Prince's former bandmates in the Revolution gave fans some much-needed positive news Tuesday by announcing via video that they plan to reunite for some live shows in his memory.
"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," guitarist Wendy Melvoin said in a playful video posted Tuesday on the Facebook page of bassist BrownMark (Mark Brown).
The video shows all five of the "Purple Rain"-era band members — also including keyboardist Lisa Coleman, drummer Bobby Z and keyboardist Matt Fink — seated on a couch. Well, actually it starts off showing five imposters on the couch claiming to be the Revolution, but then the real deals take their place in a huff, the kind of levity Prince himself was known for behind-the-scenes.
The video was shot when the band members met in private to mourn their mentor at the Cosmos bar in Loews Hotel in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night, across the street from their old stomping ground First Avenue.
"We all love each other and are like a family, so it was good to be around each other," said keyboardist Fink, aka Dr. Fink.
There were nearly 100 people there — mostly from Prince's '80s and '90s heyday — including his first wife Mayte; his one-time girlfriend Susannah Melvoin of the group the Family (Wendy's twin sister); Sheila E.; other bandmembers from the NPG and 3rdEyeGirl lineups; Prince's siblings Tyka Nelson and Omarr Baker, and original Paisley Park managers Red White and Hawkeye Henriksen.
"Everybody knew everybody," said Robbie Paster, who was Prince's valet and personal assistant from 1984 to 1992. "Wendy did a eulogy. Everybody told funny stories. Prince was a funny guy. He was the joker of jokers."
The Revolution members have not made any more formal declaration of their intentions beyond the video. "Be there soon," is all that's promised in the video.
This Revolution lineup reunited in 2012 for an American Heart Association benefit concert at First Avenue after Bobby survived a heart attack. Guitarist Dez Dickerson, who was in the band before Melvoin, did not appear in the video but also took part in the 2012 reunion.
In an interview before that show in 2012, Coleman referred back to the band's only other reunion for a charity gig with Sheila E. in Los Angeles in 2003. "It seemed so natural," Coleman said. "We just counted off one of the songs. I think they're so ingrained in our bodies."
When reached Tuesday, Bobby Z said, "I am happy it's good news," but declined to comment further. Fink said the plans are still "very much in the infant stage."
"It's going to take a while before we can say anything further," he said. "We just wanted fans to know for now that it is in the works."
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658 • @ChrisRstrib
Jon Bream • 612-673-1719 • @JonBream