| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B–[2] |
Apollonia 6 is the only studio album released by R&B vocal trio and Prince-protégés Apollonia 6.
The album was initially to be the second release by the Prince-formed group Vanity 6, but when lead singer Vanity departed Prince's camp, the musician hired Apollonia Kotero, thus changing the group's name and album.
Apollonia 6, the album, primarily features the vocals of Kotero and Bennett with backing vocals by Wendy & Lisa and Jill Jones (Susan Moonsie only recorded one song for this album). The album spawned only one hit, "Sex Shooter", which was performed by the group in the film Purple Rain.
Although the album was released primarily on vinyl and audio cassette (Warner Bros. 9 25108), a CD version of the album was released in Japan in 1990 (WPCP-3701). Warner Bros. initially opted to not to issue this album on CD. The CD has become a highly sought-after collectible and it became later pirated.[3] It is not available in streaming and digital distribution.
Apollonia 6 had a fair chart run, but is considered by some to be a viable part of the Minneapolis sound.[4]
Track listing
| # | Title | Credited writer(s)1 | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian" | Apollonia Kotero, The Revolution, Brenda Bennett, Susan Moonsie | 7:06 |
| 2. | "Sex Shooter" | Apollonia Kotero | 3:39 |
| 3. | "Blue Limousine" | Brenda Bennett | 6:19 |
| 4. | "A Million Miles (I Love You)" | Brenda Bennett | 5:51 |
| 5. | "Ooo She She Wa Wa" | Susan Moonsie | 4:10 |
| 6. | "Some Kind of Lover" | Brenda Bennett | 4:48 |
| 7. | "In a Spanish Villa" | Apollonia Kotero, Wendy Melvoin | 2:12 |
1. All the songs on this album were actually written by Prince, but the songwriting credits were given to the group's members.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
Personnel
- Vocals: Apollonia Kotero, Susan Moonsie, Brenda Bennett
- Multi-instruments: Prince & The Revolution
- Guitars: Wendy Melvoin
- Keyboards: Lisa Coleman
- Bass: Mark Brown
- Drums, percussion: Sheila E.
- Additional backing vocals: Jill Jones, Susannah Melvoin
Production
- Produced by Prince (as The Starr ★ Company)
- Recorded, engineered and mixed by Peggy McCreary & The Starr ★ Company
- Mastered by Bernie Grundman
Singles
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Dance | US R&B | |||
| "Sex Shooter" | 1984 | 85 | 32 | 19 | |
| "Blue Limousine" | — | — | 19 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | |||||
Cover versions
"Sex Shooter" was covered by T.H.E.M. Thee Human Ego Maniacs in 2002, by both Firefox and Coco Electrik in 2006, by Frost in 2008, and by both Erika Jayne and Cahill featuring Nikki Belle in 2009.
"Oo She She Wa Wa" was covered by Snax featuring Peaches on his 2004 LP From the Rocking Chair to the Stage, released on Mental Groove Records.
Popular culture
The last names of the members of Apollonia 6 appeared on screen as race car drivers in Season 2, Episode 11 of the FX animated series Archer (2009 TV series).
References
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "Apollonia 6 - Apollonia 6. Releases". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r795
- ^ "Track listing". Discogs.
- ^ "Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian". ASCAP.
- ^ "Sex Shooter". ASCAP.
- ^ "Blue Limousine". ASCAP.
- ^ "Ooo She She Wa Wa". ASCAP.
- ^ "Some Kind of Lover". ASCAP.
- ^ "In a Spanish Villa". ASCAP.