Revolution: Prince, the Band, the Era

In this admiring yet flawed account, music writer Campion (Accidentally Like a Martyr) aims to reframe Prince as less of a singular, wholly self-contained superstar than a musician whose success hinged on the Revolution, his band from 1979 to 1986. Formed in Minnesota with Dez Dickerson on guitar, Andre Cymone on bass, and Gayle Chapman and Matt Fink on keyboards, the intergender, interracial group was where Prince blended his “bevy of sonic styles” into a distinctive “Minneapolis sound,” producing career-defining works like Purple Rain. The band also served as something of an emotional support system for a “painfully shy, impatient,” and mistrustful artist, acting as a “surrogate family” that insulated him from some of the pressures and loneliness of fame. Yet Prince’s exacting demands, including hours of grueling rehearsals, as well as creative differences and clashing personalities contributed to the group’s 1986 demise (as did the restless, “manic creativity” that led Prince to form other bands, like The Time, which detracted from his focus and led to conflicts over song credits). While the author’s thesis has merit, it’s too often occluded by awkward, wordy prose and repetitive rhapsodies over Prince’s boundless creativity. Only Prince’s most dedicated fans will find this worthwhile. (Aug.)