Prince (Joey Coco)
Vanity

Brown Mark

Coco Boys band -
the Dawn movie (another early Graffiti Bride connection)

Crucial
Coco Boys vs Mazarati
When the Dawn of the Morning Comes

Howard Hewett, Delisa Davis, Micki Free

Shalamar’s lineup in 1987: From left to right, Sidney Justin, DeLisa Davis, Micki Free;

Micki Free on Meeting Prince, Joining Shalamar

1:26 : Discovered by Gene Simmons. Diana Ross was dating Gene and she wanted a "Prince Type" to go on tour with her. Gene told her about Micki. He signed to Diana Ross's company.

2:51 : Gene was dating Cher first. Cher and Diana were friends. Gene and Cher's relationship was ending and then Gene and Diana got together.

3:22 : Vlad brings up Gene's anti-rap comments. Micki says Gene says things he shouldn't say but he's not racist. Gene loves all the Culture (whatever that means).

7:09 : Prince wanted Micki to join Maserati with Brown Mark and do a movie called Coco Brothers. Prince wanted him to get out of his contract with Shalamar but it didn't work out. The head of Solar Records said, "I'm not Fattening Up No Frogs for No Snakes." and refuses to let him sign with Prince.

10:00 : Speaks on the feminine comments directed his way. Says he started off wanting to look like Jimmi Hendrix but after seeing Prince he decided to go in that direction. He was being labeled as Androgynous and Howard Hewitt had to explain to him what it meant.

12:30 : Micki says Little Richard started the Androgyny. VLAD says Little Richard is gay and questions why Micki and Prince would be straight and dress like girls.


14:30 : He wasn't a member of Prince's camp he just hung out with him sometimes. They had beef because of girls. Prince kicked him out of a party. He believes because Prince's body guard Chic kicked him out because he was getting attention.

1985, this is not Jill Jones

updated additional pictures 1.18.2017

Coco Boys is an unreleased track initially recorded during a soundcheck session on 25 August 1986 at Le Zénith, Paris, France, hours before the Parade Tour show there (along with recordings of Susannah's Blues, Strange Relationship, Last Heart, a cover version of The Temptations' Can't Get Next To You and a first run-through of It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, which was then recorded live at the show).

It is likely that this version was instrumental, but this is unconfirmed.

Prince recorded a studio version of the track (with lyrics) on 14 September 1986 at his Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA (the day after Crucial, two days before Shockadelica).

The song was written specifically for the planned musical The Dawn (along with Crucial and When The Dawn Of The Morning Comes), but the musical was ultimately abandoned, and the song was never intended for any of Prince's many late-1986 album projects.

The Coco Boys was the name of a band included as characters in the musical; while the band names changed, the idea of rival bands was reused in the Graffiti Bridge movie.

Of note is that the pseudonym Joey Coco, used by Prince as the writer of You're My Love, was intended to be one of the Coco Boys.

Soundcheck version

• Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
• Bobby Z. - drums
• Brown Mark - bass guitar
• Wendy Melvoin - guitar and vocals (assumed)
• Lisa Coleman - keyboards and vocals (assumed)
• Dr. Fink - keyboards
• Miko Weaver - guitar
• Eric Leeds - saxophone (unknown participation)
• Atlanta Bliss - trumpet (unknown participation)
• Jerome Benton - background vocals (unknown participation)
• Wally Safford - background vocals (unknown participation)
• Greg Brooks - background vocals (unknown participation)

PrinceVault

Micki Free & Vanity 1983-ish or 1985-ish

There is a strong part of my that believes this is at the 1985 Masquerade Ball

OldFriends4Sale said:

1985, this is not Jill Jones

It's Teri Copley (not sure I spelled that right- too lazy to Google) She also became an evangelist like Vanity and I saw her and Vanity together on a show in the early 90's talking about God. I think it was Joan Rivers show if I'm not mistaken.

Weren't lenny Kravitz and Tony LeMans supposed to be the 2 other Coco Boys, or am I getting confused?

I've always wondered what connection Prince and Lenny could possibly have had before Lenny signed with Virgin? I believe Lenny was a friend of Tony in the first place?

A bit unrelated but I also wonder how Lenny justified trying to rip-off Ingrid, and what Prince thought of the whole thing.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Micki Free & Vanity 1983-ish or 1985-ish

There is a strong part of my that believes this is at the 1985 Masquerade Ball

I remember Micki Free being cute...but i'll be damn he is hot in this picture! Look at his eyes! I have to agree with Micki he sure could wear that eyeliner with the best of them!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Micki Free & Vanity 1983-ish or 1985-ish

There is a strong part of my that believes this is at the 1985 Masquerade Ball

This photo is from late 1983/early 1984.I remember seeing it in a magazine back then I remember thinking "wow,Vanity is really trying to make Prince jealous",lol.Interestingly,around this time,the group Shalamar was looking for a new female singer to replace Jody Watley.There was a rumor that Vanity was being considered for the gig! Was Miki trying to talk her into joining the group?

Superfan1984 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

1985, this is not Jill Jones

It's Teri Copley (not sure I spelled that right- too lazy to Google) She also became an evangelist like Vanity and I saw her and Vanity together on a show in the early 90's talking about God. I think it was Joan Rivers show if I'm not mistaken.

I remember Teri Copley was on a sitcom back then,but I can't remember the name of it.I don't think it lasted very long,but it began airing in the fall of 1983 on NBC.

databank said:

Weren't lenny Kravitz and Tony LeMans supposed to be the 2 other Coco Boys, or am I getting confused?

I've always wondered what connection Prince and Lenny could possibly have had before Lenny signed with Virgin? I believe Lenny was a friend of Tony in the first place?

.

http://prince.org/msg/5/260377

.

http://www.billboard.com/...rospective

.

The more promising singer-songwriter Tony LeMans dropped a self-titled debut full of funk, pop and soul in 1989. His musical aesthetic was most similar to Prince’s out of everyone on the label. “Tony had been part of a group that included Lenny Kravitz and the kid that came out of Shalamar, Micki Free,” says Leeds. “Micki, Lenny and Tony had some kind of group they were trying to get off the ground, which never really happened. The long and short of it is that Lenny quickly separated himself from it and went and got his own deal. Tony ended up coming with Steven [Fargnoli], who ended up putting him on Paisley Park.” LeMans’ short-lived career ended in a fatal motorcycle accident in 1992.

databank said:

Lenny had a long history of being an homage to Prince. He started out as "Romeo Blue". I believe he has admitted to being a Prince clone early on.


.

SoulAlive said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Micki Free & Vanity 1983-ish or 1985-ish

There is a strong part of my that believes this is at the 1985 Masquerade Ball

This photo is from late 1983/early 1984.I remember seeing it in a magazine back then I remember thinking "wow,Vanity is really trying to make Prince jealous",lol.Interestingly,around this time,the group Shalamar was looking for a new female singer to replace Jody Watley.There was a rumor that Vanity was being considered for the gig! Was Miki trying to talk her into joining the group?

thank U

From what Micki said he and Prince were friends, so these 2 caught in a picture is probably regular. I would love more photos like this in general from others.
I never heard anything of them trying to get her into Shalamar

databank said:

Weren't lenny Kravitz and Tony LeMans supposed to be the 2 other Coco Boys, or am I getting confused?

I've always wondered what connection Prince and Lenny could possibly have had before Lenny signed with Virgin? I believe Lenny was a friend of Tony in the first place?

A bit unrelated but I also wonder how Lenny justified trying to rip-off Ingrid, and what Prince thought of the whole thing.

It's a possibility.
Didn't this concept start in 1986? Was Tony LeMans around then?
I swear though, they all had a look, throw Tony Christian from Mazarati in that and you have quadruplets. Talk about Reproduction of the New Breed look lol

databank said:

A bit unrelated but I also wonder how Lenny justified trying to rip-off Ingrid, and what Prince thought of the whole thing.

IIRC, the story was that he didn't give Ingrid credit because it would expose their affair to Lisa Bonet.

SoulAlive said:

Superfan1984 said:

It's Teri Copley (not sure I spelled that right- too lazy to Google) She also became an evangelist like Vanity and I saw her and Vanity together on a show in the early 90's talking about God. I think it was Joan Rivers show if I'm not mistaken.

I remember Teri Copley was on a sitcom back then,but I can't remember the name of it.I don't think it lasted very long,but it began airing in the fall of 1983 on NBC.

I do! (showing my age lol) it was called "We've got it Maid" -- again too lazy to Google but something like that. She played a maid to these two bachelors who had an apt. She was adorable. I also loved one of those guys who played one of the bachelors - he died of Aids sometime in the 90's Jay something....

Also, I don't think they're married now but Teri married Micki Free and they have a son.

Baby, you've got to be from a different world
Cause just one look from you could make an army surrender
Baby, you've got to rescue me girl, girl
A prisoner in love with the opposite gender

I ain't sayin' you're better, baby, but I ain't sayin' you're not
I ain't sayin' anything until you stop
Never forget that 'cause baby, I'll be your jack of all trades
A mind and body well made

Crucial - baby, our love has got to be
Crucial - everything from A to Z
Crucial - you've got to show me everything, everything, everything

Is that Old Man River knockin' at your door
Sayin' that we got to let more than our feelings show?
Baby, tonight don't hold nothin' back, I know you've got some more
I'll give you mine if you give me yours

I ain't sayin' you're better, baby, I ain't sayin' you're not
I ain't sayin' anything until you stop
Baby, don't hold me back 'cause baby, I.. baby I need a jack for all trades
A mind and body well made

Crucial - our love has got to be
Crucial - every little thing from A to Z
Crucial - you've got to show me everything, everything, everything

Crucial is the fifth track on the second disc of Prince's 20th album Crystal Ball (his fourth using the name ). The album is not clearly divided between Prince tracks and tracks, but the liner notes' discussion of this track state "All instruments and vocals by Prince", so it is credited to Prince in this entry.

Initial tracking took place on 13 September 1986 at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN, USA (four days after the end of the Parade Tour in Japan, the day before recording Coco Boys); this version missed the guitar solo.

Eric Leeds added a saxophone part on 6 November 1986 (the day after sequencing the Camille album), at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA, at Prince's request, but when Prince heard it, he let Leeds know that the main saxophone solo was in the place where the guitar solo would be, so the saxophone solo was discarded when Prince recorded the guitar solo in early-to-mid November, at Sunset Sound.

The song was written specifically for the planned musical The Dawn, which was ultimately abandoned, and the song was never intended for any of Prince's many late-1986 album projects (although the album notes in Crystal Ball state that it was intended for Sign O' The Times and was replaced by Adore).

PrinceVault

Superfan1984 said:

Also, I don't think they're married now but Teri married Micki Free and they have a son.

Micki Free and Teri Copley are divorced after a marriage of 3 years. They had 1 child.

They had a daughter named Anastasia.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Superfan1984 said:

Also, I don't think they're married now but Teri married Micki Free and they have a son.

Micki Free and Teri Copley are divorced after a marriage of 3 years. They had 1 child.

They had a daughter named Anastasia.

My bad- for some reason I thought she had a son- Anyway- on a totally unrelated note- I saw her not too long ago and she looks amazing- she must be in her 50's -- looks great

Superfan1984 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Micki Free and Teri Copley are divorced after a marriage of 3 years. They had 1 child.

They had a daughter named Anastasia.

My bad- for some reason I thought she had a son- Anyway- on a totally unrelated note- I saw her not too long ago and she looks amazing- she must be in her 50's -- looks great

I thought it was a boy too

djThunderfunk said:

databank said:

A bit unrelated but I also wonder how Lenny justified trying to rip-off Ingrid, and what Prince thought of the whole thing.

IIRC, the story was that he didn't give Ingrid credit because it would expose their affair to Lisa Bonet.

Crazy!

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

Weren't lenny Kravitz and Tony LeMans supposed to be the 2 other Coco Boys, or am I getting confused?

I've always wondered what connection Prince and Lenny could possibly have had before Lenny signed with Virgin? I believe Lenny was a friend of Tony in the first place?

.

http://prince.org/msg/5/260377

.

http://www.billboard.com/...rospective

.

The more promising singer-songwriter Tony LeMans dropped a self-titled debut full of funk, pop and soul in 1989. His musical aesthetic was most similar to Prince’s out of everyone on the label. “Tony had been part of a group that included Lenny Kravitz and the kid that came out of Shalamar, Micki Free,” says Leeds. “Micki, Lenny and Tony had some kind of group they were trying to get off the ground, which never really happened. The long and short of it is that Lenny quickly separated himself from it and went and got his own deal. Tony ended up coming with Steven [Fargnoli], who ended up putting him on Paisley Park.” LeMans’ short-lived career ended in a fatal motorcycle accident in 1992.

Interesting, thx. So Alan seems to confirm that WB still has the rights to The Family's masters as suspected, additionally to Sheila's records and Pandemonium as we already knew. Could be they even have Mazarati too, then, depending when PP became a proper label. We know for a fact that Jill and Madhouse were proper PP records so I'd assume anything else post 87 save Sheila, Pandemonium and maybe Kahoru Kohiruimaki is Prince estate property.

I believe Taja was signed with Reprise not Paisley, though, since her second album was released on Reprise alone (and I'd love to know why it wasn't another Reprise/Paisley joint venture). IIRC Tony LeMans' record was also a joint PP/Reprise venture so I wonder about his record.

databank said:

-What is crazy is Ingrid explaining how she went with Prince out to Paisly Park he decided he wanted to alone had her taken back to the city and she then went to see Lenny after his concert and left with him on her tour bus. WTF I wondered if Prince did not just pawn her off on Lenny as they certainly stated friends.

Superfan1984 said:

SoulAlive said:

I remember Teri Copley was on a sitcom back then,but I can't remember the name of it.I don't think it lasted very long,but it began airing in the fall of 1983 on NBC.

I do! (showing my age lol) it was called "We've got it Maid" -- again too lazy to Google but something like that. She played a maid to these two bachelors who had an apt. She was adorable. I also loved one of those guys who played one of the bachelors - he died of Aids sometime in the 90's Jay something....

That's it! I actually watched a few episodes of it,lol

WE CAN FUNK

Initial tracking for Prince's original solo version took place on 31 December 1983 at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA, as We Can Fuck (the day after Erotic City and She's Always In My Hair), with additional work the following day, 1 January 1984. Prince later toned down the title and lyrics of the song, and re-recorded the track on 17 June 1986 at the Crosstown Circle Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA (in sequence after Data Bank and Can't Stop This Feeling I Got, the day before recording Girl O' My Dreams). At one point Prince had Micki Free fly to Minneapolis to record lead vocals. It is unclear when this took place and to which version the vocals were added...

-PrinceVault