Wendy & Lisa (October 17, 1987) – “Former Prince Bandmates On Their Own” Feature – Post-Bulletin.
An Associated Press feature catches up with Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman as the former members of Prince's Revolution establish themselves as an independent act. Following years of recording, performing and appearing on screen alongside Prince, the pair discuss the challenge of building a new identity and introducing audiences to their debut album, Wendy and Lisa.
Publication: Post-BulletinDate: October 17, 1987Country: United States
Headlined “Former Prince bandmates on their own,” the article focuses on Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman as they begin their career away from Prince and the Revolution.
The feature acknowledges the pair's high-profile past, including appearances in two films, contributions to three million-selling albums and an appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone. Despite that exposure, Melvoin explains that many people still did not immediately recognise them independently, meaning they effectively had to introduce themselves again as a new act.
The article looks back at their connections with Prince. Coleman had worked on Prince recordings dating back to Dirty Mind in 1978, while Melvoin joined the band in time for Purple Rain. Both subsequently contributed to Around the World in a Day and Parade, and appeared in Under the Cherry Moon before the group went its separate ways.
The clipping also notes that Prince began recording some of their music. “Sometimes It Snows in April” and “Mountains” from Parade are identified as compositions co-written by the pair, marking what the article describes as the first time Prince had recorded somebody else's music.
Their debut album is characterised as lighter and jazzier than the rock-funk fusion associated with Prince. Melvoin stresses that sounding like the Revolution was not the pair's objective, although influence from the many musicians they had worked with remained part of their musical background.
The feature concludes by noting the long personal history between Melvoin and Coleman, who grew up together in California with musician fathers in Los Angeles.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The clipping documents Wendy & Lisa at the beginning of their post-Revolution career and concentrates on the practical difficulty of emerging from Prince's enormous shadow. Rather than rejecting their earlier work, the pair acknowledge that history while emphasising that their new music represents a separate creative identity.
The accompanying AP photograph reinforces that focus, presenting the pair together above a caption stating that Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman were “looking for recognition.”
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Wendy & Lisa establishing their independent career
Era: 1987 – Post-Revolution period
Tone: Reflective and forward-looking
Photography: Large black-and-white AP Laserphoto portrait of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Headline: “Former Prince bandmates on their own”
• Discussion of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman's years with Prince and the Revolution
• References to Dirty Mind, Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day and Parade
• Mention of the film Under the Cherry Moon
• Discussion of “Sometimes It Snows in April” and “Mountains”
• Description of the debut Wendy and Lisa album as lighter and jazzier
• AP photograph captioned “Wendy Melvoin, left, and Lisa Coleman are looking for recognition.”
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2, RockfilesUK.
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