Difference between revisions of "Album: Flash (1990)"

The project began when Prince attended a concert by Dr. Mambo's Combo at Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN, USA on 2 November 1988, during a day off from the Lovesexy Tour, and asked the group's singer, Margie Cox, if she would be interested in recording with him. They went to nearby Paisley Park Studios that night and recorded We Can Hang, with additional work on the track in late December 1988, when Warden In The Prison Of Love and Curious Blue were also recorded. Brand New Boy was recorded soon after in early January 1989, while R U There? was recorded in mid-January 1989. Girls Will Be Girls was also recorded at some point in January 1989, with vocal overdubs in late January. Good Man was recorded in early July 1989. Bed Of Roses and Whistlin' Kenny were recorded in late July 1989. Good Body Every Evening was the final track recorded for the project, in late 1989.

Nine of the album's ten tracks contained lead vocals by Margie Cox, with Billy Franze singing lead vocals on Good Man. Prince played the majority of instruments on each track, and some contributions by other musicians, including drums on some tracks played by Sheila E.

Several records label representatives were brought to Paisley Park Studios in early 1990 to listen to the album, but none were very enthusiastic about the music, and no record deal was signed. Flash was the opening act for two Prince shows in Spring 1990 (30 April 1990 and 6 May 1990), perhaps to generate interest in the group, but Prince opted to use Mavis Staples as the opening act on the Nude Tour which followed soon after instead. The project was then put on hold, and but when Prince and Margie Cox began working together in 1991, it was on a Margie Cox solo project, rather than an album to be released by Flash.

Most of the album's tracks were left unreleased when the project was abandoned. We Can Hang was re-recorded in early November 1991, for a Margie Cox solo project which was also left unreleased. Whistlin' Kenny is the only track to have been released from the album, when it was included as the b-side on Margie Cox's single Standing At The Altar.

Other tracks considered for the album include Stimulation (originally recorded by Prince in September 1987, but worked on in September 1989, at which point Margie Cox added lead vocal overdubs), and cover versions of The Beatles' Day Tripper (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released as a single in 1965) and The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Fire (written by Jimi Hendrix, from Are You Experienced, 1967, also released as a single).

• Side 1:

1. R U There?
2. Brand New Boy
3. Warden In The Prison Of Love
4. Bed Of Roses
5. Good Man
6. Whistlin' Kenny

• Side 2:

1. We Can Hang *
2. Curious Blue
3. Girls Will Be Girls
4. Good Body Every Evening

All songs written by Prince, except where noted.
* Written by Prince (music and lyrics) and Margie Cox (lyrics)

• Margie Cox - vocals, background vocals on Good Man
• Prince - all instruments, except where noted (assumed), guitar on Good Body Every Evening
• Sheila E. - drums on R U There?, Brand New Boy, Curious Blue (possibly also We Can Hang)
• Billy Franze - lead vocals on Good Man, co-lead vocals on Girls Will Be Girls, guitar on Good Body Every Evening
• Michael B. - drums on Good Body Every Evening
• Doug Nelson - bass guitar on Good Body Every Evening
• Levi Seacer, Jr. - piano on Good Body Every Evening
• Other performance details unknown

• Prince - producer (assumed)
• Other production details unknown

• The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)