| You remember ‘em, those two gals in Prince’s musical entourage back in the ‘80s, through the days of the classic “Purple Rain” film and album. Wendy and Lisa, aka Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They were there looking hip and cute and all, with Prince and his band The Revolution, but where have they been since then?
Actually, they compose music for TV shows like NBC’s “Heroes” and “Bionic Woman” nowadays. Yesterday, they appeared at the Billboard / Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference, Reuters and Billboard report, and they touched on their work with the artist formerly known as, and once again known as, Prince, who would “give us little hand gestures and signals and dance moves, and we would know what each little thing meant,” Coleman said. “It became a game sometimes. If you missed it, believe me, you heard about it later.”
And in a delightful collision of pop-cultural elements, Prince and his “Purple Rain” movie came up in conversation, so to speak, with Madchen Amick of the cult classic TV show “Twin Peaks,” which released its “Gold Box Edition” on DVD this week. Amick, who played the battered Shelly Johnson on the series, did a quick-hit feature with Variety, and in it she mentioned that “Purple Rain” is one of the three films that have meant a lot to her, and that her favorite song lyrics are in the artist’s song “Little Red Corvette.” (She’s a true product of the ‘80s – she also loved that “Thriller” album of Michael Jackson’s, like me!)
“Twin Peaks” is everywhere this week, by the way, with this special DVD release. Ironic for me, as I just a few months ago got my mother’s handmade episode videos, from back when the show aired in 1990-1991. I can remember huddling so faithfully in front of the television of my residence hall in my senior year of college, hind-end on the floor, lights out, ears tuned to the eerie, haunting strains of the Angelo Badalamenti opening theme. Can’t wait to rewatch that great David Lynch stuff – whether on video or DVD!
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