Madhouse 8

Warner Bros. Records

He just felt like doing something different.

During the recording sessions with his side project band The Family, Prince also wrote the eight tracks for Madhouse, his jazz influenced side-project whose first album in 1985 be known simply as 8. The ‘group’ at this juncture comprised only of Prince and Eric Leeds. Prince played the drums and keyboards, and Eric the melody parts on sax. The ensemble grew for the release of Madhouse’s second album.

All the tracks for Madhouse 8 was written by Prince and recorded at his home studio in Galpin Blvd. between 28 September and 1 October 1986. 8 and its follow up album 16, are named to correspond to the the number of tracks they accumulate; the name of each track is also so numbered. Madhouse 8 is Prince’s first instrumental album, and was followed by Madhouse 16 in 1987. Prince is credited but only under the name of Madhouse.

Cover trivia

The female on the album’s sleeve is Maneca Lightner, a model who first met Prince at a record signing when she was aged 16 and some years later they met again and was asked to model for the covers of 8, 16 and the band’s final and unreleased third album 24. In later life she founded a talent agency. The dog (a terrier) is neither hers nor Prince’s, it was hired from an agency for the photo shoot, which took place in Malibu.

Madhouse

Sax/Flute: Eric Leeds
All other instruments: Prince

Data

Producer

Prince

Label

Paisley Park Records

Distribution

Warner Bros. Records

Released

33 years, 8 months ago on 21 January 1987

Running Time

38:30

US Chart Peak

107

UK Chart Peak

Orig. Formats

Tracklist

One (7:16)
Two (5:31)
Three (3:16)
Four (2:24)
Five (1:15)
Six (4:28) ¹
Seven (4:09)
Eight (10:05)

¹ Released as a single.

Singles from Madhouse 8

6

Paisley Park Records

Released

14 January 1987

US Chart Peak

UK Chart Peak

Format

6 [End Of The World Mix] (5:45)
Six [Edit] (3:37)
Six And ½ (2:36)

Related release

Madhouse 16

Warner Bros. Records (1987)

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