Ladies Waiting: Apr 1986

Rolling Stone — Issue No. 472 April 24, 1986

(cover only)

This is one of the most iconic Prince‑era Rolling Stone covers, published at the height of the Parade era and just as Under the Cherry Moon promotion was ramping up.

LADIES WAITING

Wendy, Lisa and Prince: a musical love affair

By Neal Karlen

Sheila E. will begin pounding her magical drumsticks for 6,200 howling fans inside the Universal Amphitheatre. Though showtime is imminent, the backstage greenroom at this Universal City concert hall remains packed elbow to elbow with assorted kings, queens, and court jesters of the Los Angeles music kingdom. Rock & roll Annies, pressed between the walls and their escorts, nurse their complimentary drinks and grind out Gitanes at their painted competition's feet. Funkified Barbie, Ken, and Mr. T dolls fight for space and each other, while a quickly panicking backstage guard shields the door with her body and announces, "No more, no room, no air, nobody else!" Though few working the greenroom seem to know it, Prince is standing in a hallway not five feet away. After Sheila's final encore, he and the Revolution—now twelve Revolution members strong—are scheduled to sign in for a still undetermined number of songs.