I have a reasonable recollection of a clip from the first night of the Lovesexy tour being shown on UK TV.

The first night of the tour was on a Friday (June 8, 1988) and he opened in Paris (Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy).

If my memory is correct, the excerpt from the show was recorded and aired later that night - I think on Channel 4's 'The Tube'.

I can recall him performing the 'Jack U Off' / 'Sister' section from the first part of the show. I don't believe the clip was shown again.

Such a broadcast has, to the best of my knowledge never been mentioned on this site, and it isn't referenced in Uptown's, 'The Vault' (or their previous publications). Although I used to tape all such performances if I was able, I don't think I have this on tape ... although it may be stuck somewhere on a very old recording I have of the Detroit '86 Birthday show.

So ... is anyone able to corroborate my recollection ... or have I developed a false memory of this from over the years? All help appreciated.
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I'm momentarily stunned that there's something you're unsure of Lange, but I'm sure I'll get over it....one day.
But in regards to your query, sorry, I was eight years old then.

I recall that same clip running on MTV News with Kurt Loder. In addition, MTV also showed clips of Let's Go Crazy and the LGC clip was later in one of the quick edits at the conclusion of the hourly MTV News segments.

Lange, I think the same clip was shown on French TV at that time...

Thanks for the help so far ...

If it helps anyone in the UK, I am now sure that it wasn't on 'The Tube' because Channel 4 only originally ran that show up until 1987. However, 'the Tube' was not immediately replaced by 'The Word' (1990 onwards) on Channel 4, and I'm trying to rack my brains as to what the show was that filled the gap.
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langebleu said:

I can also remember seeing this on the Channel 4 prg. I pretty sure they also showed part of Adore as well. I think I recorded onto video at the time.

JB

jsb23nc said:

Co-Sign. I have this same clip on a VHS tape in my collection as well.

Can't say what was shown in the UK.

langebleu said:

Perhaps it was this:

I remember that the entire Lovesexy concert was shown on Channel 4 late at night on a Friday, and then repeated the following Sunday morning (only slightly edited). I remember because I taped it. I believe it was a special on a show called 'Wired' which had theme music by Yes/No people. I can vaguely remember the music and idents before and after the advert break.

Now, I believe this was the same footage from Dortmund that later became the Livesexy videos. But it is possible they showed clips of an earlier concert earlier in the series - I certainly remember recording a brief bit of the Glam Slam video which was for many years the only part of it I'd ever seen, as part of the build-up advertising for this show.

Anyway, after watching the tape many many times, my dad taped over it! Of course I was furious, but at that time the Livesexy videos were easy to get, so I bought them.

metalorange said:

Thanks metalorange.

I'm almost certain it wasn't this because I remember having a ticket for a Wembley show and was pleased to see a sneak preview from the opening night of the tour. (I certainly taped the Channel 4 broadcast of the Dortmund show when he closed the European leg ... and bought it later on the two video tapes when officially released).

Meanwhile, I have enquired at Channel 4 to try to obtain confirmation (but they might take a fair while to respond) and I've started searching through my dusty old tapes!
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It certainly was 'Wired' . First Prince thing I ever got into: so theatrical and a complete musical trip . I taped that concert from my video copy and listened to it non-stop for a year. Still gobsmacking how he zips from genre to genre seamlessly on that show!

Only got the actual Livesexy vid 5 years after, and saw the whole thing uninterrupted by ad breaks and the irritating ident music they had mixed into the TV soundtrack (blasphemy!).

As a gigging musician, though, the most reassuring bit on the vid (strangely missing from the broadcast) was when Prince's guitar fails completely when trying to solo during Anna Stesia and he goes around telling the band what to do to cover it ! See, it can happen even with a massive budget!

bananacologne said:

I remember 'Wired' now - but was that simply the Dortmund broadcast - or did you also see the Paris clip on that show?
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Some of you guys are getting a little mixed up. The Lovesexy concert that appeared on home video format was shown in an edited version on Channel 4's "Wired".
As for the Bercy clip from the opening night of the tour, this was shown on BBC 2's "Behind The Beat". There was also a Behind The Beat Prince Special which aired around the same time which went backstage at Paisley Park recording the preparations for the forthcoming Lovesexy tour. It featured interviews with Alan Leeds and Prince's costume designer amongst others.

pacey68 said:

Janet Street Porter's DEF II included programmes such as 'Behind The Beat' and 'Snub'. The programme that you are referring to was shown on DEF II in 1988 - including preparing for the Lovesexy tour - and featured Helen Hiatt - but there was no interview with Alan Leeds (Steve Fargnoli is a talking head on it) when shown then - I've just watched it back this evening on VHS and discussed it here:

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/115484

However, I must admit I'd be very surprised if 'Behind The Beat' originally showed the Bercy footage that I saw. It wasn't broadcast at tea-time as normally associated with that show ... because it was billed as an exclusive of Prince's opening concert from earlier that evening, and was aired late on Friday night or very early (post midnight) on the Saturday morning.
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yep i have that as well on vid!.

NO!it wasnt wired.

wired showed the full lovesexy gig on ch4(from jarmany)

the wee clip is from the paris gig..the first ever lovesexy show.

but i cant quite remeber from which show.....

I'm sure the Paris clip was shown on "Wired" - possibly the first episode. As mentioned, by others the clips shown were "Sister/ Jack U Off" & "Adore". I have this on VHS. It's never clicked with me before that this isn't referenced in "The Vault" or any other publications. If anyone can tell me how to hook up my VHS to my pc I'd be more than happy to get this onto the web.

Wired did also broadcast the Lovesexy concert from Dortmund twice. Once "live"-ish on the Friday night. I'm pretty sure they also broadcast a slightly different version on the Sunday afternoon. I'm pretty sure this was featured as an end of series special. I taped over both shows when I replaced them with Lovesexy 1&2 videos.

I also seem to remember a Christmas special - a highlights of the year type thing - that featured some clips of the Dortmung gig and had some footage of Elton John talking about Prince.

The "Behind The Beat" special didn't contain any Paris footage. I have this on tape but haven't watched it for years. From memeory it had a couple of songs from "SOTT", a brief overview of his career to date (I think this was the first time I saw the "Dirty Mind" video) and some behind the scenes footage on the Lovesexy tour.
[Edited 9/21/04 1:00am]

The "Wired" lovesexy at Dortmund was actually editted on both the "Live" friday night showing and the Sunday showing.

On both versions, Housequake was editted out. On the Sunday version, various "adult bits" were also cut.

I don't remember the Paris clips anywhere.

the only bit I remember on the Tube was the clips from PR live and the 85 interview.

Was it wired? I always thought it was the great LWT show NightNetwork still, 2 this day the best programme ever 4 YOOF at that time! Any one else remember this magnificent show?

Where else would u find Marc Bolan's Children Of The Revolution, An interview with Wendy and Lisa, Tim Westwood showing real hip hop video's and Captain Scarlet all on the same show!


Yoda

langebleu said:

Ure right, it wasnt on at tea time, it was on either nightnetwork or wired.I'm gonna hav 2 go home and check that out I still have the footage.

It's unlikely, yet not without the realms of possibility that NightNetwork also aired the footage - but It was originally aired on Wired.

Who remembers the Art of Noise theme tune and the *ahem* stunning computer graphic idents!

ive just watched it..yep it was wired...NOT the wired tv spesh that showed paris footage