1983. I was standing in my front yard, it was hot out and all the people on my block were outside. My next door neighbors had on their boom box (WLOL - any MPLS peeps remember that station?) "Delirious" came on and I was immediately hooked. I asked my neighbor about the singer and she said it was some local guy named Prince. She had the "1999" cassette and she taped me a copy. I played that thing out. I was too embarassed (I was only nine years old) to play "DMSR" or "Let's Pretend We're Married" in front of my two brothers (the three of us shared a room, and a radio) so I mostly listened to "Free" over and over. I LOVE PRINCE!!!!!

When I was 11 I saw a the cover of the Prince LP. I remember saying to myself damn that girl has a mustache. My friend later told me that was Prince (a guy) I was like yuck... I Wanna Be Ur Lover was hot at the time and I definitely remember the song just didn't know it was Prince.

Skip Dirty Mind, and only remember Do me Baby and a Little of Controversy because those songs were played on Black Radio...but didn't necessarily pay too much attention to them. Then in 1983 was in Gym glass and a group of guys were talking about music. I was a huge Zapp fan at the time and was going on and on about them. Then a buddy said have you heard of Prince...I had to think and I said yeah. He said Prince is bad man...you haven't heard Little Red Corvette. I was like no. After school we went over his house and he played that fuckin albums and that's where it started. I was completely conscious of him...not completely sold but I couldn't ignore the music I also was conditioned to the fact that he looked so strange and that kept me from completely embrassing him. About a year and half later I was in a car with 4 buddies heading to a high school party. I remember it was warm outside had to be May..they were talking about this new record by Prince. I asked what was the name...they said When Doves Cry. I was like no I haven't heard it yet. We jumped into the Car and the DJ was like (I think it was Donnie Simpson) This Is Prince...With When Doves Cry. I couldn't fuckin believe my ears. I will never forget it. He played the song three times back to back to back

That absolutely sealed it for me

I love this cat...his music has really touched me in so many ways

Parade
SOTTs
1999
Purple Rain
Lovesexy
ATWIAD

unbelievable records all in their own right...and incredible period of prolific song writing both commercially, and innovatively

before this period and just as equally after he has been hit or miss...most times more miss IMO. Doesn't matter though because when he gets up on a stage and rips a song like Fury out as he did on SNL with the ease and comfort that you simply don't see by anyone and I mean anyone...its is a pure joy to watch!

Prince!!! Is the man!!
[Edited 2/8/06 19:31pm]

jillybean said:

Hey, I love your user name! My name is Jill and my dad used to call me Jilly Bean as a kid. As a matter of fact, I'm 32 and he still calls me that!

Growing up in the Philippines, I knew of his music in the early '80s, during my high school days, especially tracks from his album,1999; and I already knew then that there was something special about his music, but didn't become a fan until I heard When Doves Cry on the radio in 1984. The movie, Purple Rain, wasn't shown in the Philippines until many months later and it bombed; there were only a few dozens of people at the theaters. In my high school, I didn't know anyone who was a Prince fan-- they mostly liked Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Culture Club, Billy Idol, Madonna, Spandau Ballet, etc. I'm surprised I stayed a Prince fan all those years knowing that I was the only person among my friends who liked his music and they found me a bit strange. I think what really attracted to Prince was his bold lyrics!! Growing up in a conservative family, his music was wild and liberating for me!! Of course, over the years, his music, especially in the later years, has lost their appeal on me-- it has lost its edginess-- but I still follow his career.

that's the thing that surprised me too. how was Prince so popular during 1984, when I could barely find one person in my whole town that I could talk to about Prince and his music. I was seen as a "freak" throughout the '80s because I dug Prince. funny thing, some of those same people who used to ridicule me for my taste in music, now have total respect for Prince and his musicianship, especially if they've seen him perform live.

hokie1 said:

I'm 32 as well! My maiden name was Becker so it was either Jill B, Jilly B, Jillybean, or Beano.

Since 1996. When Emancipation came out I was 15 years old and a fan of Michael Jackson. A friend of mine gave me a copy of Emancipation to listen to it and I was hooked. To this day I think Emancipation is his best album of the 90's.

Im 35 and began my journey w/Prince in 1983. First heard of him
when Controversey came out thru a classmate,but he did not really
interest me until I saw the Little Red Corvette video and
I was hooked.....been going strong ever since. My 10 year
old daughter is now following in my footsteps.

hi - i remember hearing lets go crazy and when doves cry on the radio (mid 80's??)and me and my buddy thought 'yeah! i think 1999 was re-released (in the uk) around then and i got the 12" and that was me hooked baby. . .(i always especilly loved his extended versions and remixes) . .and then i kind of lost it with him when batman came out

check out my remix of take me with u...
www.myspace.com/sniggeraudio

The first time I remember hearing Prince was in 1983 on the radio with 1999 and Little red corvette. The first 45 I bought was "Let's go crazy" in 1984 and I have been collecting ever since!

Nasalhair said:

Must of been the same thursday that I saw WDC cant remember the other groups that day, It just blow me away, got the purple Rain LP soon after that followed by ATWIAD, now that took a long time to grow on me, kinda lost track until ICNTTPOYM video Sheila's drumming at the beginning I had to rush out soon after that I had to cathc a plane to Amsterdam (used to be an air Courier) whislt waiting for the flight I went and had a look around one of the shops and saw that SOTT on tape was only £3.99 (i knew that this was a wrong price as it was in WHSmiths as £9.99), then started working backwards with Parade DM Contoversy all the wasy back to for you, When Lovesexy came out I was about to go to Hong kong rushed out and got it, well that tape never stopped on the flight there( I flew London to Amsterdam to Alaska down to Tokeyo onto Hong Kong 36 Hrs Flying time!!! I had to buy SOTT again In HK just to hear something else and the rest is history Brought every CD from then on the day of Release.

I missed the Lovesexy tour due to no funds!!!!! so in 1990 i queued up for tickets outside of Wembley Ticket office all my friends thought I was Mad.

DID the same a couple of yrs later at Earls Court and that was one COLD DAM NIGHT, the coldest of that yr if my memory serves me right!!!!

Definintely 1984.. I was 14 and totally fell in love and lust with him.
I used to think he was a freak during his 1999 era and was not into him at all.

1980/81, my cousin came back from the US with For You, Prince & Dirty Mind & I was hooked & have been ever since, though can't say I play a lot of the later stuff much (though I still buy it all), just doesn't excite like he did in the 80s.....
Now Black Sweat's got me excited, even if it is Hot Thing brought up to date

oldpurple said:

Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

FunkMistress said:

HMMM full stops are missing Well here they are .....


at work and everytime the boss walks towards me I have to go back to work SOOOOO I did't proof read it first DOH!!!!

welp....I remember screaming/singing "do you want him, or do you want me, cause I want you" and "baby baby baby listen to me" with my friends walking down the street prolly bout 1985ish...and I remember watching PR but it was on VHS....I do not remember the movie premiere or anything like that. I also remember liking delirious, not knowing who sung it.

It wasn't until late 1992/ early 1993 that I got this old 1979 Chevy diesel pick up truck as my mode of transportation....it had AM radio and no antenna. but...it had a tape deck. So I went rummaging through a box of tapes I had and found the 1999 tape. Popped it in the old deck and off to school I went, found myself turning it up along the way and repeating a few tracks. When the tape was done...I remember thinking "that taped just kicked my ass!" so I played it again and again and thought...yep my ass is kicked! what other Prince tapes might I have...low and behold I had batman, and lovesexy. Need I say more? no, I was hook lined and sunk! baby!

or do you want me edit
[Edited 2/9/06 10:09am]

1983 I think - International Lover at a "school" dance. Dropped out about 93. Started listening to my 'concerts' again about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Discovered I missed a lot of cool shit. Trying to pick it back up. 39 aint 17!

smileslime said:

Dropped out of school or Prince fandom?

been an ok fan since "[symbol]" came out ("7", "My Name Is Prince")...

more rencently, my friend Joe came back from living in MN, real close to Paisley Park and hyping me to some newer Prince discs... and DAMN did my appreciation explode!

now i can't go for a week or more without bumping some P in my car or suggesting his songs on forums or talking about 3121...

i now have ALMOST everything P has recorded in studio (through NPGMC, naturally)

(i love P, but i hate bootlegs of his shows. you don't see him, so you don't get the full effect.)

i've seen him 3 times in STL, 1 time in Chicago (musicology 2004ever tour)

hell, i'm considering the soapstone symbol tattoo.

finn34 said:

Seriously, dude: Don't do it!

First controversy on the radio in a car with friends. Was 14 at the Time.
Put me in a slight trance.

D.M.S.R. is when the full trance to over. Haven't stopped zombie dancin since.

Every album makes recall a certain time,place, people and events in my life.

Since 1984, Purple rain the lp came out, and everybody was just crazy about Prince and the revolution. My aunt, the neighbors, the kids in school. My dad hated his music, didn't like it at all. I think it was "I would die 4 u" that really made me go and buy the album. I was only 9 years old and never got to see the movie. But about a year later the local radio shack was playing purple rain (the movie) in their showcase on all the tv's, and from outside the store I saw the movie several times, without sound. From there on I bought Atwiad, 1999, controversy and the rest. The people from radio shack must have been really upset with me, cuz I would be there watching the movie from outside their store everytime they would play it. Great memories.....

Since 1993, but starting with Purple Rain, and then I just kept backtracking. I think in the beginning it was PR then 1999 then Parade, then possibly The Gold Experience. Ive finally caught up now! Date of release doesnt mean much to me in terms of when I got into it though - what else can it mean when youre too damn young to be there when any great artist had his day?!

Little Red Corvette was the first P song I ever liked. At first I thought he was a debarge though. Then I saw the 1999 video with him on vocals, that other dude on guitar (who the fuck is that anyway? I know who Fink, Bobby Z, W&L are, but who is that other dude on guitar?) anyway...I thought it was cool how there was this little man in a glittery purple trench coat, some dude with a japanese flag tied across his forehead, 2 lesbians and a doctor on keyboards making a funky ass song. Then I saw the kiss video and I was like "Okay. I like this bitch." At first I thought he was just some 80's thing, and I've always loved 80's music but never knew who Prince was. My mom had the c.d. that 7 is on. I didn't know it was a prince c.d. until I actually looked at it. So I went skipping through it and heard 7 for the first time. I thought it was fucking brilliant. I played it over and over and over and over...then one night in '97 I was cleaning my room and had the radio on. It was a saturday night and one of those countdown specials was on, and this woman called in and requested a certain Prince song. When she said "Prince" I immediately turned the radio up, then she said "U Got The Look" and Rick Dees was the d.j. that night, and he looked in some book and was like " Aah yes, I remember that song..it reached #2 back in '87." and he played it and it's been a love affair ever since. Fast foward to 2002. Me and my brother are watching videos and I started flicking and happened to catch the last 20 seconds of the GLam Slam video. I didn't know it was Prince at first, and I'm sitting there trying to figure out who this small man dressed in a white and black polka dot suit and jamming out to this violin funk, then the credits came on and it said "Prince, Glam Slam, Lovesexy." Now see, I used to look for Prince music all the time online, and always came across the Lovesexy album, but I looked at the song titles and thought it would be something I'd never like. Boy was I wrong. So i bolted to my computer cause i'm thinking "I HAVE to have this song." So I tried to download the song by itself but couldn't. All that kept coming up in the search was the WHOLE Lovesexy album. So I sat at my 'puter for 10 hours straight to download the whole thing. Then I swear I listened to it at least 15 times back to back and literally teared up. It was the best thing I ever heard in my life. SO there's my story. Sorry it's so long.

casual fan from 1998-2000

pretty hardcore from 2000-04

totally obsessed from 2004-present

Since 1986 and after listening to the album Parade, probably one of his best work to date.

1983 or so.

Little Red Corvette blew me away.Purple Rain made it stick.

2003.
I guess you can call me an newbie, this is my first post!

1992. I was obsessed with Mayte too. I loved her dancing. I thought she was so talented!