I cannot vouch for every Prince fan’s intention, I have met many a fan that ‘just wanted to touch his ass’. Other fans are just there to hear him sing Nothing Compares 2 U. When it comes to my relationship with Prince’s music and the way he marketed his own image and name to let us know he was out there I can only say it is a strange relationship, pun intended.
Of course I was puzzled by his looks and his mystique but I have always been in it for the music and for a long time I thought that was Prince’s aim also. From the first moment I heard When Doves Cry on the radio it was all about the music; my soul connected to that distillation of soul, rock and gospel in his voice on that song.

Prince pimped his image; he toyed with it, changed his look almost every year, to go with the new sound he put out. Images on records and in magazines, Prince’s tools to reach his audience. And as interviews were sparse and vague, his image was what we used to give form to the fact we were fans; I had the covers of both Parade and Sign “O” The Times on my wall for ages. I collected the magazines, even after Prince’s image became too silly to defend to non-fans.

Up to 1995 I was able to tap into his music, then Prince’s music became as stale to me as his stance towards the world. Where he first was pre-occupied with love and sex, his new focus seemed about ownership, money, respect. In a way I could understand, but not it is not something you can build a career on. His anger at the way the music world operates drove his focus away from many a thing I thought I had in common with him, as far as you can share things with a man that is used to getting things done his way. Which is cute only to a certain extent; what is cute about a star staying in a posh hotel moaning about money and ownership? Right.

Yet I kept a line out; his live performances were still interesting and I still think Prince has one of the most unique male voices in the world; an instrument on it’s own. But his album projects became unfocused, stale or even both. To me, his new-found religion put stop to the duality that made him interesting as a person; it made his music singular and dull. Still, occasional brilliance was found between Prince’s big output. Enough to make me still collect certain stuff. Music and images, mostly from the 80’s.

Then the net happened and meeting Prince fans became easy. I am not going to lie about it; sure my Prince collection became bigger and bigger because of this. And you all know what I am talking about; Prince is famous for a lot of things, but with music lovers it is not so much his hairdo; it is his guitar playing, that voice, those dance moves, the live performances, the aftershows, the outtakes.

Especially those outtakes; it is not what made him famous, but it is what grounded his many die-hard fans, it is what made us life-long fans. If you like Parade, then songs like Old Friends 4 Sale and All My Dreams make you wonder; it ads to the flavour. These songs have been with me so long that my Parade experience is not the same without these songs.
And here is where Prince and I clash. Cuz I know those songs are illegal and unauthorised. I know I am a thief. I ain’t going to pretend I am a prince of thieves, a Robin Hood to the vaulted material. But the stuff is out there and someone addicted to Prince’s voice is not going to say no when offered an alternate remix of Erotic City with before unheard music and vocals.
And that’s what it’s like; we are addicted. Torn between bootleggers that pimped us for years for new tunes and a man obsessed with putting a lid on the vault. I even understand Prince; sure it is HIS music and he should be in control. But dayum, we can’t help ourselves.

And that is how it works for me; even though none of his albums appeal to me anymore as they did in the 80’s, I still will keep the Prince community close for one reason; Prince might one day officially release those original versions of Old Friends 4 Sale and Joy In Repetition in good sound quality. And if that happens I want to be close. I want to snap them up and play them because they are the music to my soul.
And this is why I still like Prince. No matter how strict he is with his tunes these days or how unfocused his album and live material seems to me; I will still love him because he was the one that unlocked my soul to music.

When ever I hear those lonely intro beats to the original version of Joy In Repetition my soul still reacts. Music is a powerful tool. Prince’s music made me cry, smile and some of his stuff is amazing to have sex to. And I still love, love, love the fact that he got so many people to sing Sexy M.F. so loudly during it’s first tour outings.
It makes me forgive him that a man of his talents plays silly music like Play That Funky Music White Boy or always has a knack of releasing the wrong singles or not understanding the cravings of his fans.

I sometimes even think he is not releasing that old stuff just cuz he knows we want him to. Listening to the new internet track PFUnk I think that is exactly what it is; it makes a snide retort about The Grand Progression as I am sure we talk about his new work online.

But that’s freedom for ya, Mr Nelson; you master of duality; freedom comes many ways. We are free to talk about the stuff you released to the world, as are we free to discuss the jams that have leaked without your permission. To me, listening to Cookiejar or Rebirth Of The Flesh becomes much more fun knowing it irks you. In that I am the prince of thieves, I suppose. But it is like a little boy on stage with James Brown. There is that moment you wanna be James Brown, just for a second, cuz you know he is brilliant.

But in the end all we have is the music, the memories we forged around that music and how we perceive it. And I am glad I heard the unreleased tunes I spoke of earlier; the music is too good to just gather dust; it needs to be danced to, romanced to. The music wrestled it’s way to Prince’s fans to be heard, it lives separately from where the original recordings now rest, in many of our hearts and souls. It to me is as important as the music that were officially released, they are the soundtrack to huge parts of my life and there are moments I drive around town and all of a sudden I hear a song in my head and I just wanna rush home to pump it outa my stereo.

So I start my computer. I open my Explorer. I navigate to my Prince folder. I rejoice. What mood am I in today? What colour is my soul? I decide. I press PLAY…

FIRST!


BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!!

Wow.

HamsterHuey said:

When did you hear that?

(j/k)

A big kiss to my incredible sweet and eloquent northern neighbour. You put it right, my dear, bravo !

And I do like funky music, thanks you.

Very well written. I love the thoughts and writings of a true funk soldier. I salute you!

[Edited 11/9/07 12:35pm]

you said it best!

wlcm2thdwn said:

THe Devil Made Me Do It

Nice !

frustrateing

WOW!!

So Well Put, So Beautiful, Thank U Hamster!

nice.

very nice

Thanks all. It was nice to get offa my chest.

HampsterHuey, this post is spot on!!! I feel and share the sentiments that you've shared and only wish that I could have stated them so well.

great post. i really enjoyed reading it all. thank u.

That was great...I totally understand where you are coming from...I don't think Prince will ever totally understand what he's done to us with his music. I have always held a certain respect and gratitude to him for sharing his gifts. He's too fine and all, but I liked his music before I knew what he looked like, that he could dance, or that he was so uniquely abundantly gifted. I hope that this 'era' passes quickly and he comes out of it satisfied before he joins James...

Well said.

Awesome post!

P.S.: James Brown. Coincidentally, the day he died (12.25.2006) was the day was pukeing all over the place. It was a pretty good Christmas, except got sick & James Brown died. Anyway sorry 4 gettin off topic, only post this cuz the thread title is "Wanting 2 Dance like James Brown" LOL. RIP James Brown.
[Edited 11/15/07 20:43pm]

Thanks, all.