The Revolution's Wendy Melvoin Reflects on Prince's Death, Talks Dream Guests for 2017 Reunion Tour Dates

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By Gary Graf

Rolling Stone

04/12/2017

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"A real, profound sense of shared grief" is what led members of Prince's band The Revolution to reunite for a tour this spring, after paying tribute to their late boss last year at Minneapolis' First Avenue."

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Source: http://www.billboard.com/...ince-wendy

rogifan said:

The Revolution was Prince's band from 1979 -- with keyboardist Matt Fink and drummer Bobby Z -- through 1987's Sign O' The Times, though it wasn't credited under that name until 1984's Purple Rain album. Bassist Brown Mark, keyboardist Lisa Coleman and Melvoin, who joined for Purple Rain, round out the lineup, which will only play material from the Revolution era, including "a bunch of unreleased stuff that the fans know," according to Melvoin. "To me that era for him was such a culmination of everything he wanted to be," she says. "He made no apologies and he wasn't fighting as hard to prove himself. What we gave to him was his freedom, a true, safe environment to really explore every part of himself. None of us were the virtuosos that he had towards the end of his life who could play circles around any of us, like 5,000 notes in 10 seconds. We were the musicians that would play one note and one note well. We became the freight train, which makes for a better band, and he could feel safe knowing we were happy to give him exactly what he wanted from each of us."

OK maybe Wendy isn't meaning to diss other band members (and maybe some here don't see this quote that way) but this isn't the first time she's made comments like this, and for some reason they rub me the wrong way. To me they come across as The Revolution was Prince's only real/authentic band and all his other formations were just filled with technically good musicians. I don't really get the point of the comment either as I'm not aware of anyone comparing The Revolution or specific Rev band members to other musicians Prince worked with. Also the last "band" Prince had was 3EG. I don't think anyone would call Donna Grantis or Hannah Welton virtuosos.

If u really are seeing that is a diss, then I don't know what to say. Send her a note and ask her for clarity.
There is more to the interview than speculation on something that clearly to me is props to others.

OldFriends4Sale said:

rogifan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I u really are seeing that is a diss, then I don't know what to say. Send her a note and ask her for clarity.
There is more to to the interview than speculation on something that clearly to me is props to others.

Yes I'm seeing that even if she didn't mean for it to be. I'm not aware of anyone dissing The Rev band members as being inferior to other musicians Prince worked with so why even make that comment?

we had this same discussion in the other thread. And this thread is still open 4 discussion.

http://prince.org/msg/5/439512

Interview with Wendy in the Rolling Stone

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Yes Tommy Barbarella actually said the early NPG band was Prince's best band, recently

Wendy never said anything like that

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But even Barbarella said something confirming what you quote/highlighted from the interview:"We would hear that during the Purple Rain period, it was such a family atmosphere with the band and the crew."

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Her comments were complimentary.
There is so much more to the interview...

Sometimes thing are just what they are. I know everyone seems to be 'catching feelings' -that term needs to be over though, but there isn't drama to everything.

rogifan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I u really are seeing that is a diss, then I don't know what to say. Send her a note and ask her for clarity.
There is more to to the interview than speculation on something that clearly to me is props to others.

Yes I'm seeing that even if she didn't mean for it to be. I'm not aware of anyone dissing The Rev band members as being inferior to other musicians Prince worked with so why even make that comment?

Well U R not 'seeing' that, because she didn't say that. You are interpreting it according to your projection. The 'fact' is she called them Virtuosos.

Like in the other thread where we had to define Notating to show it is not a put down

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the word 4 this thread is Virtuosos

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so let's define it.

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2 : one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts. 3 : one who excels in the technique of an art; especially : a highly skilled musical performer (as on the violin) 4 : a person who has great skill at some endeavor a computer virtuoso.

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1610s, "scholar, connoisseur," from Italian virtuoso (plural virtuosi), noun use of adjective meaning "skilled, learned, of exceptional worth," from Late Latin virtuosus (see virtuous). Meaning "person with great skill" (as in music)

OldFriends4Sale said:

rogifan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Well U R not 'seeing' that, because she didn't say that. You are interpreting it according to your projection. The 'fact' is she called them Virtuosos.

Like in the other thread where we had to define Notating to show it is not a put down

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the word 4 this thread is Virtuosos

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so let's define it.

.

2 : one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts. 3 : one who excels in the technique of an art; especially : a highly skilled musical performer (as on the violin) 4 : a person who has great skill at some endeavor a computer virtuoso.

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1610s, "scholar, connoisseur," from Italian virtuoso (plural virtuosi), noun use of adjective meaning "skilled, learned, of exceptional worth," from Late Latin virtuosus (see virtuous). Meaning "person with great skill" (as in music)

I know what virtuoso means. But when she says: "We were the musicians that would play one note and one note well. We became the freight train, which makes for a better band..." I read that as her saying even though The Rev members perhaps weren't technically as good as others Prince has worked with they were a better band. I don't get the need to compare. All the different band configurations he worked with were unique and I don't think one was better or worse than another.

even Prince compared band members to the Revolution, Someone posted it recently. they were saying how Prince would call out certain Rev members when they weren't doing as good as he wanted.

I still don't think what she said is an issue. She isn't the only one who used comparisons.
Sheila E said stuff in a 1989 doc(Prince of Paisley Park) right before that band split

Tommy B on his web page said the band he was in was the best

Wendy paid compliments

paulludvig said:

Som now The Revolution was his band from '79 to '87? That's knew to me.

That is definately a loose term for what I've heard Prince fans using for a while now.

because the people from that time period were in the camp at the same time.

Personally, I think Prince's very first band — with Dez and Andre — was his absolute best band to my tastes.

And Dez Dickerson is an exponentially better guitarist than Wendy Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah Melvoin. The only thing she was good at, in my opinion, is that Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah James Brown-esque one chord rhythm vamping/jamming technique.

phatphuk said:

rogifan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

rogifan said:

The Revolution was Prince's band from 1979 -- with keyboardist Matt Fink and drummer Bobby Z -- through 1987's Sign O' The Times, though it wasn't credited under that name until 1984's Purple Rain album. Bassist Brown Mark, keyboardist Lisa Coleman and Melvoin, who joined for Purple Rain, round out the lineup, which will only play material from the Revolution era, including "a bunch of unreleased stuff that the fans know," according to Melvoin.

“To me that era for him was such a culmination of everything he wanted to be," she says. "He made no apologies and he wasn't fighting as hard to prove himself. What we gave to him was his freedom, a true, safe environment to really explore every part of himself. None of us were the virtuosos that he had towards the end of his life who could play circles around any of us, like 5,000 notes in 10 seconds. We were the musicians that would play one note and one note well. We became the freight train, which makes for a better band, and he could feel safe knowing we were happy to give him exactly what he wanted from each of us.”

OK maybe Wendy isn't meaning to diss other band members (and maybe some here don't see this quote that way) but this isn't the first time she's made comments like this, and for some reason they rub me the wrong way. To me they come across as The Revolution was Prince's only real/authentic band and all his other formations were just filled with technically good musicians. I don't really get the point of the comment either as I'm not aware of anyone comparing The Revolution or specific Rev band members to other musicians Prince worked with. Also the last "band" Prince had was 3EG. I don't think anyone would call Donna Grantis or Hannah Welton virtuosos. :confused:

If u really are seeing that is a diss, then I don't know what to say. Send her a note and ask her for clarity.

There is more to the interview than speculation on something that clearly to me is props to others.

Yes I'm seeing that even if she didn't mean for it to be. I'm not aware of anyone dissing The Rev band members as being inferior to other musicians Prince worked with so why even make that comment?

Personally, I think Prince's very first band — with Dez and Andre — was his absolute best band to my tastes.

And Dez Dickerson is an exponentially better guitarist than Wendy Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah Melvoin. The only thing she was good at, in my opinion, is that Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah James Brown-esque one chord rhythm vamping/jamming technique.

I like that version too, but, I prefer the period with more color and instrumentation.

Wendy & Dez obviously respect each other, and for someone who was in her first band hitting the PR tour she rocked it. Handled the When Doves Cry and Little Red Corvette solo beautifully

And far from being the only thing she was good at, that is stupid.

OK. She's more than just a good Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah-er. She's also kinda decent at scoring soundtracks — [as long as Lisa is carrying her] — but that's it in my opinion.

So with that, let's just agree to disagree. Shall we?

phatphuk said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

phatphuk said:

rogifan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

rogifan said:

The Revolution was Prince's band from 1979 -- with keyboardist Matt Fink and drummer Bobby Z -- through 1987's Sign O' The Times, though it wasn't credited under that name until 1984's Purple Rain album. Bassist Brown Mark, keyboardist Lisa Coleman and Melvoin, who joined for Purple Rain, round out the lineup, which will only play material from the Revolution era, including "a bunch of unreleased stuff that the fans know," according to Melvoin.

“To me that era for him was such a culmination of everything he wanted to be," she says. "He made no apologies and he wasn't fighting as hard to prove himself. What we gave to him was his freedom, a true, safe environment to really explore every part of himself. None of us were the virtuosos that he had towards the end of his life who could play circles around any of us, like 5,000 notes in 10 seconds. We were the musicians that would play one note and one note well. We became the freight train, which makes for a better band, and he could feel safe knowing we were happy to give him exactly what he wanted from each of us.”

OK maybe Wendy isn't meaning to diss other band members (and maybe some here don't see this quote that way) but this isn't the first time she's made comments like this, and for some reason they rub me the wrong way. To me they come across as The Revolution was Prince's only real/authentic band and all his other formations were just filled with technically good musicians. I don't really get the point of the comment either as I'm not aware of anyone comparing The Revolution or specific Rev band members to other musicians Prince worked with. Also the last "band" Prince had was 3EG. I don't think anyone would call Donna Grantis or Hannah Welton virtuosos. :confused:

If u really are seeing that is a diss, then I don't know what to say. Send her a note and ask her for clarity.

There is more to the interview than speculation on something that clearly to me is props to others.

Yes I'm seeing that even if she didn't mean for it to be. I'm not aware of anyone dissing The Rev band members as being inferior to other musicians Prince worked with so why even make that comment?

Personally, I think Prince's very first band — with Dez and Andre — was his absolute best band to my tastes.

And Dez Dickerson is an exponentially better guitarist than Wendy Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah Melvoin. The only thing she was good at, in my opinion, is that Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah James Brown-esque one chord rhythm vamping/jamming technique.

I like that version too, but, I prefer the period with more color and instrumentation.

Wendy & Dez obviously respect each other, and for someone who was in her first band hitting the PR tour she rocked it. Handled the When Doves Cry and Little Red Corvette solo beautifully

And far from being the only thing she was good at, that is stupid.

OK. She's more than just a good Chukka-chukka-Wah-Wah-er. She's also kinda decent at scoring soundtracks — [as long as Lisa is carrying her] — but that's it in my opinion.

So with that, let's just agree to disagree. Shall we?

“She plays acoustic guitar with me better than almost anyone. The opportunity came up and her name was the first to come to mind. I’m looking for things to juice me, too.”