A good read, lots of interesting stuff!

[Edited 12/12/16 12:35pm]

jaawwnn said:

I wonder which people they found to be dishonest about their association with Prince? I respect that they kept quiet and I do think they loved Prince (loved the fact that he had been talking to them relatively recently).

But who did they think was being dishonest about their connection to Prince? Many of the following people talked to Prince within the last couple years as well.

That GQ article seemed pretty honest for the most part. Stevie Wonder, Van Jones (who cried), tamron Hall (who took off two weeks of work and used to get calls from Prince), Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Dez Dickerson, Alan Leeds, Eric Leeds, Andre Cymone, Sheila E., karlan Neal, and Damaris Lewis all spoke relatively quickly after his death on tv. Did any of them have anything to gain from their associations with Prince (anymore than the Revolution did?) Lewis, Sheila,Dickerson,and Cymone all might have something to gain but do they not have a right to speak about him? (The Revolution's announcement of a reunion tour two days after his death could be seen as exploitation just as selling t-shirts could) And they do claim that their situation was more of a band than subsequent "bands".. I They, unlike some of his associates, did interviews about him for books etc before he died. They bragged about their contributions. They did some of the same things. Nobody wants to believe they are exploiting a friend after he dies even though maybe most of his associates are to some extent or another (some with more honesty and kindness than others presumably) guilty of that very thing.. So, to stem off guilt, they project the blame onto others. It is human nature at times to exploit one's loss for attention? Anytime a writer spends words on examining the loss of a parent for their art/work, they are doing that very thing. Just some thoughts. Perhaps, they shouldn't judge others reactions to Prince or make assumptions. There are some associates who seem subject (Nik West...for example, and that one bitch he briefly dated who called him a cocaine addict) but the rest it is hard to tell.

I also wonder what Wendy thinks about P's Piano and a Microphone tour (in terms of his piano playing). I agree that he is not as good as Lisa on the piano (she is very gifted, but his piano playing had certainly improved by the last years of his life (enough to carry a whole concert by himself.) However, I must say that I really think it is his singing that impresses me the most in those audio clips from the P and M tour (the piano is certainly not my main focus although he is certainly proficient). So, I guess I kind of see her point.

[Edited 12/12/16 14:44pm]

[Edited 12/12/16 15:06pm]

[Edited 12/12/16 15:11pm]

[Edited 12/12/16 15:24pm]

Awesome read

rogifan said:

nice read. i'm glad that bobby seems to be taking the lead more. i've grown tired of wendy trying to steer the convo all the time. it's also nice to hear from mark, "the silent one" during the 80s.

purplerabbithole said:

There are some associates who seem subject (Nik West...for example, and that one bitch he briefly dated who called him a cocaine addict) but the rest it is hard to tell.

What did Nik West do?

[Edited 12/12/16 20:29pm]

purplerabbithole said:

I wonder which people they found to be dishonest about their association with Prince? I respect that they kept quiet and I do think they loved Prince (loved the fact that he had been talking to them relatively recently).

But who did they think was being dishonest about their connection to Prince? Many of the following people talked to Prince within the last couple years as well.

That GQ article seemed pretty honest for the most part. Stevie Wonder, Van Jones (who cried), tamron Hall (who took off two weeks of work and used to get calls from Prince), Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Dez Dickerson, Alan Leeds, Eric Leeds, Andre Cymone, Sheila E., karlan Neal, and Damaris Lewis all spoke relatively quickly after his death on tv. Did any of them have anything to gain from their associations with Prince (anymore than the Revolution did?) Lewis, Sheila,Dickerson,and Cymone all might have something to gain but do they not have a right to speak about him? (The Revolution's announcement of a reunion tour two days after his death could be seen as exploitation just as selling t-shirts could) And they do claim that their situation was more of a band than subsequent "bands".. I They, unlike some of his associates, did interviews about him for books etc before he died. They bragged about their contributions. They did some of the same things. Nobody wants to believe they are exploiting a friend after he dies even though maybe most of his associates are to some extent or another (some with more honesty and kindness than others presumably) guilty of that very thing.. So, to stem off guilt, they project the blame onto others. It is human nature at times to exploit one's loss for attention? Anytime a writer spends words on examining the loss of a parent for their art/work, they are doing that very thing. Just some thoughts. Perhaps, they shouldn't judge others reactions to Prince or make assumptions. There are some associates who seem subject (Nik West...for example, and that one bitch he briefly dated who called him a cocaine addict) but the rest it is hard to tell.

BrownMark specifies:

Mark: To say he was a drug addict and all that kind of stuff, it just pissed me off. He was hurting, he was in pain [from hip surgery], he was in pain. He made a couple of mistakes, like any of us.

So I presume he was talking about the drug dealer guys and the like rather than ex band members who would know what they were talking about. As he says: you can tell when something’s real and when something’s just [someone seizing] an opportunity which means he didn't think everyone interviewed was being dishonest.

jaawwnn said:

spends words on.

BrownMark specifies:

Mark: To say he was a drug addict and all that kind of stuff, it just pissed me off. He was hurting, he was in pain [from hip surgery], he was in pain. He made a couple of mistakes, like any of us.

So I presume he was talking about the drug dealer guys and the like rather than ex band members who would know what they were talking about. As he says: you can tell when something’s real and when something’s just [someone seizing] an opportunity which means he didn't think everyone interviewed was being dishonest.

yes but who of those early people said he was a drug addict?

She said something about him being her best friend but when asked if he had any surviving family members, she said "sister and maybe his mom"...Come on, a 'best' friend would know his mom was dead. She talked the very day of his death as well. I am not saying she was lying about him, just exagerrating her association.

FlyOnTheWall said:

What did Nik West do?

[Edited 12/12/16 20:29pm]

wavesofbliss said:

jaawwnn said:

spends words on.

BrownMark specifies:

Mark: To say he was a drug addict and all that kind of stuff, it just pissed me off. He was hurting, he was in pain [from hip surgery], he was in pain. He made a couple of mistakes, like any of us.

So I presume he was talking about the drug dealer guys and the like rather than ex band members who would know what they were talking about. As he says: you can tell when something’s real and when something’s just [someone seizing] an opportunity which means he didn't think everyone interviewed was being dishonest.

yes but who of those early people said he was a drug addict?

None that I know of.

Well, Gene Simmons and maybe Sinead O'Connor and an anonymous-probably-made-up drug dealer in the Daily Mail.

But even back then people were defending Prince over a general vibe in the air that he was a drug addict, the same kind of thing Mark is talking about. I don't read it as a cryptic accusation on Mark's part, just him airing his frustration.

dance4me3121 said:

Thank u so much for posting and sharing this article.I really enjoyed it.Prince was awesome.I love the parts about prince calling at 3 am

wavesofbliss said:

purplerabbithole said:

She said something about him being her best friend but when asked if he had any surviving family members, she said "sister and maybe his mom"...Come on, a 'best' friend would know his mom was dead. She talked the very day of his death as well. I am not saying she was lying about him, just exagerrating her association.

FlyOnTheWall said:

What did Nik West do?

[Edited 12/12/16 20:29pm]

Okay. But, surely, she doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence, or paragraph, even, as "that one bitch he briefly dated who called him a cocaine addict." And, on the day of his passing, she was probably just so stunned that she spoke without giving it much thought. She's young, still in her early to mid-twenties, and she did spend time with him, including a stint in the NPG. Perhaps she did consider him her "best friend." Come to think of it, I think I might have even seen an interview where she spoke of him in such terms while he was still alive. Whatever the case, I'm sure Prince would not hold her statement against her.

.

Surprisingly, I don't think I've seen Sheila mentioned once in this thread speculating about whom Brown Mark and The Revolution were speaking. Hasn't she been all over the media from Hour 1 of Prince's passing, even creating and hawking a line of T-shirts with Prince's love symbol? And, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just saying...

[Edited 12/13/16 3:11am]

I just found this sweet interview that she did on Fox News on April 21. I don't think she referred to him as her "best friend" therein.

.

Prince's bass player: He ...erous guy'

.

She referred to him as her "best friend" in an updated caption on a clip on her YouTube channel performing the first few seconds of "Head," which she initially posted, with Prince's permission, in February, while he was still alive.

.

[Edited 12/13/16 3:09am]

jdcxc said:

It's interesting how all his associates try to carve out there specific place in his orbit. The truth is that without Prince there is no Wendy, Lisa, Sheila E, Morris Day...as we know them.

You must've been reading a completely different interview.

.

.

anotherfan said:

Their love and respect for him is palpable. It is refreshing.

Exactly.

overall a lovely article just hate the constant narrative from them that only they had a special place in the purple kingdom & all bands who followed were not as good. As true as that may be I find it bitchy & disrespectful [moreso Wendy] on their part as many many band members that followed were exceptional .

Likewise all the lovely comments lead to the concluding mention re a tour...i mean FFS can anyone connected just say something nnice & from the heart without trying to promote stuff off the back of his death?

jaawwnn said:

purplerabbithole said:

I wonder which people they found to be dishonest about their association with Prince? I respect that they kept quiet and I do think they loved Prince (loved the fact that he had been talking to them relatively recently).

But who did they think was being dishonest about their connection to Prince? Many of the following people talked to Prince within the last couple years as well.

That GQ article seemed pretty honest for the most part. Stevie Wonder, Van Jones (who cried), tamron Hall (who took off two weeks of work and used to get calls from Prince), Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Dez Dickerson, Alan Leeds, Eric Leeds, Andre Cymone, Sheila E., karlan Neal, and Damaris Lewis all spoke relatively quickly after his death on tv. Did any of them have anything to gain from their associations with Prince (anymore than the Revolution did?) Lewis, Sheila,Dickerson,and Cymone all might have something to gain but do they not have a right to speak about him? (The Revolution's announcement of a reunion tour two days after his death could be seen as exploitation just as selling t-shirts could) And they do claim that their situation was more of a band than subsequent "bands".. I They, unlike some of his associates, did interviews about him for books etc before he died. They bragged about their contributions. They did some of the same things. Nobody wants to believe they are exploiting a friend after he dies even though maybe most of his associates are to some extent or another (some with more honesty and kindness than others presumably) guilty of that very thing.. So, to stem off guilt, they project the blame onto others. It is human nature at times to exploit one's loss for attention? Anytime a writer spends words on examining the loss of a parent for their art/work, they are doing that very thing. Just some thoughts. Perhaps, they shouldn't judge others reactions to Prince or make assumptions. There are some associates who seem subject (Nik West...for example, and that one bitch he briefly dated who called him a cocaine addict) but the rest it is hard to tell.

BrownMark specifies:

Mark: To say he was a drug addict and all that kind of stuff, it just pissed me off. He was hurting, he was in pain [from hip surgery], he was in pain. He made a couple of mistakes, like any of us.

So I presume he was talking about the drug dealer guys and the like rather than ex band members who would know what they were talking about. As he says: you can tell when something’s real and when something’s just [someone seizing] an opportunity which means he didn't think everyone interviewed was being dishonest.

Where are you getting that from. He is saying some people are being dishonest. Dude made mistakes but know one who really knew him has said anything about him being a recreational drug user. I also wish some fans would take the joint pain stituation seriously. This is a medical issues that in all reality was never going to go away.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

journalism16 said:

jdcxc said:

It's interesting how all his associates try to carve out there specific place in his orbit. The truth is that without Prince there is no Wendy, Lisa, Sheila E, Morris Day...as we know them.

What article are U reading?

I don't think these have to carve out there specific place. It's etched in stone.

NouveauDance said: