Graycap23 said:

i hope he means old school or hard core oldies ....u had to be there ...forver remains special --lovesexy era and gold exp era. not to mention the "new cd" anticipation since 1983.

nothing like being at a hotel and spotting prince turn the corner by himself and strolling right by ...

luvsexy4all said:

LONG POST ALERT!!!!!

I was a very young Prince fan in the 80's. In fact, I was 4 when I found out who Prince was in 1983 . I saw the video to 1999 and Little Red Corvette and I asked my Mom "Who is the man with the high heeled boots on?" She told me "Oh that's Prince" like it was nothing. I just thought, wow he's weird but I looked at him and I just knew I was going to remember him. Months later into 1984, I saw the video to "When Doves Cry" and before I knew it, he was EVERYWHERE. I remember how Prince seemed to be on the TV, radio and magazines all the time with "Purple Rain". I asked my mom if we could see Purple Rain but she laughed and said no. It made sense, who was going to take a 5 year old to see that film? Not for nothing, it just went to show you how popular Prince was that my super-young ass wanted to be a part of what was going on. It really was THAT big then.

When "Kiss" came out, that video was played all the time on MTV and BET and the more I saw the video, the more I wanted the album, that was once I got used to hearing him sing in that falsetto. I asked my mom if she would buy "Parade" for me and to my surprise, she did. I was 7 at the time and I kinda felt like a grown up when she did that for me. Once I played the album, I remembered thinking that it wasn't like the stuff I heard from the 1999-ATWIAD singles but I liked it but I still loved "Kiss". I remember watching that interview he did in late 85 & the next summer, the "Under The Cherry Moon" premiere on MTV and I was just amazed that Prince actually spoke! I thought all he could do was sing (I hadn't seen Purple Rain yet). I was 6-7 years old so it was all new to me but fun too. It also made Prince more fascinating to me as well.

The next year, when I saw the video to "U Got The Look," which was on heavy rotation on all the TV and radio stations, I was amazed that he had another album out so quickly after "Parade," so I asked Mom for SOTT and she got it for me that summer. That album let me know that I should start expecting a new Prince album every year, which amazed me even more. Before the year ended, BET had this show called Video Vibrations and around Christmas 1987, they had a Prince video marathon and it was the first time that I saw the videos from the Prince, Dirty Mind and Controversy albums. I thought everything started with Prince from the 1999 album so I was floored that there was more material than just what I had known.

1988 was big for me as well. I remember wanting to hear Alphabet St on the radio the morning it came out but I was getting ready for school so I didn't get to hear it until I was at my babysitters house later that day. I must've heard it twice that day and I liked it. They also played the song "Lovesexy" too. I stayed with my uncle, aunt and cousins in Florida that summer and they had brought me "Lovesexy." I thought it was another good but weird album. My uncle had gotten the "Purple Rain" album right before I came to visit and it was there that I got to finally see the film and listen to Purple Rain and I tell you, both the album and the film changed me. I was 9 at the time and after I finished listening to the album, I sat there on the couch in complete awe. I had never heard an album that was so much fun to listen to. I had never listened to an album that was so excellent like PR. I knew that I was going to be a Prince fan for the rest of my life. He hadn't become my #1 yet, I was still for Michael Jackson, but I finally understood why he was as popular and famous as he was. His music was on the radio all the time and it was so cool when a new Prince song would debut.

I don't really like reminising about the past that much here anymore but every now and then, it's nice to remember what it was like as a kid discovering new Prince stuff. I was learning about life as well as music all at the same time. It's still continuing and I'm 30 years old. I find it cool to say that I don't know life without Prince being around cause he's part of my early childhood memories. I literally grew up with him. That's why I cherish him being around now. We don't have anything or anyone like him out and its's sad but that's life. Whatever the case is, all I know is that whatever the ups and downs have been and will be, I'm proud to be a Prince fan, I really am.
[Edited 9/3/09 8:49am]

purplecam said:

Dave1992 said:

Thanks Dave

Nice playlist King!!!!!

Great stories, guys:) I envy you sooo much!!! I only became a hardcore Prince fan in 2004, after I picked up the Musicology album. I had to go and purchase the entire catalogue...which was worth it.

I enjoyed reading all the fascinating stories.

rgsince81 said:

ohhhh u talking about myspace,I was like what is she talking about

Pr1nceQuik said:

Me to,to bad I was raised through the gay 2000's.Back then the decades actually change,70,80..lol,it looks so retro.

TheKing662 said:

LOL! This is a good thread, homie. I would pay an arm and a leg just to get a time machine and go back to the 1999/Purple Rain era!

Pr1nceQuik said:

i'll give my momma

TheKing662 said:

I will share my first experience hearing Prince. It was in Austin, TX at the height of the disco craze, and the DJ at one of the clubs played "Soft and Wet". I didn't know who it was, but I thought that whoever did that song should "protect" their sound because it sounded so fresh in the face of all the disco that was out. My younger brothers actually turned me onto Prince maybe a year later. I moved to Cali in 1980, and I remember seeing an ad for Prince performing at Flippers Roller Disco, which was 2 blocks away from my apartment. I had just bought "Dirty Mind", and tried to get a few friends to go with me to the show. They refused, saying no...just tell us if he's any good. I went to the show, and was so close to the stage that the lights on the floor that beamed out into the audience felt like they burned my eyes. I was shocked when Prince pushed his quitar between his legs (he was wearing the trenchcoat with a pseudo-jock) and simulated masturbation. But then I thought it was really cool. The song he sang that really stuck out was "Gotta Stop Messin About" because new wave was just starting to happen, and it sounded cutting edge. I waited to watch him exit into a car from backstage. Over the years I've seen him perform at a club he owned in LA. I went to the premiere of "Purple Rain" at Mann's Chinese. I went to the afterparty at the Hollywood Palace where he played live. I heard him play my fave Prince song - "Irrestistible Bitch", and I remember meeting Whoopi Goldberg that night because she kept following me around, eventually swearing up and down that she knew me. It was probably from a TV show I was on at the time. Also, I was working for Motown Records, and we had just signed Vanity as a solo artist. Prince used to obsessively call the offices to try to find out what she was up to. Lionel Richie had Sheila E. on tour with him at the time, and the gossip was that Prince was upset that they were having an affair. That's how the rumor that Nicole Richie is actually the daughter of Lionel and Sheila E. came about. I also used to dance on American Bandstand, and saw Prince perform there. I remember that he pissed Dick Clark off royally by refusing to answer his questions directly. Has that entire thing been released by Dick Clark Productions. I remember that the Time made a couple of appearances on there, and every time they came back they acted as if they remembered me from the other occasions. Once when I was working with Rick James, I was delivering champagne to his dressing room from the parking lot. Parked right next to me was Prince, with his limo door open and tall bodyguard walking around. I said hello to them both, and went inside. When Rick's show started, a few luminaries were in the audience near me like Johnny Carson and Alana Stewart. I remember just as the curtain went up on Rick, Prince jumped in his bodyguard's arm and exited the building passing in front of the stage and totally upstaged Rick's entrance. Those were the good of feuding days! I worked on the Diamonds & Pearls and the Cream video with my old bud Rebecca Blake. Those were shot downtown at LA City Hall and the train station. I just remember being somewhat bored with the shoot, but intimidated that Prince was so close. I remember the rows and rows of costumes (mostly designer suits by Jean-Paul Gaultier and stuff designed at Paisley Park) being crammed into my little office the day before the shoot. I still have the production books and a copy of a letter Rebecca wrote to Prince.

How's that for an old timer?

Rkngwthu said:

Nice.

My first experience of Prince was in the classroom when I was about 14, 1984/85. A classmate had a music magazine, probably Smash Hits, with a full page poster spread thing, a still from Purple Rain I think.

While this classmate was away from his desk, someone had drawn a big Cock on the poster.

I had no idea who this guy was before this.

And the rest is history.

True story.


[Edited 9/3/09 13:33pm]

dreamshaman32 said:

Some girls at my school would do and did do anything for the Black Album and Charade. Always had some Prince music playing in the background!

Excuse me Whose old?

well im 17 and been a Prince fan since i was 12....Musicology era 4 u ppl who dont know prince...and since then i am obsessive over the past what 5 years i have collected 100's of prince things that some ppl would ever buy but yeah im a huge prince fan....hes the best by far and my mom grew up to him so shes liked him since Dirty Mind...and we finally saw him in concert on the 28th of march 09..by far the best concert experience i have ever been to in my life

if u no princes nicknames then u cool especially skipper.....lol and jamie starr...

Damn, my parents never tell me any of their Prince stories. Instead I have to deal with a bunch of zombie assholes whose parents practically raised them to love Christ and Michael Jackson. Telling someone I'm a Prince fan (who never really connected to/cared for MJ's music) is like saying you smoke crack. The past couple of months have been PURE hell for me. I meet a few cool people, and they spill what was poppin' in the '80s. Since I'm an '80s baby, I get excited to hear about when music was cool, and Prince wasn't just some old guy to people. It sucks that I have to construct a collection from the poorly stocked music stores and amazon, and still miss KEY items. I would love to have my "old soul" cooperate with my desire to relive an important time in American Music history. Obviously people won't appreciate him fully until he is gone. which is why I treat everyday like some kind of Prince themed holiday. I won't get caught looking dumb trying to buy up all of his music once he passes. (This is trailing off... Bring it back a bit.) I love being here to read some of the awesome stories that you post, because I wasn't alive in his hey day, but have been a fan my entire life.

Again I say, posting any questions scares me shitless to think that you people don't like discussing Prince. I do admit, some things have been talked to death, but John Madden never got pissed on the air and said "Dammit can't we talk about BASEBALL?" If you love something, you should be cool with talking about it with people who may want to learn more about it. It's cool to read facts, but has anyone written a book on how Prince has impacted YOUR LIFE? Didn't think so. To those of you kind enough to share your stories, good looking out. And for those Prince-related-trivia misers, may you keep all of your memories as you damn well please. Keep the party going!

Peace, Hip Hop & Purple Rain

Gangsta Cru... 21 year old female Prince enthusiast

GangstaCru said:

Well, I'm primarily a Mike fan, but I like Prince. Sounds to me like your parents taught you well though.
[Edited 9/3/09 23:30pm]

squirrelgrease said:

a,b,3 lol

TheKing662 said:

Alzheimer's.

im young too but know tons about his purpleness

RodeoSchro said:

aww this sounds sooo kool im 17 so of course i was not around back then but hearing it from somebody who was is really interesting

omg this thread is AWESOME lol its really fun reading all these stories 2 you theking662 4 starting it lol

Yo. Out of respect to Mike i believe his dance sequence from Thriller is the most famous, we all knew it back in high school, we did it in the halls LOL. But, For Prince kids back then the When Doves Cry video was the shit LOL. I have 3 grandkids, i can tell you where i was when they were born but i can also tell you that i was at my homeboy Marks when that video debuted. The dance sequence at the end of that video and the split screen LOL, Prince kids would do that sequence in school too. Ahhh, good times, now i want u chilluns to go to school and do the When Doves Cry Dance sequence in the hallway. If you get beat up by the Lil Wayne fans dont blame it on us LOL.
[Edited 9/4/09 2:54am]

mzspongebob said:

Appreciate it gorgeous

Hey Hey Hey !!! cut that out...Damn Kids LOL

Well I am a old fart, but not as old as some I am sure.....I was 9-10 yrs old when I first heard prince sing, I am 40 yrs old now, and still going strong with prince.