one died (and given the circumstances that seems particularly miraculous). Stil, the bills are adding up quickly, and the Prids are going to need some cash. I’m throwing down $20, which, I know, isn’t a huge sum (I’m not the music editor yet), but I thought if LocalCut’s regular readers could match that then maybe we could raise like…$60. Ok, all kidding aside, our thoughts are truly with these guys (and gals) right now and we’re all hoping for a speedy recovery. Here’s the link to donate with. Please give if you can:

**********Donate Here!***********

Ok, if you haven’t already read it elsewhere, here’s the story from the band members. The first is in the form of a message on the band’s MySpace page:

A message to and from friends of The Prids:
updated Tuesday 7/22

Our dear friends The Prids - David, Mistina, Joey and Maile - and two of their significant others - Kristin and Chris - were in a serious accident early Sunday evening while en route to Los Angeles on tour. A tire blew and they lost control of the van and it rolled several times. David was airlifted from the scene of the crash, he suffered a broken collar bone, broken ribs and has 6 staples in his head. Chris broke his arm and may have spinal injuries. Maile has a broken vertebra and toe and a severe cut with stitches on her knee. Joey broke ribs, Mistina suffered a concussion, and Kristin is in similar shape.

As of late that night, everyone had been released from the hospital but David had to go back in the middle of the night and was released Monday afternoon. Maile is currently back in the emergency room.The rest are currently staying at a hotel in Fresno waiting to go home with their friends, Marshal and Kiisu, that drove down from Portland with a cooler full of vegan food donated by Food Fight (Portland).

A special paypal account has been set up to help out and donate directly to The Prids. They need help getting home and paying their hospital bills. If you can’t help out monetarily, please repost this info on your blogs, etc. They could also use lots of vegan food and comfy cushions/pillows/bedding for their long ride home to Portland. Thanks!

If you have problems with the link, you can send a donation directly to “donate@theprids.com”.

And here is a note from Mistina Keith de la Prids from earlier today:

A note from Mistina:
Jul 22, 2008 12:27 PM
Subject: We are alive, thanks for your kind wishes and help

Hi Buds. We’re all in a hotel in Fresno, friends Marshall and Kiisu are here now and we’re about to rent vehicles to transport what we have left in belongings and gear and health back to Portland. Not sure when we’ll be back, Thursday or Friday.

I spoke with my friend Nona last night and she posted the following info up. Sitting is ouchie so I’d rather repost than give another account of things.

We’ve got hospital bills, a van that we still owe money on, a new van to buy and an unknown amount gear to replace… so all of your donations so far and to come, are appreciated more than you know. At the moment we’ve gotten enough money donated to help with hotel rooms and our gas home, not to mention our amazing friend Anna is renting us a van to transport our gear-scraps home.

Thank you all so much. If I weren’t so loopy I would write a motherfuckin thank you that would bring tears to your eyes!! love you all.

ps do you like how I called you buds? Vicadin blows btw… barely works! blah!
xoMistina

from Nona’s post:
6 people, EMERGENCY ROOM. One air flight to the hospital. Totaled van with 3 thousand dollars owed on it, towed to an impound. Medical care in a situation such as this is going to total for all 6 pushing over thousands of dollars.

THINK: x rays, cat scans, MRI, blood draws, fracture care, hospital stays, life flight, ambulance, etc. The only two with insurance is Maile and Kristen, and we already know insurance doesn’t cover 100 percent of bills.

On top of all of this is their stay at the motel. It is unknown how much of their gear, if any, is salvageable.

Highway patrol kept calling hospital, because they had never seen an accident so bad with all people to survive!

Something Mistina wants me to pass along… a little short story:
Mistina walked into to see David after the accident yesterday, and said “this is the only way our band’s going to be popular” and David began crying…. then they laughed.
And the sad fucking thing is is’t true! HAHA
Thanks friends

My bold on that anecdote, which is amazing. Dunno about you, but this makes me want to never get in a vehicle again. It also makes me want to hug some people. Again, please help out if you can.

And just so the only image you have of the band isn’t a terrible-looking car crash, here are the Prids playing San Francisco a year and a half ago.

Links:
PridSpace
Donation Link

Flier/Photos courtesy of the band