Hey all, I’m not sure where I stand on all the stages of loss type stuff, all I know is, it feels like it might be time to move on, or at least, let go. After I went to see Purple Rain on June 7 and then the Tribute of Prince night in London, it started to feel…over.

For me, it’s been a 32-year blast. Hundreds of gigs, thousands of songs and conversations. I never went off the music. Songs in 2015 were as part of my life as ones in 1985. But until now, everything was the present, not wallowing in retrospect.

I don’t mean giving up on being a Prince fan. I’ll buy every note of vault music when it finally gets released, but it will never be new music. It will never set markers in my life as it carries on. I've had a lot going on recently, from family illness, to job changes, to child dramas. Usually I have a Prince album to accompany me on the journey, but no more.

I’m not suggesting a goodbye, but it might be healthy to explore other things, other experiences for a while. At the moment, I still check the org every day. Habit. Always looking out for the next surprise Prince gig, like I have done since it started; or even further back when some of us were the PPML, or AMP, or the Controversy hotline. Prince was like a perpetual hunt for sound and sight.

Anybody else felt like moving on? Not moving on from being a fan, but moving on with life. Some of the longest fans seem quiet of late. Have they moved on already, or retreated for a while? Maybe I should just retire SquirrelMeat, take a break and come back with a different account, asking all the newbie questions that can drive the old timers mad?

How are you feeling? Like you could never bail? Time to assess? When does living an online life in a forum to a dead pop star (and I hate the term 'dead') become unhealthy or obssessive? Or are we more than that? A legacy? A community?

I think the online presence of us oldschool Prince fans is now more important than ever. I know this sounds arrogant, conceited and a bit cheesy but it´s us oldschool orgers( and that definitely includes you, SquirrelMeat) who will , in some way, preserve his legacy by answering questions for newbies, discussing the man and his music, share memories , etc. etc.

After Prince passed away my brother thanked me for taking him to several concerts, telling me how he will always cherish those memories. I mean, in the future, it´s us who can say that they saw him at this or that concert, during this or that phase.

Prince continues to be amazing, mysterious, fascinating..even long after his death. And his spirit will live on but it´s also up to us, to some extent.

In my opinion, the fact that he´s become eternal gives me a little bit of solace.

SquirrelMeat said:

I don’t mean giving up on being a Prince fan. I’ll buy every note of vault music when it finally gets released, but it will never be new music. It will never set markers in my life as it carries on...

I’m not suggesting a goodbye, but it might be healthy to explore other things, other experiences for a while...

Anybody else felt like moving on? Not moving on from being a fan, but moving on with life. Some of the longest fans seem quiet of late. Have they moved on already, or retreated for a while?

Maybe I should just retire SquirrelMeat, take a break and come back with a different account, asking all the newbie questions that can drive the old timers mad?

How are you feeling? Like you could never bail? Time to assess? When does living an online life in a forum to a dead pop star (and I hate the term 'dead') become unhealthy or obsessive? Or are we more than that? A legacy? A community?

I agree with a lot of this. However, I do feel like a lot of the released stuff still serve as markers. They'll fill in blank spots, or unrealized moments that we may or may not have been privy to throughout the last decades. I still think an album from 1982 being released in 2016 would serve as a new type of marker, where the old hallmarks the new.

My experiences have went forward. I'm not "still in shock", a histrionic term that so many around here throw around like it's croutons on a salad. We're not still in shock. We might sorta forget the truth at times, and are reminded with a song or a report on TV, or our own daily Org habits, but the shock is over. The truth is set in.

I've still cried at times over it, I'm desperate to know more about the investigation, but I'm patient. I'm actually nicely distracted with the remasters I've been purchasing, work, and a lot of track 8 on Controversy, or track 6 on its predecessor.

Don't ever retire Squirrelmeat. It's you. (How long have we known each other and I still don't know your real name, sucka?!)

I'll never bail on Prince music of course, and I don't think anyone here would either. I think it's sometimes interesting to talk to newer fans, and hip them to facts or trivia, etc. Exploring Prince's music, whether he's in this life or the next, is like exploring our own lives. His music defined my life, as did a few other artists. It shaped my experiences, gave me courage to swagger my way into someone's boudoir, and gave me the words to say when someone pissed me off.

Is it still healthy that there are Beatles or Led Zeppelin communities? A community is any group of like minded people, whether musically, socially, sexually, spiritually, or otherwise. I suppose it's about balance in life.

KoolEaze said:

I think the online presence of us oldschool Prince fans is now more important than ever. I know this sounds arrogant, conceited and a bit cheesy but it´s us oldschool orgers( and that definitely includes you, SquirrelMeat) who will , in some way, preserve his legacy by answering questions for newbies, discussing the man and his music, share memories , etc. etc.

I totally agree.

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

Good points, but I think you all have to realise, our personas here on the org are not our life 24 hours a day. It was easy to talk about Prince and other stars we liked when we were teenagers, but most of us are grown ass adults with lives, jobs and families. I have a new course starting next week and that's gonna occupy most of my time. I also have a lot of hobby based commitments and are the housekeeper of my home. After this I have to go and buy the groceries for the week.

.

What else, I collect other things and have interests outside Prince. A lot of my net time is non Prince related, so the role Prince takes in my life now in his death is not changed from when he was alive. My whole life does not stop for Prince or any other celebrity. Also I live in New Zealand and everything is topsy turvy here, climate, time zones and language, most people in this country do not know who Prince is beyond being the Prince of what, or at the most "Oh he made Purple Rain, he's gay isn't he - homophobia reigns in this shit hole country". Of course the hardcore fans like Lust are not included in that argument.

.

So yeah it won't change much and may even decline, Adorecream videos has nearly closed down with only one video every month now and probably not another one until a new album emerges.

SquirrelMeat said:

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

That is incredible, thanks for sharing it with us.

anangellooksdown said:

I completely identify. Although you can tell by my screenname I'm a "newbie", I'm really not in my heart. There must be some reason that over 30+ years of moving from apartment to apartment I dragged my PR album with me after I let almost all the others go. Anyway without defending my newbie status any further let me say a few things: I'm glad you said it's not a goodbye. It's just a change. Everything changes except for God and we have to accept that. Watch Prince's closest friends like damaris Lewis and even Sheila e sometimes as examples. They bravely and strongly say that Prince would want them to move on and enjoy each day to its fullest. This is NOT easy. Nor is it supposed to be. Life is full of challenges and growth. Trust that Prince is with God now and he likes where he is. He lived a remarkable life. We're all going to die. He knows we love him and he'll be there waiting for us, somehow, in some way, however that looks. He's okay. So it's something about separating the sadness and past from the present and being grateful, enjoying his legacy and music, etc...living our lives and growing...something like that. I feel depressed when I listen to his old stuff sometimes and I don't think he'd mind that. He was all about the present. It kept him young! No stress. So I understand what you mean about there being no new music. What I do is really study his recent life (since about 2013) and go deeper and deeper into that music. The great thing about Prince's music is it grows on you! I also find it interesting that you mention life problems, family problems etc. I am also going through a rough time personally (lots of fear and stress). Those issues can exacerbate the pain and sadness of someone's death. Prince's death makes us all feel our (what's the word I'm looking for? Our human limitations and the fact that we'll die someday too). What I'm saying is a lot of my extreme grief (which has surprised me!) is about me and my current circumstances and my fears. It's okay, it's human. This is a learning experience. But Prince's example (especially his spiritual example - no, he was not without human trials and tribulations - but he grew a LOT spiritually) has helped me rely on God more too, and be trusting, calm, etc. Prince never let fear stop him. He always knew his Creator was God. There's something to be said for being in an obsession too. I hear you. Being here every day and taking my focus off my life...it's a distraction. There's a balance somewhere...lets find it together. Darned iPhone typos!!! [Edited 7/6/16 16:57pm]

I never mean 'newbie' in a derogatory way. I've said on here many times, someone with one album that aches with passion for the music is just as worthy as someone who strokes their Madhouse CD's.

Lucky for me, I do both

I haven't the foggiest idea. I've never been to this place before. I'll figure out something. I do listen to other artist, I've enjoyed other artist concerts. But this thing, there ain't no way in hell it's happening for me again, because that's how things work sometimes. I enjoyed it while it lasted, now it's changed and I'll change and find joy in other things. So is life.

SquirrelMeat said:

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

THANK U so much for posting this. Very heartfelt and cool.

For me the soundtrack has not faded but it is different. Part of my enjoyment now is talking about his music to new and old fans. Unlike some other artists I still feel like I have new music to discover with Prince. In no way do I feel like I have heard everything. I am especially enjoying many of the fan shot live performances on YT now. I also have the online museum to enjoy. Many of those sites I have not seen since they were live. The music is still there for me even if he is not.

casuals need to move on....

i guess going forward i'll listen to other music (as i've always done) and visit this website for different reasons, but i'll still visit. there will be new releases coming up, and projects by proteges

It is a "soundtrack" that I will NEVER get tired of...

luvsexy4all said:

casuals need to move on....

Buddy, you, nor anyone, get to dictate that. Stay in ya lane.

KoolEaze said:

I think the online presence of us oldschool Prince fans is now more important than ever. I know this sounds arrogant, conceited and a bit cheesy but it´s us oldschool orgers( and that definitely includes you, SquirrelMeat) who will , in some way, preserve his legacy by answering questions for newbies, discussing the man and his music, share memories , etc. etc.

Totally agree!!

I love learning from "Prince scholars". I love being a Prince scholar. I love discussing/debating/arguing with you guys cause not many in my real world care about the trivia or minutae of Prince world enough to have these discussions.

I will admit, there's only so many times one can discuss trimming Emancipation down to one disc before it becomes tiresome, but, how many more unknown songs might we learn about (like we just did with Mobb Deep) and where else might we learn about them other than here?

I can't move on or letitgo. I've always been obsessive about Prince's music anyway, I'm happy to help keep this community alive. You guys are my kind of people!!

SquirrelMeat said:

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

What a wonderful tribute! Thank you for sharing your heart. I hope that making it was in some way cathartic for you.

SquirrelMeat said:

Hey all, I’m not sure where I stand on all the stages of loss type stuff, all I know is, it feels like it might be time to move on, or at least, let go. After I went to see Purple Rain on June 7 and then the Tribute of Prince night in London, it started to feel…over.

For me, it’s been a 32-year blast. Hundreds of gigs, thousands of songs and conversations. I never went off the music. Songs in 2015 were as part of my life as ones in 1985. But until now, everything was the present, not wallowing in retrospect.

I don’t mean giving up on being a Prince fan. I’ll buy every note of vault music when it finally gets released, but it will never be new music. It will never set markers in my life as it carries on. I've had a lot going on recently, from family illness, to job changes, to child dramas. Usually I have a Prince album to accompany me on the journey, but no more.

I’m not suggesting a goodbye, but it might be healthy to explore other things, other experiences for a while. At the moment, I still check the org every day. Habit. Always looking out for the next surprise Prince gig, like I have done since it started; or even further back when some of us were the PPML, or AMP, or the Controversy hotline. Prince was like a perpetual hunt for sound and sight.

Anybody else felt like moving on? Not moving on from being a fan, but moving on with life. Some of the longest fans seem quiet of late. Have they moved on already, or retreated for a while? Maybe I should just retire SquirrelMeat, take a break and come back with a different account, asking all the newbie questions that can drive the old timers mad?

How are you feeling? Like you could never bail? Time to assess? When does living an online life in a forum to a dead pop star (and I hate the term 'dead') become unhealthy or obssessive? Or are we more than that? A legacy? A community?

I always explored other things. Prince IS by far my favorite, but I have a lot of other musical loves and many other interests I've pursued.

If Prince was the soundtrack of your life (speaking generally, not specifically to you), he ALWAYS will be, at least for that period; for many of us, that's 30+ years, no matter that he is now gone. No movie soundtrack was ever later changed because the actors died or the director died or the producer died. The original soundtrack is ALWAYS the original soundtrack. There's no fading soundtrack, unless your memory fades.

Regularly using an online forum, whether the subject is living or dead, is not strange at all. I would bet over 50% of the discussions on Prince.org were about aged works (80s to 90s), and that will probably only increase.

Now moving beyond [unhealthy, obsessive] grief is a different matter all together. Per what I read on hear, fairly frequently, I hope some people speak to a real [grief] professional, because some people seem to be in a very "concerning" state of mind. IMHO.

[Edited 7/7/16 4:31am]

Provided the Estate is managed properly, there's no reason we can't thrive as a community.

I was active on a Tupac fan board in the late 90's and early 00's. For a few years, his Estate did a good job and the community thrived. Unreleased songs leaked left and right. Then, around 2005-6 it all fell apart. Terrible decisions were made such as having Eminem remix a whole bunch of unreleased songs, and he ruined them.

Then legal matters tied up the Estate, problems with Interscope, Death Row Records, and more. At this juncture, there hasn't been a proper Tupac album release for 10 years and the community suffers for it.

Similar thing with MJ - terrible decisions by the Estate (like releasing fake songs sung by an imposter) tore apart the community.

This is why what happens now with the Estate is so important. It sets the tone for everything that's to come. And believe me - there's a LOT to come.

SquirrelMeat said:

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

SM you've made me cry. That was beautiful and thank you for sharing. Agree with pdiddy2011.

SquirrelMeat said:

My 10 year old twin boys asked me the other day why I like Prince so much. I explained to them that certain music, at certain points becomes a part of your life, because lyrically, and timing wise, it can have a greater effect on you than the music itself.

I'm not sure they got it, so I made them a quick montage of prince pictures, based on a song that resonates with my personal journey. I think they then understood. (mods, it doesn't use Prince music or video, and only uses images already on here, be it my favourite ones).

Lovely video. Thanks for sharing.

I have a nine year old and younger twins. My children are very used to singing along with Prince in my car and the Ramones in my husband's car. I feel sad that they'll never get to see either live & loud, but I do hope they'll grow up with happy memories of waving our arms to Purple Rain and or shouting 'one mo' jam' or 'New Power....Slide' etc...

I accept that there are times that they're a bit perplexed by me liking a man that wore just his pants or wore make up, but they are just too young to understand the bigger picture. What they do understand is that music has been a major part of mine and my husband's life and that, one day, music will have a profound effect on them too. I see no reason to stop playing the music in the car just because Prince is dead, in fact, even the more reason to keep it alive.

I used to have a friend who was an author and I asked her why she loved writing so much (she only stopped writing at about the age of 92), she answered by saying that it's one of the few jobs that can allow you to communicate with the world even after your death. I believe music does the same.

There are many artists that I love but who I never knew as living bodies (Hendrix etc...), that doesn't make their music any less important to me, why should it? I know I'll never get to see them live but it doesn't mean their music doesn't count. I see different things in Prince's music now, nuances that I never noticed before and new meanings. I'm also re-visiting some of the music that I didn't like so much and have found some new respect for it. I'm actually looking forward to the next stage, whatever it might hold.

I think moving on to new obsessions could happen if something worth obsessing about enters one's perception. You can't predict what might catch your attention in the future. But it's really difficult to process the loss of a creative hero that was always putting out something. It seems impossible that something could come along that could get your attention in the same way.

Like you said, I will collect anything vault material that comes out. But I'm feeling a bit lost, and my world seems more boring.

I do wonder if a little break from listening to his music or watching his videos would be healthy to help myself deal.

All of this has made me feel old.

ufoclub said:

I listen to (and love) music by Mozart and Beethoven and Debussy and Rachmaninoff and Copland and Cole Porter and the Gershwins all the time - and most of them were dead long before I was even born. Why in the world would I ever "move on" from Prince, with whom I shared the same time and geographical space growing up - and actually saw perform? There's just no need for that.

Prince created the soundtrack for my life ever my first encounter with his music back in 1979. For almost everything that happend in my life or I made happen, he released or had released a song fitting it...

Since his passing, there is a silence in my heart and soul where there used to be his music/groove (not literally but that's how it felt and now not feels).

I can listen to his music and watch videos, still the silence and emptiness is very present... The rhythm in my life has gone.

Like ufoclub said, maybe I should stop listening to his music for a while...

[edit: it's not that I don't listen to other music - they just don't touch me as Prince did (does?). Also there is more in my life than Prince, and that all is still here - somehow I don't feel,enjoy,see it the way I did before April 21, 2016].

[Edited 7/7/16 8:00am]

What does 'move on' really mean? i've tried but there's always something that pulls me back in. I'd just have to stay off the computer totally for a while to lessen the pain, But I'm not going to do that. Who's it hurting?

KoolEaze said:

I think the online presence of us oldschool Prince fans is now more important than ever. I know this sounds arrogant, conceited and a bit cheesy but it´s us oldschool orgers( and that definitely includes you, SquirrelMeat) who will , in some way, preserve his legacy by answering questions for newbies, discussing the man and his music, share memories , etc. etc.

After Prince passed away my brother thanked me for taking him to several concerts, telling me how he will always cherish those memories. I mean, in the future, it´s us who can say that they saw him at this or that concert, during this or that phase.

Prince continues to be amazing, mysterious, fascinating..even long after his death. And his spirit will live on but it´s also up to us, to some extent.

In my opinion, the fact that he´s become eternal gives me a little bit of solace.

Agree thoroughly! All discussions should continue on every level. For me, at least, it keeps him "alive"...until I'm ready to let him go. It took a long time for me to let go of MJ. I listened to everything, bought everthing I didnt already have, read everything saw every documentary, show, discussion. Then one day I didnt need to listen to that CD or read that article anymore. In thinking about it I'm not sure I want that to happen with PRN. I feel like I want to hold on to him for a long, long time. You vets help.