The following was in the "People In The News" section of our local paper. It brings up the listening party recently held in L.A.

"Prince Missing In Action

Prince must have been somewhere over the rainbow, because he certainly wasn't on hand at Los Angeles' The Standard Hotel lounge the other night to attend the listening party for his latest cd, 'The Rainbow Children,' according to Marilyn Beck.

The disc features a heavy jazz influence, which surprised the Prince fans on hand. The man formerly known as a symbol has proclaimed 'Rainbow Children' to be his most controversial album yet. And it may be. From the first line of the disc to the last, Prince is preaching his unique spiritual ideology as if he were the Second Coming- 'With the accurate understanding of God and his law, they went about the work of building a new nation...The Rainbow Children. Just like the sun, the Rainbow Children rise, flying on the wings of the New Translation, see them fly, fly. The covenant will be kept this time.' Responses to the disc were decidedly mixed.

The reclusive one may not have shown his face, but his influence was certainly felt at the proceedings. Now a vegetarian, Prince requested that only veggie fare be offered at the do. Listeners munched on hummus in zucchini cups, falafel bites, hummus in cherry tomatoes, veggie spring rolls, hummus on pita bread...well, you get the picture. Copies of the CD were not given out, as is usually the custon at a listening party, because Prince reportedly wanted to make sure no bootleg copies could get out before he starts selling the disc on the Internet."

Personally, I am not a fan of hummis...ewww. But I sure would have liked to be at that party! -June7

[Hummus is great, whatcha talkin' about! -Ben]