I work at a Tower Records and this woman had me find a bunch of stuff for her, one of which was the latest Prince CD. I said "Oh yeah, I'm a big fan myself". She said "Really? How is that possible? I remember Prince from many years ago and I'm 44. Wow, that was before you were born." I said "Well, he never really disappeared. He's never stopped making music and it was his mid-late 90's music that made me a fan. I believe you're looking for Musicology."
She says "Is that the one with that little kid in the video dancing to a Prince record? I bet it didn't sell well." I responded "That's the one, and yes it sold very well. The best selling record since Emancipation". She said "There's no way you can remember the 80's."

What pisses me off is that whether people like his post-80's music or not, they can't not know that he's been making music. I mean, he sold over 10 million in the US alone in the 90's and Diamonds and Pearls and Emancipation made up about half of that. Prince isn't yesterday's news or just a thing of the past. He's still here! He never left!

Yeah, some people seem to think that Prince turned into a dove or a cloud of purple smoke one night in the 80's after singing Purple Rain and reappeared on stage with Beyonce in 2004

sitruk7 said:

"Some people"? You mean NON fams. Jeez. To most people on earth he dropped offa the earth after Kiss.

I always think it is so funny fans expect everyone to keep updated on musicians' hysterics. I was GLAD Prince was so immensely under the radar during his immensely stupid namechange and Gold Experience hysterics.
Try to make people fan during THAT period; bring them to a concert and Prince plays new material only. "I mean, haven't you heard it on the radio? It was broadcast ONCE."

Please people. Stop being so tight-ass and just confess Prince is a pain in the ass and makes it hard to stay focused on him and his work. I mean, he skips from one project to another without really committing.

Musicology counts as a hit only because he tied the free give-away copies to concert tickets sales. That, and his media blitz. The album made no impact or what so ever on a market outside his already excisting fanbase.

Weather u agree with his name change or anything that he did in the 90's, Why is it stupid? Its his life and his choices. Why does it bother u so much that he changed his name? As long as he's making music I could care less.I understand its your opinion, but why does most opinions on here have to resort to name calling etc... And don't act like princes face wasn't on the tv enough in the 90's for people to see that he's still making music. Give me a break.

Bull said:

And indeed. I am, as the poster of this thread and everybody here entitled to an opinion.

And name calling. Just cuz I said he is a pain in the ass? He is. He is one of the most whimsical artists I ever encountered. As much as it frustrates me, that is also one of the aspects that draws me in.

doctamario said:

She didn't know what she was talking about. So overall you can have ignorant new fans as well as ignorant supposed old experienced ones.

Try to make people fan during THAT period; bring them to a concert and Prince plays new material only.[/quote]

I'm glad he didn't just rely on old stuff to ride thru his career his whole life. That's what makes him so cool, IMO.

But back to the discussion... I think to people who grew up in the 80's, none of his music afterward counted, so even if they heard about his other music, they probably unconsciously dismissed it all like it never happened.

doctamario said:

There wasn't a bigger fan of Prince during TGE era than I was. I dug the new tunes, I loved the performances.
But it is just hard to sell an artist when he only plays unknown (to others) stuff at concerts. It's just a hard sell. Why do you think he performed his hits with Beyonce? Because Prince knows how to catch someone's ear. He did it to push his new material. No biggie.

HamsterHuey said:

ok, ic your point

I see your point about non-fans not knowing what thetre talking about, but you touched on my pet peeve in that. I HATE it when people assume you dont know anything just because you werent there, because youre too young! Im 21, so that explains that, but Ive always loved music, all music, and its wierd you kow, cause if you think about it its just another art form. you dont hear people saying, how can you like hitchcock, youre too young, or how can you like da Vinci, youre too young!! Music is music, yeah, the cultural and social climate does affect when it comes out, but if youre a music geek like me, you know that stuff anyway!

Ah!! thanks, feel better now!!