prettymansson said:

that's what scares off the popular crowd! He should have kept the masculine porno moustache of late...

I have noticed that at Prince's popular peak, his image was the masculine one of the "when doves cry" video. That was the same time as "Purple Rain" and "Let's go Crazy" and the notorious (at the time) "Darling Niki" which was played on conservative rock stations! His look/hair was a bit more gruff.

Notice something? Deeper voice and the more masculine lyrics and song flavor...

"Cream" also hit big for him and it was the deeper Prince voice.

Of course "Kiss" breaks that rule, it's a very feminine song, but that is just a very, very unique catchy song.
[Edited 1/27/06 8:17am]

Prettymanson is correct. In the current day and age (which is extremely dead and boring), a feminine looking man or even a stylish looking man does scare off the popular crowd because the majority of the current artists are overly masculine thug trash who wear shit that looks like it came from a garage sale. However, in the 1980s it was the exact opposite. Glam was in. If a male entertainer wasn't gay, he had damn well better look the part if he wanted to be a star. Style was in and trash was out. Ah, the good ole days.
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[Edited 1/27/06 7:39am]

i totally am unmoved by Prince's current image. Bored in fact. That last thing that comes to mind is sexy. I think just a simple new hair style could butch him up enough to recover his edge. Short fro? Dreds? Buzz cut? He used to be so thrilling. Now, he looks like a safe man moms could leave their daughters around.

but really, even a hair change and biceps (which somehow faded) would be swallowed up in his current lite jazz mellow persona.
[Edited 1/27/06 7:46am]