NickiStarr said:

Well, lots of them, because, like Mayte, many were under age when they first met: Susannah, Anna Garcia, Robin Power. But yes, Mayte was special. Not saying she wasn't. He waited an additional year after she became legal and that says a lot. She did say that 'they had done more than shake hands' at the time of the infamous Carmen Elektra meeting where he shook her hand. So, they were more than just friends.

206Michelle said:

From what Mayte describes in the book, she and Prince started out as friends and fellow artists. Their relationship becomes sexual in February of 1993, meaning that Prince and Mayte knew each other for about 2.5 years before they had sex. With how many of his other girlfriends/muses did he wait so long to have a sexual relationship?

Definitely agree that they did more than shake hands. She even says that there was flirtation and making out.

NotACleverName said:

In Chap 7, while revealing the story of his name change to her, she makes mention of the fact that he wrote about it in their wedding program. Part of that story in the wedding program includes where he named Mayte as his "true soul mate". He did reference that quite often.....that Mayte was his soul mate. I'm just wondering, can anyone recall him calling any other woman he was intimately involved with his soul mate? I can't. Seems he didn't toss that around too freely or often.

I don't recall a time where he ever publicly referred to someone he was with as a soul mate except Mayte. I read an article from the 1996 where he mentions that many women have told him they were his soul mate but he never felt it until Mayte. To add to that, I've never heard him talk about his love for any other woman like he did with Mayte.

NotACleverName said:

In Chap 7, while revealing the story of his name change to her, she makes mention of the fact that he wrote about it in their wedding program. Part of that story in the wedding program includes where he named Mayte as his "true soul mate". He did reference that quite often.....that Mayte was his soul mate. I'm just wondering, can anyone recall him calling any other woman he was intimately involved with his soul mate? I can't. Seems he didn't toss that around too freely or often.

Same here: I don't remember him calling any other woman his soulmate. Given how big his catalogue is, I wouldn't be surprised if he uses the word soulmate in a song that is about someone other than Mayte. In terms of when he gave interviews, she's the only woman I can recall him ever referring to as his soulmate. He talked way more about her to the press than he did about any other woman that he loved.

I think it matters more what he said PRIVATELY. If he said it privately to her, then great. But he could have been equally romantic privately with other women as well. He was publically crushing on Andy Allo and there are people on this site who deny that they were a real couple. Obviously he and Mayte were a real couple. I am just saying that sometimes what you say privately is even more important.

amethyst68 said:

NotACleverName said:

In Chap 7, while revealing the story of his name change to her, she makes mention of the fact that he wrote about it in their wedding program. Part of that story in the wedding program includes where he named Mayte as his "true soul mate". He did reference that quite often.....that Mayte was his soul mate. I'm just wondering, can anyone recall him calling any other woman he was intimately involved with his soul mate? I can't. Seems he didn't toss that around too freely or often.

I don't recall a time where he ever publicly referred to someone he was with as a soul mate except Mayte. I read an article from the 1996 where he mentions that many women have told him they were his soul mate but he never felt it until Mayte. To add to that, I've never heard him talk about his love for any other woman like he did with Mayte.

amethyst68 said:

purplerabbithole said:

bsprout said:

bsprout said:

Just an observation and I don't mean to derail this thread: of the many performances and concerts that I have seen where Prince and Mayte interact, the way he looks at her and touches her with such tenderness, it's really remarkable. I don't recall seeing him like this with anyone else, not even Vanity, even though I'm sure he loved her, too, as well as others. Prince and Mayte seemed to be genuinely in love and genuinely compatible. This is such a sad and tragic story, on so many levels. The book is quietly eloquent, and I think she successfully captures this special love they shared. Not an easy thing to do given the circumstances.

Their relationship was unique, for sure. No one except Mayte was both his professional artistic collaborator and his wife.

Prince cut her bangs. And he did a good job with them.

80tomato said:

LBrent said:

JW doctrine teaches that in order to be divorced before the face of G*d, an adultery are the only acceptable grounds...but to gain an illegal anullment (P did not have the grounds for a legal anullment) would not satisfy the same requirement, neither spiritually nor legally.

Maybe Prince was the adulterer already? and thus it would be legal ,if what you write is correct

The criteria for a legal anullment didn't exist:

http://family.findlaw.com...s-for.html

PennyPurple said:

Prince cut her bangs. And he did a good job with them.

I know, right?

Here is a photo of Mayte with the V-shaped bangs. It's one of the most stunning photographs of her that I've ever seen.

Source: http://erotic-city.tumblr...0992428310 via https://www.pinterest.com...279193137/

206Michelle said:

PennyPurple said:

Prince cut her bangs. And he did a good job with them.

I know, right?

Damn that lil man for being able to e'rythang!

She looks gorgeous.

Penny, can we discuss chapter 8?

I wrote about this in reply #654 and no one responded, so I guess I'll just raise it again.

.

Listening to the song "Sweet Baby," (my favourite on the album), I'm wondering if anyone else connected the lyrics of this song with some of the drama she was going through with the other members of the band that she discusses on pp. 129-130. Did anyone else pick up on this?

.

Stand tall, (tall)
Sweet baby, (baby)
Don't u fall
U ain't the only one gettin' beat down
It happens 2 us all
The road u chose 2 walk in this life (the road u choose 2 walk in this life)
Is one that leads into the next
So sweet baby, stand tall (sweet baby, stand tall)
Stand tall (sweet baby)
Sweet baby, hold your tears back now
Better days gonna come your way soon, oh yeah sweet baby
Someway, somehow

.

I felt that after reading chapter 6, and also part of chapter 7, this song makes so much more sense.

.

I always kind of figured that he wrote the song for or about Mayte because the video is almost entirely footage of her, but it never totally made sense because in the first verse, it sounds like he's talking about a break-up, and she had never experienced that because P was her first boyfriend.

[Edited 4/12/17 17:43pm]

DD55 said:

Penny, can we discuss chapter 8?

Yes please. Let chapter 8 begin.

206Michelle said:

I wrote about this in reply #654 and no one responded, so I guess I'll just raise it again.

.

Listening to the song "Sweet Baby," (my favourite on the album), I'm wondering if anyone else connected the lyrics of this song with some of the drama she was going through with the other members of the band that she discusses on pp. 129-130. Did anyone else pick up on this?

.

Stand tall, (tall)
Sweet baby, (baby)
Don't u fall
U ain't the only one gettin' beat down
It happens 2 us all
The road u chose 2 walk in this life (the road u choose 2 walk in this life)
Is one that leads into the next
So sweet baby, stand tall (sweet baby, stand tall)
Stand tall (sweet baby)
Sweet baby, hold your tears back now
Better days gonna come your way soon, oh yeah sweet baby
Someway, somehow

.

I felt that after reading chapter 6, and also part of chapter 7, this song makes so much more sense.

.

I always kind of figured that he wrote the song for or about Mayte because the video is almost entirely footage of her, but it never totally made sense because in the first verse, it sounds like he's talking about a break-up, and she had never experienced that because P was her first boyfriend.

[Edited 4/12/17 17:43pm]

It does make more sense, after reading the book.

PennyPurple said:

206Michelle said:

I wrote about this in reply #654 and no one responded, so I guess I'll just raise it again.

.

Listening to the song "Sweet Baby," (my favourite on the album), I'm wondering if anyone else connected the lyrics of this song with some of the drama she was going through with the other members of the band that she discusses on pp. 129-130. Did anyone else pick up on this?

.

Stand tall, (tall)
Sweet baby, (baby)
Don't u fall
U ain't the only one gettin' beat down
It happens 2 us all
The road u chose 2 walk in this life (the road u choose 2 walk in this life)
Is one that leads into the next
So sweet baby, stand tall (sweet baby, stand tall)
Stand tall (sweet baby)
Sweet baby, hold your tears back now
Better days gonna come your way soon, oh yeah sweet baby
Someway, somehow

.

I felt that after reading chapter 6, and also part of chapter 7, this song makes so much more sense.

.

I always kind of figured that he wrote the song for or about Mayte because the video is almost entirely footage of her, but it never totally made sense because in the first verse, it sounds like he's talking about a break-up, and she had never experienced that because P was her first boyfriend.

[Edited 4/12/17 17:43pm]

It does make more sense, after reading the book.

I answered you about this, but I think it was in a different thread about songs that told thier story.

I agreed with you that I thought the song was about when the band mean girls teased her and P called, then wrote her the letter about "history".

DD55 said:

Chapter 8

Hypnotize, the whole being hypnotized and only then the ability to talk truthfully was a bit telling for me.

Couldn’t they be totally honest in day to day events, in real time? That was the only time he would let her talk without interrupting her. He would repeat back to her what she said, without recriminations. Why would that even be an issue? The relationship is new and full of hope, you would think they would open up to each other.

.

The situation with WB is coming to a head but she says even now she only has a general idea and at the time completely confused by it.

.

He wanted to do MTV unplugged but didn’t because he wouldn’t own the master of the recording. (Someone else on another thread once said - in the fight between TAFKAP vs. WB, the fans lost.)

.

She mentions that she wants to be clear, she never actually saw prince use drugs. Some take this as her hinting he might have, or it could be her way of her saying.. 'look people, I was there and never saw it!' If he did, he never let her see, again she is telling us she never saw drug use!

.

He asks her to take papers to PP, she assumes it had to do with the future of his music should something happen to him, but she never actually saw the contents. Since he was on top of business concerns she assumed he must have had a will, but never really knows. Hummm, I wonder why that one small errand made such an impression on her that years later she not only remembers it but also included it in the book?

.

In a letter to her he states that he has grown up, wants to make serious plans for the future and hopes she can ‘grow up a little more with me as well’. She tells her he will need her support in the next few months. It the same letter he tells of of various properties (business stuff really), is the hidden message to her…. GROW UP and step up to help me?

.

Love the description of his playing at the American Music Awards, January 1995. The censors were watching the rehearsal to make sure there wouldn’t be anything wild in the performance. He had to lip sync, no microphone and chewing gum.

.

She is in Barcelona Spain, he proposes over the phone. The talked and made plans for the future together for another 45 minutes over the phone. It’s funny how he could be open and talk on the phone; sometimes it’s easier than face to face when talking about emotional things. He does make up for the phone proposal later wth a touching proposal and ring!

.

He insists she do an album.

.

Her wedding day the press caught wind of it. He had the limo drive to the church but he rode with the florist so they wouldn’t see him. Kirks Brother officiated the ceromony.

.

He redid the entire house for her, before the wedding, monogramed items all over the home - china, curtains, napkins,….. Nice, but wouldn’t you think a new wife would want to at least help with decorating her home? She said he went out of his way to make it ‘our’ home, but with no input in any decision making as to the decor….IDK, as a woman I would want MY personal touches in the decoration of my home.

This is what I meant earlier about P being caught up in the fantasy/mythology.

He redid the house, which is sweet (including that ugly azzed china) to ensure she had all these new beautiful things...of his choosing to ensure that they were up to his fantasy/mythology standards.

On the show Hollywood Housewives she mentions the he completely picked everything including her wedding dress and that she didn't really like her wedding dress.

Very telling about him ensuring that he generously gave her...everything he wanted for her...instead of generously giving her everything she wanted for herself...or compromising.

[Edited 4/12/17 18:34pm]

Chapter eight is really long (27 pages) and there's a lot happening, so I'm going to split the timeline/summary into 2 parts. (I spent close to 2 hours re-reading ch. 8 and writing the summary and still had 10 pages to go, so I had to give myself a break. I'm happily indulging myself in the book and laying on the bed with my cat, because it is my spring break, but my brain needed a rest.) Part 1 will be from pp. 156-167. Part 2 will be pp. 167-183.

.

Chapter Eight Timeline/Summary: Part 1

.

Just to refresh everyone, at the end of chapter seven, it is July 1993 and the Act II Tour is starting in England. Mayte describes “Funk Nights,” when Prince would give a bonus to the member of the band who did the funkiest thing. One night in Berlin, Mayte makes her first stage dive, and she sustains some minor injuries. She learns to be more careful, and continues to stage dive on the tour. Mayte talks about how she and Prince would take Vitamin B injections in order to help ease the rigors of touring. She writes that she never saw him take anything other than Vitamin B injections for managing pain.

.

Chapter eight

Note: There are very few dates in the first 11 pages (through page p.167), so Part 1 is more or less a summary. Almost everything that she references in pp. 156-167 happens from 1993 to 1995.

.

Mayte recalls instances when Prince would put her into a state of deep meditation that he liked to call “hypnosis.” She would answer questions and tell stories and just freely speak to him. Prince would freely talk about his fears, struggles, and what other women meant to him. They discussed a variety of topics during these hypnotic conversations, such as other universes, lifetimes, and plans for a family.

.

During this point of their relationship, they discussed the possibility of their souls having met in a previous life. He was very interested in Egypt at this time.

.

1994 and 1995 – Mayte recalls that there was no official tour in 1994 and the only tour in 1995 was the Ultimate Live Experience Tour in Europe. However, she and were always working. Prince and the NPG recorded three albums --- Come ,The Black Album, and The Gold Experience. They also did hundreds of one-off concerts, aftershows, dance parties, and appearances on television. Although she and Prince discussed music, they rarely discussed the music business. She describes herself as his “oasis” from the music business.

.

Mayte goes into some detail about the dispute with Warner Brothers. The central issue was when and how Prince’s music should be released. Prince and Warner Brothers had different strategies for releasing his music, and he took issue with the label having the clout to tell him when he could or could release his music. She asserts that he did not have any personal beef with anyone at the label or with record labels in general.

.

While record labels have value for most artists, Prince was different from most other artists because he had his own studio that was as good as any record label’s studio. He needed the label primarily for distribution of his music. Prince became increasingly uneasy with having to relinquish commercial control over his music in exchange for the label distributing his music. In particular, by recording under the umbrella of a record label, the label owned the master, or physical finished version of a song. In Prince’s mind, “slave” was the logical counterpart to “master.”

.

Note: I am confused about what she writes next because she states that the dispute became serious in 1994 over the release of the album and its singles, but the was released in 1992. However, I will summarize what she writes in the book. She also says that “My Name is Prince” was the first single, but my understanding is that the first single was “Sexy M. F.”

.

1994 – The dispute between Prince and Warner Brothers becomes serious due to disagreements about the release of the album and its singles. Warner Brothers wanted to release “7” as the first single, while Prince wanted to release “My Name Is Prince” first. Ultimately, Prince did get his way. However, it bothered him that the decision was open to discussion because he felt like he had earned the right to call the shots.

.

She recalls riding in a limo with him one day when he went to Warner Brothers for a meeting. She waited in the limo, and when he came back to the limo, he had SLAVE written on his face.

.

She claims to have only a general idea about the dispute between Prince/ and Warner Brothers and admits that it was confusing to her. She reveals that he told her after the Act I Tour that he had signed a $100 million contract for ten albums, but he was a long way from delivering all of those albums even though he had a large amount of material in his vault. She states that his contract had an exclusivity clause which prevented him from going and joining someone else’s band. She states that when he appears with a scarf or veil of chains, this is his character Tora Tora. She shared that he was interested in doing MTV Unplugged, but he would not have ownership of the master.

.

When Mama comes to visit Minnesota, she brings Hena to visit. Prince was feeling sick and appeared “loopy” one day and Hena helped to put him in better spirits. Mayte asserts that she never saw Prince doing drugs. He did drink wine and received vitamin B12 shots sometimes while touring. She does recall a couple of disturbing incidents during their relationship, including this one mentioned earlier in this paragraph, and realizes now that he wasn’t just sick or having migraines, but doesn't state what caused these disturbing incidents.

.

Mayte writes that she finds it strange that he died without a will.

.

Prince writes a letter to her (pp. 163-164) saying that “’ve never felt so adult in my life,” and that he will need her love and support as he deals with various professional and business matter.

.

In an effort to appease during the contractual dispute, Warner Brothers allowed him to release a single independently (outside of his contract), the song being “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.” She states that this song was important to him and he wrote it in order to celebrate women.

.

released TMBGITW single as an independent artist using the NPG label and a distribution partnership with the Edel label (at which Mayte recorded “Too Dramatic”). The release of TMBGITW was an important moment in his career because TMBGITW became a worldwide hit, demonstrating that it was possible for an artist to take both creative and commercial control of his music. TMBGITW was the first recording credited to and was also remixed and released in 1995 as a part of The Gold Experience album.

.

When Prince changed his name to , people were unsure what to call him, and the media contrived the name The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. She states that he didn't mind family members and long-time friends calling him Prince because Prince was his given name. In addition to changing his name to due to the dispute with Warner Borthers, Mayte stated that wanted to make people think about concepts of identity and conventionality.

.

From 1993 to 2000, he was legally, professionally, creatively and spiritually . She asserts that the name change was a bigger deal for the world than for her because she never addressed him as Prince in the first place. Most of the time, she didn’t call him anything.

[Edited 4/12/17 18:51pm]

Thank you Michelle for all the work you have done on the timelines. They are fantastic.

I can't figure out how he or she thought she could be hypnotized? Sounds really strange.

,

She was his oasis from the music world. Maybe that's why he chose her, she was an innocent in the music world and really didn't know anything about it. She wasn't using him to get fame.

.

He was very concerned about her when the earthquake hit.

.

I really think he was excited to get married because he couldn't wait to start wearing the ring that she had bought him, and wore it right away even though they weren't married.

.

He orded a half a million $$ for the wedding flowers.

DD55 said:

Chapter 8

Hypnotize, the whole being hypnotized and only then the ability to talk truthfully was a bit telling for me.

Couldn’t they be totally honest in day to day events, in real time? That was the only time he would let her talk without interrupting her. He would repeat back to her what she said, without recriminations. Why would that even be an issue? The relationship is new and full of hope, you would think they would open up to each other.

.

The situation with WB is coming to a head but she says even now she only has a general idea and at the time completely confused by it.

.

He wanted to do MTV unplugged but didn’t because he wouldn’t own the master of the recording. (Someone else on another thread once said - in the fight between TAFKAP vs. WB, the fans lost.)

.

She mentions that she wants to be clear, she never actually saw prince use drugs. Some take this as her hinting he might have, or it could be her way of her saying.. 'look people, I was there and never saw it!' If he did, he never let her see, again she is telling us she never saw drug use!

.

He asks her to take papers to PP, she assumes it had to do with the future of his music should something happen to him, but she never actually saw the contents. Since he was on top of business concerns she assumed he must have had a will, but never really knows. Hummm, I wonder why that one small errand made such an impression on her that years later she not only remembers it but also included it in the book?

.

In a letter to her he states that he has grown up, wants to make serious plans for the future and hopes she can ‘grow up a little more with me as well’. She tells her he will need her support in the next few months. It the same letter he tells of of various properties (business stuff really), is the hidden message to her…. GROW UP and step up to help me?

.

Love the description of his playing at the American Music Awards, January 1995. The censors were watching the rehearsal to make sure there wouldn’t be anything wild in the performance. He had to lip sync, no microphone and chewing gum.

.

She is in Barcelona Spain, he proposes over the phone. The talked and made plans for the future together for another 45 minutes over the phone. It’s funny how he could be open and talk on the phone; sometimes it’s easier than face to face when talking about emotional things. He does make up for the phone proposal later wth a touching proposal and ring!

.

He insists she do an album.

.

Her wedding day the press caught wind of it. He had the limo drive to the church but he rode with the florist so they wouldn’t see him. Kirks Brother officiated the ceromony.

.

He redid the entire house for her, before the wedding, monogramed items all over the home - china, curtains, napkins,….. Nice, but wouldn’t you think a new wife would want to at least help with decorating her home? She said he went out of his way to make it ‘our’ home, but with no input in any decision making as to the decor….IDK, as a woman I would want MY personal touches in the decoration of my home.

The hypnotic conversations were very unconventional, but so many aspects of their relationship were unconventional given Prince's lifestyle and them both being artists/entertainers. Another way to look at the hypnotic conversations is this: at least they found a way to communicate about important topics that worked for them. I think that the hypnotic conversations were probably more of Prince's invention than Mayte's because he would've been uncomfortable (feeling too vulnerable) to discuss these topics in real time. Maybe the hypnotic conversations were fun for them also, but who knows?

.

As far as her description of the dispute with WB, very little of what she shares is new. I was expecting her to share some additional details/insights about the dispute because she was in 's inner circle at this time, but she really didn't. Between the press/media and himself, almost all of the details that she includes about the dispute were already reported in some way.

.

One detail that was new to me (although it may have been reported) was that wanted his name change to force people to think about concepts of identity and conventionality.

.

As far as the letter goes, I didn't really interpret him as telling her to grow up; I interpreted it more as him asking for her support while he's dealing with some of these business matters. I also interpret his sharing about the business concerns as a sign of commitment on his part. His willingness to share the business concerns with her suggests that he felt it was important for her to know about these matters because he saw her as an important part of his present and future.

.

I thought it was very interesting that they hadn't discussed marriage prior to him proposing to her over the phone.

LBrent said:

PennyPurple said:

It does make more sense, after reading the book.

I answered you about this, but I think it was in a different thread about songs that told thier story.

I agreed with you that I thought the song was about when the band mean girls teased her and P called, then wrote her the letter about "history".

I saw your response on the other thread. Thank u.

PennyPurple said:

Thank you Michelle for all the work you have done on the timelines. They are fantastic.

You're welcome! I'm REALLY enjoying this online book club!

PennyPurple said:

I can't figure out how he or she thought she could be hypnotized? Sounds really strange.

,

She was his oasis from the music world. Maybe that's why he chose her, she was an innocent in the music world and really didn't know anything about it. She wasn't using him to get fame.

.

He was very concerned about her when the earthquake hit.

.

I really think he was excited to get married because he couldn't wait to start wearing the ring that she had bought him, and wore it right away even though they weren't married.

.

He orded a half a million $$ for the wedding flowers.

I think her being his oasis from the music business may explain why she doesn't know much more than the rest of us about the dispute between him and WB. It surprised me a bit when she says the dispute confuses her because she was, after all, his significant other.

.

As for the half-million $ in wedding flowers...talk about disposable income!!!

About their wedding...they were married at Park Avenue United Methodist Church. I find this odd since 's mom was Baptist, his dad was Seventh-Day Adventist, Mayte's mom was Catholic, and her dad was an atheist. I've always wondered how they ended up getting married at a Methodist Church since usually, a couple has to be a member of the congregation in order to be married at a particular church.

.

I did find an article explaining some of Prince's connections to the Park Avenue UMC: http://www.minnesotaumc.o...ey-4595697