26 years ago today I went to my first Paisley Park party. Prince had just done an impromptu show at Glam Slam for $8. It was a preview of sorts for the D&P Tour. I had not been in Minnesota that long. After Glam Slam closed that night I felt the urge to drive out by Paisley Park.

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When I got there the parking lot was full of cars and you could hear the building rumble from loud music. I parked and this car full of young women parked next to me. My friend rolled down the window and asked one of them what was going on. She said Prince was having a party. We asked if you had to be invited and she was like you can come in with me, I'm dating him. We were like, yeah right. So we follow them to the door and a big security guard is standing there and the girls start going in and the one says we're with her.

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I AM STANDING IN PAISLEY PARK FOR A FUCKING PARTY HOSTED BY PRINCE!

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Like every other Prince fan that had made it to Paisley Park during those years, I had been inside the Paisley Park lobby before asking if they do tours, knowing full well that they did not. All the lights were down low and the colored lights behind the pillars in the atrium were on. The sofas that were normally in the atrium had been pushed back against the walls. There was a DJ booth set up in front of the now D&P room and massive speakers on each side. The atrium was full of people and there was a cash bar set up. I go into the kitchen area and there is catered food and Terence Trent D'Arby is sitting at a table. Carmen Electra is dancing on the dance floor (the tiled area of the atrium). The NPG are mingling in the crowd. I'm looking everywhere for Prince.

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My friend and I are standing up against a wall and the elevator door opens and lights up the room and out walks Prince. I could have died. He had on the same outfit he wore in the Insatiable video, the sleeveless/backless one. He walks around and we nonchalantly walk towards him and I said, "Hi Prince!" He says, "Hi!" He gets on the dance floor and starts dancing. With who? The girl who had invited us to go in with her.

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We're listening to the music and I can tell it's Prince's voice, but I don't know the songs. I'm hearing, "My Name Is Prince and I am funky", something about a "Sexy Mother Fucker", "I am the Continental, I am the main thing", "Damn U". Mind you, this is January 1992 and D&P had just came out a couple months earlier. I know now that I was hearing songs from Prince's next album .

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All of the sudden people start herding down a hallway, so of course we follow. We end up in a large room with mirrors and a stage is set up (Studio C, the now Purple Rain room). Prince is playing bass. A stripped version of the NPG are backing. Mainly just jamming. Terence picks up a guitar and noodles around. Prince is giving him the eye. He slowly puts it down and disappears into the crowd.

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It's about 5am. The night is over. My life will never be the same. A dream had come true, with many more to follow.

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Two weeks later, I would be in the Soundstage for a Superbowl afterparty and a full blown D&P show, courtesy of a Glam Slam employee who had to work and couldn't make it out there. Some footage of that show can be seen in the Nothing Compares 2 U video.

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RIP Prince

Such a funktastic story.

Did you ever figure out who the girl was?

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

Such a funktastic story.

Did you ever figure out who the girl was?

I second this! What an awesome story and I wonder who the girl was too!!!

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

Such a funktastic story.

Did you ever figure out who the girl was?

She was just one in a long list of no name women he would have around over the years.

What an awesome experience to have had! Thank you for sharing it.

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I've been around P.org for a long, long time and I've read so many of your posts, motherfunka. I'd give anything to have experienced all the Paisley and Prince-related things you've seen and heard and experienced - you are one blessed man indeed. Thanks again for letting everyone here live vicariously through you and your eyes and ears. I've just always wanted to tell you that

LilaLiebe said:

What an awesome experience to have had! Thank you for sharing it.

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I've been around P.org for a long, long time and I've read so many of your posts, motherfunka. I'd give anything to have experienced all the Paisley and Prince-related things you've seen and heard and experienced - you are one blessed man indeed. Thanks again for letting everyone here live vicariously through you and your eyes and ears. I've just always wanted to tell you that

Thanks! I do feel blessed. It gives me joy to share these stories and I'm glad you enjoy them.