Early Prince Band

The 87-89 Band

The Early_Prince_Band never had a name as such, but was Prince's band from 1979 to early 1983, the end of the 1999 Tour. Although the name The Revolution appears in backwards writing on the cover of 1999 the band was not really known or advertised under that moniker until after Wendy Melvoin replaced Dez Dickerson on guitar and they started using that name for the band.

Initially they were auditioned to serve as a band to back Prince up for his live performances. Various members would occasionally appear on studio sessions for the Prince , Dirty Mind , Controversy and 1999 albums, but never presented as a group on record.

In July 1979 the band recorded nine tracks together at Mountain Ears Sound Studio in Boulder, Colorado using the name The Rebels, It is not entirely clear if those recordings were at any point meant as an album, but no material was ever release using the name The Rebels.

Keyboardplayer Gayle Chapman left the band before the Dirty Mind Tour in late 1980, while André Cymone was replaced by Brownmark on bass in September 1981.

---

Line-up

• Bobby Z.: Drums
• André Cymone: Bass
• Dr Fink: Keyboards
• Gayle Chapman: Keyboards

Additional Band Members

• [[Lisa Coleman: Keyboards (replacing Gayle Chapman from fall 1980 onward)
• [[Brownmark: Bass (replacing André Cymone from fall 1981 onward)

---

Discography

Albums

• 1979 Prince (Warner Bros.) (minor contributions)
  
• 1980 Dirty Mind (Warner Bros.) (minor contributions)
  
• 1981 Controversy (Warner Bros.) (minor contributions)
  
• 1982 1999 (Warner Bros.) (minor contributions)
  

---

Live Performances

• Tours
  • Prince Tour
    
  • Rick James Tour '80
    
  • Dirty Mind Tour
    
  • Controversy Tour
    
  • [1999 Tour]]
    

---