This guy was the editor of arena... http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts...kson.shtml

Relvant excerpt:
The King of Pop Returns
(by Ekow Eshun)

A few years ago I flew to Minneapolis to interview Prince at his recording complex cum personal fiefdom, Paisley Park. It was, in most ways, a bleak visit.

The musician was promoting another of the little regarded albums he's released since changing his name to (symbol) and back again. Escorted around Paisley Park by an aide, I opened the door to a nursery room filled with cuddly toys, which were intended for the baby that Prince's then-wife Mayte had just given birth to.

Sadly soon after my visit, it was announced that the child had died of a rare congenital defect. I realised that, even while Prince was describing how excited he felt about his new record, he must have known his child was near death. Was it desperation or hubris, I wondered that led him to continue promoting his album at such a time?

Hmmm...

That sounds like our Prince allright...

Hard to understand...

Was it desperation or hubris, I wondered that led him to continue promoting his album at such a time?


hubris??? what was it prince was excessively arrogant about? how good his album was? so the guy actually thought prince felt his album was so good the death of his child was of lesser importance?

No matter what kind of tragedy someone may be going through- you've still gotta live your life. Certainly, there's no reason to blame Prince for not discussing the issue of his child with the media. As far as promoting his album goes, he's just doing what his career would have him do, just like I would still go into work and do my job- despite whatever may be going on in my private life. No different.

its pretty sad what happened to P's kid

Article dated 12 September 2001...
Slow news day i guess...

How does this sodder know whether the baby died overnight unexpectedly while in the hospital or the baby was on life support for days? None of that has been made public. To make the statement he did was more than a little bold and misplaced.

Well I find the inference that Prince is weird or that he did not care very, very unfair. I have always respected the way Prince handled that even if I disagreed or did not understand. It is obvious to all concerned that Prince tried not to allow that to hurt him. Hell it was a contributing factor to the end of his marriage and maybe even his religious conversion to JW. Unlike most stars that whore out every aspect of their lives. Prince kept his pain (and we all know he was in pain) very quiet and dignified. Yes I do believe he was in a bit of denial but I still respect the fact he did not do a Barbara Walters interview and cry and carry on. Prince does not behave like anyone else on this planet. Of course we can say that for all of us couldn't we? I just don't feel comfortable judging someones behavior during such a horrible time. There was some amount of sympathy from the writer until he came up with that hubirs crap. What a terrible thing to say. Sting said that when his parents died a short time apart he went on tour to avoid the pain. Prince promoted his album.

chiltonmusic said:

I couldn't have said it better...

Byron said:

i second it

I remember thinking how hard it must have been for him to release the record. With the heartbeat and all. I gave him a lot of credit for that.
[This message was edited Tue Sep 9 0:05:08 PDT 2003 by cracknbush]

How does this qualify as The Latest News?
This is just an old column that someone dug up.
What next - breaking news about his name change?

Prince is apparently so religious, that he probably just decided that it was all in "God's Plan" and that is why he was not all weepy about it during interviews. He certainly handled it a lot better than I or most people would. I don't think you can try to guess what was in his mind at the time. Nobody knows but Prince and he ain't telling what is nobody else's business.

Hey chiltonmusic, Is your name refering to Alex Chilton? If so, you got good taste.

I was in Paisley Park at the time you are discussing and can comment on seeing him and the atmosphere, but in doing so, is that intruding? YES! Why then participate?

Music can be an escape for him.
His people are an uplifting support, for the most part.

Do what you can to get through.

Respect

I recall on the tour for Newpowersoul...which was what-? less than a year after the death of the child-?...feeling a bit perplexed at seeing Mayte come out onto the stage to perform her trademark sword-on-the-head belly dance. My wife also thought that it was "weird", considering that she should've still been grieving.

Not to say that you should hole up an cry for years after something like that - but nevertheless it just didn't seem "right".

...and of course, there's the infamous blatnt lie in front of MILLIONS of housewives when Prince told Oprah that "everything was OK" with his (dying or already-dead) baby.

No matter how he chose to handle that is none of our business.

tez said:

at the time i thought it was tasteless that he carried on as if the baby was fine but at the end of the day, its up to him how he wants to conduct his private affairs. maybe he didnt feel right talking about it in public but didnt want to cancel the interviews (they were a critical time in his career). its a hard call to make but everyone has their reasons. of course it would have been better if he just didnt talk about it rather than lie but thats prince for you.