1. High Fashion
2. Mutiny
3. The Screams Of Passion
4. Yes
5. River Run Dry
6. Nothing Compares 2 U
7. Susannah's Pajanmas
8. Desire

Miami 4.7.1985

Jellybean Johnson and Jerome Benton on the Purple Rain tour awaiting their placement

http://prince.org/msg/7/437630

Prince & the Revolution

April 7.1985
Orange Bowl Miami
Soundcheck
1.Controversy/Mutiny
2.Blues In G
3.Something In The Water
4.Bodyheat/Strange Relationship
5.High Fashion
6.17 Days Jam/

7. Groove in A

8. Groove in F sharp

It was Prince's concept to put us together. The reason (the band) was (previously) called The Family was, because, we had all been working within the Prince organization: I was the staff singer; (Peterson) was the keyboard player for The Time; (Johnson) was the drummer for The Time and (Leeds) was a horn player for Prince.

Late June 1984

The formation of The Family in 1984 was Prince's reaction to the disbanding of The Time. Morris Day was no longer interested in being a band member and moved to Los Angeles, severing ties with the other band members, Prince and The Times management team. With Morris Day in L.A it was basically Jesse Johnson who ran The Time. Prince originally wanted to continue work with The Time by adding Paul Peterson as singer, an idea that was rejected by Jesse Johnson. After failing to convince Morris Day to return, Prince finally decided that The Time was indeed over. Jesse Johnson had also decided to attempt a solo career and took Time members Jerry Hubbard and Mark Cardenas with him.

.

Prince invites Alan Leeds and the remaining Time sidemen Paul Peterson, Jellybean Johnson and Jerome Benton to a meeting at his house. Prince's idea was for a new band and wanted Paul Peterson to be the lead vocalist. This came as something of a surprise to Peterson. Prince had become aware of Paul Peterson's vocal ability during the filming for the Purple Rain movie, they had adjoining dressing rooms, Prince overheard Peterson singing and must have liked what he had heard. The new band were named The Family and were also joined by Susannah Melvoin as a second singer.

.

While The Time's music had been rooted in R&B, Prince wanted The Family to be more musically versatile. Jellybean Johnson said “Prince wanted The Family to be more like a classy, jazzy type of band that would show more different sides, he wanted to do jazzy instrumentals and feature great pop and funk tunes.”

.

Work began on the debut album for The Family in late June 1984 at the Flying Cloud Warehouse in Eden Prairie. Prince very quickly recorded a number of songs for the project.

Prince was also coming up for a look for the band, he was looking through a lot of film and glamour magazines, he wanted Paul Peterson to be a very dash Rudolph Valentino type of character.

.

Susan Rogers, Prince's sound engineer remembers Prince chatting with Paul Peterson and saying “Paul, 20,000 woman! That's how many woman Valentino had at his funeral, 20,000 woman!”

Working alone, Prince recorded High Fashion and Mutiny, recording them in sequence, he followed them with Desire and River Run Dry. Susan Rogers remembers, “once he had High Fashion and Mutiny, the rest of the album just flowed.” River Run Dry was a song that Bobby Z had written, but Prince recorded his own version after asking Bobby Z if he could use it for The Family's album.

During the initial sessions for The Family, Prince recorded an instrumental titled Mazarati, which was originally intended for Mazarati's debut album. Prince decided that the music suited The Family better and renamed the track Susannah's Pajamas.

.

Prince wanted to try and incorporate the saxophone into The Family project. He had heard a tape that Alan Leeds' brother Eric had made when he had auditioned for the band that Sheila E had put together in spring 1984. However, Sheila had already hired Eddie Minnifield on sax so the tape sat around for a while. A while later Prince came up with the concept for The Family, and having decided that he wanted saxophone in the music told Alan “if your brother wants a gig, tell him he's got it.”

~ MikeyB71

Paul Peterson on recording the song "Feline" : (I was) trying to learn how to rap, I don't even know if they called it that then. I still remember that rap to this day for some reason. (Singing lyrics) "Feline, get my body working..."

There were two tracks that had been done that were going to be put on the second record. But, that was all put in the vault, because, (Peterson) left. But, we definitely had the plan of doing it. (Peterson's) unreleased track had something to do with a tiger or a jaguar, or something like that. I can't remember. You would have to ask him. It had to do with some animal. - Susnnah Melvoin

Feline (rehearsal) Purple Rain sound

Prince (vocals, guitars)

Brown Mark (bass)

Bobby Z (drums/linn)

Wendy Melvoin (guitar)

Dr Fink (keyboards)

Lisa Coleman (keyboards)

Greg Brooks (in the space) possibly other Family band/group members

Feline is an unreleased song recorded on 14 July, 1984 at Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse (on the same day Prince flew to Dallas to attend the premiere of The Jacksons' Victory Tour), and was intended for The Family album. Paul Peterson confirmed in 2009 that he did record vocals for the track, confirming that a version by The Family does exist. The song was not included on the album, but a rap intended for Paul Peterson was later reworked for Sheila E. on the track Holly Rock when Peterson objected to the lyrics of the song and asked for it not to be included. Eric Leeds worked on the track again in 1990-1 for possible inclusion on his album Times Squared (presumably as an instrumental track), but it was not included on the final album.

The Family version

• St. Paul Peterson - vocals
• Susannah Melvoin - vocals
• Prince - all instruments, except where noted
• Bobby Z. - tom-toms
• Jellybean Johnson - tom-toms
• Eric Leeds - saxophone

...everlasting

her emotions, never blue

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

.

Just the rhythm, I don't care what cords U play

.

haaaa look at them 2

them 2 funky over there

Greg talkin 2 Mark

both them legs are just...
Greg you gotta show the other roadies that

Oh I'm sorry 'musical technicians'

.

U want that

uh yeah like 2 oclock?

Cool

[launches into 2 a wicked guitar solo]

G G

.

3 bass players just talking

yeah yea I like that

that's new yeah

that's that new P__

oh ok

how much that costs U man

how much that's renten U

ah Yeah that's funky

.

_ so so automatic

I

don't

know what 2 to do

My hard on, everlasting

her emotions, never blue

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

.

St Paul's my name

making loves my game

funky as I want 2 be

line up a hundred

swear 2 God

I'll funk em till I just can't C

cause I'm bad good God

badder than the wicked witch

____ -___ ___

Don't U want be my ...

.

Organ solo

.

Guitars & Drums

.

Piano

.

Bobby Z

.

everybody uhhh

.

I __ baby

U know just what 2 do

My hard on everlasting

her emotions, never blue

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

.

On the 1

Good God

.

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

Feline

Keep My Body Working

Feline

all night

.

St Paul's my name

making loves my game

funky as I want 2 be

line up a hundred

swear 2 God

I'll funk em till I just can't C

cause I'm bad good God

badder than the wicked witch

____ -___ ___

Don't U want be my ...

Get off

.

uhhh

.

Mass appeal

little boy smile

make you happy all the while

.

I'm bad Good God

I'm bad Good God

.

bass and drums

.

Wendy say gemmie some of that

Wendy said gemmie a little bit of that..

put a little bit of that on my plate

.

Wendy

.

Got enough of Wendy's guitar? I can't hear it out here

Got Wendy's guitar in the mix? I can't hear it

Come on

.

Mass appeal

little boy smile

make you happy all the while

I'm bad Good God

.

Drop out the guitars

Drop out the bass

.

On the 1

.

good God

.
On the 1

.

that belongs to somebody else tho

we can't play Cinncinatit

with that cause

my man will come up on stage with a pistol

.

He must of got some money last night

03

03

(goes into the Screams of Passion)

14th July 1984.

Prince records the song Feline at the Flying Cloud Warehouse for use in The Family project. The song did not make the album. Feline was one of Eric Leeds' favourite tracks recorded for the album, Eric remembered “It was a manic track, I love it, I remember being there when he was doing most of his work on it, he was like a man possessed, the track was the odd man out from the album, it stuck out like a sore thumb.” The song is sexually explicit and featuring a rap by Paul, who says “St. Paul's my name, makin' love's my game.” The rap was later altered and used in Sheila E's Holly Rock. Also in July, Prince recorded Nothing Compares 2 U. Prince now had nearly all the songs available to put together an album. The following sessions were to have Paul Peterson and Susannah Melvoin replace Prince's “scratch” vocals. David Rivkin was brought in to produce the vocal sessions. This was a slow painstaking process as Prince wanted exact reproductions of his vocal tracks.

It was Prince's concept to put us together. The reason (the band) was (previously) called The Family was, because, we had all been working within the Prince organization: I was the staff singer; (Peterson) was the keyboard player for The Time; (Johnson) was the drummer for The Time and (Leeds) was a horn player for Prince.

ROLLING STONE (1985)

---

PRINCE TALKS

BY NEAL KARLEN

A FEW MINUTES LATER, driving toward the First Avenue club, Prince is talking about the fate of the most famous landmark in Minneapolis. "Before Purple Rain," he says, "all the kids who came to First Avenue knew us, and it was just like a big, fun fashion show. The kids would dress for themselves and just try to took really cool. Once you got your thing right, you'd stop looking at someone else. You'd be yourself, and you'd feel comfortable."

Then Hollywood arrived. "When the film first came out," Prince remembers, "a lot of tourists started coming. That was kind of weird, to be in the club and get a lot of 'Oh! There he is!' It felt a little strange. I'd be in there thinking, 'Wow, this sure is different than it used to be.'"

Now, however, the Gray Line Hip Tour swarm has slackened. According to Prince -- who goes there twice a week to dance when he's not working on a big project -- the old First Avenue feeling is coming back. "There was a lot of us hanging around the club in the old days," he says, "and the new army, so to speak, is getting ready to come back to Minneapolis. The Family's already here, Mazarati's back now too, and Sheila E. and her band will be coming soon. The club'll be the same thing that it was."

As we pull up in front of First Avenue, a Saturday-night crowd is milling around outside, combing their hair, smoking cigarettes, holding hands. They stare with more interest than awe as Prince gets out of the car. "You want to go to the [VIP] booth?" asks the bouncer. "Naah," says Prince. "I feel like dancing."

A few feet off the packed dance floor stands the Family, taking a night off from rehearsing. Prince joins the band and laughs, kisses, soul shakes. Prince and three of Family members wade through a floor of Teddy-and-Eleanor-Mondale-brand funkettes and start moving. Many of the kids Prince passes either don't see him or pretend they don't care. Most of the rest turn their heads slightly to see the man go by, then simply continue their own motions.

What about the other bands? Apollonia, Vanity, Mazarati, the Family? What are you trying to express through them?

A lot has to do with them. They come to me with an idea, and I try to bring that forth. I don't give them anything. I don't say, "Okay, you're going to do this, and you're going to do that." I mean, it was Morris' idea to be as sick as he was. That was his personality. We both like Don King and get a lot of stuff off him.

People think you control those bands, that it's similar to Rick James, relationship with the Mary Jane Girls. A lot of people think he's turning all the knobs.

I don't know their situation. But you look at Sheila E. performing, and you can just tell she's holding her own. The same goes for the Family. You and I were playing Ping-Pong, and they were doing just fine.

High Fashion

I know a sexy little girl
She's never in the low class world
This woman is all the way vogue
High Fashion is where her money goes
She dines at Le Dome up on the strip
Cheap liquor never touches her lips
Her brandy's imported every week
No problem, 7,000 easy

High Fashion is where her money goes
High Fashion - This girl is all the way vogue
She's never in the low class world
High Fashion - Stuck up little rich girl

High Fashion

High Fashion, yeah

I met her dancin' at Le Dome
I offered dinner at my home
She said no, all of her friends laughed
Funny how the laughin' stopped when I flashed all the cash I had
(I'm talkin') $1900 is 2 much cash 2 hold
One of my boys had 2 carry half, now honey U know that's bold
Wait a minute!
She had the nerve 2 ask what kinda car I had
"Honey, I'm ridin' in back of a Rolls Royce limo custom-painted plaid!"

High Fashion is where my money goes
High Fashion - Honey, I'm all the way vogue
I'm never in the low class world
High Fashion - And I just love little rich girls

Hot Station - I took the child 2 my crib
Donation - Do U take or do U give?
She took one look at the swimmin' pool
I said "I'll donate" - We were 2 swimmin' fools

High Fashion is where our money goes
High Fashion - All the way vogue
We're never in the low class world
High Fashion - Don't be a little stuck up rich girl

All the way vogue
I'm all the way vogue

© 1985 Parisongs Music - ASCAP

initial tracking (as Hi Fashion) took place in late June, 1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA (St. Paul Peterson overdubbed vocals onto the track in late 1984 - early 1985. The full-length version, which was edited for use on the album, was intended for a 12" release of High Fashion, but this release was aborted when promotion for the album ended.

-PrinceVault

St. Paul Peterson - lead vocals

Susannah Melvoin - background vocals

Prince - all instruments, except where noted

Eric Leeds - saxophone

Clare Fischer - string orchestration

Jellybean Johnson - credited, but did not contribute

Jerome Benton - credited, but did not contribute

Miko Weaver - credited, but did not contribute

Pictures were taken by photographer named Horst (Horst Paul Albert Bohrmann) in Prince house......

Here is a touch of his photographs outside of the Family project

Prince definately stepped it up during the 1985-1986 period as far as videos, imagery etc

All the way Vogue

Prince took the photographs of the Family on the outside

While specific recording dates are not known, initial tracking took place in late June, 1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA (during the same set of sessions that produced High Fashion, River Run Dry, Mazarati (later renamed Susannah's Pajamas), and Desire). St. Paul Peterson overdubbed vocals onto the track in late 1984 - early 1985. -PrinceVault

MUTINY

The Family version

• St. Paul Peterson - vocals
• Prince - all instruments, except where noted
• Eric Leeds - saxophone
• Jellybean Johnson - credited, but did not contribute
• Jerome Benton - credited, but did not contribute
• Miko Weaver - credited, but did not contribute

~ Jerome Benton

Thanks for posting this. I always liked the Family sound. Now I know how they came to be. Prince was very busy during this time, I don't know how he had the time to do so much. I'm glad he did.

Mico Weaver: Yeah, actually we did the Purple Rain Tour. It was like 100 shows in the States. The last show was in Florida so everybody was chillin'. Now the tour was over, 'what are we gonna do right after this?' So he called me and said 'Hey come up to my room, and he showed me "Around The World In A Day", the cover and all that stuff. He said 'this is the new thing'. I thought 'this is cool' -- it showed his own label and then he told me 'I want you to play in The Family'.

6.7.1985 27th Birthday Concert

Prom Center-St Paul Minnesota

2. Mutiny 14:21

.

Prince (bass)

St Paul Peterson (vocals)

Susannah Melvoin (vocals)

Eric Leads (sax)

Eddie M (sax)

Jerome Benton (vocals)

Sheila E (drums)

Wendy Melvoin (guitar)

Dr Fink (keys)

.

ummm Lawd

Good Gawd

Come On You all

This is Prince's Birthday

We're having a party up here

Let me hear you say...

.

Baby, when U went away
U stayed away 2 long
Baby, what can I say?
No one does me wrong And gets away with it
.
Mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U gotta take a little trip
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up this ship
U should've been a little more hip
.
Baby, when U talk 2 me
U don't have much 2 say
Baby, why can't we be
Lost in love like yesterday?
.
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U gotta take a little trip
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U should've been a little more ...
.
Darlin', darlin' with unity

Dig it you know there is something wrong
Darlin', now there's mutiny
maybe U should have called
Get off!
.
Mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over, huh
U gotta give up the ship
U gotta take a little trip
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U should've been a little more ...
Eric
Get off!
.
Baby, U treated me
Like some unwanted child
Darlin', now there's mutiny
maybe U should have called
.
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I said I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U gotta take a little trip
I'm talkin' mutiny!
I'm takin' over
U gotta give up the ship
U should've been a little more ...
Get off!

Eric come on, hornza
.

Break it down 1 time

Prince (bass solo)

(back in forth convo/singing between St Paul & Susannah & Jerome)

Susannah

Paulie....U know I ain't

Sheila 1 time
Paulie, Wanna Kiss Me?

uh I don't know, I've never kissed a man before

U know I ain't no man

U bold

Give me 2 yall

come on Paulie

Yall want me 2 sing looking like this?

You all want her to sing?

If U croon now, I can do it with u

St Paul St Paul

Jerome

U know what 2 do cuzzin

Yall ready 4 this groove

Just drums, ...Sheila E

Come on Romeo

Little more right there Sheila E

Do Yall like that?

So do I

We're gonna have a little Wendy over hear

Wendy (guitar solo)

Ya'll want some bass?

(Prince bass solo)
All the pretty girls out there

Can you all do this

Help me out, this is Prince's birthday

If he's gonna take a solo...

Sheila E 1 time on the 1

Paul Paul...

Let's get sexy with a little bit of

...horns

Wendy

Need those funky horns

gotta have those funky horns

.

(scat-talk while the band jams)

.

Chicken greese

Chicken grease

Wendy put in on me

Eddie blow your horn

.

on the 1

Band Prince (vox, bass) Bobby Z. (drums), Brown Mark (bass), Wendy Melvoin (guitar), Lisa Coleman (keyboards), Dr. Fink (keyboards),

.

June 7. 1985
Prom Center"St Poul
27th Birthday Concert
1. Love Bizzare w/ Sheila E. (drums) & Eddie M.,

.

.
2. Mutiny St. Paul & Susannah Melvoin lead vox, w/ Jerome Benton, Sheila E. (drums) & Eddie M..

.

Another new song follows as Prince And The Revolution are joined by St. Paul Peterson, Susannah Melvoin and Jerome Benton from The Family for an over 14 minute version of their song "Mutiny". St. Paul sings lead on this performance. The Family's one and only album would not see release until September of that year, so this was another new song to those in attendance.

.

3. Sometimes It snows In April only Prince, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Sheila E.

.

.
5. Possessed
6. The Bird
7. Burn It

.
8. Holly Rock Prince & the Revolution + Sheila E (timbales) Eddie M & Eric Leeds (sax)

.

Guest(s) Sheila E. (vox, drums), Jerome Benton (vox), Susannah Melvoin (vox), St. Paul (vox), Eddie M. (saxophone) Eric Leeds (saxophone)

The full concept of the Family band was very interesting. I wonder what the character of Gregory & Wally would be in full lived out era

L 2 R: Wally Safford, Gregory Brooks, Jerome Benton

Miss Understood [Outtake]

“Miss Understood” was not put on the (first) album, because, I didn't want it to be. I wanted it for the second record and I wanted to re-cut it. There wasn't time to re-cut it before it was going to mastering and I said “Prince, you can't put this on, I'm not happy with it. Let's wait until the second record.” Then we both decided to just do that.

Initial tracking took place on 19 August, 1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie (two days after The Dance Electric and the day before God; a year to the day before the track's release on The Family album). St. Paul Peterson and Susannah Melvoin overdubbed vocals onto the track in late 1984 - early 1985, and Clare Fischer added orchestral overdubs during the same period. PrinceVault

Prince & the Revolution fleshing out the Screams of Passion

faster than that

F

a little faster

yeah

F

just join right in anytime

organ

put the step on Mark

the lighter U touch it the more it does

C

sensitive 2 the touch

Ooooooh ooooah ooooah

Bobby the piano was 2 low last night could U C me?

Turn it up alittle bit now

Ooooooah

I'll need a little bit more voice 2night

Ooooooah

Alright just play base notes on the organ, drop out the chords

There's a gentle autumn breeze

blows
Whenever we be lyin', lyin' in my bed
.........

My clothes I quickly, I quickly shed

The curtains dance a minuet, autumn plays the music, baby
Come on, hold my hand
......

A picture that is waving, that it seems 2 be with every thrust U
Make me beg 4 more

The curtains dance a minuet, autumn plays the music, baby
Make me dance 4 more

Oh, a robin sings a masterpiece
That lives and dies unheard
4 screams of passion

Whoa, hold me now, baby
Tell me that U love me
Is it Sunday the screams of passion

drop out the bass

organs, Stop

the Screams of Passion

the screams of Passion

Everybody

the Screams of Passion
Hold me now baby

tell me that u love me

or is it passion

drop out the organ

Play some chords Wendy

organ

the Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

oooh hold me now baby

tell me that u love me

or was it passion

baby

or was it

just the keyboards and the drums

Everybody

4 Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

the Screams of Passion

come on now baby

tell me that U love me

or was it passion

the Screams of Passion

Yeeeeaaaaooowwwhh

the Screams of Passion