OK, here goes.....

For those not aware, Sheila E was sexually abused when she was very very young. I saw her in a concert in the park type setting a few years ago and she spoke openly about that fact and the concert was to raise money for her foundation and to raise awareness on the issue.

So my question is this:

Considering her past, how does she feel about making sexually charged music with Prince?

For example, Toy Box:

"Sister's Got a place she goes whenever she's lonely, it's so much fun
Brother cries whenever he is lonely and he's lonely cuz he hasn't won

But that's cool cuz sister's got a place she goes whenever she's lonely
She's got a toy box

Love it comes so easy when the children open doors doesn't matter who knocks.

Coming from Prince, it wouldn't be surprising if Sister/Brother is literal since he's sung about incenst before. The reference to "children" only makes the song more explicit. I don't think anyone believes Prince is promoting pedophelia or anything like that but more the free spiritedness of youth.

So I would like to know if this past music brought her any sense of shame, guilt or grief. If so, how did she work through that and was her musical past with Prince part of her recovery in her therapy?

What was the complete track list for the 1st configuration of her self-titled 1987 album:

Sheila E (21 October 1986)
Track list unknown but includes: One Day (I’m Gonna Make You Mine), Boy’s Club & Love On A Blue Train

If you are familar with the "Sheila E." 1987 album, ask her about that. It's my favorite by her and I was wondering what she thought about it. It was a more full album than the prior two by showing a lot of range. Was she more invovled with the writing process, or was it a lot of Prince again.
[Edited 3/30/09 11:40am]

Ask her what the title was for her fourth album from Paisley Park:

Sheila E: ? (1989)
3 Nigs Watching A Kung Fu Movie
It’s A Hard Life
Chicken Legs
Knucklehead
Latino Barbie Doll
Soul Company
Day After Day
Girl Power (6:35)
The Ghetto - written by Don Hathaway
Scarlet Pussy (6:09)

...and why it wasn't released.

Then ask her for a copy and share it with me.

I would like to hear about songs like

Shortberry Strawcake

Noon Rendezvous

Dear Michaelangel

Sister Fate
possibly being played life with Prince like Glamorous Life & A Love Bizarre

On her Sex Cymbal album she starts out laughing at The Glamorous Life. Now she's performing it with Prince again. How does she feel about that?
[Edited 3/30/09 11:58am]

Dred said:

Cool, I joined Twitter (finally) and requested to follow her. I hope she approves me


OK I am dumb. I just logged onto to Twitter and i was added. I guess I thought I'd get alerts or something. I rpobably have to add my cell phone to it.

Carry on
[Edited 3/30/09 20:55pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I think she's actually addressed this in interviews already.

From what I have read and understand (so major caveat there).....
she says she had a pretty major life change when she was sick/in the hospital with the punctured lung. In short, she found religion/faith and joined a Christian church (possibly one her friend/backup singer told her about?)

She found "healing" both physically and spiritually and if you go to her website she has a section on "ministry".

So the sexually charged stuff was during a different phase of her life. and i'm sure it was all Prince's idea anyway!

She has also said she regrets some of the things from back then, but I think she referred specifically to being "obnoxious" or rude to certain people (to whom she says she has since apologized)..... I don't remember her ever saying she regretted doing any songs, or anything like that though (as Denise Matthews AKA Vanity has).

Hope that answers that somewhat.

scififilmnerd said:

PLEEEEEZE ask her this question.
Also - if Prince really believes all that nonsense about "owning your own masters" then does Sheila E own the masters to HER music? (such as THIS never-released album that we are all itching to own????)

OK, for my real question;

(I would be eternally grateful if you could ask her this one;)

COMING FROM someone who was a young, hispanic teen at a time (80's) when latin music was nowhere NEAR "mainstream", who enjoyed rock, disco, funk AND salsa, and who embraced "The Glamorous Life" & "Love Bizarre" as personally tailored for ME, (and even used Sheila E. as a platform to introduce Celia Cruz & Tito Puente to my friends);

I would like to know how deep her Latin roots go. We all are amazed by the complexity of her talent - from Funk to Salsa to Gospel to Country(!!!). However, considering her collaborations with the likes of Tito Puente (Latina Familia was incredible) and Gloria Estefan (twice no?) - how deeply ingrained is Latin music in the everyday world of Sheila E.??? And more importantly, is there even a consideration for a "Latin" album in the future? Latin as in straight Salsa, Rhumba, Guaguanco, Son, Cumbia, etc.

If we beg even???


Thanks.

GaryMF said:

Well Sistergirl owes ME an apology because she was a total cunt when I met her

She did CD signings after this concert in the park and I waited in line like everyone else. Got to the front and asked if I could take a picture with her. She had taken pictures with practically everyone else. She just snapped and said she wasn't taking any more pictures and that "I am done with that!".

The next girls in line were total stalkers and they were all over her and they asked to take their picture with her and she happily and JOYFULLY obliged. Moral of the story, be a stalker with no respect and you get your way. I have never seen her the same since then. It's one thing to want space, privacy or just being tired of being in the limelight but she was evil and rude when I was nothing but respectful. It fucking sucked.

So tell her she's not done apologizing for her rude ways!

PurpleJedi said:

Do ANY proteges own the masters? Wasn't this the issue with Margie Cox?

Could / Would she be coming to London to do any gigs this year with or without Prince ?

Hey Steven, wishing you good fun with your interview.



Hi Sheila,

You and your father Pete recorded about 2 studio-albums in the 70's. Did you both do any promotional tours for the 2 albums,
besides your studio-sessions for other artists and recordings/tours with The George Duke Band which you were part of ?



Solo Two (1977)




Happy Together (1978)





Lately i've enjoyed listening a lot to your co-written track "Closer" from the Heaven-album.
I feel that it brings back the vibe of the time when you recorded and performed with the George Duke Band.

Did you rename the "Closer"-song to "Your Mercy Follows Me" ? (performed in the first part of this live-track) :



Were the lyrics added after you recorded "Closer" or is "You Mercy Follows Me" the original title of the song ?

(Studio-sample in tracklist-link) : www.cduniverse.com/produc...%20Listing


Thanks Sheila for sharing all your talent and work with us, and wishing you much fun and joy in life


[Edited 3/31/09 14:49pm]

Anxiety said:

Her band C.O.E.D. has potential to realise such a project.

www.thecoedband.com/divas/sheila.html

Does Sheila have any new upcoming plans with this group ?

Some questions I would love the answers to:

Did Sheila cowrite "Noon Rendezvous"? Since it's credited to Girlsongs/Chocheat Music, and Chocheat is based on a nickname Sheila had, it would suggest she did. None of the other songs on Glamorous Life are credited this way.


What was the process of working on her Prince-penned albums like? Particularly the first two albums. On songs that have Sheila's distinctive input on percussion, how did she and Prince work together to achieve the finished songs?


Did Prince have any involvement in "The World Is High" or "Paradise Garden"?


Since you were creating great music at the time, and Prince had many, many more songs in his vault, do you wish you had included more songs on your first two albums? Was there ever any discussion about making either of those albums longer?


What is your favorite memory from the Lovesexy tour?


On the song "Loverboy," what are you singing after "I'm not here for convenience"? She probably won't remember, but that has driven me crazy ever since I bought the album.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

scififilmnerd said:

Can you tell I'm over it?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

She was kinda bitchy to me once too. Not too bad but definitely not overly nice. My friends were pissed on my behalf and kept talking about it. Oh, well. I got over it.

Efan said:

C

U

N

T

She practically yelled at me. I was so innocent and respectful and then these stupid whores behind me totally push their way through and she's all cheeful and shit. She owes me

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Definitely. For me, it was at the concert where Wendy & Lisa were with her. They were totally cool, and that made up for everything.

Efan said:

I first met Sheila back in '93 and had the opportunity to hang around or be re-introduced a few times since. She IS a tuff nut to figure out. When she is in the company of her family, Sheila tends to be super-sweet. However, the couple of times friends or myself have gone up to thank her after a show Sheila was cold as ice. It was weird cause it appeared to be that she was out from backstage to greet the fans yet Sheila and her friend Lynn came across snobby and annoyed -- I would usually chalk that up to a star wanting to be left alone but several people at different shows got the same impression, and why come sit in the audience after a show if you dont want the occasional "hello"?

PurpleJedi said:

Me 3 (and a copy)

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Wow, not a good move indeed towards a fan. How bad can you make someone feel

*mixed feelings @ this moment-edit*
[Edited 3/31/09 15:12pm]

Shango said:

I thought twice about posting this because I didn't want to poison anybody but it did happen and this is the first time in like 5 years or so since it happened that I ever said anything

Maybe this can be turned into a question?

How do you balance the need personal space/boundaries with the facts your fans want to interact with you?

I know of someone who, for all intents and purposes, actually stalked Sheila and it seemed to be rewarded. Maybe Sheila's afraid

I was actually hurt that I intended to respect her space and all that by asking nicely for a picture. Other people were just handing cameras to her guards and then jumping in her space. I actually asked and got a shitty response. I don't get it.

.
[Edited 3/31/09 15:20pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Okay , but i can clearly imagine your frustration after that autograph-experience. I somewhat experienced the same. Twice i met a musician which i admire for his incredible talent.
First time was unforgettable, great chat and cool autograph. Second time i went especially to London to see a rare show of him and his band.
After the show he had a sign-session and i wanted to say hi and that i enjoyed the show alot. His reaction was cold as ice like he couldn't care less ...
... i stood there startled for a moment like wtf?! and the whole great atmosphere of that great concertnight seemed to have vanished in the wind.
Lucklily the great dj in the same club turned it into some positive energy. But no more meet and greet with that musician

Shango said:

I just can't imagine a person isn't cognizant of the impact they are having on others and to be grateful for the fact that they can live their dream! I met N'Dea Davenport (brand New Heavies) in 2007 and I'm telling you if she was a bitch to me it would have absolutely devastated me. Luckily I told her a story connected to her music and by the end we were hugging and crying

Now that' the way to treat your fans!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Yeah, i saw your impressive story in the archives when i posted on a recent BNH-thread. Very cool and warm experience. Those are the precious moments to cherish.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Good point. Like orger Dred explained that Sheila is a "tuff nut to figure out". I think if you're going to do an autograph-session you just have to be there for your fans. If an artist is not up for it in advance and already maybe feeling cranky, then just don't do it.
Easy for an outsider like me to say, lol, because i also can imagine that as an artist having given all your energy in a good show, you're in need for that cooldown moment after the show. It can indeed be a tough choice to make that balance.
I'll give you another example. George Duke, a musician who's 70's band she was formerly part of. Now this cat is totally the opposite. Takes time for all his fans and questions, great laughs and funny stories. One of the last times i know of that he did an expanded signing-session of a few hours, the club-personnel friendly asked at one moment if they could close the place call it a day Patti Austin is another fun person to chat with. She remembers your name right away, telling great stories and stuff ... good memories !
[Edited 3/31/09 16:03pm]

StevenAnthony:

Can you also ask Sheila to PLEASE, (for the love of God), send Supa an autographed picture or a painted sand dollar or something???