Okay say I am a decent song writer and I have a couple of things to show him...how would I go about it without pissing him off or getting his nerves?
what is the likely hood of him caring or being interested?

come on you 3121 spies tell me tell me tell me!!!

I heard if you hand him a demo and a sand dollar, you're whisked off to purple bootcamp in minutes.

No offense, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't give a rat's ass about your song, so there's really no point in trying to send it to him.

I'm sure anything you would do would piss him off AND get on his nerves.

eeep, he sounds like such a hostel person . but a person none the less..so...i'm sure theres a way?
[Edited 6/20/07 7:01am]

Just stroll up to him during one of his sound checks that are open the public in a wheelchair and set the CD on stage in front of him.

Imago said:

Ensuring that a working of one of his classics is on the CD.
[Edited 6/20/07 7:22am]

Imago said:

LMAO. Yeah and tell him that Londell told you you could cover one of his songs.

Artists like Prince typically don't accept unsolicited songs (even if they don't write all their own stuff) because it opens them up to charges of using material without compensating the owner of said material.

I'd send it to Londell McMillan.

Or, if you're performing somewhere, send the info to McMillan and/or Prince at the Paisley Park address. You never know.

Please don't try it.

sexxydancer said:

Agree.
Prince is an ass

What's the possible outcome of getting a song to Prince? He's got too much of his own music going on to need to work with anyone right now. He's never covered another song from a complete unknown before, so it's highly unlikely to start happening for you. It's not like he's not been sent tapes before. He can't tell if you're any good at playing from a tape, so you won't get invited to join the band. He gets too many approaches from fans to be able to reciprocate. He knows lots of people cover his songs, but he doesn't need to hear every one of them. If you walked up to him in the street and forced him to listen to your music there and then, you wouldn't know whether he was being polite/rude or genuinely loved/hated your work.

Really, I'd try to approach someone who's going to care about your music and accept that even though you take an interest in Prince's music, the opposite probably won't apply.

That said, no harm in sending him a tape c/o Paisley Park. He'll probably get his people to bin it and never see it. But if you think of it like a lottery ticket (almost certainly wasted money, but pays big when it pays), you might do okay.

whats the worse that can happen? he hears it and doesnt like it? he doesnt even listen to it?
Just go for it, you never know you might get a nice little letter with some tips back lol
but seriously u might as well try send him your stuff!

this threads so critical! jeez. even though the chances are probably on the slim side, i'd still do it. he also likes to shock and surprise, and i thought i heard him say in some interview that he preferes listening to new stuff. i'd just send a bunch if i were you. he's hard to reach, and he has a reputation (apparently) for being finicky/mean, but if you've got the dedication and patience it's deff. worth a try

p.s. good luck!

wait...in another thread she said she was sixteen....
if she's 16 and cute...she's in! send a tape! LOL

Shorty said:

is he stuck on that age?

happyhappy said:

"stuck"?
he likes em young.

happyhappy said:

He did -- but followed it up by saying that when he wants new music, he makes it himself.

To protect Prince's legal interests, it would be likely that the tape would be rejected.

If:

1. I send a recording of my music (i.e. I hold copyright to that work) and I retain evidence that the recording has been sent to someone (perhaps even evidence that someone has signed to acknowledge receipt of the recording)

and

2. I then hear a musical recording released by the recipient where they claim to be the creator of the work, but it sounds remarkably similar

... I go to a lawyer and ask how I can make a claim for breach of copyright.

I might therefore choose to send my music to very wealthy artist with a prodigous songwriting output to increase my chances of striking lucky.

Consequently, it is highly likely that a policy is adopted to reject outright such offerings, to prevent claims being brought.

.
[Edited 6/20/07 11:20am]

Shorty said:

Can you bellydance by any chance???

Shorty said:

<--- wonders by what criteria a 16-year-old would consider herself a "decent songwriter"

Shorty said:

that makes me sorta sad that i'm going into adulthood so soon now! (not real 21+ adult adulthood though) =P

Genesia said:

i've seen people slightly older compose/write their own adaptations to musicals.

Genesia said:

there ya go right there.

i had a friend who tried to give a semi-famous singer a mixtape once...not even his own work, just a mixtape like anyone would make for their friends...and the singer was very nice but she said she couldn't accept it, for this very reason.

happyhappy said:

What -- so they just re-interpreted someone else's work?

Genesia said:

yeah, but in another case a different student wrote their own altogether. just saying that someone doesn't have to be mid. age to showcase their talent (of course the experience helps)

Raze said:

No, not a sand dollar, it has to be a starfish.

theodore said:

oh what happened to Prince being a poosay?

purplekitty said:

me? or samanthadawn?