10. Taking my 71-year old mother to her first ever concert and after set. Musicology- Nashville. She has endured 20+ years of me and my Prince music. I wanted to show her why I enjoy Prince's music. No better way than a live Prince show. She really enjoyed it. She said "That little dude sure can dance." She came home and was telling everyone what she witnessed...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

3. Front row 8/27 Denver and hanging with Lovesexyisthe1 in his underoos.

ANXY'S TOP TEN PRINCE MOMENTS OF 2004


1. Prince on the Grammys. - I was excited enough that N.E.W.S. had been nominated for an award, but such was the state of lowered expectations I’d been reduced to after the draught of 2003, which had to be one of the bleakest years to be a Prince geek ever. After a year of little-to-no output from the man, just seeing some kind of interaction between his music and the rest of the world was gratifying. But then there was the performance. People knock it, but come on. It was hot. It was to Prince’s 2004 blitzkrieg as the 1968 TV comeback special was to Elvis. People who hadn’t thought about Prince in years were given a slap to the head, and fans knew this would be just the beginning. Hell, it even made me able to tolerate Beyonce for once.

2. The Tavis Smiley Interview. - “Reflection”. Wendy Melvoin. Those big black moon boots. I remember being most blown away thinking that just after Prince got all glitzed-up on TV with the suits and the glitter and the over-the-top purpleness cranked up to 11, he was able to tone it down and show up for a TV interview decked out in a black turtleneck and shades, acoustic guitar in hand.

3. The Tonight Show Appearance. - “Mel Gibson!!! What’s shakin’, baby?” The performance was spotless and the interview was the most relaxed and playful I’d seen Prince in ages, even if Mel wasn‘t exactly enjoying it. It was nice watching Prince making someone ELSE squirm for once.

4. The Staples Center Simulcast. - I was able to see the Musicology tour several times this year, but I can’t help it - this performance still kicks my butt the hardest. The energy of the show, the sense of this show being such an “event”, the way Prince gave 1,000 percent on “The Beautiful Ones”…I know this show isn’t up for consideration for next year’s live DVD, but it really should have been. I hadn’t been that excited seeing a Prince show - live or otherwise - since I saw the Purple Rain tour with my own 14-year-old eyes way back in ‘85. Amazing. And as if that wasn’t enough, we were handed copies of the new album to listen to on our way home from getting our butts kicked by the simulcast. What a night. And it was just the beginning!

5. The Musicology Store Opens. - Or, as I called it, MERRY PRINCEMAS! Some people will think this is a dumb excuse for a “highlight” for the year, but when NPGMC dropped several albums for download in one day, I thought it was one of the most hopeful and exciting things I’ve ever seen from the most recent incarnation of the club. Sure, I already had most of the offerings, but I enjoyed reading the comments of folks for whom it was the first listen of “Xpectation” and “CNOTE” and “The Chocolate Invasion”. Not to mention the Musicology Store downloads of TCI featured a few re-worked versions and a new song, “The Dance”, which I think is one of the best new songs offered from Prince/NPGMC this year.

6. The Champaign Musicology Show. - My first time going to a Musicology show this year, and my favorite. The man said it best himself - “they say the first time is the greatest” - and I can’t disagree. My first time ever being in the front row for a Prince concert, and my mug wound up in Rolling Stone magazine in a concert photograph! It was amazing to say the least, and being able to meet John Blackwell after the show and to get a drumstick from him to give my mom (a former drummer herself) was a true honor.

7. Berlin In The Summer. - As if it wasn’t enough that I had the opportunity to see Prince live a bunch of times this year, I was lucky to be a Chicagoan this year because I got to dance my butt off with Orgers and NPGMC-ers and all kinds of assorted Prince freaks at Berlin nightclub in Chicago at their monthly Prince nights. These nights were every bit as fun as the shows I attended - a true love fest…and we got an exclusive sneak preview of “United States of Division” on the dance floor before it hit the NPGMC!

8. Prince In Chicago (the Pizza Incident). - It wasn’t enough that when Prince rescheduled his Chicago dates that I got a front row seat once again…but the man came up to us in the middle of the show and offered us pizza! And when the guy next to us dropped the box, Prince got peeved and threw a damn blanket over our heads while we all cackled helplessly! And what a great show - the man was playful and full of energy that night. I’ll never forget him turning his guitar over during the acoustic set and playing it like a bongo drum. I don’t know what he was on that night, but he needs to take more of it.

9. The Ellen Show Appearance. - I gotta say, Ellen’s got it going on. She had Prince AND Bowie on her show this summer, and managed to get some nice performances out of both them on her stage. And her interview with Prince was charmingly awkward and silly. You know he put on those boxer shorts…

10. The Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame. - Hello! Saving the best for last. The speech, the performance at the beginning, and…holy crap…"While My Guitar Gently Weeps". My goodness. Another career-defining moment.

I need to get a huge box to save all my stuff from this year...the tourbook, the t-shirts, the ticket stubs, the mountain of Musicology freebie discs...what a year it's been. Nice.

cool responses, people...sometime before christmas i'm gonna look at all the responses and try to figure out what the biggest moments were for the most of us, and put together a "comprehensive" list for us to dig on in the early months of 2005, so we can all remember what a great year this was and hopefully even share a few more stories and reflections on the tour and the appearances and whatnot.

so if ya haven't chimed in already...do so soon!

I've seen prince three times this year. In a year of my mother's passing, it made it alot better rediscovering Prince and seeing him live. He's always been a part of special moments in my life and I find it interesting that his so called comeback would happen at a time when I really needed to just dance around and have a good time.

Thanks Prince for 2004!!!!!

i was able to go with my mom to one of the shows, and i wish i'd met my boyfriend a bit earlier so i could have taken him to one of the shows - hell, our first date was the day after prince fed me pizza, so he got to hear all about it on our first time hanging out together...i'm surprised there was a second date!

I've seen prince three times this year. In a year of my mother's passing, it made it alot better rediscovering Prince and seeing him live. He's always been a part of special moments in my life and I find it interesting that his so called comeback would happen at a time when I really needed to just dance around and have a good time.

Thanks Prince for 2004!!!!!

for me, writing a letter to Prince and at the concert him asking the
audience and getting a truthful answer. The concert was a great
experience, i would love to go again, hopefully he will tour again.

10. Taking my 71-year old mother to her first ever concert and after set. Musicology- Nashville. She has endured 20+ years of me and my Prince music. I wanted to show her why I enjoy Prince's music. No better way than a live Prince show. She really enjoyed it. She said "That little dude sure can dance." She came home and was telling everyone what she witnessed...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

10. Getting the Lovesexy (Dortmund show) on DVD after all these years

9. Dave Chappelle acting out the basketball game with Charlie Murphy

8. MTV, VH-1 & BET airing Musicology Special

7. The RRHOF (performance only)

6. Hearing "Musicology" on the Tonight Show for the 1st time

5. 3/29 Watching Prince on the big screen for the 1st time in 14 years and a FREE CD

4. 6/3 Prince in LA, sitting amongst a few celebrities

3. 8/27 Front row, hanging w/EverlastingNow

2. 8/28 Taking my daughters to their 1st Prince concert

1. "Reflection" performed with Wendy, on the Tavis Smiley show

yea, it was a great year to be a P fan, unfortuneatly, I think it will be a few years before we are this spoiled again.

i kinda hope it's at least another year or two before we get another big bang like that again...i need to recover!