Wendy & Lisa
Encyclopedia
Wendy & Lisa are a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin
and Lisa Coleman
. They began working with Prince
in the early 1980s and were part of his band The Revolution
, before branching out on their own and releasing their debut album in 1987. In recent years they have turned their attention to writing music for film and television and have won an Emmy Award
.
They have released five full-length albums, the most recent being White Flags of Winter Chimneys
, released in December 2008.
left the band over religious conflicts. Lisa suggested Wendy, who had been brought on tour, as a replacement. Prince accepted Wendy into the band as they began to record Purple Rain
. The film and album were a phenomenon, turning Prince and the newly named Revolution
into superstars. Prince's personal life also became intertwined with Wendy's when he began dating her twin sister Susannah
.
After Purple Rain, Coleman and Melvoin continued to participate in Prince projects, including Parade, the soundtrack to Prince's film Under the Cherry Moon
. In interviews, the two reported they felt they were not getting the recognition and credit they deserved despite their growing contributions to his work. During 1986, Wendy & Lisa became increasingly disillusioned with Prince's decision to expand The Revolution with non-musicians, such as Wally Safford and Greg Brooks, and Prince's increasing machismo that these new members brought with them. Unhappy and vocal about their feelings, they were eventually convinced to remain with the band through the end of the Hit N Run - Parade Tour
. However, Prince felt spurned and as a result he had already decided he would dissolve The Revolution once the tour was complete. Hence, by October 1986, Wendy & Lisa (along with Bobby Z.
) were dismissed by Prince, disrupting the Dream Factory
album that was already completed and effectively dissolving The Revolution.
with Columbia Records
. They released a follow up album, Fruit at the Bottom
in 1989. The albums and singles from them garnered minor chart success (including a Top 30 single in the UK).
In 1990, the duo signed with Virgin Records
in the US (which was already their label in Europe) and released Eroica
. However, this too met only minor chart success. In 1991, Virgin UK released the remix album Re-mix-In-a-Carnation, a selection of club mixes from the first three albums as remix
ed by producers like The Orb
, William Orbit
, and Nellee Hooper
.
In the mid-1990s, Wendy & Lisa worked on several movie projects with record producer Trevor Horn
; they also worked on an album with him as producer, but had a falling out and the project was shelved, leaving the master tapes in Horn's hands and acrimony between the parties involved. They have also done session work with Seal
, Joni Mitchell
and Meshell Ndegeocello, and vocals on the soundtrack for Toys and their first scoring work, for Dangerous Minds
. They have since raised their profile considerably in that arena, scoring the popular TV series Heroes
for NBC and Nurse Jackie
for Showtime.
They released a CD in 1998 named "Girl Bros", and White Flags of Winter Chimneys
was released in December 2008. The title is taken from a line in the Joni Mitchell
song "Hejira". In 2011 they released the "Snapshots (EP)" which is a 6-song collection of songs that were recorded over the last 20 years of their careers but were never released. Wendy & Lisa are not signed to a major label and have independently self-released all these records.
, Bionic Woman
, Carnivàle
, Heroes
and Mercy
, as well as Showtime's Nurse Jackie
.
In 2001, they worked with Neil Finn
on his second solo album, One Nil
.
They have also been featured on several film score
s and soundtracks, including Something New
, Hav Plenty
, and Dangerous Minds
. The film Toys, featured their song, "The Closing Of The Year", and most recently they have produced the full-length Heroes: Original Score
, released in April 2009 and composed entirely of their full-length compositions for each of the show's characters.
Melvoin and Coleman collaborated with Grace Jones
for her 2008 album Hurricane
.
or associates, are registered with ASCAP as partial Wendy & Lisa compositions.
Wendy Melvoin
Wendy Melvoin is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band The Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy & Lisa....
and Lisa Coleman
Lisa Coleman (musician)
Lisa Coleman is an American Emmy® Award winning musician and composer. Coleman plays piano and keyboards. She was a member of Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1980-1986. She is currently one half of the musical duo Wendy & Lisa, formed with Wendy Melvoin in 1986.-Early life:Coleman's...
. They began working with Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
in the early 1980s and were part of his band The Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
, before branching out on their own and releasing their debut album in 1987. In recent years they have turned their attention to writing music for film and television and have won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
They have released five full-length albums, the most recent being White Flags of Winter Chimneys
White Flags of Winter Chimneys
White Flags of Winter Chimneys is a 2008 album by Wendy & Lisa. It is their fifth studio album and was released on December 9, 2008. The album was written, played, and produced all by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.- Track listing :...
, released in December 2008.
With The Revolution
In 1980, Lisa Coleman replaced Gayle Chapman in Prince's touring band on keyboards and piano. Lisa was asked to contribute vocals to several tracks over his next few albums. In 1983, guitarist Dez DickersonDez Dickerson
Dez Dickerson is an American guitarist and singer who was a member of Prince's former band, The Revolution.-Biography:...
left the band over religious conflicts. Lisa suggested Wendy, who had been brought on tour, as a replacement. Prince accepted Wendy into the band as they began to record Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
. The film and album were a phenomenon, turning Prince and the newly named Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
into superstars. Prince's personal life also became intertwined with Wendy's when he began dating her twin sister Susannah
Susannah Melvoin
Susannah Melvoin is an American vocalist and songwriter, best known for her association with Prince in the mid-1980s. Coming from a musical family, Melvoin is the twin sister of musician Wendy Melvoin, sister to the late Jonathan Melvoin , and daughter of jazz pianist Michael...
.
After Purple Rain, Coleman and Melvoin continued to participate in Prince projects, including Parade, the soundtrack to Prince's film Under the Cherry Moon
Under the Cherry Moon
Under the Cherry Moon is a 1986 film directed by and starring Prince as a gigolo named Christopher Tracy and Time member Jerome Benton as his partner, Tricky. Together, the pair swindle wealthy French women...
. In interviews, the two reported they felt they were not getting the recognition and credit they deserved despite their growing contributions to his work. During 1986, Wendy & Lisa became increasingly disillusioned with Prince's decision to expand The Revolution with non-musicians, such as Wally Safford and Greg Brooks, and Prince's increasing machismo that these new members brought with them. Unhappy and vocal about their feelings, they were eventually convinced to remain with the band through the end of the Hit N Run - Parade Tour
Hit N Run - Parade Tour
The Hit N Run and Parade Tours were concert tours in support of Prince and The Revolution's latest album, Parade. The Hit N' Run Tour wasn't a full scale U.S. 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...
. However, Prince felt spurned and as a result he had already decided he would dissolve The Revolution once the tour was complete. Hence, by October 1986, Wendy & Lisa (along with Bobby Z.
Bobby Z.
Robert B. Rivkin , better known by the stage name Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, most known as being a member of Prince's band from 1978–1986, and as a member of The Revolution.-Biography:...
) were dismissed by Prince, disrupting the Dream Factory
Dream Factory (album)
Dream Factory was an unreleased double LP project recorded by Prince and The Revolution from 1986.-History:Unlike the three previous Prince and The Revolution albums, the entire band was invited to the studio to contribute to a majority of the album's material, with the notable exceptions of "The...
album that was already completed and effectively dissolving The Revolution.
As Wendy & Lisa
The next year, the duo released an album simply entitled Wendy and LisaWendy and Lisa (album)
Wendy and Lisa is the self-titled 1987 debut album by Wendy & Lisa, formerly of Prince's band, The Revolution.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman; except where indicated....
with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. They released a follow up album, Fruit at the Bottom
Fruit at the Bottom
Fruit at the Bottom is a 1989 album by Wendy & Lisa, the duo's second full-length release. Wendy Melvoin's twin sister Susannah and Cole Ynda, Lisa's sister, contributed background vocal work to the record as well as touring extensively with their sisters. It peaked at number 119 on the U.S...
in 1989. The albums and singles from them garnered minor chart success (including a Top 30 single in the UK).
In 1990, the duo signed with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in the US (which was already their label in Europe) and released Eroica
Eroica (album)
-Track listing:# "Rainbow Lake" – 4:42# "Strung Out" – 4:13# "Mother of Pearl" - 5:11# "Don't Try to Tell Me" - 4:43# "Crack in the Pavement" - 3:25...
. However, this too met only minor chart success. In 1991, Virgin UK released the remix album Re-mix-In-a-Carnation, a selection of club mixes from the first three albums as remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed by producers like The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
, William Orbit
William Orbit
William Orbit is an English musician, composer and record producer, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna's album Ray of Light. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs originally recorded for other albums...
, and Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Sinéad O'Connor, Garbage, Andrea Corr, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack...
.
In the mid-1990s, Wendy & Lisa worked on several movie projects with record producer Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
; they also worked on an album with him as producer, but had a falling out and the project was shelved, leaving the master tapes in Horn's hands and acrimony between the parties involved. They have also done session work with Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
and Meshell Ndegeocello, and vocals on the soundtrack for Toys and their first scoring work, for Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds is an American drama film based on the autobiography My Posse Don't Do Homework by former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, who took up a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, where most of her students were African-American and Hispanic teenagers from East...
. They have since raised their profile considerably in that arena, scoring the popular TV series Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
for NBC and Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie is an American series that premiered on June 8, 2009, on Showtime, Movie Central and The Movie Network.The series stars Edie Falco as the title character Jackie Peyton, an emergency room nurse at All Saints' Hospital in New York City...
for Showtime.
They released a CD in 1998 named "Girl Bros", and White Flags of Winter Chimneys
White Flags of Winter Chimneys
White Flags of Winter Chimneys is a 2008 album by Wendy & Lisa. It is their fifth studio album and was released on December 9, 2008. The album was written, played, and produced all by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.- Track listing :...
was released in December 2008. The title is taken from a line in the Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
song "Hejira". In 2011 they released the "Snapshots (EP)" which is a 6-song collection of songs that were recorded over the last 20 years of their careers but were never released. Wendy & Lisa are not signed to a major label and have independently self-released all these records.
Awards
In 2010 they received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for their work on Nurse Jackie. They received the ASCAP award for "Composers of the Year" for their work on Dangerous Minds, the theme to HBO's Carnivale, Crossing Jordan and Heroes.Other projects
Melvoin and Coleman have made numerous contributions to television themes. They wrote theme music and background scores for TV-shows such as Crossing JordanCrossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
, Bionic Woman
Bionic Woman (2007 TV series)
Bionic Woman is an American science fiction television drama created by David Eick, under NBC Universal Television Group, GEP Productions and David Eick Productions that aired in 2007...
, Carnivàle
Carnivàle
Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes...
, Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
and Mercy
Mercy (TV series)
Mercy is a medical drama which aired on NBC from September 23, 2009 to May 12, 2010. The series initially aired on Wednesday nights at 8/7c, as part of the 2009 fall season, but was pushed back to 9/8c in April....
, as well as Showtime's Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie is an American series that premiered on June 8, 2009, on Showtime, Movie Central and The Movie Network.The series stars Edie Falco as the title character Jackie Peyton, an emergency room nurse at All Saints' Hospital in New York City...
.
In 2001, they worked with Neil Finn
Neil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
on his second solo album, One Nil
One Nil
One Nil, released in 2001, is the second solo album by New Zealand singer-songwriter, Neil Finn. When released in the United States the following year, the album had a slightly different track listing and was issued under the name One All....
.
They have also been featured on several film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s and soundtracks, including Something New
Something New (film)
Something New is a 2006 American romantic drama film directed by Sanaa Hamri. The screenplay by Kriss Turner focuses on interracial relationships and traditional African American family values and social customs.-Plot:...
, Hav Plenty
Hav Plenty
Hav Plenty is a 1997 American independent film released by Miramax Films, based on an eventful weekend in the life of Lee Plenty , written and directed by Cherot...
, and Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds is an American drama film based on the autobiography My Posse Don't Do Homework by former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, who took up a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, where most of her students were African-American and Hispanic teenagers from East...
. The film Toys, featured their song, "The Closing Of The Year", and most recently they have produced the full-length Heroes: Original Score
Heroes: Original Score
Heroes: Original Score from the Television Series is a soundtrack album from the NBC TV series Heroes. It was released on April 14, 2009, via La-La Land Records, and contains the score written by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman , and features the voice of Shenkar. Heroes executive producer Allan...
, released in April 2009 and composed entirely of their full-length compositions for each of the show's characters.
Melvoin and Coleman collaborated with Grace Jones
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
for her 2008 album Hurricane
Hurricane (Grace Jones album)
Hurricane is the tenth studio album by singer Grace Jones and her first album of new material in nineteen years.-Creation:Jones had decided not to do another album again before meeting music producer Ivor Guest by mutual friend Philip Treacy. After becoming acquainted Guest played Jones a track he...
.
Albums
- Wendy and LisaWendy and Lisa (album)Wendy and Lisa is the self-titled 1987 debut album by Wendy & Lisa, formerly of Prince's band, The Revolution.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman; except where indicated....
(1987), Columbia Records (UK #84) - Fruit at the BottomFruit at the BottomFruit at the Bottom is a 1989 album by Wendy & Lisa, the duo's second full-length release. Wendy Melvoin's twin sister Susannah and Cole Ynda, Lisa's sister, contributed background vocal work to the record as well as touring extensively with their sisters. It peaked at number 119 on the U.S...
(1989), Columbia Records (UK #45) - EroicaEroica (album)-Track listing:# "Rainbow Lake" – 4:42# "Strung Out" – 4:13# "Mother of Pearl" - 5:11# "Don't Try to Tell Me" - 4:43# "Crack in the Pavement" - 3:25...
(1990), Virgin Records (UK #33) - Girl Bros. (1998), World Domination - Re-released as Wendy & Lisa "Girl Brothers Inc." (1999) (self-released)
- White Flags of Winter ChimneysWhite Flags of Winter ChimneysWhite Flags of Winter Chimneys is a 2008 album by Wendy & Lisa. It is their fifth studio album and was released on December 9, 2008. The album was written, played, and produced all by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.- Track listing :...
(2008), W. Melvoin/L. Coleman (self-released) - Snapshots EP (2011)
Soundtracks
- Toys (1992), Geffen Records
- Heroes: Original ScoreHeroes: Original ScoreHeroes: Original Score from the Television Series is a soundtrack album from the NBC TV series Heroes. It was released on April 14, 2009, via La-La Land Records, and contains the score written by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman , and features the voice of Shenkar. Heroes executive producer Allan...
(2009), La-La Land Records - Nurse Jackie: Season One Soundtrack (2010), Lionsgate Music
UK singles
- "Waterfall" (1987) (UK #66)
- "Sideshow" (1988) (UK #49)
- "Are You My Baby?" (1989) (UK #70)
- "Lolly Lolly" (1989) (UK #64)
- "Satisfaction" (1989) (UK #27)
- "Satisfaction" (re-mix) (1989)
- "Waterfall" (re-mix) (1989) (UK #69)
- "Strung Out" (1990) (UK #44)
- "Rainbow Lake" (1990) (UK #70)
- "Don't Try to Tell Me" (1990)
Compilations
- Re-Mix-in-a-Carnation (1991)
- Are You My Baby (1996)
- Always in My Dreams (2000)
Contributions to Prince discography
The following songs, which appear on releases by PrincePrince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
or associates, are registered with ASCAP as partial Wendy & Lisa compositions.
- "17 Days17 Days (song)"17 Days " is one of the most famous of musician Prince's B-sides...
", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa, Dr. Fink - "AmericaAmerica (Prince song)"America" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the final U.S. single from the group's 1985 album, Around the World in a Day and is a sardonic attack on the mid-1980s United States, referencing Communism, and worrying about nuclear war, a common theme in Prince's lyrics in the 1980s.The...
", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa, Brown Mark, Dr. Fink, Bobby Z.Bobby Z.Robert B. Rivkin , better known by the stage name Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, most known as being a member of Prince's band from 1978–1986, and as a member of The Revolution.-Biography:... - "A Million Miles (I Love You)", written by Prince, Lisa
- "Computer BlueComputer Blue"Computer Blue" is the fourth track on Prince and The Revolution's soundtrack album, Purple Rain. In the film, the song represents Prince's angst at the budding relationship between the characters played by Morris Day and Apollonia. The song was composed by Prince, with credit to his father, John...
", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa, Dr. Fink, John L. NelsonJohn L. NelsonJohn Lewis Nelson , also known as Prince Rogers, was an American jazz musician.-Life:Nelson was born in Louisiana. He traveled to Minneapolis to become a musician in 1948... - "Mountains", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa
- "Power Fantastic", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa
- "Sometimes It Snows In April", written by Prince, Wendy, Lisa
External links
- Official Tweets at TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Official Page at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Wendy & Lisa's Girl Bros. Radio at Live365Live365Live365 is an Internet radio network where members can create their own online radio station or listen to other Live365 broadcasters' online stations. As of October 2006, there were about 6,500 active stations, some of which play niche genres seldom heard on AM/FM radio...