Poll: How many years have you been a fan?

I'll start:

Got addicted by hearing "Let's Pretend We're Married" on my friend's tape.

Haven't looked back yet.

That was 1983.

26 years.

Y'all?

4 years, since 2005 when I was 13.
[Edited 4/11/09 10:52am]

same
I was 10 then and bought 1999 on vinyl

Since Parade in 1986

I've been a fan since I Wanna B Your Lover/Prince album, so since 1979.

Most of my Prince music collection is on vinyl. I only have The Hits/B Sides, 3121, and Lotusflow3r on CD.

Two years, two months and 7 days

I've had my eye on him for a few years, though
It wasn't official until I joined this place and found myself a hand-full of random music videos when... I swear to God... I was just looking for the SuperBowl commericals

Purple Rain (the film) caught my attention
American Idol & Good Morning American (2006) let me know he was still in the business
SuperBowl showed me the kind of performance he could give on a BIG scale
"Little Red Corvette" was my first video the day after... been officially purple ever since

But thanks to this place, I not only have enough music, but enough knowledge about the man to convince people who didn't know me that I've been supporting him for YEARS

The instant I heard Gold’s first note, it became Prince’s mark on my soul: a tattoo I wear with pride.
Prince is Dreamy, gives my Life that Pop and 2 the industry, he’s Royalty.

1988, I was 15 and my mum gave me some money 4 doing good at school so I went 2 the local record store and looked all over, couldn't find a thing I wanted 2 buy and I was stood in there staring at the shelves 4 hours, finally I decided 2 buy Lovesexy which was pretty high in the album charts at the time, I remember feeling a bit embarrassed about buying a cassette that had a naked man on the cover but when I got it home and listened 2 it I was hooked on Prince and I had 2 have all his music immediately. From then on my pocket money each week went on Prince albums until i'd finally completed my collection.
Anna Stesia was the 1st song in my young life that ever really jumped out at me.

O year --> 7 months

Since Gold 1996.....13 years

Hardcore Fan - 29 years
Disgruntled, Pissed Off, WTF has happened to the Prince I loved? Fan - 1 year, 4 months and 27 days

Of course, I'm a Liberal! I'm an American, damn it!

This country was founded on the premise of Liberty and Justice for ALL...remember?

My wallet is STILL on hiatus!

Since I was 12, that's when D&P came out.
So 17 years.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Hardcore Fan - 29 years
Disgruntled, Pissed Off, WTF has happened to the Prince I loved? Fan - 1 year, 4 months and 27 days

When I saw Purple Rain in 84. When he did the Beautiful Ones I cried my eyes out, not thinking that any music could do that to me. I actually said to myself that this would be what music would sound like if Jesus wrote it. lol..

I have been a fanatic, but honest P critic ever since.

Wave your wildsigns high!!

tc012009 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Hardcore Fan - 29 years
Disgruntled, Pissed Off, WTF has happened to the Prince I loved? Fan - 1 year, 4 months and 27 days

What happened?

Of course, I'm a Liberal! I'm an American, damn it!

This country was founded on the premise of Liberty and Justice for ALL...remember?

My wallet is STILL on hiatus!

Always been a fan.....can't remember a time when I wasn't. I did drift away for a few years (between 1993-95ish). Came back, caught up and been hardcore ever since.

For 25 years. Discovered Prince in 83 with 1999 and Little Red Corvette but got into him in 84 with When Doves Cry. That's pretty much the majority of my life right there. He's the one part of my childhood that I still hold onto.

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

My whole life. I'll be 22 this month. When I was in my mothers womb she would put headphones on her belly and she played Prince. She played him around the house when I was born and the rest is history, I'm a huge fan, lol.

My whole life. I'll be 22 this month. When I was in my mothers womb she would put headphones on her belly and she played Prince. She played him around the house and when I got chances to pick a cd, I'd pick Prince. I'm pretty sure I came out the womb a fan, lol.

I became a fan in feb. 1983:

I bought the 1999 double vinyl in a local record store, I have been a fan since, but I'm not so much a fan today like in 1983 to 1995,

my first disappointment was Emancipation, then NPS, Rave, The Vault,

TRC and the new LF albums are better, but still not that excellent like 1978-1995 (imo). Let's face this: the Warner Bros. years were outstanding, since 1995 the music hasn't been on top level (imo),

but Prince is still great live, 2007 in London was amazing.

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

1983...1999 vinyl...been there since

1992. I was 16. 'Diamonds & Pearls' was the first CD I ever bought.

23 years and counting.

In 1986 I was at a party starting college at age 18 and the week thereafter Prince would perform 3 nights in Holland, only his second tour where he would visit Holland (Parade tour). I knew Prince already but to be honest did not really like his music. The DJ at the party played 4 or 5 songs by Prince and suddenly I "got" his music. I immediately bought Parade. Went to see SOTT live the next year and was hooked. I only missed one tour ever since (Act II, as I was in the US the whole summer of 1993). Highlights live were SOTT, Lovesexy, Gold tour, ONA and London 2007. Looking forward to seeing Prince live again.
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[Edited 4/11/09 12:24pm]

About 5 years....

Prince use to have balls....now he has religion. - Nothinbutjoy

Since I was about 10. Im 29 now.

Since 1978 Old School!!! :

Since 1986, after seeing Prince & The Revolution performing on the Parade tour in Europe. "Open your heart, open your mind..." Boom!

"Let's Go Crazy" from the Purple Rain movie trailers is what first snagged me. So that'd be about 25 years for me.

Although I remember songs from 1999 being played on the radio, it wasn't until Purple Rain that I became a huge fan. My first Prince record was the 45 for "Let's go crazy". That was 1984, 25 years ago.

sro100 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Hardcore Fan - 29 years
Disgruntled, Pissed Off, WTF has happened to the Prince I loved? Fan - 1 year, 4 months and 27 days