1) Do you think Warner Brothers was every really serious about the Paisley Park venture as far as money, marketing and support?


2) What do you think about the state of the music industry today and Prince's move to semi-independent artist?


3) Wjat is the project/song that remains unrelased that the fans would love?

what a cool thing

these are things i have always wanted to know...

* what does prince wear on a 'normal' day ????

* what are some of the regular things that prince does, like we might have coffee in the morning, or insist on a salad for lunch..... what are his "must have's" ? (certain drinks, food, scents...)

* when i was up close and personal with prince, he seemed at first very stand-offish.... but looking back, i think he is just so shy thats why he comes off the way he does. when you finally get to talk with him, is he real laid back, or is he pretty tight lipped ?

* whats a saying or word that prince used a lot ?

* does he get excited about things, or is he always even tempered ?

* if you could see prince doing something for a charity, what do you think it would be ?? what is he very passionate about ??

last one...

* when watching some of his performances, it seems that he gets so emotional hes been near tears.... do his emotions play a huge part in what he does ??? or, after all these years, is it just his job to do what he does out there ???






thanks for your time
[Edited 11/26/05 17:05pm]

Thanks Mr. Leeds for the oppty to ask questions, and for your touching comments you made at the Family Jamm about those who had passed on but were there in spirit.

My questions:

1. Are there really thousands of unreleased songs in "the Vault" from the heyday era, or are is it just more filler stuff like some of the 90's era albums? If so, will they ever be released?

2. Why didnt' Pasiley Park ever release a box set with unreleased tracks, rarities, live shows, etc. like so many other artists do today? the demand is clearlythere

3. Similarly, do you think the out of print related artists CDs will ever be re-released (The Family, Jill Jones, Vanity 6 etc.)?

4. Have you or would you ever consider managing Sheila E's career? I know she is focused on her charity work now, but I would love to see her release a Pop album and be on the radio again. She clearly has the talent and the looks, and good management like yours could make it happen!

5. Was it coincidence that both you and Eric worked with Prince or did one of you bring in theother? I had read that Eric sent a tape to Sheila back in 84 and it got to Prince who hired him for The Family.

6. Any suggestions for how to re-create the 80-'s Prince sound today (Linn drummand oberheims)? Like what synths can recrecreate that sound?

7. How many Linn Lm-1 drum machines did Prince have? there were only like 500 made but he must've toured with them and worn them out right? what was Bobby Z's role and responsibility with them?

JimmyNothing said:

- Good question!

babynoz said:

Good questions also. I would add mine, in the same vein:

- What do you feel when some people don´t consider Prince as great as some of the famous (and "serious") american songwriters like Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, etc, but see him as a pop star only? What would you say to them?
[Edited 11/26/05 18:13pm]

My question for Alan:

After the success of Purple Rain, Prince seemed determined to challenge his audience further with some of his most experimental albums to date (ie. ATWIAD, Parade, Lovesexy etc.). Do you think he ultimately achieved the artistic growth he was aiming for? And from his managers point of view, were you comfortable with his decision to go in this direction?

Please pick me Mods!!

1. Do you think Prince has fallen short of his artistic potential and expectation since his commercial peak in the 80s?

Hello Mr. Leeds. Great of you to do this Q&A!!!!

Question:

1) There have been great music pioneers over the decades who have collaborated with their peers and they are still known by their own musical abilitites, Like Mile Davis. Prince, from the beginning of his career was billed as this multi-instrumental, one-man music genius machine, for lack of better phrasing. I know he is that genius and brilliant, but as an outsider, it always seem to me that Prince struggled with sharing the spotlight for years to protect that music autocrat image. Did trying to live up to that title make Prince turn off to allowing musical input from those around him earlier on? Was he affraid that sharing credit would dis-credit him in away? Was it fear of relying on others ideas that made him break up the Revolution or was it that they really couldn't keep up with him musically. He seems more relaxed about his place in music now and seems to be reaching out to former band members or is at best friendly with them again.

2) Wendy has said she got along with Prince great for the most part, but that he could get very scary when he was angry. Was he "his bark is worse than his bite" type of guy or did you really have to duck for cover for fear of his wrath? Was anyone in particular good at calming him down and talking sense into him if he went off on some weird tangent? He couldn't be that terrible, or else none of his former people would want to talk to him...just my opinion.

3) It shouldn't be a shock that most Prince fans have the footage (poor copies) of the Michael Jackson, James Brown, & Prince tape...The one where Prince falls grabbing onto a column. What is the origin of that footage...where and when did it take place? Was it an industry event? Why did Michael make it a point to have James call Prince out?

4) Prince seems to have a GREAT admiration for James Brown. I hear James' influence in some of Princes R&B based music...at naseum in some respects. I see it when he is on stage. I read a squib from James Brown in Rolling Stone in 1984-5 saying that he didn't think Prince was like him and that he felt Michael(Jackson) was. Has The God-Father changed his view of Prince over the years? Does he at least respect him especially now that he is no longer pushing the sex angle that much anymore? I think Prince is very much like James Brown in a sense that they both had pretty clear visions of the sounds they wanted to hear in creating music and the strong ability to lead and direct their musicians.


I know these are pretty long questions, I'm really interested in the knowing answers to the 1st and last question, if possible. Thanks for your time!!!!
[Edited 11/27/05 8:10am]
[Edited 11/27/05 8:25am]

"What would you say about those people that do not speak very highly of Prince, when they are asked questions about him?"
I would really like to know because I have read extensive material on Prince and those working with him have not ALL spoken too well of him, though I know that overally Alan Leeds had really enjoyed working with Prince.

What does Prince do as a pre-show routine to warm up his voice, if anything at all?

Dear Alan,

Can u remember the most poignant story from ur time 2gether with Prince, which made u think something along the lines of, 'he is human, afterall', and can u please share ur emotional story with us?

love,
Anji

What one Prince song do you think represents what he's about?

This is quite a privilege. I'm so glad to see that current and former people who work or have worked with him respect the org community. It's nice to feel connected, especially since he's so hard to "get at."

Okay. My questions:

- Do you think that P's fickle nature will result in his ultimately not sharing some of the best work from the vault with the fans? Especially given that a lot of his "peak" work was composed during a very sexual era of his life. A lot of fans fear that.

- Why do you think he hasn't done very many duets or appearances on other albums? Do you think that there just aren't that many people that he respects enough to do that with. It would be interesting if he and Stevie Wonder did an album. I know that they're friends and he did do a guest guitar spot on "What's the Fuss."

- Do you think he'll focus less on "event" tours and get back to the smaller venues and after shows that we all know and love?

- Are you a fan of the turn that his music has taken? Are you feeling the new stuff?

- What aspect of the way he worked when you were with him do you think he's lost in recent years?

(Hope you pick one of mine!)

To Alan Leeds :

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson is generally acknowledged to be the biggest-selling album of all time. Before “Thriiller”, most record labels were more willing to invest the time & money & resources necessary to develop musically talented & promising artists to their potential, over a period of several albums &/or years (Prince being a classic example of this).

Post-“Thriller” – certainly since the end of the 90s – it’s become much more common for labels to take chances on lesser talented entities who can project the “hot image” or the “hot music trend” of the moment.

Instead of developing an artist over a period of time, most major labels today seem to (still) be looking for the next “Thriller,” (at least) in terms of huge unit sales. This resulting “style over substance” mentality has produced pop music today, of which about 90% is mostly derivative, predictable &.. crap.

1a) do you agree with this “paradigm shift” that has occurred in the music industry, & if so, to what extent?

1b) do you think the industry would have evolved differently, if an infinitely more talented musician/performer like Prince would’ve had a larger commercial impact in the early 80s than MJ? Or was this “style over substance” direction going to become the norm anyway?

I want to ask him if he had any idea as to why Prince didnt want to release his bootlegs? Did Leeds ever talk to him about it?

1. A recurring topic amongst fans is Prince's appearance on stage at James Brown concert in 1983? Any thoughts on what happened that night?

2. When did Prince first mention control over his masters?

3. Did Prince ever wield a Knife around in the early 80's?

4. Did Prince recognize the major role hip-hop would play in popular music?

5. Did Prince ever mention Elvis Presley?

Dear Mr Leeds, I'm a Prince fan from India, My questions :-

1. Behind that public persona, I have a gut feeling that Prince is a really simple man with a simple lifestyle, how right am I ? Does he really have an extravagant lifestyle of a rock star or is he a well-grounded person ?

2. I have never believed stories about him trying drugs and other intoxicants, does he drink or smoke ?

Dear Mr.Leeds,
Knowing that you were the road manager for Prince,James Brown and others,the list is impressive,working with those talented,diverse artists.My questions are and I'll try to be breif:you write the liner notes to all James Brown's cd's,etc.,is Universal/Polydor planning new,unissued live J.B. cd's in the near future?The Godfather of Funk in concert is the real deal.I hope someday UMusic will release the complete show in Zaire,Africa 1974,the Rumble in the Jungle.1974 I think is Brown's most productive period.Prince is another one of my favorite diverse,live performers.I read somewhere in an article stating that he made a huge mistake not bringing the Sign O'The Times 87tour to the states.I still think it's one of his best tours and albums.He was maturing as a musician and was still incorporating some jazz in the repertoire.After the Parade album a year earlier.The Sign O The Times film is still an amazing document of his spellbounding,onstage prowess as a live performer.I was hoping you can convince Mr.Prince to release the movie on Dvd in the U.S.as a Special Edition with unseen footage and extras.Thank You So Much Mr.Leeds.Peace!