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Madhouse was an American jazz fusion band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, created by Prince. Two Madhouse albums (and several singles) were officially released, both in 1987. [1]
Prince had considered the idea of an instrumental jazz–funk album ever since he recorded his first tracks with Eric Leeds for his 1985 side-project, The Family. [1] In late 1985–early 1986, he recorded hours of instrumental music with Leeds and other musicians from his band, Sheila E. and musicians from her own band, as well as members from Wendy & Lisa's families. From these sessions, Prince compiled an album called The Flesh , supposed to be released by an eponymous pseudo-band, but the project was abandoned and its concept modified to become Madhouse. [2]
The Japanese LP release of 8 credits the band members of Madhouse as: Eric Leeds – saxophone, John Lewis – drums, Bill Lewis – bass, Austra Chanel – keyboards. The band "members" are listed and mentioned on both sides of the obi issued with the Japanese LP release, as well as in the contained insert. As stated on the backside of the Obi: "In the U.S., rumors have arisen that 'Austra Chanel' is a pseudonym for Prince." More biography from the obi: "The group leader is Eric Leeds of The Revolution" and came to be formed after the Prince and The Revolution tour in Japan (summer 1986) when Eric Leeds returned to Atlanta to join old friends John Lewis, his brother Bill Lewis, and Austra. As noted on the Prince Estate official website, the background story of the Madhouse project was presented as a fictional band. Prince and Eric Leeds were the only participants in 8.
The title of each song on each album is also its numerical designation on the record (e.g., the third song on the first album is titled "Three"). Cover art for both albums featured Maneca Lightner playing with a small dog, reminiscent of a 1940s pinup photograph. The videos from 16 were more 1940s gangster-themed. The cover of 16 features the subtitle "new directions in garage music", an homage to Miles Davis' Directions in Music series (in 2002–2003, Prince would dub a jazz album series of his own New Directions in Music). The only vocals on either album consists mainly of audio snippets lifted from the first two Godfather films and samples of Vanity simulating an orgasm (from the Vanity 6 outtake "Vibrator", later used on Prince's own song "Orgasm" from Come ). There is also a short unreleased 1987 movie, titled Hard Life, featuring Madhouse.
At least two other Madhouse albums were later recorded and remain unreleased, [3] both albums titled 24.
The first 24 was recorded in 1988, mostly by Prince and Eric Leeds. Only one track eventually emerged, heavily edited, on Leeds' 1991 solo-album Times Squared and only bootlegged copies of the whole album are available. This album is more "electronic" than the first two, with a lot of drum programming, samples and keyboards. "21" through "24", also known as "The Dopamine Rush Suite", also feature vocals.
The second 24 was recorded in 1993 with a line-up consisting of Prince (keyboards), Leeds (saxophone), Levi Seacer, Jr. (guitar), Sonny T. (bass) and Michael B. (drums). Only two tracks were officially released, "17 (Penetration)" (as "17" on the 1-800-NEW-FUNK 1994 compilation) and on the CD single "Standing at the Altar", the other one "Asswoop" (or "Asswhuppin' in a Trunk") in 2001, via Prince's website. There was also a limited release on the "NPG Sampler Experience" promo cassette, handed out during the 1995 Gold Tour, which contains excerpts from three tracks from this album: "Asswoop", "Ethereal Segue", and "Parlour Games". The album in its entirely is circulating on bootleg.
Produced and written by Madhouse, label: Paisley Park/Warner Bros., released: 1987
Billboard Top Pop Albums #107, Top Black Albums #25
Produced and written by Madhouse, label: Paisley Park/Warner Bros., released: 1987
Prince Rogers Nelson, known mononymously as Prince, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. The recipient of numerous awards and nominations, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. He was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona; his wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams; and his skill as a multi-instrumentalist, often preferring to play all or most of the instruments on his recordings. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, blues, and hip hop. Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound.
Lovesexy is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Prince. The album was released on May 10, 1988, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded in just seven weeks, from mid-December 1987 to late January 1988, at Prince's new Paisley Park Studios, and most of the album is a solo effort from Prince, with a few exceptions. The lyrical themes of the record include positivity, self-improvement, spirituality, and God.
Paisley Park Records was an American record label founded by musician Prince in 1985, which was distributed by and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain. The label shares its name with Prince's recording complex Paisley Park Studios and the song "Paisley Park" on his 1985 Around the World in a Day album. Paisley Park was opened to the public as a museum and memorial to Prince following his death. October 28, 2016, is officially known as Paisley Park Day in the city of Chanhassen to recognize the opening of the museum.
Jill Jones is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, who performed as a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.
N·E·W·S is the twenty-seventh studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on June 30, 2003, by NPG Records. The album is the second instrumental album released under Prince's own name, containing four tracks of 14 minutes duration each. Recorded at Prince's Paisley Park Studios over a single day, the album was initially available through Prince's NPG Music Club website on June 30, 2003, before becoming widely commercially available on July 29. The album can be seen as a modern incarnation of Madhouse, but this time as a Prince release. Original Madhouse member Eric Leeds lends his talents, as well as The New Power Generation members John Blackwell, Rhonda Smith and Renato Neto. The album was recorded improvisationally.
Love Symbol is the fourteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the second of two that featured his backing band the New Power Generation. It was released on October 13, 1992, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. It was originally conceived as a "fantasy rock soap opera" with various spoken segues throughout, and contains elements of R&B, funk, pop, rock, and soul.
Come is the fifteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on August 16, 1994, by Warner Bros. Records. At the time of its release, Prince was in a public dispute with Warner Bros. A lack of promotion from the label and Prince himself resulted in Come under-performing on American record charts, stalling at No. 15, and becoming his first album since Controversy (1981) to not yield any top 10 singles in the US. However, it was more successful overseas, reaching the top 10 across Europe and topping the UK Albums Chart.
The Family was a band formed by Prince, and one of the first signed to Prince's record label, Paisley Park Records. The band reformed as fDeluxe in 2011. This band should not be confused with a 1970s Minneapolis R&B band of the same name.
The Revolution is an American band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, pop, R&B, funk, new wave and psychedelic elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.
Eric Leeds is an American saxophone player, mostly known for his work with Prince. He has recorded mostly music in the pop and funk genres, but is a studied jazz musician.
Prince was well known in the entertainment industry for having a vast body of work that remains unreleased. It has been said that his vault contains multiple unreleased albums and over 50 fully produced music videos that have never been released, along with albums and other media. The following is a list, in rough chronological order, of the most prominent of these unreleased works. Many were later released and circulated among collectors as bootlegs.
The Cinderella Theory is the fifth studio album by American funk musician George Clinton, released August 2, 1989, on Paisley Park Records. It was released three years after his previous studio effort, R&B Skeletons in the Closet, which was his last album for Capitol Records. The Cinderella Theory represented a comeback of sorts for Clinton, who had been largely absent from the pop music scene since his last album for Capitol. The album was produced by Clinton for Baby Clinton Inc.
Time Waits for No One is the fourth solo studio album by American soul singer Mavis Staples. The album was her first on Prince's Paisley Park Records label and was released on May 24, 1989. The album includes six Prince-penned songs and two songs written by Homer Banks and Lester Snell. Shortly after this album, she continued her collaboration with Prince. In September 1989, she recorded the song "Melody Cool" which would appear in the 1990 movie Graffiti Bridge, as well as on its soundtrack, and on her 1993 follow-up album The Voice.
C-Note is a live album by Prince and The New Power Generation released in 2004. Its genre is jazz, with five tracks taken from soundchecks during the One Nite Alone... Tour.
Sheila E. is the third solo album by Sheila E., released on Paisley Park Records/Warner Bros. Records in July 1987.
A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection is a compilation album by country/bluegrass artist Alison Krauss. It was released on April 3, 2007, and is a collection of new and old songs that Krauss has recorded. It features duets with Sting, Brad Paisley, John Waite, and James Taylor. The album debuted and peaked at No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200, No. 3 on the U.S. Top Country Albums, and No. 38 on the UK Albums Chart.
Crystal Ball is a box set by American recording artist Prince. It includes Crystal Ball, the artist's twentieth studio album, which is a three-disc set of "previously bootlegged" material, together with a fourth disc, The Truth, the twenty-first studio album by Prince.
The Parade Tour was a concert tour by American recording artist Prince in support of Prince and The Revolution's eighth studio album Parade and his 1986 film Under the Cherry Moon. The Hit n Run Tour was not a full scale American tour, but a string of concerts that was dubbed "Hit n Run" by Prince's manager. Most of those shows were announced days or hours before the actual concert took place. The Parade Tour marked the first full tour of Europe by Prince. It also saw the expanded Revolution line-up and featured Sheila E. and her band as an opening act for most shows.
Jill Jones is the self-titled debut solo album from the artist of the same name; Jill Jones. The album was released in 1987 on Paisley Park / Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Jones and Prince.
Dywane Thomas Jr., professionally known as MonoNeon, is an American bassist, experimental musician, singer and songwriter. His work, spanning multiple experimental projects and collaborations, including with American musician Prince, has seen an online cult following. Thomas was the last bassist Prince hired before his death in 2016, and he additionally played bass on American singer Ne-Yo song "Makin' A Movie" released in 2010. MonoNeon also played bass on Georgia Anne Muldrow's EP "Ms. One" (2014). He has since become known for his videos that harmonize viral videos with basslines, and his compositions that utilize microtonality. He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.
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