The Revolution (band)

When Prince formed his backing band after the release of his first album, influenced by Sly Stone, he created a multi-racial, multi-gendered musical ensemble.[3] The band initially consisted of:

• Prince on lead vocals, guitar, and piano
• Dez Dickerson on guitar, vocals and background vocals
• Andre Cymone on bass guitar
• Bobby Z. on drums and percussion
• Gayle Chapman on keyboards
• Matt Fink on keyboards

Though officially unnamed, Prince experimented with the band acting as a side project known as The Rebels, recording material in 1979 in Colorado to get more music out. The recordings were a group effort with lead vocals by Cymone, Dickerson or Chapman. The project was shelved for unknown reasons, but two of the tracks were later re-recorded and given away by Prince: "You", became "U", and was released on Paula Abdul's 1991 Spellbound album; while "If I Love U 2 Nite" was released by both Mica Paris and Prince's later wife, Mayte Garcia. Paris rerecorded the song from scratch, which was released in 1991. Garcia's version, released in 1995, was rerecorded by Prince.

On the next two tours following the Prince Tour, the band underwent two line-up changes. Gayle Chapman quit the band in 1980.[4] The end came when she told Prince she needed more musical fulfillment and growth for herself, but Prince wanted her to commit to some short-noticed rehearsals instead. After a long conversation, Chapman quit the group to be replaced by Lisa Coleman.[5][6]

The following year, after the Dirty Mind Tour, bass guitarist André Cymone would leave the band. Cymone, whose family gave Prince a home after he left his father's house, left over a number of grievances with Prince—little input in the studio, he wasn't getting credit for his contributions to Prince's music, and in general his desire to start his own career—and would have bitter feelings toward Prince as he later claimed that Prince stole many of his ideas that were used for the Time and that he created the bassline for Controversy's "Do Me, Baby".[5] Ultimately, Cymone was replaced by Mark Brown, renamed Brownmark by Prince. Coleman was usually only identified by her first name, while Fink started wearing surgical scrubs on stage and became known as "Doctor" Fink. Fink originally wore a black- and white-striped prison jumpsuit. However, a member of Rick James' band was doing the same thing and not wanting to copy that, Prince asked Fink, "Do you have any other ideas?" Fink said, "What about a doctor's outfit?" Prince loved the idea, and thus was born Doctor Fink.

From 1982–1983, when the band was almost identified as the Revolution, it consisted of:

• Prince on lead vocals, guitar, and piano
• Dez Dickerson on guitar
• Brown Mark on bass
• Bobby Z. on drums and percussion
• Lisa Coleman on keyboards and piano
• Matt Fink on keyboards
• JJ on vocals

The words "and the Revolution" can be seen printed backwards on the cover of his fifth album 1999. The band members were curious as to if they were getting a real name, but Prince had held back from fully calling the group the Revolution partly because of Dez Dickerson's wishes to leave the band. When the 1999 Tour ended, Dez Dickerson finally left the band for religious reasons and was replaced by Coleman's childhood friend Wendy Melvoin. Prince told Dickerson that he needed three years from him, and Dickerson wasn't willing to commit. Prince told Dickerson he'd leave him on payroll and honor his contract, which Prince did. Dickerson went on to eventually work for independent Christian record label Star Song. Wendy and Lisa shortly thereafter formed a special bond with Prince and greatly influenced his output during the rest of their tenure in the band. Prince's former mostly R&B/funk offerings would be more diversified with rock, pop and classical music elements.

Dream Factory was an unreleased double LP project recorded by Prince and The Revolution in 1986. The album morphed into Sign o' the Times following the dissolution of The Revolution.

Prince did not want to see his band anymore and The Revolution were not happy with Prince's decision to include new band members on the scene. In a 2017 direct-to-YouTube interview (on Yahoo's account),[11] Wendy Melvoin remembers Prince rehearsing with all his new selections, and ignoring The Revolution by not looking at them. Brownmark, Wendy and Lisa threatened to quit. At one point, Prince dispatched Bobby Z. to the airport and literally caught Melvoin and Coleman before they boarded. Eventually all three were convinced to ride it out. Prince promised Brownmark a lot of money, but Brownmark settled for $3000 a week, a paltry sum based on other touring bands. He turned down a much more lucrative gig as bassist for Stevie Nicks, who was going on tour at that time. Brown has said that Prince never followed through on "all that money". But as the tour ended, on the final night in Yokohama, Japan, Prince smashed up all of his guitars after a final encore of "Purple Rain". Wendy looked round at the other members and she whispered (and they agreed),"It's over!".

Shortly after the Parade Tour in October 1986, after all the tension between Prince, Wendy Melvoin, and Coleman due to his relationship with Susannah Melvoin, Prince invited Wendy Melvoin and Coleman to dinner at his rented Beverly Hills home and fired them both.[5] Unhappy with their lack of credit and creativity, Wendy & Lisa went on to perform as a duo. Susannah ended up leaving the Revolution too, following a hurtful breakup with Prince, and performed for a time with Wendy & Lisa as a backup singer in their band.

He then called Bobby Z. to tell him that he was being replaced by the more versatile Sheila E, although he was kept on payroll for quite a few years after the fact, honoring Z's contract. Bobby Z would release a solo album in 1989.

Brownmark was asked to stay but quit. Although he said it was "partly out of loyalty to the others" and also because he was "unhappy with the direction of Prince's music at the time", it was probably so he could concentrate on his burgeoning career as a solo artist and as a record producer for himself and other artists.[5]

Matt Fink remained with Prince until 1991, when similar to the exit of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis from The Time, Matt Fink told Prince he wasn't available for two dates at the Rock in Rio festival, as he was busy producing for another band at the time, and found himself replaced by Tommy Barbarella.[5] However, Fink also stated in a 2001 interview that he was tired of being in the band. When Prince filmed Graffiti Bridge, Prince wanted Fink to "rehearse the band" and was told that "there wasn't really anywhere in the movie for him." After the ensuing Nude Tour, essentially a greatest hits-type tour, Fink left for a career writing music for video games, and working at K-Tel Records, based out of Minneapolis. Unlike his bandmates Fink did not immediately release any solo material, an album not being released until 2001.

In 2000 there was rumor of a reunion and a new album called Roadhouse Garden, but Prince scrapped the plans after Wendy & Lisa backed out of the project. Prince asked Wendy & Lisa to come to Minneapolis to finish Roadhouse Garden. They asked that Prince pay for their hotel and expenses while in Minneapolis, and Prince refused. Not wanting to spend all their own money on a Prince project, they declined to work on the album. Prince would later tell people to "ask Wendy & Lisa", when asked about the status of Roadhouse Garden.

Mini-reunions of The Revolution have taken place in several forms over the past decade.

In 2000, Prince had a celebration concert in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and asked if any former bandmates wished to perform. Dr. Fink, Bobby Z. and Brown Mark appeared and joined Prince on stage to perform the song "America".

On December 13, 2003, Sheila E. organized a concert for charity known as the 1st Annual Family Jamm which featured several of Prince's protégés, including the entire Revolution, without Prince. They played six songs including "Mountains", "Purple Rain", and "Baby I'm a Star". That next year, Wendy Melvoin performed a live rendition of Musicology track "Reflection" with Prince on Tavis Smiley's PBS television program.[12]

At the 2006 BRIT Awards, a somewhat reformed Revolution once again backed Prince, as he reunited with Wendy, Lisa and Sheila E., while also featuring former New Power Generation member Morris Hayes and played "Te Amo Corazón" (from Prince's 3121 album), "Fury" (also from 3121), "Purple Rain", and "Let's Go Crazy". Sheila E. played drums only on "Purple Rain", playing percussion for the rest of the songs.

On February 19, 2012, The Revolution (sans Prince) performed a reunion/benefit concert in Minneapolis at First Avenue, where the Purple Rain movie was filmed.

Following the sudden death of group founder Prince on April 21, 2016, The Revolution announced that they were getting back together as a band. As of 2018, they continue to perform Prince's songs live.

Current members

• Bobby Z. - drums, percussion (1979–1986, 2012, 2016–present)
• Matt Fink - keyboards, synthesizers, vocals (1979–1986, 2012, 2016–present) (continued to work with Prince until Graffiti Bridge Tour)
• Lisa Coleman - keyboards, synthesizers, vocals (1980–1986, 2012, 2016–present)
• Brown Mark - bass guitar, vocals (1982–1986, 2012, 2016–present)
• Wendy Melvoin - rhythm guitar, vocals (1983–1986, 2012, 2016–present)

Former members

• Prince - lead vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, piano (1979–1986)
• Dez Dickerson - lead guitar, backing vocals (1979–1983)
• André Cymone - bass guitar, backing vocals (1979–1981)
• Gayle Chapman - keyboards, vocals (1979–1980)
• Miko Weaver - rhythm guitar (1985–1986) (continued to work with Prince until Graffiti Bridge Tour)
• Eric Leeds - saxophone (1985–1986) (continued to work with Prince until Graffiti Bridge album and made a guest appearance on "Gett Off")
• Matt "Atlanta Bliss" Blistan - trumpet (1985–1986) (continued to work with Prince until Graffiti Bridge album)
• Susannah Melvoin - backing vocals (1985–1986)
• Jerome Benton - dancer, vocals (1985–1986)
• Wally Safford - dancer, vocals (1985–1986) (continued to work with Prince during Sign o' the Times era)
• Greg Brooks - dancer, vocals (1985–1986) (continued to work with Prince during Sign o' the Times era)

Stars honoring Prince and his band The Revolution on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

The Revolution has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,[13] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.[14] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.[15] The band's star is located to the immediate right of Prince's own star on the mural.

• Purple Rain Tour (1984–85)
• Hit n Run – Parade Tour (1986)

• List of The Revolution band members
• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart