Wendy & Lisa's 1990 album Eroica is being rereleased on June 9th....

https://www.cherryred.co....l-edition/

Having lent their esoteric funk-folk stylings to Prince & The Revolution during the late legend’s purple reign of the early-80s, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman left the band to pursue their own maverick musical path in 1986. Fan-favourite Eroica, their third and final album for Virgin Records, saw the duo hit a new creative peak – drawing on influences ranging from Sly Stone to Joni Mitchell to create a vibrant psychedelic-funk- folk sound that was uniquely their own. Included on this Special Edition double-CD of 22 digitally-remastered tracks are: The original 1990 album including the singles ‘Strung Out’, ‘Rainbow Lake’ and ‘Don’t Try To Tell Me’, written and produced by Wendy & Lisa. Includes guest contributions by k.d. lang, Eric Leeds of The Family/Madhouse and Wendy’s prolific jazz composer father Michael Melvoin. Bonus tracks on Disc Two include single mixes and rare b-sides as well as Lisa’s ‘Piano Improvisations’ EP – originally issued as a bonus 3” disc with a limited edition issue of original album. Hardcore Prince fans will know ‘Minneapolis #1’ better as ‘Visions’ – the opening track to The Revolution’s unreleased final album Dream Factory. Includes a comprehensive booklet featuring single sleeves, lyrics, exclusive interview and track-by- track liner notes from ex-Attitude editor Adam Mattera and Lisa Coleman. The original Purple Rain line-up of The Revolution – Wendy & Lisa, bassist Brownmark, keyboardist Dr Fink and drummer Bobby Z. – have recently reunited and are touring the US.

DISC ONE 1. RAINBOW LAKE

2. STRUNG OUT

3. MOTHER OF PEARL

4. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME

5. CRACK IN THE PAVEMENT

6. PORCH SWING

7. WHY WAIT FOR HEAVEN

8. TURN ME INSIDE OUT

9. SKELETON KEY

10.VALLEY VISTA

11.STARING AT THE SUN

DISC TWO 1. STRUNG OUT (G-STRUNG 7”)

2. STONES AND BIRTH

3. RAINBOW LAKE (12 INTO 7 REMIX)

4. BALANCE

5. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME (ALTERNATIVE VERSION)

6. STRUNG OUT (G-STRUNG MIX)

7. RAINBOW LAKE (12” MIX) PIANO IMPROVISATIONS

8. MINNEAPOLIS #1

9. MINNEAPOLIS #2

10.ERIC’S GHOST

11. C-YA

I'm glad to hear this! Wendy & Lisa and Fruit At The Bottom have both had a couple of re-releases with various extra tracks (about a half dozen each, some repeats, some not). While Prince sort of held himself in a holding pattern on a sound sometimes (Controversy - 1999, ATWIAD-Parade), W&L's first three records had such a different sound and take on them. The first was definitely more pop forward, but FOTB had a bit more eclectism in it coupled with a pop sensibility. Eroica was so textured and interesting.

It's so not-ironic that you started this thread, because just last night I was watching W&L videos for "Are You My Baby", "Lolly Lolly", "Sideshow", "Honeymoon Express", "Waterfall", and a concert overseas.

I'm a huge W&L fan but could never get into this album, too grungy for my tastes maybe. I always loved 'Balance' though. I'll definietly be getting this though, the liner notes/interview should be interesting.

I wish they'd release some new music...

[Edited 5/8/17 1:18am]

Did they have a funk-folk sound before Prince and the Revolution??? or was it the result of their collaboration with Prince and the Revolution? They weren't a duo prior to P...is my understanding.

LEATHRSAIL said:

Wendy & Lisa's 1990 album Eroica is being rereleased on June 9th....

https://www.cherryred.co....l-edition/

Having lent their esoteric funk-folk stylings to Prince & The Revolution during the late legend’s purple reign of the early-80s, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman left the band to pursue their own maverick musical path in 1986. Fan-favourite Eroica, their third and final album for Virgin Records, saw the duo hit a new creative peak – drawing on influences ranging from Sly Stone to Joni Mitchell to create a vibrant psychedelic-funk- folk sound that was uniquely their own. Included on this Special Edition double-CD of 22 digitally-remastered tracks are: The original 1990 album including the singles ‘Strung Out’, ‘Rainbow Lake’ and ‘Don’t Try To Tell Me’, written and produced by Wendy & Lisa. Includes guest contributions by k.d. lang, Eric Leeds of The Family/Madhouse and Wendy’s prolific jazz composer father Michael Melvoin. Bonus tracks on Disc Two include single mixes and rare b-sides as well as Lisa’s ‘Piano Improvisations’ EP – originally issued as a bonus 3” disc with a limited edition issue of original album. Hardcore Prince fans will know ‘Minneapolis #1’ better as ‘Visions’ – the opening track to The Revolution’s unreleased final album Dream Factory. Includes a comprehensive booklet featuring single sleeves, lyrics, exclusive interview and track-by- track liner notes from ex-Attitude editor Adam Mattera and Lisa Coleman. The original Purple Rain line-up of The Revolution – Wendy & Lisa, bassist Brownmark, keyboardist Dr Fink and drummer Bobby Z. – have recently reunited and are touring the US.

DISC ONE 1. RAINBOW LAKE

2. STRUNG OUT

3. MOTHER OF PEARL

4. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME

5. CRACK IN THE PAVEMENT

6. PORCH SWING

7. WHY WAIT FOR HEAVEN

8. TURN ME INSIDE OUT

9. SKELETON KEY

10.VALLEY VISTA

11.STARING AT THE SUN

DISC TWO 1. STRUNG OUT (G-STRUNG 7”)

2. STONES AND BIRTH

3. RAINBOW LAKE (12 INTO 7 REMIX)

4. BALANCE

5. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME (ALTERNATIVE VERSION)

6. STRUNG OUT (G-STRUNG MIX)

7. RAINBOW LAKE (12” MIX) PIANO IMPROVISATIONS

8. MINNEAPOLIS #1

9. MINNEAPOLIS #2

10.ERIC’S GHOST

11. C-YA

purplerabbithole said:

Did they have a funk-folk sound before Prince and the Revolution??? or was it the result of their collaboration with Prince and the Revolution? They weren't a duo prior to P...is my understanding.

I mean, before Wendy's first gig with Prince in 1983, she was in high school, sooo.... no. They were friends. All those girls grew up together, and briefly formed a group called Waldorf Salad. Wendy was hanging around with Lisa since 1980 or so (she was backstage at the Rolling Stones gig), but of course they weren't making music as a group before Prince. They both came from incredible music families so, to me, them being musicians is as natural as Prince being one, really.

Waldorf Salad:

They should re-release their self titled debut album and Fruit ATB as well. Even better still would be a Best Of CD containing all their singles, some good B-Sides & re-mixes. My favourite song on Eroica is Don't Try To Tell Me.

jungleluv said:

They should re-release their self titled debut album and Fruit ATB as well. Even better still would be a Best Of CD containing all their singles, some good B-Sides & re-mixes. My favourite song on Eroica is Don't Try To Tell Me.

As I noted, W&L & FOTB have both had reissues with bonus tracks. Check either Discogs or their Wiki pages.

TrivialPursuit said:

No doubt that Wendy and LIsa were/are talented and influenced P. My problem with the article was that it implied that they came fully equipped with a new sound (Funk-folk) when he hired them and they essentially shaped him. It sounds like bullshit to me. My educated guess is that P, W, and L all influenced each other and subsequent W and L albums were at least a bit influenced by Prince's funkiness.

TrivialPursuit said:

purplerabbithole said:

Did they have a funk-folk sound before Prince and the Revolution??? or was it the result of their collaboration with Prince and the Revolution? They weren't a duo prior to P...is my understanding.

I mean, before Wendy's first gig with Prince in 1983, she was in high school, sooo.... no. They were friends. All those girls grew up together, and briefly formed a group called Waldorf Salad. Wendy was hanging around with Lisa since 1980 or so (she was backstage at the Rolling Stones gig), but of course they weren't making music as a group before Prince. They both came from incredible music families so, to me, them being musicians is as natural as Prince being one, really.

Waldorf Salad:

who's who on this Waldorf salad picture?

Latin said:

That is an awesome album.

.

I TOTALLY AGREE.

.

I think Wendy & Lisa RAPIDLY progressed between their 1st self-titled album that came out in '87

(damn - THAT album is 30 YEARS OLD now!!!)

that 1st album - it's like they were "feeling their way through it". it was a good album, my favorite track of course being "everything but you" (which somehow, strangely enough, reminds me of Steely Dan's "PEG"..)

.

"fruit at the bottom" was an improvement - a nice variety of songs.

.

but then EROICA was their

grand-slam-homerun-in-the-bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2-outs-and-NOBODY-on-base..

FUNKY/jazzy - skeleton key & turn me inside out

JAZZY

"quirky" - rainbow lake (& "crack in the pavement"?)

they ROCKED OUT on tracks like "mother of pearl" & "why wait for heaven"

.

for me their best track wasn't even on the album - STONES AND BIRTH

to me THAT song epitomizes the depth & range of Wendy & Lisa.

.

NEEDLESS TO SAY I will get this "deluxe version" when it comes out next month..

purplerabbithole said:

No doubt that Wendy and LIsa were/are talented and influenced P. My problem with the article was that it implied that they came fully equipped with a new sound (Funk-folk) when he hired them and they essentially shaped him. It sounds like bullshit to me. My educated guess is that P, W, and L all influenced each other and subsequent W and L albums were at least a bit influenced by Prince's funkiness.

It's just a Cherry Red press release talking silliness and hype, kudos to the writer for coming up with "esoteric funk folk" as a vague as vague can be description of the nothing that came before. They both have cool, distinctive ways of playing their instruments that by all accounts was in place long before they met P but come on, they even joined Prince's band years apart from each other.

Anyway looking forward to this re-release, Eroica is a great album. I prefer Fruit & the Bottom these days but I found this one much easier to get into when I was first listening to them. I don't have any of the disc 2 songs bar the Piano Improv stuff so there's some new stuff here for me. June is looking like a good month for rereleases!

[Edited 5/11/17 2:59am]

Romeoblu said:

Their best album. I wore out the cassette back when it came out. Excited for that 2nd CD!

alb69 said:

who's who on this Waldorf salad picture?

I dunno but I can guess it's W&L in the center sitting down.

[Edited 5/14/17 15:52pm]

GuyBros said:

alb69 said:

who's who on this Waldorf salad picture?

I dunno but I can guess it's W&L in the center sitting down.

[Edited 5/14/17 15:52pm]

Its Lisa Coleman, Jonathan Melvoin, Deidre Howard, David Coleman, Debbie Coleman. Wendy would have been only 6 or 7 at the time.

only album they did thats pretty good...mother of pearl is prince-worthy quality

luvsexy4all said:

mltijchr said:

Latin said:

That is an awesome album.

.

I TOTALLY AGREE.

.

I think Wendy & Lisa RAPIDLY progressed between their 1st self-titled album that came out in '87

(damn - THAT album is 30 YEARS OLD now!!!)

that 1st album - it's like they were "feeling their way through it". it was a good album, my favorite track of course being "everything but you" (which somehow, strangely enough, reminds me of Steely Dan's "PEG"..)

.

"fruit at the bottom" was an improvement - a nice variety of songs.

.

but then EROICA was their

grand-slam-homerun-in-the-bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2-outs-and-NOBODY-on-base..

FUNKY/jazzy - skeleton key & turn me inside out

JAZZY

"quirky" - rainbow lake (& "crack in the pavement"?)

they ROCKED OUT on tracks like "mother of pearl" & "why wait for heaven"

.

for me their best track wasn't even on the album - STONES AND BIRTH

to me THAT song epitomizes the depth & range of Wendy & Lisa.

.

NEEDLESS TO SAY I will get this "deluxe version" when it comes out next month..

My copy arrived yesterday and I'm delighted with it. I agree totally with you about W&L's first three albums, and Eroica is still one of my favourite albums by ANY artist all these years later. Loved it from the day it came out and to be honest I enjoyed it more than either Graffiti Bridge or Pandemonium released around the same time (Graffiti Bridge being 3rd out of 3 for me that summer/autumn).