Jan 86 Early 1986 : !

Prince again contradicts the suggested configuration of Dream Factory with his sleeve note to accompany ‘Last Heart’, another dark and aggressive love song that Per Nilsen suggests was on the second and third version of this record. Prince claims here that the song was ‘intended as a demo, which is unusually unheard of in Prince’s mind’. For a demo, it’s remarkably polished. The song features Susannah on backing vocals and Eric Leeds on saxophone, and works an incredible sleight-of-hand, making a lyric about a man threatening to murder a cheating lover seem almost AOR.

12-01-1986 : Ciao 2001 (ITA)

13-01-1986 : Jet

When rock superstar Prince was asked to join a list of recording celebs to make a record, King Holiday, that will celebrate the first national holiday observance of the birthday of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., Prince sent word that his film schedule had him tied up but that he would be happy to help finance the recording project. He donated $30.000 to film the video which accompanies the disc tribute to the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
14 to 16-01-1986 : Sunset Sound

Kiss extended sessions

Kiss (Extended) * - Kiss Maxi-Single

Kiss (Extended) (2)

♥ Or $ (2) * -Prev. New Eden Prairie 09-07-85 - Kiss Maxi-Single

The extended 12-inch version of "Kiss," recorded at Sunset Sound in January 1986, contains some additional music and lyrics. In keeping with the playful mood of the song, most of the new lyrics consist of lighthearted non-sensical exclamations such as “Mazarati ! Oh shit, y'all"; “Woman overboard, everybody on the ground, to toes goin' up, to toes goin‘ down"; “Got the gun pointin' at ya"; "Never gonna cut our hair"; and, “Oh pretty mama, l wanna ride." Prince's sense of humour is also evident in the two-part conversation between an elderly-sounding couple, Sol (Prince) and Sophie (Jill Jones), who bicker with each other as they watch the television. She wants him to change the channel, and while it is difficult to understand what is being said because both of them are speaking at once, it seems as if she wants to change the channel because the person on the programme “looks like a pervert." However, later on she says, “Oh, my God, isn't that Prince on television. Sol ? ls he the strangest-looking thing you’ve seen or what !? Sol, don't you touch that channel. Do you value your life ? Sit down, Sol !” ♥ Or $ is the earliest occurrence of Prince using a non-alphanumerical symbol in the title of a song, something now commonplace.
01-1986 : Kiss promo vid shooting (LA) n Kiss (0:04)
In January, Prince shot a video for ”Kiss” in Los Angeles, directed by Rebecca Blake. Only him and Wendy Melvoin appear in this video along with a deutch model, Monique Mannen, who’s veiled in it. Kiss is the twenty-first Prince video to have been released for broadcast.
Rebecca Blake, director : When Prince’s manager called and asked if I would direct “Kiss,” the first thing out of my mouth was “I’d like to speak to Prince first, and I’m not doing it unless I can bring in my own hair, makeup, models, and choreographer.” A few minutes later, Prince called me. He was charming. The conversation was brief and there was a lot of giggling on his end. I was on a heavy vampire kick - I was into Anne Rice very early - so that’s where the black veil on the dancer’s head comes from. Prince was brilliant in terms of dance and choreography. You could show him something and three seconds later he could do it perfectly. He’s also funnier than people know. I’d put him next to a six-foot-tall model and he would give me an expression like, “Are you kidding ? Where’s my apple box ?” He was the one who decided at the last minute to use Wendy in “Kiss.” They had great chemistry, and they were funny together. Her facial expressions in that video were perfect.

Lisa Coleman : At the last minute, Prince asked Wendy Melvoin to be in “Kiss.” Wendy and I were living together, and he called her : “I’m shooting the video today. Why don’t you come down and play guitar ?” As it turns out, the stuff with Wendy playing guitar stole the show. She ended up being more of the focus than the hot female dancer with the see-through scarves. When Prince dances up to Wendy and sings “You got to not talk dirty, baby / If you wanna impress me,” and Wendy smiles and shrugs ? There was something special about that. But I admit, when I saw that video, I felt a little left out and jealous.

Jeff Ayeroff : Rebecca Blake was an outlandish, powerful woman. Both she and Prince were over the top. It was a fusion of over-the-top-ness. She directed “Kiss,” which was the most elegant Prince video.
Paisley Park construction begins
The construction of the Paisley Park Studios complex begins. The studio was designed by architect Brett Thoeny of Boto Design from Venice, California (a studio design specialist). Bossardt-Chrinstenson, a local agency, is in charge of the construction. Construction continues on what was to become the Paisley Park studio, in rural Chanhassen, about 20 miles southwest of Minneapolis. The Warehouse in Eden Prairie (not far from Chanhassen), which Prince had used since 1983, proved to have too many problems, including its metal walls which made for acoustic problems. The Eden Prairie site was abandoned, and instead Paisley Park found a home in the middle of a corn field, on Highway 5, just west of Chanhassen.


??-01-1986 : Sunset Sound – The Flesh / Roadhouse Garden sessions
Evolsidog (2) – Prev. Sunset Sound 23-04-85

Go (2) (4:47) – Prev. New Eden Prairie 08-85 – Roadhouse Garden

Roadhouse Garden (2) (3:27) – Prev. Live recording 07-06-84 – Roadhouse Garden

Wonderful Ass (2/3) (9:49 / 6:17) – Prev. Home Studio Early 83 – Roadhouse Garden

Junk Music (2) (edited) (19:41) – Prev. Sunset Sound 05-01-86 – The Flesh

U Gotta Shake Something (2) (15:22) – Prev. Sunset Sound 30-12-85 – The Flesh

Engineer Susan Rogers noted that Prince put a lot of time and effort into Go, and must have been seriously considering it for release, although it was not included on any known configuration of Parade or any other project. It is likely that the song was considered for the announced Prince and the Revolution album Roadhouse Garden in 1998/1999, but this is speculative. The track remains unreleased. Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin worked on Wonderful Ass further in early 1986, most likely at Sunset Sound, adding vocals and other instrumentation. Again, it is not known if this song was intended for any project at the time of additional recording. The track was later planned for inclusion on the Prince and the Revolution album Roadhouse Garden album worked on in 1998-9, but the album remains unreleased.
There is an obvious companion song to ‘Empty Room’ called ‘Go’, which Prince, Wendy and Lisa worked on both in the studio and later recorded on tape during a rehearsal at the Théâtre de Verdure in Nice. This must have represented a strange recording experience for all concerned. As brilliant and as broad-minded as the Melvoins undoubtedly are, it can’t have been easy for Wendy to sing the chorus on a song powered by the frustrations of Prince’s relationship with her twin sister, and it’s a mark of Susannah’s sophistication that her response upon hearing the song was merely to note its brilliance. Of the many songs she inspired him to write, it is (along with ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’) one of her very favourites, ‘where he was digging deep and really coming up with the great turning of phrases, and the clarity of thought and subtext and subject. If you were to dissect those lyrics, and the songwriting [itself], he was working it, they came to him at that time.’ If the ‘Go’ session was hard for Wendy, it no doubt paled in comparison to the time Prince, Wendy and Lisa spent working on a new version of ‘Wonderful Ass’. The anatomy of the female body is a recurring theme of Prince’s. Even if one doesn’t accept the suggestion that the title of ‘Little Red Corvette’ is a sly reference to female genitalia, New Power Generation member Tommy Barbarella mentions Prince writing a song called ‘Good Pussy’ in 1998, and there’s also the more famous Gold Experience song, ‘Pussy Control’. But Prince usually gets away with it because it is done either with humour or, as in this case, with a sense of the singer being overwhelmed by the pulchritudinous nature of the body before which he submits himself. It’s tempting to dismiss this song as a simplistic sketch in comparison to the more sophisticated discussion of sexual politics on much of Sign o’ the Times , but two of that album’s most emotionally compelling songs, ‘Strange Relationship’ and ‘I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man’, were also rescued from early-1980s tapes. As with those two songs, the cold and somewhat cruel sexual bite of the lyrics works in elegant contrast to the accessibility of the music, a prime example of 1980s rock-pop. It’s a song about a woman who’s jealous of Prince’s female friends because she thinks they’re his bed mates, whom he tolerates because of his admiration for her butt. But there’s a difference between Prince amusing himself about this idea alone and forming a chorus with Wendy and Lisa: their versions stretch out beyond all control. The song’s intricate mix and musical depth explain why Prince considered it for official release, but the presence of Wendy and Lisa alongside Prince singing in a taunting fashion about the physical qualities of a third woman may not quite fit with Prince’s latest reinvention of himself. Given what would happen to The Revolution soon afterwards, ‘Wonderful Ass’ also works as a fascinating dramatisation of the conflict that followed. In both versions, Wendy and Lisa insist ‘The Revolution will be heard’. Not for much longer.
Can I Play With U ? sent to Miles Davis
The track was sent to Miles Davis (in both instrumental and vocal versions) in January, 1986, following a request from Warner Bros. for Prince to contribute to Davis' first Warner Bros. album (called The Perfect Way at the time, before being renamed Tutu). It was accompanied by a note from Prince, reading : "Miles, even though we have never met, I can tell just from listening to your music that you and I are so exactly alike that I know whatever you play would be what I'd do. So if this tape is of any use to you, please go ahead and play whatever you feel over it. Because I trust what you hear and play."
20-01-1986 : SHEILA E - A LOVE BIZARRE UK Single Release

Promo Maxi-Single : Special Medley (6:58) / A Love Bizarre Pt 1 and 2 (7:14)

22-01-1986 : The Flesh Compilation

Junk Music (19:41) / Up From Below (4:48)

Y’All Want Some More ? (1:32) / A Couple Of Miles (4:29)
The tapes were mixed and edited, and an album was compiled in late January 1986, containing material mostly from the “Everybody’s Jam” January 5^th session. Twenty minutes of the forty-five minute “Junk Music” jam (featuring Prince on drums) was going to be the centrepiece of The Flesh album, making up side one of the LP, while “Up From Below,” “Ya’ll Want Some More ?,” and “A Couple Of Miles” were planned for the second side of the LP. No test pressing of The Flesh LP was ever made and the album was shelved when other activities dernanded Prince's full attention. lt is difficult to know how serious Prince was about the project or if an album really was planned from the outset of the sessions. Quite possibly, the project started simply as a spontaneous jam session before Prince and the rnusicians he was working with realized that the music they were creating was exciting and worthy of release. Regardless, the sessions provided a rnusical challenge for Prince as he worked with some highly versatile musicians. Indeed, Eric Leeds, Sheila E., and Levi Seacer Jr. would all become important members of Prince's bands in the years to come. Featuring largely improvisational music, the sessions allowed Prince to stretch out musically and develop his musical vocabulary. The Flesh project can be seen as a forerunner to Madhouse in more ways than one. Much like Madhouse, the musical focus of The Flesh was on instrumental music, basically funk jams with a distinct jazz flavour added by Eric Leeds, who was given an opportunity to contribute more actively to Prince's music. And much like Madhouse, the plan was to release The Flesh album "anonyrnously," with few details about the participants and certainly no mention of Prince's involvement. None of the Flesh instrumentals has been officially released even though “U Gotta Shake Something" has made its way to collectors' circles in recent years. Part of the melody for "Madrid" was later re-used by Eric Leeds for "Andorra" on his Times Squared album. However, if you check Under The Cherry Moon closely enough, you will be able to hear some thirty seconds of "Junk Music" played as background music in the scene where Tricky and Christopher are arguing over what kind of man Mary prefers.

‘It was a lot of spontaneous, very improvisational, Madhouse-ish kinda stuff that included Sheila E and Levi Seacer, Jr. It was more of a quartet,’ Alan Leeds remembers. When I asked Eric Leeds about these sessions, he explained that in spite of the mythology that has grown up around this record – it has been suggested that a potential album was assembled which would include on side one a twenty-minute version of ‘Junk Music’, an instrumental track that can be heard playing (for thirty seconds) on the soundtrack to Under the Cherry Moon – the project was nothing more than studio jams. ‘Those sessions were in LA. Prince was finishing up the Parade album, working on tracks that would end up on Sign o’ the Times and working on the incidental music for Under the Cherry Moon. Prince was happy with some of the stuff we produced, and there was a sense that something might come out of it that was worthy of release. But it was a very loose idea ; there wasn’t a plan there. Prince called out a key and we started playing.’ Leeds also warns not to read too much significance into the fact that this project had a name. ‘I suspect the name came up when we were sitting in the studio laughing and joking, and then it took on a life of its own. But the idea formed and then it disappeared for ever.’ Well, almost disappeared. We do still have the snippet of ‘Junk Music’ and the full ‘U Gotta Shake Something’, a fifteen-minute, very repetitive track which features the reappearance of what sounds suspiciously like Jamie Starr asking questions like ‘You ever seen a black man play guitar with no clothes on ?’ and a retaliation to the Parental Music Resource Center when Prince sings, ‘Washington wives, you can’t fuck with us.’

27-01-1986 :  American Music Awards (w/ Sheila E & Sheena Easton) (0:06)

A new-look Prince, with very short hair, presents the award in the pop-rock category for Favourite Single to Huey Lewis for his "Power Of Love" at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles.

THE BANGLES – MANIC MONDAY UK Single Release
n The Bangles – Manic Monday (0:03)

Jet
Prince talks about his success, small town, show biz idol, belief in God and future plans

Editor’s note : During his meteoric rise to stardom as a recording artist whose album Purple Rain was parlayed into the hit movie, Purple Rain, musician/songwriter Prince avoided the press. Recently, he decided to talk and his views are given on these pages.

For the first time ever, rock star Prince has begun to lift the veil of secrecy and mystery that has shrouded his life and music. In a recent interview, the multi-talented music maker revealed a new dimension of himself as he discussed success, small-town living, his show business idol, belief in God and plans for the future. Prince, whose phenomenal success with the film and album Purple Rain made him the envy of the music world, has not allowed success to go to his head and maintains that he controls it rather than it controlling him. The musical genius said, “...I really don’t consider myself a superstar.” In spite of the fact the music for his semi-autobiographic movie earned him an Oscar last year for best original score, sold 15 million LPs and raked in $75 million at the boxoffice, he remains level-headed and considers himself just an ordinary person. “...I don’t live in a prison... I haven’t built any walls around myself. And I am just like anyone else,” he said. The Minneapolis native has been able to keep his perspective by having a home in Chanhassen, Minn., far away from the fast lanes of Hollywood. The only extravagance of the multi-million dollar ranch style home is that it is painted purple. Situated in an out-of-the-way, rural area, this home affords Prince the luxury of just being another private citizen. “I live in a small town and I always will because I can walk around and be me,” he offered. “And that’s all I want to be, that’s all I ever wanted to be...” In spite of that, top selling albums like Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain and his latest – Around The World In A Day – have led to his becoming one of the nation’s hottest music idols. Aside from his sexy falsetto, the entertainer’s slick moves on stage have also enhanced his appeal. He credits his mesmerizing stage presence to his show business idol, James Brown, dubbed “the hardest working man in show business,” admitting, “James Brown played a big influence in my style.” The performer recalled, “When I was about 10 years old my stepdad put me on stage with (James Brown) and I danced a little bit until the bodyguard took me off.” Recalling an incident that would have a lasting impact on him, the 27-year-old Prince continued, “The reason I liked James Brown so much is that on my way back stage, on my way out, I saw some of the finest girls I’d ever seen in my life. And I think, in that respect, he influenced me by his control over his group.” Though the purple passion behind his on-stage antics and X-rated lyrics have earned him countless devotees, he has made others see red. When he returned to his hometown on the Purple Rain tour, protestors picketed the concert site and held rallies at the state capitol, charging much of his music promoted promiscuity, incest, masturbation and violence, and contained satanic messages. Prince however, maintains he is a man of strong religious convictions. “I believe in God. There is only one God,” he noted. “And I believe in an afterworld. Hopefully, we’ll all see it,” he added. He continued, “I have been accused of a lot of things contrary to this and I just want people to know that I’m very sincere in my beliefs and I pray every night and I don’t ask for much. I just say ‘Thank you’ all the time.” Not one to let detractors influence his music, Prince remains on music’s cutting edge. As far as the future is concerned, Prince, who cut short his Purple Rain tour and announced he didn’t know when he would return to the music circuit, said “I don’t plan on touring for a while. There are so many other things to do.” Prince fans can take heart in knowing that one of the things he’s working on is his second movie, Under The Cherry Moon. Though he directed the videos for the hit singles America and Raspberry Beret from his current album, Prince will make his directorial debut on the silver screen in the black and white, fantasy flick shot in the south of France. Starring in the movie with Prince will be Jerome Benton, popular sidekick who appeared in Purple Rain and is a member of Prince-inspired group, The Family. The movie will also bring well known European actresses such as Kristin Scott Thomas, Francesca Annis and Alexandra Stewart to American audiences when the production premieres in June.

28-01-1986 : Sunset Sound – Jill Jones sessions

Mia Bocca (3) (5:27) – Jill Jones overdubs – Prev. Monterey Sound 08-85 – Jill Jones

All Day, All Night (3) – Prev. Sunset Sound 05-85 – Jill Jones

Baby You’re A Trip (4) * - Prev. Monterey Sound Late 85 – Jill Jones

With You (2) * - Prev. Early 86 – Jill Jones
New sessions at Sunset Sound in January for the Jill Jones album. Likewise, Jill replaced Prince’s vocal on “All Day, All Night,” which was recorded live with The Revolution during Prince’s 1984 birthday concert at the First Avenue. Before leaving Los Angeles in late January, Prince recorded two songs for Dream Factory, "Last Heart" and "It's A Wonderful Day." The first song will appear later on the independent release of the triple-Lp Crystal Ball.
Jill Jones had to earn her solo album, working with Prince for a long time in a low-key and semisecret capacity. He started working with her when she was very young, having first met her when she was providing backing vocals for Teena Marie. She’s the J.J. who has a small role singing on ‘1999’, ‘Automatic’ and ‘Free’, and who plays the Lady Cab Driver on the song of the same name. She provided backing vocals for both Vanity 6 and Prince on the Triple Threat tour, and has a perfectly judged cameo as a snotty but ultimately helpful waitress in Purple Rain. The album took a long time to come together, pieced together from sessions between 1982 and 1986 and including two of the best non-Family tracks from that era, ‘G-Spot’ and ‘All Day, All Night’. Maybe the reason why Jones is considered a more mature artist is that the album’s first single, ‘Mia Bocca’, is sung from the perspective of a monogamous woman who’s only had one lover since she was twelve. Prince uses this to intensify his favourite dramatic situation when writing from a female perspective: a woman who is devoted to her lover and yet tempted by another. But as good as ‘G-Spot’ undoubtedly is, particularly in its extended remix, I’m not entirely convinced it works when sung by a female vocalist. The original demo, recorded by Prince in 1983, feels slower and more insistent than the poppy released version, and the whole point of the song is that it’s being sung by a frustrated lover failing to satisfy his girlfriend because he can’t find her erogenous zone. The song’s successful because it’s Prince in lazy lover mode: he may not be able to locate his partner’s G-spot yet, but he’s going to keep going until he does. He’s detached and icy: that man-machine again. When Jill Jones does the track, she has to sing from the perspective of a frustrated woman, either in the middle of making love or masturbating, but because she mirrors Prince’s laid-back vocal approach, the song lacks erotic charge. Somehow the demo’s sleaziness has ebbed away. Although regular gig-attenders had long since known about Prince’s propensity for revisiting (and reinterpreting) past songs, the appearance of ‘With You’ on this album (bearing in mind Prince’s huge stockpile of unreleased material) surprised. Given the stand-out tracks on Prince that Jones could have covered (‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’, ‘Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad ?’, even ‘Bambi’), it’s hard to understand why Prince decided to exhume this slight song, especially as his lyrical powers had developed so considerably since then. Maybe it’s precisely because it was a forgotten song that he decided it needed a second chance. If so, it gains little from being revisited (although Jones’s version is less queasy than the original), and has the unusual distinction of being the weakest track on two self-titled albums. ‘All Day, All Night’ is the other keeper. Built up from a live performance by The Revolution at First Avenue on Prince’s twenty-sixth birthday, it features Jones singing of how excited she is by watching her lover having sex with other men. ‘Baby, You’re a Trip’ is a female take on ‘Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)’, even including similar lines. But while in the 1999 song Prince is constantly justifying himself and pointing out how other women can’t understand why his lover treats him so bad, in this song Jones is resigned to the fact that her lover is so special that she should be grateful for whatever she can get from him.
30-01-1986 : It’s A Wonderful Day (3:41) – Dream Factory #1

Mia Bocca (4) * - mixing session – Jill Jones

G-Spot (3) * - mixing session – Jill Jones
"It's A Wonderful Day" is a fairly nondescript uptempo number. “It was something he didn’t spend much time on and may have intended to replace later on with another upbeat song,” according to Susan Rogers. Recorded in January, 1986, the song is a positive and upbeat number and features prominent vocals from Lisa and Wendy. Although discarded, some of the song may have been inspiration for Camille track, "Good Love". It was replaced by Train on the 18 July, 1986 configuration. Engineer Susan Rogers has stated that Prince may have always planned on replacing the track before release, and used it as a placeholder to find a track with a similar feel. An instrumental portion of the track was included as background music in the Under The Cherry Moon movie, in a scene where Tricky and Christopher Tracy are arguing. Prince mixed the Jill Jones version of Mia Bocca further on 30 January, 1986.

‘It’s a Wonderful Day’ sounds like a development or variation on ‘Wonderful Ass’, Prince, Wendy and Lisa once again singing in harmony, but this time without the sexual charge. Prince’s voice is not quite at the pitch he would use when disguising himself as Camille, but it’s much lighter than it is on the songs he was recording alone at the time, and if the track is dated by a drum machine set to generic pop settings he would rarely use when recording alone, it’s still worthy of release. And while lyrically ‘Teacher, Teacher’ – an old cast-off that Prince gave to Wendy and Lisa to transform – returns to overfamiliar territory for Prince (whenever Prince sings about education, it’s almost always of a sexual kind), it is more sophisticated than any of his other treatments of this theme. The song has a harpsichord-style keyboard sound that (as with much of Wendy and Lisa’s work) gives it a pleasingly retro 1960s sound and elevates it above protégé territory.

31-01-1986 : SHEILA E-THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Dutch Single Re-release
??-??-1986 : Superstars
A Prince Among Men

Despite His Sometime Negative Publicity, Prince Remains One Heck Of A Nice Guy !

Celebrity images are tricky things indeed ! Sometimes the look and sound that have made your successful reputation can also work against you in other ways. We all know how different performers can be from their onstage personalities and actions. Prince knows the truth of this only too we1l - especially these days ! The trouble-plagued filming of his latest movie, Under The Cherry Moon, just recently completed lensing in France. Shot in black-and-white (to capture the flavor of old-fashioned romance films) this love story contains many interesting plot turns. Prince plays a free-spirited American pianist smitten with a spoiled heiress, portrayed by actress Kristin Scott Thomas. Perhaps some of Prince's difficulties in making this movie can be traced back to the role of the heiress itself, since it was rumoured that Prince originally hoped to get Madonna to co-star with him. (Kristin, however, does a great job and we bet Prince feels pleased with her !) When the Under The Cherry Moon crew first arrived in France, there were major traffic jams and crowds surrounding them as fans went wild. This didn't do much to set Prince at ease - but the actual filming that followed proved to be even more of a problem ! Reports said director Mary Lambert and Prince didn't seem to be agreeing on the course the movie should be taking. Then it was announced that Ms. Lambert had been replaced by Prince, who took over the directing chores in addition to his starring role. Prince excelled as a director and even shot many scenes in one take, thus bringing the film in ahead of schedule despite its previous delays ! Problem solved… Well - almost. Seems that Prince didn‘t realize he'd end up being severely criticized for his decision. The Directors Guild of America has a “Paul Newman Rule" since 1970 that says stars of films can‘t replace the directors in mid-shooting. But then it was also disclosed that Ms. Lambert didn't belong to the Directors Guild of America, so things quieted down. Quiet, in fact, is the way Prince likes to perform most of his non-publicized good deeds. This modest superstar didn't want publicity when he let fans appear with him in his “America” video, giving them the thrill of their lives. Or when he entertained fellow guests at the hotel he was staying at in France by playing the piano for them, just to make them happy. Or - most impressive of all - when he donated a whopping 885.000 to make possible the completion of a video honoring the birthday of Martin Luther King. Jr. Yes. Prince really is “a prince among men" - so we hope Under The Cherry Moon has as much success as it had hardships !

Feb 86

01-02-1986 : ! Joins Mazarati @ St Paul

Back to MPLS, Prince, Andre Cymone and Brownmark get onstage with Mazarati at the Winter Carnival’s Fun Fair à St Paul. They played a brief 15-minute set consisting of “America” and “The Dance Electric.”

Billboard

The Rhythm & The Blues

by Nelson George

There were plenty of messages waiting last Friday. Most were from the unusual suspects. But two stuck out. Both had 612 area codes, the cue for Minneapolis, Minn. The name of a man who works for Prince was attached to each. Hmmm. He picked up. We chatted a bit. Then he said. “Prince wants your home number." "What for ?" "I don’t know." Having nothing to lose, I gave it to him. The next day at 1 p.m., with "Dirty Mind" on the stereo, the phone rings. It is a woman who identifies herself as Jill Jones. “Prince couldn’t make it, but he wants you to hear his new album." An hour later in the lobby of a huge condo the doorman calls up to Ms. Jones. “What floor ?" I ask. “The penthouse." What else ? The elevator door opens and a fluffy little white dog named Cookie is yapping outside. The living room resembles a music video set. No, the walls and sofa aren't purple. They are lavender. So are many of the pillows that surround the fireplace and the low Oriental-style dining table. Right next to the balcony and right under a circular sunroof is a white Steinway piano surrounded by a leopard-skin rug. There are candles everywhere, quite a few of them burning. There are two equipment touring cases in the living room. One supports a VCR and a wide-screen television, the other a stereo system and a drum machine. Next to the piano is a painting in progress which shows several faces, including Prince’s. All the visages are suspended in space and have wheels hovering over them. The artist of that work is my hostess, Jill Jones, a tall blonde in a black dress, white high-heeled shoes and an adorable smile. Fans of “Purple Rain" will recognize her as the First City waitress who cries after Prince plays the title song. We chat a bit. This Lebanon, Ohio, native was introduced to Prince by her "mother" and subsequently would appear in the "1999" video as a keyboard player in a black leather outfit. She says Prince has cut an album on her due for release this spring. As she pours some Italian wine and brings out bread and cheese, Jill tells me she's half black and hall Italian (the racial mix purported by Prince in his early interviews), that she sculpts and paints, and is a Christian ("l pray before everything I do"). Jill says she's lived in this condo since July, but there is something exquisitely staged about the room's look. Finally, l listen to Prince’s "Parade" twice and find that Prince is, for the time being, moving away from the rock audience that loved "Purple Rain" and back toward his black influences. There is nary a guitar solo to be heard. No "Let's Go Crazy." No "Purple Rain." Instead the album's most commercial cuts, "Girls And Boys," "Kiss," and “U Need Another Lover," are dead in an early '70s r&b pocket. "Another Lover" has a killer vocal hook, female backing voices and acoustic piano by Prince. "Girls and Boys" has a baritone sax riff right out of the soul era and a great rhythm guitar part. All three are sung in a falsetto reminiscent of "l Wanna Be Your Lover." The rest of the album is in the quirky style of "Around The World In A Day," and sounds more like material for the soundtrack of his upcoming film "Under A Cherry Moon." With (pardon) Beatles-esque sonic collages, curiously captivating melodies and rampant psychedelia - the songs "New Positions," “Do U Lie ?," "Under A Cherry Moon," the mid-tempo "Mountains," and especially “Christopher Tracy's Parade" sound quite cinematic. There is one beautiful instrumental, "Venus De Milo," which has a combination of strings and piano that would make Henry Mancini proud. "Sometinies It Snows In April" was Prince's reply many months ago to the question what he‘d do to follow up “Purple Rain." It is also the closing song for "Parade“- a piano ballad with another haunting melody. The lyric mentions that Christopher Tracy is going to heaven and, since Tracy is the character Prince plays in "Under A Cherry Moon," perhaps we can assume Prince dies in the film. According to sources close in him, Prince is hoping to have a new single out in February and the film released by Easter. As for my adventure, it just suggests once again that Prince loves a bit of mystery.
03-02-1986 : ♫ Parade Tour Rehearsal (Eden Prairie) (0:28)

(A : The Parade Era Rehearsals – 9/10)

Around The World In A Day / Christopher Tracy’s Parade / New Position

I Wonder U / Anotherloverholenyohead (2 takes)

Back in Minneapolis, Prince sets about rehearsing the expanded 11-member Revolution. Retaining Bobby Z, Wendy and Lisa, Matt Fink, and Brown Mark, Prince added guitarist Miko Weaver, sax player Eric Leeds and trumpet player Matt Blistan ("Atlanta Bliss"), as well as three dancers and back-up singers, Jerome Benton, Greg Brooks, and Wally Safford. Matt Blistan was a friend of Eric Leeds from Atlanta, while Brooks and Safford both combined their on-stage duties with working as minders for Prince.

This rehearsal is an early Parade Tour rehearsal, and is a basic run through with extra attention played on the horns.

05-02-1986 : KISS Single Release

Kiss (Single Version) (3:45) / ♥ Or $ (3:57)

“Kiss" was released on February 5th 1986 as the first single from Parade despite some objections from Warner Bros. Much like the case with “When Doves Cry," which also had caused protests from the record label, "Kiss" proved to be a huge success. It became Prince's third number one pop hit (after “When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy") and went gold. “Kiss” is a breathtaking funk classic, sung by Prince in his falsetto. An incredibly funky groove is created by an acoustic guitar playing a rhythmic pattern (through the help of the gating technique) accompanied by a dead-sounding drum machine. A keyboard part is added in the second verse and a scratching rhythm guitar in the third. The song lacks a distinct chorus. Despite its radical arrangement and sound, however, "Kiss" is actually one of Prince's most derivative compositions. lt is based on a traditional three-chord blues sequence and relies on a blues scale, but Prince has enlarged upon the standard eight or 12-bar blues form by making each verse 28 bars. Some of James Brown's earliest funk numbers in the mid-sixties were based on similar blues harmonies and progressions. Perhaps as a nod to the inventor of funk, Prince inserts a “turnaround" guitar chord borrowed from James Brown's "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" at the opening of "Kiss" and at the end of every verse. Addressed to an unnamed lover, the song has no deep message to it. Prince explains that she does not need to be beautiful, experienced, wealthy, cool, or even any particular sign of the zodiac in order for her to be his girl. Although the song seems at first to be boastful on Prince's part, as if all his lover has to do is let him have her body “from dusk till dawn," the point is that she so turns him on just by being with him that everything will just happen naturally. Instead of treating his lover as a mere object, he lets her know that they could be each other’s fantasy. Prince makes it clear that he is not interested in dirty talk or game playing, because it is “women, not girls" who rule his world. If there is any weak part in the song, it is the reference to the mid-eighties prime-time television soap opera Dynasty, which does date the track a little. The track includes an additional ending not included on the album version (which cuts directly into Anotherloverholenyohead).The B-side of "Kiss" was "♥ Or $,“ a mildly interesting one-chord funk strut propelled by a pumping bass. Lisa and Wendy repeat the title phrase from start to finish, while Eric Leeds adds some saxophone accents. The song was originally recorded with a funky rhythm guitar part as one of the main ingredients, but it was removed in the mixing. Prince's voice is slightly speeded up (it sounds normal if the forty-five rpm single is played at thirty-three rpm). He wonders whether his woman wants him for his love or his money. In this respect, the song continues in a long line of songs by Prince in which he wonders whether or not his lover is true. In order to convince her that he "ain't no silly man,“ he declares "showtime“ as he shakes his hips to the east and west. And says that he will shake them until she decides that his "hips are the best." The song continues by Prince taking her "by the hand" in his attempt to convince her of his worthiness, but ultimately, the song ends with him asking her. After the minor disappointments of the Around The World In A Day singles, "Kiss" became Prince's third US number one single (after “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy”) and went gold. It stayed number one for 2 weeks on the pop chart, and 4 weeks on the black chart. The B-side is a funk workout, containing little more than a guitar riff and a chant of "love or money."
SHEILA E – ROMANCE 1600 Tour
♫ h Sheila E @ Vina Del Mar (0:36)

(A : Unknown Boot – 10/10 * V : Chile TV Broadcast – 10/10)

Intro / Holly Rock / Sister Fate / Oliver’s House / The Belle Of St Mark

Bedtime Stories / Yellow / Erotic City

07-02-1986 : Unknown newspaper

A royal treat

“I told you if you were good, we’d have a treat for you,” Sir Casey Terry, lead singer of Mazarati, said to the audience at the St Paul Winter Carnival’s Fun Fair Saturday night before his band was ready to launch into its second encore. “Here’s Prince and Andre Cymone.” Actually, it was Prince and Andre Cymone, the former bassist in Prince’s band, plus Mark Brown, Prince’s current bassist and the producer of Mazarati. Backed by Mazarati, the trio offered a funky version of Prince’s recent single, America, with Cymone injecting a chorus of his own Dance Electric at Prince’s urging, even though Mazarati didn’t seem to know the music. Prince and his cohorts jammed for 15 minutes with Jerome Benton, co-star of the film Purple Rain and the forthcoming Under The Cherry Moon, dancing along. Prince danced plenty, too. “Minneapolis is the funkiest state on the map,” he told enthusiastic fans. “Los Angeles ain’t got this.” Meanwhile, Prince and Cymone will be heard on record again soon on Minneapolis Genius – 94 East, a session from their distant past. The soon-to-be-released album features the duo with Pepe Willie recorded circa 1977, before Prince signed his contract with Warner Bros. Records.

08-02-1986 : SHEILA E - A LOVE BIZARRE Maxi-Single Release

A Love Bizarre (Part I & II) (7:13) / Save The People
09-02-1986 : Sunset Sound – session with John L. Nelson

Duet With Dad

"Duet with Dad" is an unreleased song with no known title, recorded on 9 February, 1986, during a one-day session between Prince and his father John L. Nelson at Sunset Sound. It is unknown if the recording session was intended to produce material for release, or simply a personal family time. It is also unclear if only one song was recorded, or more than one, but no track names are known. It's possible that John L. Nelson's co-writing credit on Scandalous stems from a melodic idea from this recording session, but this is speculative.

The meeting with Davis also inspired Prince to spend a day recording with his father, although it would be nearly a year before he began work on the Madhouse project.

12-02-1986 : 94 EAST – MINNEAPOLIS GENIUS Release (35:54)

Just Another Sucker (5:17) / Games (3:34) / If You Feel Like Dancin’ (Instr.) (7:09) / Love, Love, Love (3:52)

If You See Me (Instr.) (5:41) / One Man Jam (Instr.) (6:16) / You Can Be My Teacher (4:05)

Minneapolis Genius is the first collection of studio recordings by 94 East, the band name given to a number of tracks recorded by Pepé Willie and Prince with occasional other musicians (it is misleading to consider it an "album", as the tracks have been rearranged many times for reissues under different titles). The collection contained one song with writing input by Prince, Just Another Sucker, and Prince appeared as a musician on all tracks, stemming from recording sessions between 1975 and 1979 (the cover's subtitle incorrectly labels the sessions as "the historic 1977 recordings"). Prince had no input into the final release, however, and was upset at its release, leading to a heated discussion between Prince and Pepé Willie in First Avenue in Minneapolis upon its release. This collection has been re-released several times under different titles, often with additional tracks. Pepe was accused of making money on Prince’s popularity with the album, but for him he deserved the recognition for his investment at the beginning of the career of Prince. He was concerned because he thought he had a "deal" with Prince, and Prince was expected to mention his name now that he was famous.

Pepe released the Minneapolis Genius album, consisting of songs he had recorded between 1975 and 1978. All six tracks featured Prince as a studio musician. At the request of the Hot Pink label, many of the original parts were re-recorded and updated with the exceptions of those done by Prince and Andre. "Just Another Sucker" gained some favorable R&B radio play despite never officially being released as a single. The first "real" single, "If You Feel Like Dancin’" never really materialized and the album seemed to exist in obscurity. “I thought it was time to do it. The vibe just took me into that mould. Everything was starting to fall into place. I was ready to start releasing it because I was mad at Prince because he wasn't coming back and helping us. I said, “Look, I've got this stuff here. I gotta do something.” To me it was my first rebellious act against Prince - I'm sure that's how he would consider it. The main thing was that I wanted to get the album out, and I guess I mainly wanted to be heard. I wanted people to know that I was involved in a phenomenon. That I was part of that phenomenon - a very important part of that phenomenon, and I wanted people to know. There was no one out there telling anyone about me. Everybody else was getting props, and I wasn’t getting any. It just happened that I wanted to get it out there so bad that I wasn’t thinking about leaving it as original. I was thinking about finishing it, because a lot of those tracks were unfinished. When I thought about finishing it with all of the updated studio equipment of that time, it was trying to capture a Prince-feel and trying to make it contemporary. The people who was backing us up wanted to play it in the discos and on mainstream radio. They brought in other mixers to try and come in and mix certain songs. And I didn't want it. I fought against as much as I could. I didn't win, obviously. When I was planning the Minneapolis Genius album, I called Bob Cavallo in California and told him that I wanted Prince's support. I wanted to get hold of him so I could tell him what I was doing. Bob didn't think it was a good idea that Prince should know about it at that time. It was no big thing to me because I was going to release it anyway since it was mostly my songs. I did get some friction from Prince and we had heated discussion at First Avenue one night. I told him how I helped him from day one when I came into this town. I was waiting for Prince to say my name. We had a deal : I said, “Prince, when you make it to the pop market, just mention my name.” That's all I wanted him to do. I felt that he had no right to be angry with me over my album. He wasn't doing anything to help me, so I decided to put the album out. That was the only bit of friction I got from him, but that's all water under the bridge now. Since the mid-80's, I have been writing songs, consulting artists, listening to other artists’ material. I also got involved later on with the reunion of Little Anthony and The Imperials. I recorded and co-produced three or four songs with Little Anthony at Metro Studios here in Minneapolis. I have worked a lot with local artists.“




94 EAST – JUST ANOTHER SUCKER Single Release

Just Another Sucker (Urban/Club Version) (5:30) / Album Version (4:20)

Just Another Sucker was the first single to be released from the first collection of 94 East tracks, Minneapolis Genius. It was released around the same time as the album on 12" vinyl only, and contains two exclusive versions of the song. The song Just Another Sucker was co-written by Prince and Pepé Willie, and features Prince on guitar, synthesizer, keyboards and drums. The single was not promoted, and did not enter the charts.

14-02-1986 : e Sheila E @ Tonight Show (0:07)

A Love Bizarre / Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer

??-02-1986 : N°1 (UK)

Prince’s showgirl

The most intriguing video of the moment must be Prince’s delicious Kiss. Who is that girl with the crooked smile strumming that funky guitar ?

Wendy Melvoin joined Prince’s band The Revolution in 1983, replacing Dez Dickerson, but she was a Prince protégée long before that. Dez told N°1 : “She was so desperate to be a rock star. Even before she joined the band she would just stand out on the stage before a gig to get the feel of it.” No one outside Prince’s immediate circle really knows who plays what on his records – certainly he played everything till shortly before Wendy joined, and quite possibly still does. But onstage Wendy can rattle off the solo on Little Red Corvette as easily as Prince does. Although Wendy sings in the Kiss video, the record features Minneapolis funksters Mazarati on backing vocals. The video dancer is Monique Mannen. Twenty-two-year-old Wendy’s identical twin sister Susannah used to be Prince’s girlfriend. Susannah used to play keyboards with Minneapolis funk band The Family, who recently split up. Prince gave Wendy the Oscar that he won for the Purple Rain soundtrack. Prince’s next movie, Under The Cherry Moon, will be out in America in July so book your hols now. And finally – what does Prince himself thinks of her ? “She makes me seem alright in the eyes of people watching. She keeps a smile on her face. When I sneer she smiles. It’s not premeditated – she just does it !”
16-02-1986 : LA Times