I thought we’d all jump in the time capsule back to 1983 this week, and take a listen to the “triple threat” tour, AKA Prince’s 1999 tour, also featuring the openers Vanity 6 and The Time. First up, Vanity 6.
Made up of Prince’s high school girlfriend Susan Moonsie (on the right above), Boston native Brenda Bennett (on the left), and Canadian model/actress Denise Matthews, who underwent the obligatory Prince name change to Vanity (reportedly after Prince first recommended Vagina - - classy!).
Vanity 6 wasn’t out there to impress anyone with their vocal and musical prowess, they were there to wear trashy lingerie and entertain, which they did. Backed up by The Time (on stage and on record), the music ranged from funky (Nasty Girl) to the new wave of the period (He’s So Dull).
It wasn’t long after this show that Vanity made the decision to break off from the Prince camp and go solo with a Motown record deal, as well as appearances in some quality films (The Last Dragon, anyone??, and Action Jackson, of course). Vanity’s personal life took a nose dive (no pun intended) over the coming years, as a severe cocaine addiction developed. But fear not folks, Miss Vanity found Jesus and is alive and well these days, doing her thing as Evangelist Denise Matthews.
The opening set:
Vanity 6
Long Beach, CA
March 31st, 1983
Opening for Prince on the 1999 Tour
Make Up
Wet Dream
Drive Me Wild
If A Girl Answers, Don’t Hang Up
Nasty Girl
Coming This Week: The rest of the show with The Time and Prince & the Revolution
Buy Vanity 6 (the CD’s out of print, but you can buy them used for a fee):
8 responses so far ↓
1 glaeser // Oct 8, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Thanks for this!!!!
I actually saw this tour in MINNEAPOLIS! One of my top Three Concerts of all time (If I can get a little High Fidelity for a moment.)
2 Thierry // Oct 9, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Thanks!!! I actually almost picked up a Vanity 6 record on vinyl this week, because of all this Prince talk in the last month.
3 buddha // Oct 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
I am always amazed at the choice cuts i hear. There is nothing like a live perfomance by Jamie Starr and his numerous minstrels.
4 Charlie // Oct 11, 2006 at 9:05 pm
I had a Vanity 6 poster on my wall when I was 15! I don’t have to go buy a used CD…Vanity 6 was one of the first cd’s I purchased.
5 lunchamu // Jun 11, 2007 at 4:34 pm
ohmygod
daddy likey! ;]]
6 Scott // May 16, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Hey,
Is there anyway you could repost this stuff? As someone that actually went to two of the “triple threat’ shows, to have any of this would be the greatest thing ever!
Cheers,
S*
7 shblount45 // Jun 19, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I can find plenty of Vanity/Vanity 6 pictures but i can’t find any solo pics of Susan Moonsie or Brenda Bennett.
Why is that?
8 Pete // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:24 am
shblount - that is a question best left to the philosophers and sages of our time.
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