Prince announces London tour
Tue May 8, 2007 4:23PM BST

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. rock star Prince will play 21 concerts in London this autumn and plans to take time off music to study the Bible, he announced on Tuesday.

The innovative funk artist, who created such groundbreaking works as 1984's "Purple Rain" and 1987's "Sign O' The Times" and sold an estimated 80 million albums, made a brief appearance in the city to announce the gigs.

Outside Organization, a PR company helping to publicise the tour, said in a statement that Prince would be performing his greatest hits "for the very last time", but the artist did not confirm the claim.
Wearing dark shades, a high-collared purple shirt and cream suit, Prince explained why his only appearances in Europe this year would take place in London.

"I love London. I've had some of my favourite shows here."

Prince said he would be looking for a place to live for the duration of his stay.

He will charge 31.21 pounds per ticket, after his recent record "3121", with which he scored his first U.S. No. 1 album in almost 17 years in 2006.

"Last time I was here, a lot of people didn't get to see me, so we're trying to make it affordable for everybody," he said.

Barbra Streisand recently hit the headlines when tickets to her upcoming show at the 02 venue in London went on sale for up to 600 pounds each. Prince plans to open his London tour with seven nights at the same location, starting August 1.

Prince said he planned to change his show every night, meaning fans who came to several shows would get a broader cross section of his music.
"We play so many different styles of music, it's really hard to get a full dose of what we do unless you come to several shows. I also have a wide fan base that comes to multiple shows all the time."

He said he had learned about 150 songs from which to choose, and hinted that he may perform up-and-coming British singer Amy Winehouse's "Love is a Losing Game". Asked if he would ask her on stage to perform with him, he replied: "Absolutely".

Unsurprisingly for a performer who has had run-ins with the music establishment in the past, Prince referred to the industry as "the speculation business". He plans to give away copies of his new album to anyone attending the concerts.

"It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," he explained, when asked why he was giving his music away.

The 48-year-old, who said he was getting his inspiration these days from "prophets from the Bible", added that he did not expect to be back in London performing for some time after the 2007 visit.

"That's another reason why we're trying to stay so long. I just need to take some time off for study and travel." When asked what he was studying, he replied: "The Bible".

http://uk.reuters.com/art...7220070508

Bible study.

Wow.

This is all 2 cool.

The last time 4 the hits.

The Amy Winehouse thing.

The time off 4 study and travel.

Inspiration from the prophets from the Bible.

(and don't anyone worry that he won't tour the US. I'm sure he will)

We should all simply enjoy what's about 2 happen... the tour and the new album, which I'm sure will be fantastic.

Just my 2 cents.

why would any1 be mad that he is inspired by and studying the BIBLE?

why is that bad?


7

I'll add my 2 pennies:
Enjoy this and Prince.....while U can.

Graycap23 said:

Exactly.

Good, P needs time off to do some positive things.

Last Time For The Hits--12th Anniversary Tour!

NDRU said:

Hummmm..... may be the LAST time 4 lots of things.

Graycap23 said:

Now this I haven't heard.

U hinted at this with the poems on the other threads.

What's up?

G.

Giovanni777 said:

Just a hunch....
as the journey begins
U may THINK U can't see the Unseen
But whom knows where this TRIP ends?

Maybe he should have taken some time to study the Bible before he started talking about it all the time for the last 10 years.

RZR said:

1 can (and should) spend a lifetime studying the Bible.

He has studied it, will continue 2, and perhaps take the "study" 2 another level, which may require more of his time.

He's a truth seeker.

Giovanni777 said:

Isn't that the TRUTH.

Hey Prince, it ain't what you KNOW that matters, but what you DO with what you kNOW. ACT! Love is an ACTion word, 'member?

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

Be careful Prince's idle mind... This might mean Rainbow Children The Sequel...

Giovanni777 said:

You mean like the level where it actually gives him a positive outlook on life and people instead of such a negative attitude where he's just telling everyone else they're wrong? We can only hope that's the case.

Already a thread http://www.prince.org/msg/7/226686