Difference between revisions of "Vanity 6"

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{{BandBIO2|
{{Header|
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|band name                 = Vanity 6
| Page name = Vanity 6
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|band image                = [[File:Vanity6-band.jpg]]
}}
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|creation date            = 1982
<br>
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|disband date              = 1983
==Overview==
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|activity w/prince        = 1982 - 1982
<div align="justify">[[Vanity 6]] is a electro pop/rock/funk girl trio formed in 1982. They were the first [[Prince]] protégées female group. The band was revamped into [[Apollonia 6]] in 1984 when [[Vanity]] left and was replaced by [[Apollonia]] (actress Patrica Kotero) as band leader. Unlike many girls group, [[Vanity 6]] purposely forecast a sexually charged and seductive image. The 3 members wore lingerie on records covers as well as on stage. The band imagery prefigure what became from the 90's to this day one of the many look a large amount of R'n'B and Rap girls groups adopted.</div>
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<!-- navi bar -->
<BR>
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|previous bio              = [[The Time]]
----
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|next bio                  = [[Wendy & Lisa]]
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<!-- BIOGRAPHY -->
 +
|introduction              = [[Vanity 6]] is a electro pop/rock/funk girl trio formed in 1982. They were the first [[Prince]] protégée female group.  
 +
 
 +
The band was revamped into [[Apollonia 6]] in 1983 when [[Vanity]] left and was replaced by [[Apollonia]] (actress Patrica Kotero) as band leader.  
  
==Original Band Members==
+
Unlike many girls group, [[Vanity 6]] purposely forecast a sexually charged and seductive image. The three members wore lingerie on records covers as well as on stage. The band imagery prefigured what became one of the many looks a large amount of R'n'B and Rap girl-groups adopted from the 90's to this day.d
 +
|original line up          =
 
* [[Vanity]]: Vocals<br>
 
* [[Vanity]]: Vocals<br>
 
* [[Brenda Bennett]]: Vocals<br>
 
* [[Brenda Bennett]]: Vocals<br>
 
* [[Susan Moonsie]]: Vocals<br>
 
* [[Susan Moonsie]]: Vocals<br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
==Additional Band Members==
 
<div align="justify">Albeit [[The Time]] is credited as musicians on the eponymous album [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]], [[Prince]] is the main musician on the album while [[Dez Dickerson]] provided guitar and drums work on various recordings. On tour [[The Time]] would play the music hidden behind a pink curtain. [[Jill Jones]] also provided backing vocals on stage.</div>
 
<br>
 
----
 
  
==Before working with Prince==
+
'''Additional Band Members''':<br>
<div align="justify">The band was assembled by [[Prince]] from the summer of 1981 to January 1982. The original concept was to be called The Hookers, and would feature Jamie Shoop, his personal assistant, and his friend from high school [[Susan Moonsie]]. For a time, [[Susan Moonsie]]'s sister was considered to be the 3rd member, but that never materialized since Prince shelved the project to fully commit to his forthcoming Controversy Tour in November 1981. After meeting Denise Matthews, a young Canadian model and aspiring actress, in January 1982, he proposed her to be part of the project, which she accepted. After Denise Matthews refused Prince's idea to rename her as Vagina, the name of Vanity came up, and the band name changed accordingly. Shortly afterwards, during the Controversy Tour, Prince found in Brenda Bennett, his set and lighting designer's wife (Roy Benett), a third band member for the project. She had been part of the Tombstone Blues band in 1973. Apart from her, none had any experience in singing before they started recording vocals for their first album.
+
Albeit [[The Time]] is credited as musicians on their eponymous album [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]], [[Prince]] is the main musician on the album while [[Dez Dickerson]] provided guitar and drums work on various recordings. On tour [[The Time]] would play the music hidden behind a pink curtain. [[Jill Jones]] provided vocals from backstage, singing [[Susan Moonsie]]'s parts, as Moonsie was not a very good singer.
</div>
+
|evolution                = The band was assembled by [[Prince]] from the summer of 1981 to January 1982.  
<br>
+
----
+
  
==Work with Prince==
+
Originally the group was to be called The Hookers, and would feature [[Prince]]'s personal assistant at the time, Jamie Shoop, [[Susan Moonsie]] (whom [[Prince]] was dating in 1981). [[Susan Moonsie|Moonsie's]] sister Loreen was considered as well and at the time they took few Polaroid photo's with this line-up, with all three girls wearing lingerie and Jamie Shoop chain smoking.  
The band released only one album. Most of the tracks were recorded by [[Prince]] way before the band was assembled, with the help of [[Dez Dickerson]]. [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]] had minor impact on charts, albeit efforts to broadcast the music, many radio programmers were reluctant to air the explicit sexuality in the band's songs. 4 singles were issued from [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]], amongst them only [[Single: Nasty Girl|Nasty Girl]] got significant success, mostly in clubs. The band performed vocals on [[The Time]] song [[The Walk]] on [[Album: What Time Is It?|What Time Is It?]]. Although a second album was planned, the project materialized under the moniker of [[Apollonia 6]] when [[Vanity|Denise Matthews]] left the band.
+
<br>
+
----
+
  
==After working with Prince==
+
Then shelved the project to fully commit to his forthcoming [[Controversy Tour]] in November 1981.  
<div align="justify">After leaving the [[Prince]] camp [[Vanity]] pursued an actress carrier and recorded 2 albums under her stage name. Brenda Bennett stayed in the new formed band, [[Apollonia 6]] along with Susan Moonsie.</div>
+
<br>
+
  
==Current work==
+
Whilst on tour [[Prince]] met Denise Matthews, a young Canadian model and aspiring actress. It is often reported they met at the American Music Awards in January 1982, but according to photographer Allen Beaulieu who was traveling on the tour she harassed the crew for backstage passes on various tour stops and eventually Beaulieu introduced her to [[Prince]], who then proposed her to be part of the project. After Denise Matthews refused Prince's idea to rename her Vagina, the name of Vanity came up, and the band name changed accordingly.
<div align="justify">Denise Matthews abandoned the [[Vanity]] moniker and no longer worked in the music and film industry when she became a born-again Christian in the 1990s. [[Brenda Bennett]] and [[Susan Moonsie]] appeared in the movie [[Film: Purple Rain|Purple Rain]]: the former continues to perform background vocals in the Tombstone Blues Band, the latter didn't pursue any singing or acting career after the dismantle of [[Apollonia 6]]</div>
+
<br>
+
----
+
  
==Discography==
+
A third band member for the project was also found during the [[Controversy Tour]]. [[Brenda Bennett]], his set and lighting designer [[Roy Bennett]]'s wife was on the tour accompanying her husband and doing hair and make-up for [[Prince]] and the band. She had been part of the Tombstone Blues band in the early-mid seventies. Apart from [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]], none of the girls had any singing experience when they started recording vocals for their album.
'''Albums'''
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* 1982 [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]] (Warner Bros. Records 23716)
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:: Billboard 200 peak position 45 (31 weeks)
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:: Billboard R&B Albums: 6 (36 weeks)
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:: Certified Gold.
+
<br>
+
'''Singles'''
+
{| class="wikitable"
+
! Year
+
! Song
+
! <small>US Hot 100</small>
+
! <small>US Dance</small>
+
! <small>US R&B</small>
+
! Album
+
|-
+
| 1982
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| [[Single: He's So Dull|He's So Dull]]
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| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| ''Vanity 6''
+
|-
+
| 1982
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| [[Single: Nasty Girl|Nasty Girl]]
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| align="center"|101
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|7
+
| ''Vanity 6''
+
|-
+
| 1982
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| [[Single: Bite The Beat|Bite The Beat]]
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| ''Vanity 6''
+
|-
+
| 1982
+
| [[Single: Drive Me Wild|Drive Me Wild]]
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| align="center"|-
+
| ''Vanity 6'''
+
|-
+
|}
+
<br>
+
----
+
  
==Live performances==
+
|studio contribution      =  
'''With Prince'''<br>
+
The band released only one album. Most of the tracks were recorded by [[Prince]] with some help of [[Dez Dickerson]], sometime before the band was assembled.
* ''Tours''
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**[[1999 Tour]]<br>
+
  
* ''One-Off Appearances''
+
The [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]] album had minor impact on charts. Many radio programmers were reluctant to air the explicit overly sexual lyrics in the band's songs. Four singles were issued from the album, among them only [[Single: Nasty Girl|Nasty Girl]] got any significant success, mostly in clubs.
** [[16_March 1983-am|16 March 1983 (am) Bloomington, Minnesota, USA - Registry Hotel<br>
+
  
'''With Prince's Associates'''<br>
+
The band is credited for performed vocals on [[The Time]] song [[The Walk]] on [[Album: What Time Is It?|What Time Is It?]], but that in fact was mostly [[Brenda Bennett]], the only real singer in the group.
* None
+
<br>
+
----
+
  
==Bibliography==
+
Although a [[Album:_Vanity_6_(1984)|second album]] was planned, that project ultimately materialized under the moniker of [[Apollonia 6]] when [[Vanity|Denise Matthews]] left the band.
'''Books'''
+
 
*
+
After leaving the [[Prince]] camp [[Vanity]] pursued a acting carrier and recorded two albums under her stage name. [[Brenda Bennett]] stayed in the reformed band, [[Apollonia 6]] along with [[Susan Moonsie]].
*
+
*
+
<br>
+
'''Press'''
+
*
+
*
+
<br>
+
----
+
  
==Reference==
+
Denise Matthews abandoned the [[Vanity]] moniker and no longer worked in the music and film industry when she became a born-again Christian in the 1990s.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_6
+
 
* http://www.billboard.com/#/search/Vanity%206
+
|live contribution        = performances outside the [[1999 Tour]]
* http://www.discogs.com/artist/Vanity+6
+
* Summer 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – Nacirema
* http://shenews.projo.com/archives/2007/04/
+
* 19 October 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – The Taste
<br>
+
* [[21 October 1982|21 October 1982: Detroit, MI, USA – 20 Grand Club]]
----
+
* 23 October 1982: Washington D.C. USA - Cramton Auditorium - Howard University
[[Category: Biographies]]
+
* 25 October 1982: New York, NY, USA – The Ritz
[[Category: Bands]]
+
<!-- live section -->
[[Category: Related_Artists]]
+
|first live appearance    = Summer 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – Nacirema<br>
 +
* 19 October 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – The Taste
 +
|performed regularly on    = [[1999 Tour]] as warm-up act
 +
|performed occasionally in = [[16_March 1983-am|16 March 1983 (a.m.): Bloomington, MN, USA - Registry Hotel]]
 +
<!-- discography -->
 +
|records w/prince          = None.
 +
|records w/associates      = None.
 +
|self productions          = '''Albums'''
 +
: 1982 [[Album: Vanity 6|Vanity 6]] (Warner Bros. Records 23716)
 +
*'''Single(s)'''
 +
:1982 [[Single: He's So Dull|He's So Dull]]
 +
:1982 [[Single: Nasty Girl|Nasty Girl]]
 +
:1982 [[Single: Bite The Beat|Bite The Beat]]
 +
:1982 [[Single: Drive Me Wild|Drive Me Wild]]
 +
|trivia                    =
 +
|see also                  =
 +
<!-------REFERENCES ------->
 +
|references                = [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_6 Wikipedia: Vanity 6]
 +
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Vanity+6 Discogs: Vanity 6]
 +
<!-------CATEGORIES ------->
 +
|categories                = [[Category: Biographies]][[Category: Bands]][[Category: Related_Artists]]
 +
}}

Revision as of 20:38, 25 November 2019

The Time All Biographies Prince Biography Wendy & Lisa
Vanity 6

Vanity6-band.jpg

Band details


Assembled: 1982
Disbanded: 1983
Activity with Prince: 1982 - 1982
Live Performances
First live appearance w/Prince:
  • Summer 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – Nacirema
  • 19 October 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – The Taste
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:
Discography
With Prince:
  • None.
With Prince's Associates:
  • None.
Self Productions w/Prince:
  • Albums
1982 Vanity 6 (Warner Bros. Records 23716)
  • Single(s)
1982 He's So Dull
1982 Nasty Girl
1982 Bite The Beat
1982 Drive Me Wild

Vanity 6 is a electro pop/rock/funk girl trio formed in 1982. They were the first Prince protégée female group.

The band was revamped into Apollonia 6 in 1983 when Vanity left and was replaced by Apollonia (actress Patrica Kotero) as band leader.

Unlike many girls group, Vanity 6 purposely forecast a sexually charged and seductive image. The three members wore lingerie on records covers as well as on stage. The band imagery prefigured what became one of the many looks a large amount of R'n'B and Rap girl-groups adopted from the 90's to this day.d


Line Up
Original


Additional Band Members:
Albeit The Time is credited as musicians on their eponymous album Vanity 6, Prince is the main musician on the album while Dez Dickerson provided guitar and drums work on various recordings. On tour The Time would play the music hidden behind a pink curtain. Jill Jones provided vocals from backstage, singing Susan Moonsie's parts, as Moonsie was not a very good singer.

Evolution

The band was assembled by Prince from the summer of 1981 to January 1982.

Originally the group was to be called The Hookers, and would feature Prince's personal assistant at the time, Jamie Shoop, Susan Moonsie (whom Prince was dating in 1981). Moonsie's sister Loreen was considered as well and at the time they took few Polaroid photo's with this line-up, with all three girls wearing lingerie and Jamie Shoop chain smoking.

Then shelved the project to fully commit to his forthcoming Controversy Tour in November 1981.

Whilst on tour Prince met Denise Matthews, a young Canadian model and aspiring actress. It is often reported they met at the American Music Awards in January 1982, but according to photographer Allen Beaulieu who was traveling on the tour she harassed the crew for backstage passes on various tour stops and eventually Beaulieu introduced her to Prince, who then proposed her to be part of the project. After Denise Matthews refused Prince's idea to rename her Vagina, the name of Vanity came up, and the band name changed accordingly.

A third band member for the project was also found during the Controversy Tour. Brenda Bennett, his set and lighting designer Roy Bennett's wife was on the tour accompanying her husband and doing hair and make-up for Prince and the band. She had been part of the Tombstone Blues band in the early-mid seventies. Apart from Brenda, none of the girls had any singing experience when they started recording vocals for their album.


Contributions
Studio

The band released only one album. Most of the tracks were recorded by Prince with some help of Dez Dickerson, sometime before the band was assembled.

The Vanity 6 album had minor impact on charts. Many radio programmers were reluctant to air the explicit overly sexual lyrics in the band's songs. Four singles were issued from the album, among them only Nasty Girl got any significant success, mostly in clubs.

The band is credited for performed vocals on The Time song The Walk on What Time Is It?, but that in fact was mostly Brenda Bennett, the only real singer in the group.

Although a second album was planned, that project ultimately materialized under the moniker of Apollonia 6 when Denise Matthews left the band.

After leaving the Prince camp Vanity pursued a acting carrier and recorded two albums under her stage name. Brenda Bennett stayed in the reformed band, Apollonia 6 along with Susan Moonsie.

Denise Matthews abandoned the Vanity moniker and no longer worked in the music and film industry when she became a born-again Christian in the 1990s.

Live

performances outside the 1999 Tour

  • Summer 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – Nacirema
  • 19 October 1982: Minneapolis, MN, USA – The Taste
  • 21 October 1982: Detroit, MI, USA – 20 Grand Club
  • 23 October 1982: Washington D.C. USA - Cramton Auditorium - Howard University
  • 25 October 1982: New York, NY, USA – The Ritz
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
The Time All Biographies Prince Biography Wendy & Lisa