This was found in the Oct 9 issue of a piece of UK crap called 'OK!' magazine:

"'Purple Pain "Does a Britney" at Mysterious CD Launch'
We've tried, but we're not excited about the idea of a new Prince album - and the tiny poseur himself doesn't appear that bothered either. According to Fox News in the USA, the artist formerly known as a superstar kept the crowd waiting for almost two hours before he turned up for the launch of a new CD. Even his own team were out of the loop - one admitting he only spoke to them via text: 'There isn't a lot of communication.' The reason for the launch is also a mystery. It's supposed to be a live triple CD set, but the thing isn't even finished. So it seems everyone who did turn up was kept waiting for, well, nothing. Mick Jagger obviously knew something was up. He'd been frequently announced as the night's big star but didn't show up in the night. Smart guy."

And, more rubbish from the so-called celeb mag. This is a week on, from the Oct 16 issue:

"'Has the Purple Popstar Lost his Pull?'
When the funk ledgend Prince hosted a 'start-studded London bash' to celebrate the relase of the new album, 'One Night Alone... Live' only the likes of Isabella Hervey (UK 'IT'-girl) and Neil and Christine Hamilton (disgraced ex-Tory Minister and his C-List celeb wife) attended, leaving any asking: 'Has the Prince of Coll finally lost his edge?'"

Peace. B Wild. Love God.
Pepperami

Why is it that so many people are taking shots at this new album? So Mick Jagger didn't show up for the launch party. Given the treatment that Prince received from the Rolling Stones crew back in the early eighties, I think Jagger's lucky that his ass was even invited in the first place. Also, as far as the Brit party goes, who cares if no celebrities showed? Call me crazy, but I don't think that Prince's idea was to get a chance to kick it with a bunch of famous fools. It was a just an excuse to get down and have a good time. BY THE WAY, THE ALBUMS RELEASE DATE IS THE 26th OF NOVEMBER, SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IT'S FINISHED! The fact that I quickly disregard anything I read from the British tabloid press, whom I hope ya'll know are nothing more than a bunch of muckracking money-hungry bastards, why don't these idiots actually give the material a listen before they start blasting it? I know that I've been talking to a lot of people in New York, some of whom are professional DJs, that can't wait for this album to drop. Tell me that nobody wants a new Prince album? Heres a suggestion. Do some damn research on what you're writing about. Go on a website, look a some concert reviews, just make an effort. The Artist Formerly Known As A Superstar? Please, the stench of idiocy coming off of you is making me ill.

Y'ALL DISS HIM REAL GOOD UK PRESS!
then he'll bring his fine bhind on back HOME where he blongs!
he's just over there on loan 2 y'all anyway.
don't look a gift horse n the mouth, or a gift of Prince n his music.
both could have taken u 4 the ryde dyvine!

Peace Uk Fams...y'all's media is gonna mess it up 4 u guys!

I totaly agree with getwild007´s reply!!! Do your homework!

Krieger said:

If you did your homework, then you might know that Jagger has actually attended parties such as this - for example, the album back in 1992. You'd also know that Jagger has said many complimentary things about Prince in the past. I hardly think that Mick Jagger, who will likely be remembered for his contribution to rock & roll far longer than Prince, is sweating over being invited to a record non-release party. Oh, & it very likely is Prince's idea. Otherwise, you would not see the list of celebrities on the official site who periodically choose to "kick it" at his concerts. The famous want to hang with the famous...ever wonder why someone like Mick Jagger can get past the velvet rope without a word while someone like you strain for so much as a glimpse behind it?

Really, what is it with you people? Why do you feel the need to attack anyone who attacks Prince? You have no personal investment in the man, & this reporter is actually stating the facts - celebrities announced as attending this party did not - & it might very likely be due to the fact that Prince no longer creates the buzz he once did. He's a wonderful musician, nothing more. Now you can exhale, ok?

Those sort of magazines ARE crap. I saw one where it said a 'celebrity' (I think it was Isabella Hervey) had been refused entry because she wasn't on the list and went home in a huff, then later on the same page it listed her as one of the celebrities who attended... surely it was either one way or the other?

I seem to remember on a fairly recent documentary on Mick Jagger, at his last album's launch party, he drove up in a limousine, walked through the party, then out the back and off! He said, "I've already heard it!". That album, incidently, died a death.

One valid point though, if you can't be bothered to turn up on time to your new album's launch party it does send negative vibes out. Why oh why even have a launch party with a load of z list celebrities at all, especially when the album ain't out for ages yet?

I kinda hope the album isn't finished, so he can put 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Empty Room' on there!

And, more rubbish from the so-called celeb mag. This is a week on, from the Oct 16 issue:

Why do you guys think this is rubbish?

Be objective...throwing a release party for an album that's not even finished is pretty lame. And so is keeping your "guests" waiting for two hours. Prince's relationship with the public doesn't need any more damage...he only has himself to blame at this point.

It's funny...all these years we thought it was WB's fault...

Peace,

Matthew

I bet ONA live sells more than Jagger's last effort.

These magazine's are a joke, if Prince had gone on a shagging spree over here, it'd have been 'Prince the Romeo' or some other bollocks.As it is he had nothing to say to the press, he doesn't have to, so they attack him.

A-holes!

This person is a horrible writer. I was barely able to follow what they were trying to say. *Rubbish*

Blue

I'm from the UK and "OK" is, well, not OK by me. Never has been.

The UK has gone celeb crazy. It's the national passtime. "OK" is but one of about eighty two thousand titles devoted entirely to "celebrities". We're all voyeurs. We like to watch, ogle, fantasise. We're a nation of borderline stalkers. It's what comes from having a monarchy and living on an island and being repressed. Nothing to do all day, every day but follow other people's lives while quietly forgetting to live our own.

I think you can safely guess that "OK" mag is "read" (if that be term), by the sort of people who find Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell's latest starvation diet (sample: Breakfast - NO food, Lunch - No FOOD, Dinner - NO FOOD AT ALL ANYMORE EVER!) fascinating, and David Beckham's latest choice of nail varnish of earth-shattering, traffic stopping importance.

Some of "OK"'s three million readers will own a copy of Prince's "Greatest Hits". Of those, some will own at least one Prince album (probably "Purple Rain"). Of THOSE, a few will have seen him in concert. Of those, a few will occasionally wonder "whatever happened to Prince"? Of those, all will read the piece and conclude that he is mad or just plain ridiculous.

It's a shame, but ask yourselves this question: how many of "Oh-Kay"'s readership bought "The Rainbow Children"? How many of "O! Que" readers went to any of the recent concerts? In short how many "OK" readers are Prince fans?

Answer ... see last paragraph but one and substract fifteen. You're left with three. And they've just cancelled their subscriptions in disgust.

Oh, Mick Jagger probably couldn't have made it to the party anyway because The Rolling Stones are currently on tour.

OK?

Don't get me wrong... I think it's appalling that Prince continues to act the Divo Supreme. Isn't pride a sin as well? He should be considerate and show up fashionably late, not so-late-even-yo-momma-left-in-disgust. BUT for OK mag to be talking about "edge"... huh? It's doing what a publication of this caliber does : make the readers (who are by no means in any danger of needing "edge" anytime soon) feel superior and somewhat connected to all of this wonderful celebrity culture. With performers like Prince so willing to play the part of the snotty, disdainful star, mags like OK are sure to stay in bidness for a very long time.

$$$ Prince thinks it's STILL 1984, when people will overlook his behavior.

HEY, "little man", people haven't "partied like it's 1999 since , well 1991!".

Hey, "Purple Poofter", you dig a grave when you Broke up the Revolution, dug deeper with your "Movies",dug deeper yet with the fueding with Warners that only YOU cared about, dug deeper with contractual -ob discs, dug deeper with media-games,dug deeper with Crystal Ball/NPGMC incompetence...


P.Diddy can pull bigger names to an event than you.

You don't leave people waiting for an appearance for 2 hours for a disc that most won't buy. Dish out $$$ for a box set by an ASSHOLE that does'nt respect his fans?

Showing up "fashionably Late" to a cd party for a disc that may go the way of "Roadhouse Garden" for all we expect.

Hey dink, start showing appreciation that ANYONE has interest in your music anymore!

Wake up! People go in droves to see you live, like the Stones, but like the Sstones, NOBODY buys your new music anymore.

Being a NO SHOW @ your own Party, as YOU might say, ain't "Style".

DON'T DEFEND PRINCE> he deserves this backlash and his "Attitude" doesn't wash with the world anymore. He is the architect of his own demise and un-popularity.

Im' looking forward to the Live disc! Bet I get it before most NPGMC suckers!

Aerogram said:

Good call, Aerogram.

The whole idea of boycotting a magazine (which was pretty much already boycotted as no one knows it exists) because they print an opinion is pretty dumb. Do you eat fast food? Do you buy products made in sweat shops? Boycotting is for a real cause not 'he said she said' crap.

Are you kidding me people.. Its called freedom of speech and its also called TRUTH. OK is right, Prince has lost his star power and some people would find that amusing to read about (even me if I wasn' a prince fan).

Okay I'm going to set the record straight... I attended the Album release party here in New York and a lot of the 'reported news' is wrong.

1. Yes Prince was late. So was everyone else. It was gridlocked in NY that day. I work in midtown and it took us over two hours to get into Harlem. Prince was coming from the airport... For those of you that don't know the NY airports are in Queens and in Newark NJ across the bridge. On a good day it can take over an hour just to get into Manhattan. On a bad day coming in from Queens on the Belt, two+ hours easy, from Jersey depending on how bad the Lincoln Tunnel is backed up, let's put it this way, if your not through the Tunnel before 7:00pm don't expect to get to your NY destination until after midnight. Enough said...

2. All this nonsense about the album not being finished is BS!!! The new album was playing in the background by the time we got there (Around 11:30 pm). People were already grooving to it and talking about it. Just because it hasn't been released yet doesn't mean its not finished. It does take time to get an album released. Regardless of if it's through a distribution deal or direct to the public. There are contracts to be signed, legal matters to be worked out, NDA's to signed, etc. This is not something that happens overnight.

3. This release party in NY was for industry types only. Not many fams (i.e. NPG Music Club) were in attendance. As I was told, we were there to listen and to 'network' on potential marketing/advertising work. Were deals made during this party, mostly likely yes but to what extent I do not know. I can say for sure that they topic from a few labels was for distribution and marketing.

4. Prince did NOT show up at 2:00 am. Prince got there around 12:00. He spoke to a number of people before being wisked to a private meeting area. Oh and another thing, there was a VIP area but NO VVIP area or anything else stupid like that. No one was asked to move from their table or even granted an 'audience'. Prince was talking with everyone at the party.

5. Not a lot of celebs at the party. I counted about 20. But again, this was NOT that kind of party. I will repeat, this party was for industry types. I should also point out that it was also last minute. I got the invite the day before. And to compare this to 'P Idiot' is just stupid.

Now I have no problem with people speaking their own minds and stating opinions, but don't you think it's rather childish to take things from a trash tabloid magazine as face value? Consider the original source the NY Post and NY Daily News. You don't get more trash that these two waste of a news paper.

Bottomline is this. get your facts straight before you post nonsense. It makes you look like a bunch of gossiping old bitties...

Thank you, DAFUNKYOU, for making some sense on this! I'm so tired of people bitching about this party...