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This power trio keeps the recipe simple for great rock ’n’ roll: a straight and heavy beat, gravelly vocals, and bluesy, dive-bombing guitar work from singer Paul Johnson. The lyrics are lowbrow whiskey-soaked travels down love’s winding road. The band collectively sums up their musical heroes with one word: “Elvis.”

The group came about after brothers Paul Johnson and Patrick Johnson returned from a stint in New York performing with Baton Rouge ex-pat Kristin Diable.

“Paul started working on new material with (drummer) Tracy Civello, and the two recruited me to join in on bass,” bassist Patrick Johnson says.

All three members have their roots deep in Baton Rouge’s musical soil. Patrick played in Poor Harvey and Tabby Thomas’ house band, and he also plays bass for Elsah. Paul was also in Poor Harvey and shares time in alt-country rockers Big Whup. Civello was signed to an RCA affiliate in the ’90s and runs an active home studio where The Prescriptions recorded their debut album The Sugar Pill Situation, currently available at live shows. “We’ve just been biding our time while shopping it out to major labels,” explains Patrick. “We’re enjoying taking our time. Whatever happens with the music, we’re sure we’ll be pleased with. We create the music for ourselves and just hope that when it’s released people like it.”

The band found an odd fan in the Lifetime Network. Two songs The Prescriptions recorded as Diable’s backing band made it into the film Fatal Desire starring Anne Heche and Eric Roberts.

“It’s funny to hear us playing those songs during the film,” Patrick admits. “We’re very proud of the work we did there. Hopefully there’ll be more to come.”