Prince’s Revolution band will reunite for tribute shows later this year in honor of the late singer. Prince was found dead in his recording studio last Thursday.
The incarnation of the reunited band, which launched in Minneapolis in 1979, will include members Brown Mark, Bobby Z., Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman and Matt “Doctor” Fink. The group announced the tribute shows on Brown Mark’s Facebook page with a short video. “We have decided after spending three or four days together now grieving over the loss of Prince that we would like to come out and do some shows,” Melvoin said on behalf of the band. “We want to let you know that we’ll be there soon, so we want to let you know now.”
No official schedule or locations have been announced at this time.
The Revolution served as Prince’s backing band at the launch of his career, though they were not officially named the Revolution until 1984’s Purple Rain. Mark, Z, Melvoin, Coleman and Fink were the lineup of the band at the release of the film and album that year, with Melvoin having replaced the group’s original guitarist Dez Dickerson who left after 1982’s 1999.
In 1985, the Revolution expanded to include members of the Family, a band signed to Prince’s Paisley Park Records that included Melvoin’s twin sister Susannah. The Family had already been formed from members of the Time, part of Morris Day & the Time, another group associated with Prince. The Revolution officially disbanded in 1986 following the Hit n Run — Parade Tour, though they have reunited both with and without Prince over the years.
– Rolling Stone