This is a great read, I remember Prince just changing EVERYTHING 4 me.. I went in full. I had lace hanging from my ceiling.. 20 candles...tore my bed down and put it in the closet with a black light. many nights my parents must have thought I'd gone nuts. but those were the days, when listening to a new Prince song was all that I cared about, all I need to make me happy, a new Prince album. ahhh, back in the day...
thanks for all your posts, bringing back some good stuff..

Before Prince I listened (and still do) danceable R & B like S.O.S Band, Freeze, Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Lime, etc.

Before Prince....

Hall & Oates
KISS
The Cars
Supertramp
BTO
Queen
Duran Duran
Depeche Mode

For me, it was Michael Jackson. When I was a kid, you couldn't tell me that there was anyone better than MJ, Prince included, even though he was #2. I had and still listened to other artists like Culture Club, Madonna, Janet and Whitney, but MJ was my idol. I tried to immitate his dance moves, his singing voice and I wanted the man's clothes. When MJ started being called "King of Pop", I was bothered by that because that was when I was getting more into Prince and it made me realize how little attention was placed on Prince and his music so I decided to jump ship and get with Prince full time and I'm sooooo glad I did that. I still dig his music but it's no where close to what it was. Prince has taken most of my time musicwise. It's been such a fun ride and I can't wait to see what Prince does in 2005.
[Edited 2/7/05 20:35pm]

vainandy said:

Before Prince I was heavily into.....BACKSTREET BOYS

Yes, those Backstreet Boys. Damn proud of it too.

In all honesty, there's a very good chance I might not have ever gotten into Prince's music without them. All the local stations play is Top 40, and I don't get much exposure to good music from my family. (though thanks to my mother, I've developed a taste for Celtic music and Michael Martin Murphy. Still trying to decide whether that's a good or bad thing. )

Backstreet has surprisingly decent taste for a boyband. Over the years, they've collectively displayed fammish behaviour towards Led Zep, The Beatles, Hendrix, Corporate Avenger, and the lil Purple dude himself, among others. If not for Kevin and AJ blathering on about the greatness of Prince every chance they got, I may never have taken the initiative to hunt down my very first copy of Purple Rain.

Co-sign on Wham! I still love George Michael (esp.Listen w/o Prejudice).

I always liked Prince since I was like ten so not too many artists I became obsessed with before him.

I remember getting into Michael Jackson around the same time I became a die hard P fan but MJ's music became way to poppy and childlike in my opinion the older I got.

I was obsessed with Paula Abdul and used to play her cassette and pretend I was onstage with her as one of her backup dancers. I used to chorograph it too.

I loved Madonna like every girl during that time.

Oh and I was in love with New Kids on the Block...hey it was the eighties!

I remember the first CD I bought was actually the B52's Cosmic Thing. I really got into them too.

Oh and I'll admit it too. I got into Marylin Manson during the mid ninties too. Actually it was my very first concert at First Ave back in 1996. Crazy teenage years.

But I have loved Prince that whole time as well, His music has always been the best!

When I was little I was in love w/ Minnie Ripperton, just loved her voice...

J5/MJ too...

Then Prince blew errrybody out the wata

SammiJ said:

Based on those artist you still are...that shit was like a few years ago.

It seems like a mixture of Culture Club, Wham and Michael Jackson were gateways to get you high off of Prince.
(Damn, everybody was so gay in the 80's).



Forever Michael
[Edited 2/7/05 23:00pm]

I was and still am a Michael Jackson freak.

calin said:

I second that!!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

i still know all the dance moves to Everything She Wants off by heart.
i like some of GM's solo stuff. Praying For Time is a great song.

Ummmm Madonna and Michael Jackson mostly. And i still frequent them along with Prince

My main guys before I got into Prince were Micheal Jackson, U2, and Queen.

I didn't start really getting into music until I got into Prince (And Bowie, who I started listening at pretty much the same time and loved equally.), oddly enough. Since then, the only one I really still like on that list is Queen. U2 is an okay band, but a lot of their stuff is pretty boring, and I feel MJ's music just isn't that interesting compared to Prince's.
[Edited 2/8/05 7:00am]

Before Prince, there was emptiness.

Then came the light.

Of course, there was Imminent Starvation.

The Gap band, Tom Browne, Bob Marley, The Specials, Madness, Michael Jackson. I was 9 when Purple Rain was released and that was really the album that got me into Prince. Before that it was songs by artists mentioned and top 40/dance music and ofcourse Michael Jackson (thriller). After Thriller there was Purple rain. Then MJ didn't release another album till 1987. While in the meantime Prince came out with, Around the world in a day, Parade and Sign of the times. In that period I also bought his older albums starting off with 1999 and then Controversy. So u can imagine I was quite disapointed when Bad came out. Hahaha.

williammelvinhicks said:

George Michael's solo stuff is pretty incredible. I love it all. List Without Prejudice is an incredible album. The last song kills me. "....don't people change here I am, is it too late to try again, here I am." I guess I love the cd because of the accoustic guitar. I'm a sucker for accoustic work.

It's funny that you mention ESW. That's when I fell in love with Andrew. Haha!!! It really is a great song though.

Miguel

It was all about Michael Jackson
oh and "deep purple"
oh and "Marvin gaye"

yes i know intresting mix sum may say...

SammiJ said:

Got room for one more in that box cause I think we're bout the same age!

before Prince I wasnt very um, picky with my music so I listened to about
anything on the radio especially Immature!

Now thanks to P I feel like I have higher standards and better taste.


Though I still blast my Spice Girls sometimes

this is sooo much fun to read..our deep hidden loves...

Before there was Prince...in 1979 ( I was 9 )...there was KISS!!



and by the way DANSA "Portrait of an American Family" is a great album!!

FiveFootNine said:

i still love portrait, i can't say anything bad about that album.

before I discovered the cat named Prince, it was Stevie Wonder, got in to P about 82 first saw him in 83

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Oh, hell yes! Still have all their stuff on vinyl... "...big hands, I know you're the one."

rick james
stray cats
the police
blondie
the go go's

very early rap
my moms beatles records
my dad's late 50's elvis,little richard,jerry lee lewis, fats dominoe records

got into prince in 1982 when i heard delirious from 1999

became a true fan in 1985 when i bought my first prince album ATWIAD

Hmm, before I became a Prince fan I would listen to alot of Linkin Park, still do in fact

DTrickyB said:

I loved the BsJohnson....

Before prince there was...

Rick James
Cameo
The Gap Band
AC/DC
The J Giles Band
Blondie
Pat Benatar
Adam Ant

early, early 80's stuff.

williammelvinhicks said:

Young GUns! I use to thunk GM was a good rapper, LOL