OperatingThetan said:

Prince wasn't simply an 'addict' for kicks. He was in immense pain and medicating for it. Whether he always made the wisest decisions with his health care is debateable, but Prince was far from being a 'junkie'. The only aspect that's changed for me is that Prince became humanised. And I have greater admiration for how he continued to create and perform in such difficult circumstances.

Exactly!

yes actually: I never really thought of him as lonely but now I notice many references to being alone and lonely in his music... I think somehow he never was able to make the connection he needed to be complete.

OperatingThetan said:

Prince wasn't simply an 'addict' for kicks. He was in immense pain and medicating for it. Whether he always made the wisest decisions with his health care is debateable, but Prince was far from being a 'junkie'. The only aspect that's changed for me is that Prince became humanised. And I have greater admiration for how he continued to create and perform in such difficult circumstances.

there is a difference between being a junkie or addicted or dependant... and doing something to get high vs doing something to function. That is the danger of those drugs. you need them and they become addictive.

I think Prince's fatal mistake was not being more open about it, he hid it... he did not want a prescription in his name. So he got creative. It seems clear that someone close to him got the pills off some dealer and they were not what he thought they were. And it happened twice. But he was in pain and he needed relief.

I believe he took them for pain and nothing else.

RodeoSchro said:

I hardly think that one day Prince thought, "Hey, you know what would be cool? Being addicted to opiods! That's what I'm going to do!"

I don't hold his addiction against him. I am 100% positive it wasn't what he intended for himself.

My view has never changed. There was enough information out there to know the temperment of our dear Prince. I was not surprised by the information that has come out since his death. If we really took the time to look at his life and his work, nothing really should have come as a surprise except for how much pain he was in, and the measures he took to relieve that pain. I believe the overall perception of Prince in the world of music has skyrocketed. We knew he was prolific, but my god!!! The extent is unimaginable now. To be able to release an album every year for the next 100 years posthumous is unthinkable, but here we are with that reality smack dab in our face. How the public views Prince now....I can't answer that. For me, I love him just as much as I did when he was alive, but the level and depth of his influence is so much more realized. For those who choose to focus on the negative, I'm sorry for them. This journey of grief and acceptance for me has only enhanced the love I have for our Prince.

Happy Holidays, fam.

He was addicted, he LIED to us about his drug addiction, as great as his shows were in Auckland, thinking back Prince looked out of it on the second show.

.

Also the emergency landing in Moline was to have his stomach puped of illegal and dangerous drugs, Prince LIED ro us telling us it was a flu. Flu my ass. Prince was showing one the most classic signs of an addict - Lying to cover up his addiction to DRUGS.

.

MAKE HUGS NOT DRUGS, Hippies, Stoners and other Junkies, don't bother me with how bigotted I am, I know and I don't care, I am claiming the right to free speech, so [Flame snip - luv4u] - go back to your mind altering substances

I like to get high on dangerous cannabis and listen to Prince (1977-1989 and 2001-2016). Oops, I guess I'm a loser!

Edited to add:

My view of him has become more positive with the release/leak of all those songs I hadn't heard before/only heard in shitty quality that are so badass!

[Edited 12/19/17 14:12pm]

nothing about him ...but others around him...hell yeh

rogifan said:

Jesus does every thread have to be turned into a drug thread?

A disturbing amount of people here seem to think that anyone who ever uses drugs is a loser and unworthy of respect or humanity. Nancy Reagan shit. I also think some folks feel betrayed on some level becasue they modeled themselves on someone else and, in a sense, worshipped false idols, but that's on them to my eyes.

I don't feel that way and don't pretend to speak for them but that's how they come off when I read what they write. Let down and betrayed for some reason. It's ignorant and misguided but I can understand how they might feel that way.

herb4 said:

rogifan said:

Jesus does every thread have to be turned into a drug thread?

A disturbing amount of people here seem to think that anyone who ever uses drugs is a loser and unworthy of respect or humanity. Nancy Reagan shit. I also think some folks feel betrayed on some level becasue they modeled themselves on someone else and, in a sense, worshipped false idols, but that's on them to my eyes.

I don't feel that way and don't pretend to speak for them but that's how they come off when I read what they write. Let down and betrayed for some reason. It's ignorant and misguided but I can understand how they might feel that way.

not losers ...but hurting in some way

YUP!

morningsong said:

He just became more human, and I love him a bit more. Nope, not going anywhere, stuck for life.

“It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night!!!”

Adorecream said:

He was addicted, he LIED to us about his drug addiction, as great as his shows were in Auckland, thinking back Prince looked out of it on the second show.

.

Also the emergency landing in Moline was to have his stomach puped of illegal and dangerous drugs, Prince LIED ro us telling us it was a flu. Flu my ass. Prince was showing one the most classic signs of an addict - Lying to cover up his addiction to DRUGS.

.

MAKE HUGS NOT DRUGS, Hippies, Stoners and other Junkies, don't bother me with how bigotted I am, I know and I don't care, I am claiming the right to free speech, so [Flame snip - luv4u] - go back to your mind altering substances

Nope. After finally starting to recover from his demise, I find I can start enjoying his music the way I did for 30 years. His passing was just a reminder that he was an imperfect human being like the rest of us and how precious and fragile life (and health!) are. That you'd better treasure it while you have it. Personal losses around the same time just underscored and drove home that message...

rogifan said:

Jesus does every thread have to be turned into a drug thread?

I know right?

Does nothing but keep the wound open...........

luvsexy4all said:

herb4 said:

A disturbing amount of people here seem to think that anyone who ever uses drugs is a loser and unworthy of respect or humanity. Nancy Reagan shit. I also think some folks feel betrayed on some level becasue they modeled themselves on someone else and, in a sense, worshipped false idols, but that's on them to my eyes.

I don't feel that way and don't pretend to speak for them but that's how they come off when I read what they write. Let down and betrayed for some reason. It's ignorant and misguided but I can understand how they might feel that way.

not losers ...but hurting in some way

so human in other words? We all hurt. At least we do if we're paying attention and give a shit about other people.

Before he died he was outside of me, a completely separate beloved. Now it seems like he is inside and a part of me in a different lovely way.

I love him more since he died that I did before he died. I am guilty of taking him for granted. Prior to 4/21/16, I didn't really stop to appreciate him like I do now. I was more interested in following pro sports and keeping up with my demanding job as a special education teacher and the hustle and bustle of daily life. I did not buy CDs on a regular basis and I attended an occasional concert, until he died. Since he died, I have been much more attentive to the popular music landscape. I go to as many concerts for artists that I like as I can afford because I always keep in the back of my mind that I should see as many artists that I like as I can afford because I never saw Prince live. I really didn't have many opportunities to see Prince live either based on where I lived, but I don't take musicians for granted as much since he died. Just as for the rest of us, tomorrow isn't promised for them either.

206Michelle said:

I love him more since he died that I did before he died. I am guilty of taking him for granted. Prior to 4/21/16, I didn't really stop to appreciate him like I do now. I was more interested in following pro sports and keeping up with my demanding job as a special education teacher and the hustle and bustle of daily life. I did not buy CDs on a regular basis and I attended an occasional concert, until he died. Since he died, I have been much more attentive to the popular music landscape. I go to as many concerts for artists that I like as I can afford because I always keep in the back of my mind that I should see as many artists that I like as I can afford because I never saw Prince live. I really didn't have many opportunities to see Prince live either based on where I lived, but I don't take musicians for granted as much since he died. Just as for the rest of us, tomorrow isn't promised for them either.

Yup, a good lesson learned for us all no matter how old we are. In 1997, I went to a Rolling Stones concert thinking that they wouldn't tour or be around for much longer. LOL Well, they are still here (are they immortal or what?!!) but many performers younger than them are not. I "rediscovered" Prince in 2009 (was a huge fan until the mid '90s) after not paying attention to any musicians for about 15 years (the last new Prince album I bought was The Gold Experience when it came out)... Then I heard a song on the radio "Better With Time" that sent me looking for P's music again...and I discovered so much of his music I had never heard which blew me away! I went to every Prince concert I could after that...and took my son along on my purple journeys. I'm so glad we did. I've also seen other artists older than Prince since then who I figure won't be around forever... If you love their music, go see 'em while you can!

if anything, i think way, way higher. a couple weeks ago i was looking at a post i wrote in 2009, saying i would punch him in the face if i saw him, I couldn't believe i wrote that shit but I did. I know why i felt that way but I thought those sentiments, if i had them, were a good five years before that. anyway, all the stories i've heard which were kept secret, all the good things which he kept hidden and even good things which his people never spoke about, it all makes me understand him a lot better. I haven't yet personally accepted that he was just an addict, i think there is a lot more to the story but even if he was, it wouldn't take that much away from my admiration of him, no more than it takes away from the other heroes i lost to drugs. All I can say is I never thought he would go that way.

Adorecream said:

It has

.

I still love the music, but knowing he was a drug addict addicted to illegal and dangerous drugs, I have lost a lot of respect for him as a person. People tell me he was a junkie and sometimes I believe it, why did he have to surround himself with drug toting maggots and take stupid ass drugs.

.

I have always despised drugs and anyone who uses them knowing the risks, but still uses them anyway is a loser in my book.

I know what you mean, i fucking hate druggies, i hate alcohol and i really hate even taking medication when i do. The whole thing about prince and drugs is so far out of everything else i know about the guy, and he was SO different than all the fuckups i've known that i still have a hard time putting it together. I have to say, i still don't think we know the whole story.

My view on Prince did absolutely change. I now realize that all of his work was indeed "work". Before he died I had a childish way of looking at his talent: I thought that all his ideas just magically ended up being songs / albums / videos. Now that I've read Mayte's book, read the stories behind songs, concerts and t.v. appearances I realize how much effort he put in it. I try to live my own life differently now, I try to be all that I can be, it's not easy.

About the pain killers: I can imagine he rather took some more pills and make some music than try to fix his dependence on it. His priorities: 1) Music 2) Evertything else. Let's just be happy that he was here.

It has. After he died I became infatuated with him, and started to miss him everyday. Feels like a friend of mine died on april 21st, 2016, even though we never met. Miss him more than other people I actually knew that died, very strange.

The biggest change for me was to realize how tragic his life truly was. There was no amount of fame or riches that could eliminate the feelings caused when he became collateral damage of his parents' relationship, and at a young age he built a wall around himself that no one could ever penetrate. He had no real love in his life, and to apparently everyone he was a cash register in one form or another. I feel so sad for him. So very sorry he had no one and nothing.

[Name calling snip - luv4u]

Adorecream said:

It has

.

I still love the music, but knowing he was a drug addict addicted to illegal and dangerous drugs, I have lost a lot of respect for him as a person. People tell me he was a junkie and sometimes I believe it, why did he have to surround himself with drug toting maggots and take stupid ass drugs.

.

I have always despised drugs and anyone who uses them knowing the risks, but still uses them anyway is a loser in my book.

I rest my case.

Adorecream said:

He was addicted, he LIED to us about his drug addiction, as great as his shows were in Auckland, thinking back Prince looked out of it on the second show.

.

Also the emergency landing in Moline was to have his stomach puped of illegal and dangerous drugs, Prince LIED ro us telling us it was a flu. Flu my ass. Prince was showing one the most classic signs of an addict - Lying to cover up his addiction to DRUGS.

.

MAKE HUGS NOT DRUGS, Hippies, Stoners and other Junkies, don't bother me with how bigotted I am, I know and I don't care, I am claiming the right to free speech, so [Flame snip - luv4u] - go back to your mind altering substances

This is interesting coming from Housequake. Long before I joined Prince.org I was a member of Housequake and loved it. Not to generalize, but I always saw Housequake as much more positive and friendly as opposed to Prince.org. I only joined Prince.org after Housequake closed. Since I don't do Facebook, I haven't gone to Housequake much since it reopened. That being said, while I'm surprised at such a topic on Housequake, after I checked the threads, I was glad to see that their discussion has remained mostly civil and positive like it was in the past. Honestly, I miss being a member of Housequake, but, again, I don't do Facebook, and, despite loads of negativity, this is still the best place for Prince info. Besides, what would I do without Bart in my life? :^)

i can't blame the drug haters, when you've known so many people who use them, knowing full well what they do, it kind of gets a little old. I say that having a family full of alcoholics and have had many friends and associates use drugs. it warps people, it actually warps them, their thinking, their lives, their ability to survive. I don't have patience for it anymore myself. as a musician, i work alone because it's so pervasive, my best advice to some of these other musicians i've met would have been "don't come my way, go to rehab". I can't fix that and I don't have time for it.

1Sasha said:

The biggest change for me was to realize how tragic his life truly was. There was no amount of fame or riches that could eliminate the feelings caused when he became collateral damage of his parents' relationship, and at a young age he built a wall around himself that no one could ever penetrate. He had no real love in his life, and to apparently everyone he was a cash register in one form or another. I feel so sad for him. So very sorry he had no one and nothing.

You know, I am really tired of hearing this from you. It's very negative. Everyone has problems, ups and downs. Many of us are not from a postcard family. Are you a child of divorce? What is the deal? So much projection.