1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around it?

I dunno, I was pretty young. Maybe around '83. My older brother's friend loved Prince and I loved him so I thought getting into prince would make me look cool.

2. What album or song did it for you?

I had copies of tapes of Dirty Mind through to ATWIAD. But I was completely hooked when Parade came out. Had to have the real thing not a copy. I love that shit. Still listen to it now. By that point I was obsessed and in obsessive love with him. I was 12 years old.


3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?

I started losing interest in the mid nineties. I had every official release and every single bootleg around (which I listened to more than anything else.) By '98 I was bored outta my mind with him in regards to his new stuff. Now I listen to his new releases once or twice and that's it.

roodboi said:

That was "Musicology" and that got little radio attention, which I think is unfathomable.

Tame said:

musicology is a decent song at best...instant classic would be a gross overstatement...the reason it didnt get loads of airplay is because it only fit into one format...

Being a young confused gay male in either the sixth or seventh grade, I was in awe of him when he appeared on "American Bandstand" in January of 1980. When I pictured gay people, I pictured them as being dull nerds that listened to classical music. I also pictured them as weak men that could be pushed around and taken advantage of.

When I saw Prince for the first time on "American Bandstand", he looked and acted gay as hell but his music was hard as hell. His attitude was that of a bitch and I got the impression that if you messed with him, you would truly regret it.

These things were the total opposite of how people pictured gay men in my area and it made it much easier for me to come out years later. If I had continued to view gay men as limp wristed, weak, classical music listening, nerds, I would have never come out....ever.



I previously had the "I Wanna Be Your Lover" 45 and had also bought the "Uptown" 45 from his current album at the time which was "Dirty Mind". There was a local "Soul Train" type TV show in my area called "Black Gold" and they played "Head". "Head" was also all over R&B radio at the time. I looked all over the record stores for it on 45 but it didn't exist. That's what made me buy the "Dirty Mind" album. I loved it and went back and bought the "Prince" album that came out before it. Then I moved forward buying "Controversy" the first week it came out. That's when I heard "Soft and Wet" on the radio for the first time during a Prince "Controversy/Soft and Wet" doubleplay. I bought "For You" a few days later. I also bought "1999" and "Purple Rain" the first week they came out also and have doing it ever since.




I never stopped being a "fan" but I stopped being a "fam" beginning with "Around The World In A Day". That was not the same Prince I grew up with and he never returned.....ever.

I bought a tape of the Batman soundtrack and listned to it on my walkman all day

"If I was your girlfriend" did it for me when I was listening to the "Sign "O" The Times" album in the record store.
Right there and then I decided to buy all of is released work and more.

I would say I fell out of fam-dom around 1994.
I just felt the music wasn't that interesting anymore.

I fell into fan-dom again in 2002 at the Rotterdam concert.
[Edited 11/16/07 2:22am]

Imago said:

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around it?- in summer 98' i was bored or something and watched purple rain and i did have the 1999 album but i dont remember why since i couldnt care less about prince lol but that summer i started off "prince-lite" with purple rain and 1999.later in the year i got the other albums(even NPS!)and i hated,hated, hated them! i thought parade and atwiad were fucking shitty ass horrible weird albums and felt like i wasted my money but soon after i learned to like them and with help from UTCM(yes i love it!) parade became my favorite prince album ever by the end of the year.

2. What album or song did it for you?-1999 and purple rain i couldnt pick a song cause i thought most of them were cool at the time.


3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in

i never fell out of fan-dom but i lost alot of interest in his latter material post TRC.TRC i dont "really like".but i recognize its truly the last of his powers.he put it all in there.since that time ive liked a song here or there.and bootlegs of course keep me interested as well.he needs to just release the old stuff and id be all over it like butch lady in a sleeveless-tee at wal mart!

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?
1984- Purple rain movie got me hooked- saw it 4 times at the movies

2. What album or song did it for you?
Lets Go Crazy really got me in- and PR was my first album purchase- EVER, although i always liked 1999/little red corvette/controversy (although i thought Prince was a group )
3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?
come
came back to the fold this year big time- after i discovered the org

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?
I became an official fan freahman year H.S. circa 82-83. I had already fell in love with the singles Controvery, Let's Work and Do Me Baby... but I didn't have the Controvery album.. only 45s (please don't ask what a 45 is). I also owned singles byua grounp called 'The Time'.. 'Get It Up' and 'Cool' but I didn't make a connection yet. I had just bought the 1999 single and was visiting my father and asking him about that and a couple songs I heard on the radio.. Little Red Corvette and 777-9311... and he being an advid album colector gave me the hook up which changed my life. He loaned my 'Controversy', '1999', 'Time' and 'What Time Is It'... even though it wasn't until Purple rain that i even new there was a connection between Prince and The Time.

2. What album or song did it for you?
1999 was the album that hooked me completly though.

3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?
Since I can't see into the future and predict when my own death will occur... then I have no way of answering this one.

I liked 1999 (like nearly everyone I think) when it came out - I was at school.

Then 'When Doves cry' I remember being really great, unusual and a new sound!

Purple Rain really did it for me though - I had the 12" single (I think this really gives my age away) with 'God' on the B side. I used to listen to that record over and over, it was my most treasured possession. I shared a flat with some girlfriends, and they used to run out of the room when I played God full blast, saying it was weird and scary!! I LOVED that! I didn't realise until I saw the movie a while later that God was the love scene music, and felt a bit disappointed in a way, because I thought it was a really spiritual thing - of course I understand that a bit better now!

I remember sitting on the floor gazing at the photo on the front and wondering about who this guy was.....

The first time I heard him sing Purple Rain live on 7 August - is obviously a long time down the road, but in a second I was that girl again and it blew my mind! Especially when he put his hand on his heart and said half way through "I LOVE this song"

WOW!! Heaven

I kind of lost touch with his music in the 90's apart from the obvious hits, but remember getting really pissed off when people dissed him, DJ's and well... just about everyone! I always loved Prince, when he was 'weird' I just thought 'yeah, but it's Prince' hey ho! I used to dress quite like him too, so people said!!!?

I can't believe I never got around to seeing him in concert until this year, but it was definitely worth the wait, I couldn't quite take it in the first time I saw him, but went back again and to an aftershow - incredible experience, I've never felt music like that before - and I used to be a dancer! I felt like I was being lifted onto a different planet.... AMAZING talent..

BTW my partner thinks I'm becoming a 'bit obssessed'!!! Although he's seen EVERYONE and came away saying he's the best he's ever seen, and going on about the 'tones' of his guitar playing etc...

ToraToraDreams said:

I know people like that too, but I know even more people who only know Prince
from the chappelle's show thing. Mentioning Prince somewhere near them is always a bad idea.

I became a fan in 2004 after seeing the Rasberry Beret video a couple of times on vh1.
I was already quite curious about him because I'm a huge Marc Bolan fan and he is often compered to Prince.
After seeing those videos I went to the nearest record store and bought the album with the nicest picture on the cover, Lovesexy

Imago said:

well, I am totally vexed now, spent the last half hour replying to the above questions, only for .org to be timed out when i went to preview oh well, probably saved you all from a dose of boredom

anyway, here is the shorter version

1. !984, having seen an american version of TOTP´s which played some of the When Doves Cry Video

2. Lets Go Crazy, I was one of the first from the village I grew up in (in Ireland) to hear this, on a radio show called Radio Luxemburg. The organ intro, with "Dearly beloved...." finishing with all that crazy guitaring simply blew my mind.

3. 1984 to about 1992 I would call the fanatical yrs, 1998 to 2002 the less fanatical yrs. Summer of 2007 brought back the memories of the teen yrs.

basically Prince was to become for me the bar to which I measured everything musically to. I am also glad that Prince broadened my musical horizons. Since yrs now, when people ask me, what is your favourite music, I cant really answer, I just say, quality music from good musicians.

Needless to say, being a Prince was not just about the music, it was almost an attitude thing, sending out a statement of being an individual rather than being part of the masses.

1. My brother bought Purple Rain and we were listening to it all the time. Then I saw the live transmission ot the Syracuse Purple Rain concert via satellite and I found it great. He was different from anybody else at the time.

2. I liked all the songs from him but most of all The Beautiful ones from Purple Rain.

3. It occurred because of PfU. As if he didn´t learn a lesson when he sued Uptown magazine ten years ago. I also like a lot of other musicians like Joni Mitchell, PJ Harvey or David Sylvian who create stunning albums without the bullshit that Prince constantly gives us. So I slowly grew out of him in the past few years anyway.
I don´t think I will ever spend any money on him again in the future.

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?

1984. I caught the UK premiere of the When Doves Cry video on some old Jonathan King "Entertainment USA" show in May 84 and I was hooked.

2. What album or song did it for you?

The first song to really grab me was the 12" version of Let's Go Crazy. Then, a couple of months later, Around the world in a day blew me away.


3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?

Never have. I went off the man in the early 90's because I got fed up with his fan un-friendly stunts. I've always remained a fan of the music, but with his current output, the greatness is much more intermitent than his most creative periods (84-88, 93-95).


.
[Edited 11/16/07 8:49am]

In 1991 I got introduced to his Music by a Family Member, Then went to the Diamonds & Pearls Concert in Glasgow and the rest is History.

My first Album i Purchased was Diamonds & Pearls.

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?

1982. I heard his music.

2. What album or song did it for you?

I bought the album and 12" single of 1999.

I knew the title track, flipped the 12" and when I heard him playing another anthemic dance tune and also a soulful, blues-based song on HCUDCMA I thought the guy was a musical genius.

3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?

I've never not been interested in the music and the journey. I've regularly been astounded, intrigued, and surprised by the creativity and ability. There have been times when I've taken a break where I've concentrated my musical interests elsewhere at the expense of following every reported rib removal and hip replacement.

I learned relatively early on that following Prince's musical career is a roller-coaster ride. Expect some lows, relish the highs, enjoy it for what it is, but retain perspective. There's a whole fairground out there, and despite the rides, you also have to stay grounded. Most of all, life isn't (just) a fairground.
.
[Edited 11/16/07 12:12pm]

KidaDynamite said:

spoken like a true new yorker lol

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Give it another 20 yrs then you'll know about being sick of the question!

I'll answer anyway

1999 got me started - my older brother kinda force-fed me. We were Jackson fans and at first I resented this other guy who was a 'threat' to Michael. Well, I was young

Pretty soon it was Prince all the way. I've never not been a fan since. I was disappointed by much of his post Lovesexy output, but The Truth, Rainbow Children and One Nite Alone have kept me going. PFUnk has got me all excited.

roodboi said:

u should b there when days of wild is played ..damn chills

btw..it's good seeing u on these side of the waters

Imago said:

i got something even more harsh than that....


this morning i wanted a cup of coffee but i didn't have any cream

i threw the lyric sheet up in the air with disgust

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?
Was always aware of him. First album I got was the Batman soundtrack though when I was 8 years old. We had Batman everything, as did lots of kids at the time.

2. What album or song did it for you?
It's not my fav album now but all the Diamonds & Pearls singles and videos were around a lot and I'd just about started buying albums for myself with pocket money instead of having to wait for a B'day/Christmas for them as presents.

3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?
The Rainbow Children and a particularly rubbish concert experience in 2002. Was unimpressed with all the commercial releases until 3121 when I got back in the loop.

Imago said:

I heard that Prince hates his fans and they love him for that.

Imago said:

I ran into his half-sister Sharon during this time. She told me he changed his name to get out of his WB contract.

roodboi said:

I remember buying that cassette and immediately refolding the cover so that Naked Prince was invisible, covered up by the folds of the paper.

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around it?

as a junior camp counselor back in the summer of 84..when doves cry was all over the place and I kept singing it everyday during camp. A friend told me about a movie that was coming out and asked if I was going 2 go c it. I told her no but laughed at the conception that there would b a movie around this guy. so 2 stop her nagging, i went 2 c the movie and arrived late. back then u could stay until the next showing and stay 4 the part u missed. well during the intermission they were playing what i found out later 2 b let's pretend we're married and YES MARTHA I WANNA FUCK U SO BAD IT HURTS parts shocked me. It intrigued me 2 find about this guy and little parts of my music memory took me back 2 when i had heard songs like i wanna b ur lover, cool, nasty girl, controversy. i was hooked.
2. What album or song did it for you?

if any song or album truly turned me in2 a hardcore fan would b the black album and discovering a whole other world.


3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?

it started with the lawsuits 10 years ago and the seperation in2 the collective. then with the name change BACK 2 prince and the material being released. came back 2 4give it all in 2002 and that week at paisley..but now after the vegas stint, those boring london shows, the boring planet earth and now this second round of lawsuits. no more will i pay 4 anything he does

Imago said:

Still a fan. Will always be a fan. I don't get to emotional about his legal dealings. I think it decreases the value of the experience.

The title of this thread makes me think of a Julia Roberts or Kate Hudson film.

1. When and how did you become a Prince fan? What were the circumstances around t?
My oldest brother was a Prince fan. He introduced me to him (FYI My first Black History Report was on Prince in 1986 when I was in the first grade)

2. What album or song did it for you?

Parade, Sometimes it Snows in April. He had the sheet music and use to play it on his trumbet and I would sing.

3. If you fell out of "fan-dom" which album or phase did that occur in?
Never fell out, but I was not feeling Rainbow Children

L4OATheOriginal said:

well, it's finally fun to post over here again...alot of decent discussions going on instead of another "Is Prince Really Bald?" thread...