New Power Generation

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For the song and single by Prince, see New Power Generation (song).
New Power Generation
Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Genre(s) Rock, pop, R&B, soul, funk, funk-rock, funk metal, New Wave, dance, psychedelic rock, hip-hop
Years active 1990-Present
Associated acts Madhouse
Website www.3121.com
Members
Prince
Renato Neto
Morris Hayes
Cora Dunham
Josh Dunham
Mike Phillips
Maceo Parker
Lee Hogan
Greg Boyer
Shelby J.
Marva King
Former members
(see below)

The New Power Generation (or NPG for short) is the current backing group of musician Prince. They debuted on the 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls. The name of the group comes from a song on his 1990 album Graffiti Bridge; however, the phrase "Welcome to the New Power Generation" was already mentioned on the opening track of 1988's Lovesexy.

Contents

[edit] History

When Prince began his formal dispute with Warner Bros. and changed his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993, the NPG became a side-project for Prince, allowing him to release music outside of his contract. The NPG was intended to appeal to a more urban audience than Prince's mainstream material.

The NPG's debut album, Goldnigga, featured Tony M. as lead vocalist/rapper. The album relied heavily on rap, while the music itself was reminiscent of 1970s funk. Prince participated heavily in writing and performing the music, while Tony wrote and performed raps. Prince provided co-lead vocals on two songs, "Black M.F. in the House" and "Johnny", and the two were often performed by him in his own concerts and aftershows.

A reduced NPG returned to the Prince fold when he began performing under the symbolic moniker in early 1994, backing him on The Gold Experience. The following year, this incarnation released Exodus in 1995. Now with Prince as Tora Tora as lead vocalist, the focus was more on funk. Although several raps were recorded for the album, they were left out of the final release. Prince again took a role behind the scenes, adopting the guise of the masked "Tora Tora" and performing lead vocals on several tracks, sometimes with an altered voice. His participation in this version of the NPG was much more apparent.

Three years later, another NPG album was released titled Newpower Soul (modifying a song name from Exodus). In fact, a spoken outtake from Exodus mentions the upcoming album, indicating its planning stages. Featuring an almost totally different version of the NPG (only Kirk Johnson and Morris Hayes were retained), Prince features prominently on the cover and liner notes and provides lead vocals on all songs. Unlike the two previous releases, the album relies heavily on drum programming by Kirk Johnson and features input from Larry Graham and Doug E. Fresh.

A fourth album, Peace, due to be released in 2001, never materialized, although a few songs have been made public through limited-release singles or through Prince's official website.

[edit] Band members

Instrument Name Year(s) Notes
Guitar Levi Seacer, Jr. 1991–1993 Original member.
Played bass before the addition of Sonny T.
Kat Dyson 1996–1997
Rev. Michael Scott 1997–2001, 2004, 2006 (Feb)
Keyboards

Tommy Barbarella

 1991–1996 Original member.
Kip Blackshire 1999–2001 Also provides additional vocals.

Renato Neto

 2002–present Took a break for most of 2006
Organ

Rosie Gaines

 1991–1992 Original member. Co-lead vocals on many tracks. Has also worked with Prince on various projects after her departure.

Morris Hayes

 1993–2001, 2005-present
Bass guitar

Sonny T

 1991–1996
 Original member. Was originally slated to join Prince's band when André Cymone left.

Rhonda Smith

 1996–2004
 Took a break in 1999 while Larry Graham performed with Prince.
Josh Dunham
 2005–present
Drums/Percussion

Michael Bland
1991–1996

 Original member.

Kirk Johnson

 1991–1993, 1996–2000 Percussion and additional vocals originally.
Later became drummer and producer/drum programmer.

John Blackwell

 2000–2004
Cora Dunham
 2005–present
Horns

Hornheadz

 1992–Present (though sporadic) Previously known as the NPG Hornz.

Eric Leeds

 1991–Present (though sporadic) Originally member of The Revolution.

Provides saxophone and flute.

Najee

 2000–2002
Maceo Parker 1999–Present
Greg Boyer 2001–Present
William Lee Hogan 2006–Present
Mike Phillips 2004–Present
Additional vocals

Tony M.

 1991–1993 Original member. Raps.

Damon Dickson

 1991–1993 Original member.

Mayte

 1992–1996 Provided background vocals and Spanish vocals.

Marva King

 1997–1999, 2007-Present
Shelby J 2006–Present Ledisi 2008–Present

Since 1996, the NPG has had a variety of guest musicians, but this is a list of "official" members, more or less.

This article includes the discography of American band New Power Generation, credited as a separate entity from Prince.

[edit] Albums

Year Album US UK Worldwide Sales (when available) Additional Information
1990 Graffiti Bridge 6 1 2.2m Unnamed New Power Generation members provided backing vocals on the song "New Power Generation".
1991 Diamonds and Pearls 3 2 6.5m Album by Prince and the New Power Generation.
1992 Love Symbol 5 1 2.7m Album by Prince and the New Power Generation.
1993 Goldnigga - - - Album by the New Power Generation. Tony M. performs lead vox.
1995 Exodus - -15 - Album by the New Power Generation. Prince as Tora Tora performs lead vox.
1996 Girl 6 75 - - Includes "Count the Days", from Exodus and title track is credited to the New Power Generation, with Prince on lead vox.
1998 Newpower Soul 22 -38 - Album by the New Power Generation. Not a "Prince" release, though Prince is now the band's lead singer.
2004 The Chocolate Invasion - - - The New Power Generation is credited for the track "Gamillah".
2004 The Slaughterhouse - - - The New Power Generation is credited for the tracks "Peace", "2045: Radical Man" and "The Daisy Chain".
2006 3121 1 9 3.0m The New Power Generation is credited for "shouts" on the song "Lolita".
2007 Planet Earth 3 (Released via The Mail On Sunday 500,000 The album is credited to Prince And The New Power Generation[citation needed]

[edit] Singles

Year Song US US R&B US Dance UK Album
1990 "New Power Generation" Provided backing vox 64 27 - 26 Graffiti Bridge
1991 "Gett Off" by Prince and the New Power Generation 21 6 1 4 Diamonds and Pearls
1991 "Cream" by Prince and the New Power Generation 1 - - 15 Diamonds and Pearls
1991 "Diamonds and Pearls"
by Prince and the New Power Generation		 3 1 - 25 Diamonds and Pearls
1992 "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
by Prince and the New Power Generation		 23 14 - 19 Diamonds and Pearls
1992 "Insatiable" by Prince and the New Power Generation 77 3 - - Diamonds and Pearls
1992 "Thunder" by Prince and the New Power Generation - - - 28 Diamonds and Pearls
1992 "Sexy M.F./Strollin’" by Prince and the New Power Generation 66 76 - 4 Prince
1992 "My Name Is Prince"
by Prince and the New Power Generation		 36 25 9 7 Prince
1992 "My Name Is Prince" (remixes)
by Prince and the New Power Generation		 - - - 51 -
1992 "7" by Prince and the New Power Generation 7 61 - 27 Prince
1992 "The Morning Papers"
by Prince and the New Power Generation		 44 68 - 52 Prince
1992 "Damn U" by Prince and the New Power Generation 108 32 - - Prince
1993 "2gether" - - - - Goldnigga
1993 "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Prince and the New Power Generation - 62 - - The Hits/The B-Sides; B-side to "Peach"
1995 "Purple Medley" The New Power Generation contributes "additional music" 84 74 - 33 -
1995 "Get Wild" - - - 19 Exodus
1995 "The Good Life" - - - 29 Exodus
1995 "Count the Days" - - - - Exodus
1996 "Girl 6" - 78 - - Girl 6
1997 "The Good Life" (re-issue) - - - 15 Exodus
1998 "The War" - - - - -
1998 "Come On" - - - 65 Newpower Soul
2001 "Peace / 2045:Radical Man" - - - - The Slaughterhouse
2001 "The Daisy Chain / Gamillah" - - - - The Slaughterhouse/The Chocolate Invasion

[edit] See also

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