So I'm in my chatroom earlier today, and I'm watching TV and the new Prince video comes on (Call My Name). *side note...love the part when he whispers "Prince"...OMG!*

At any rate...I tell the members in the room about the video. Then they start in on when Prince changed his name to the symbol , and saying stupid stuff about it and him in general. Hey, I always thought that was the coolest thing he could have ever done (just because no one else could have gotten away with that!), but you know how people are. Some have never understood him anyway, and that was just yet another reason to give them.

Well, I was about to go into the whole song and dance about why he did it, and then thought better of it. Sometimes, you just can't explain it to those who are closed of mind.

So, how about it? What are your stories?

I think most fans at one time or another will have had to put a few people straight on "what they heard".

These days, I encourage them to believe the hype, it's more fun than reality.

OMG i gave up trying to defend prince!

he doesn't need my help, Plus i think if people want to be shallow and narrow minded so be it!

they loose out in the end not me.....

All the damn time....Here are some questions or comments people have said 2 me...

"He's gay."
"He's short."
"He's ugly."
"He wears high heels."
"He can't play guitar." (From people who don't even know who the F-ck he is...)
"I bet he doesn't even write all of his own songs..."
"He's weird."
"He's trying 2 be Michael Jackson.." (Hahahaha! yeah right..like anyone would wanna B that..)
"Prince sucks.."
"Prince is a wannabe..."

and etc etc...it's all hatefull and rude comments. I just say "Shut the F-ck up before U get smacked the F-ck up!" And they shut they mouth.
[This message was edited Mon Jul 19 15:58:34 2004 by MaquisVixen]
[This message was edited Mon Jul 19 15:59:19 2004 by MaquisVixen]

MaquisVixen said:

This has to be the #1 quote.

"He's wierd", "He's too wierd".

And this is a bad thing, HOW?

I guess you're either into wierd, or you're not.

Whether it's a slight iconoclastic streak, I don't know, but I LIKE wierd.

You know the majority do not like wierd - it's strange and scary - so I say lets spook them real good!

I wish Prince was still into spooking people.

"

add to that

"prince aint shit"

"he abused his wife"

"he's a weirdo"

"his muisc aint shit.

I notice recently that people I encounter don't really have issues with Prince - everyone's always like, "oooh, he's so talented" or somesuch. I really believe he's outgrown the whole public perception of him as a nutball first and a classic pop star second. I think at the very least, it's the other way around now.

I used to defend him and tell people that he was still making great tunes, but not anymore. I'll still give him props for the good stuff, but I talk about him less and less.

Anxiety said:

I couldn't agree more. Now when peeps find out I'm a Prince fan, they get excited and ask if I saw his recent shows here. I used to enjoy setting people straight on their misconceptions of him. Now I'm trying to figure out how to respond to the excitement.

I take the more subtle, long term approach. I wait until I know more about what music the person likes and play stuff by Prince that they wouldn't associate immediately with him.

Country . . . "Say, did you know Prince wrote songs for Kenny Rogers and Bonnie Raitt?"
Jazz . . . . "Here, try this Madhouse album, I think you'll like it."
Sinead . . . ."You KNOW Prince wrote that song don't you?" Astounding how many people don't.
Bangles . . . Ditto on Manic Monday
and so on.

I have never found a person yet who didn't love SOMETHING that came from Prince's hand. After that, they usually leave the stupid stuff alone.

seems ive been defending him my whole life

i have been in several fist fights defending prince on his masculinity and sexual preference
never attempted to explain the name change to all the non believers

I get people that are my age every time when they say "He's a faggot". I ask them if they have ever at some time in their life bought any of his records. Then ones that reply "Yes because they sound good and back in the day everybody bought them" Then I reply, "Well he's a rich faggot then because he's got your money and he's the one laughing at you".

It doesn't work with younger people though. Most of them just can't stand him and were being born in his heyday. I use a different approach on them and start compare his music to the music that they are listening to today. I tell them "Prince makes original songs, he doesn't have to mix an old record over a beat and call it a song." You're probably subconsciously listening to Prince sampled into some gansta rap and don't even know it.....and tell them jibberish like "he's got subliminal messages saying.....'be a faggot, be a faggot"

I've tried defending him on the grounds he's an amazing musician, but I just end up looking obsessive.

Just letitgo....

AnnaStesia said:

Yeah, I used to do the same thing. I'd find out what they do listen to, and then make a tape for them (back in the day before CD Burnin' was around). I'd flat out tell them that after they take a few listens, they would like every song on it. It worked every single time except for this one girl. She was very VERY much into her religon and she absolutly didn't like The Cross or And God Created Women. Something like "Prince shouldn't write about God" was what came out of her mouth. So I gave her a tape filled with his spiritual songs. She didn't hang around me after that.

Anxiety said:

I agree. I know many people now that think he is a very talented person and only have great things to say about him.

Oddly, some of those people are the same ones that made rude comments about him 10 years ago. I guess it is about becoming more mature and having a better understanding over time.

vainandy said:

damn skippy! i gotta use that one one day

The thing that got to me most this time around going to see him live was the fact that so many people asked 'were there any guys there?' Umm...are you stupid or what? lol It's just an added bonus that he happens to be sexy and has all the right moves but if that was all he had going for him he wouldn't still be around. People just can't see past the odd stuff that he's done over the years and don't see the talent. Hey, their loss