His opening slot on a Rolling Stones tour, where he was pelted with garbage by disco-hating hooligans, is now part of rock legend. "Don’t say that was because of me," he admonishes, wagging a finger. "That was the audience doing that. I’m sure wearing underwear and a trench coat didn’t help matters - but if you throw trash at anybody, it’s because you weren’t trained right at home." -Prince

I'd probably say it was utter shock and homophobia more than anything (the immense uproar didn't begin until he went into Jack U Off), but imo, it'd be a bit naive to discredit racism as playing a factor as well (maybe not for the majority, but they're everywhere unfortunately).

Has anyone here actually heard the boot for themselves, or better yet, there to witness the now infamous incident!?
[Edited 4/2/08 13:32pm]

SquirrelMeat said:[quote]I'm sure its nothing to do with the fact that rock fans would not take to some guy prancing around in underwear, high heels and stockings, delivering non rock, whilst telling them he wants them to "be their lover..."

Are we talking about Mick or Prince here? The whole thing about prancing around in underwear and and heels could be about either one. Is it that Stones fans like it when Mick does it, but not when someone else does?

I don't know if it's racism or not because Ike and Tina, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh, Lenny Kravitz, and Living Colour have all opened for the Stones at one time or another, and I don't remember any of them being booed or heckled like Prince was.

Dude!.... 1981.... Let it go!

GoActive said:[quote]I'd probably say it was utter shock and homophobia more than anything (the immense uproar didn't begin until he went into Jack U Off), but imo, it'd be a bit naive to discredit racism as playing a factor as well (maybe not for the majority, but they're everywhere unfortunately).

Has anyone here actually heard the boot for themselves, or better yet, there to witness the now infamous incident!?
[Edited 4/2/08 13:32pm]
[/quote)

So, These people were offended by "Jack U Off, but not by this:

DerekH said:[quote]

GoActive said:

http://sleevage.com/the-r...y-fingers/

Etorres said:

It wasn't during Dirty Mind. Controversy (the album) was about to come out a week later. The single to Controversy had already been released.

The second night they said he opened up with "HEAD"... here is a guy in his drawers singing "I'll give you head." Them white boys were like ... ohhh no.....Shoot the brotha's were the same why..."What that sucka jsut say...he'll do what?"

Most folks don't know songs like Head or If I was your girlfriend were sung from a females point of view....

prime said:

Uh, no, they are both sung from a male point of view.....

Songs like Open Book and The Belle Of St Mark are written from a females point of view.

Here on the org, I did my story on this particular show back in 2004 when I witnessed this show back in 1981. From what I observed being a stand worker was this; it was the Stones first concerts in Los Angeles in years. Fans had camped out the day b4 the event just 2 see the Stones. So we were told that the gates would open up early that morning instead of that afternoon in order 2 get people off the streets. Mind u some of these young and old fans (100,000) were very high off drugs and liquor. There was no beer or any alcohol beverage being sold that day so the fans were HOT, TIRED AND RELESS at the end of day. There were other acts on the same card but far and between each other.

U must remember they didn’t come there 2 see Prince they came 2 see the Stones. The gates opened up between 8-9 am which is pretty damn early. They were tired. When the last act came on before Prince, the natives were absolutely restless and bored. Bt the time Prince came on stage, the people up front started booing and throwing food at him. Once this started everyone fell in place. IMHO, it had 2 do with timing. If Prince had performed earlier I feel this would not have happen. Everyone knew this was the last act before Mick came on, so booing Prince off stage they felt it would get there hero on a lot faster. By the time Mick landed on the Coliseum field by Helicopter he was informed about Prince being booed off stage. The very short time Prince was on stage was not enough time 4 anyone 2 judge him. I witness this and most of this madness came from the front of the stage. I’m sure a lot of the fans were prejudice but most seem 2 boo only because others were doing it. As Prince left the stage he told them 2 go Jack Off.

SquirrelMeat said:

Right

Camille???

[Snipped - Don't flame. - June7]

This old ignorant 'racism at Stones show' chestnut thread comes up like clockwork every 2 or 3 months and it's loooong been played out - it really has gotten way beyond pathetic...

Bottom line: Stones fans are at a Stones concert to see the Stones - i'm sure Pennylover got it 100% correct

Now somebody pleeeeeaseeeee this shit

prime said:

Sorry, but Camille is a boy!

OK, I'm going to try to post this thing again, but my point is that these fans thought Prince's look and songs about "Head" and "Jack U Off" were such an issue, but they don't have any problem with Mick's appearance or the "Sticky Fingers" album cover (yes, that's a real zipper):

SquirrelMeat said:

Really???? Squirrelmeat...u usually on point but I don't know...I always thought the Camille project was a girl...speed up voice???

prime said:

Honest. I'm not pulling your leg. The Camille character is boy. Camille isn't just the speeded up voice, Camille sings Bob George and Scarlett Pussy. Camille Prince's male character who was torn between good and bad, Lovesexy Vs The Black album. Its a common misconception that speeded up voice = Camille.

If you want to know the the story of Camille in Prince's own words, here they are:

Time upon a once
There was a boy named Camille
Now this boy named Camille didn't know how 2 feel.
Sometimes he was lonely
sometimes he was sad
but most times
he just took 4 granted
all the nice things that he had.
Some people said they loved him
but Camille said
"Contempt!
Winter, Spring,
Summer, or Fall,
love is no good
unless it's felt by all"
So, naive & terrifically in need
Camille started looking for answers
His paintbrush the questioner,
his canvas the arena,
Camille set out to silence his critics.
"No longer daring" - his enemies laughed.
"No longer glam, his funk is half-assed...
one leg is much shorter
than the other one is weak.
His strokes are tepid,
his colors are meek."
So Camille found a new color.
The color black:
strongest hue of them all.
He painted a picture called Le Grind --
hittin' so tall.
And then Cindy C --
THE vogue fantasy.
Horns & vocals 2 die 4.
Lollipops -- in yours!
Stroke after stroke callin' all others a joke.
Superfunkycalifragisexi.
Camille rocked hard in a funky place.
Stuck his long funk in competition's face.
Tuesday came. Blue Tuesday.
His canvas full, and lying on the table,
Camille mustered all the hate that he was able.
Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his game.
Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his name.
"Tis nobody funkier -- let the Black Album fly."
Spooky Electric was talking, Camille started 2 cry.
Tricked. A fool he had been. In the lowest utmostest.
He had allowed the dark side of him 2 create something evil.
2 Nigs United 4 West Compton.
Camille and his ego. Bob George. Why?
Spooky Electric must die.
Die in the hearts of all who want love.
Die in the hearts of men who want change.
Die in the bodies of women who want babies that will grow up with a New Power Soul. Love Life, Lovesexy --
the feeling u get when u fall in love, not with a girl or boy but with the heavens above. Lovesexy -- endorphin.
Camille figured out what 2 feel. Glam Slam Escape -- the Sexuality Real. Tonight we make love with only words. Girls first. This feeling's so good in every single way.
God is alive! Let Him touch u and He will quench
every thirst. Let him touch u and an aura of peace will adorn u.
God is alive!
Let Him touch u and your own Lovesexy will be born.
Let Him touch u, let Him touch u, and Heaven is yours.
Welcome 2 the New Power Generation.

Racism?

Sure, it was probably a big part of it, but it's not the only reason.

- The Old vs. New thing. A lot of people at the time saw him as a commercial exploiter who was just ripping off people like Hendrix and the Rolling Stones etc.
- The homophobia factor (see SquirrelMeat's replies)
- The we're-bored-and-drunk-and-have-nothing-better-to-do factor (never to be underestimated at these kind of events )

SquirrelMeat said:

I see the quotes that disagree with this comment, but I think it does carry some weight. Just because Iggy and others were doing this (I dont remember Iggy ever in his underwear but I digress) doesn't mean that it isn't going to upset a few people. Bowie was running around in his underwear and had rockers upset with him. I remember hearing people hating on Bowie during that time as well so that leads me to believe that it wasn't as simple as racism.

I think that there were a lot of people in the crowd who appreciated 'black' music. The Stones based most of their history on reviving the sound of old blues songs and the name "Rolling Stones" even comes from a Muddy Waters song. I know that they played with Muddy Waters later that same year, and I don't remember hearing about anyone rioting or throwing food at the stage. Then again, Muddy wasn't running around in legwarmers and stroking his guitar like it was his weiner.

Like Blackguitarist, I was also at the gig in LA in 1989 when Living Color opened for Guns & Roses and the Stones (night two) and no one seemed upset about them being black. The difference was that Living Color was well known and Prince was not known in the rock community yet.

Were there some racist idiots at the 1981 show? Of course! Was that the main reason for the booing? I doubt it. The Stones tried to mix water and oil and it didn't work out.

On a similar note, Hendrix got booed off the stage when he opened for the Monkees in the 60s. Does that mean that all of those kids were racist? Hardly. They had no idea who Jimi was at the time and paid to see the Monkees... not some guy stroking his guitar like it was his weiner... wait a minute, I see a pattern.

blackguitaristz said:

hmmm I'm actually thinking the teased hair, long legged boots and bikini shorts under an open trench coat probably had more to do with it

Its nothing new...they couldn't get down with the way he looked. Just like now. Do you know how many people missed how brilliant Prince was at halftime of the SB all because they can't stand to look at him. There will always be a huge segment of Americans that miss the brilliance because of his feminine appearance. Period
[Edited 4/2/08 19:16pm]

When I saw the Stones play in Detroit at the Pontiac Silverdome aprox. 1981 Iggy Pop opened 4 them and was booed off stage as well.... I think it's a Stones thing.

madhouseman said:

What it is madhouse? Good to see another brother besides Spyz and myself on this. ...Good points...there are tons of pictures of Iggy in his drawers. Painted in gold body paint, no less. I believe that the people who did boo at P's set, it was motivated not only because P was black. But like I stated earlier, because the way Prince, a black man, carried himself. It was the same kind of heat Hendrix himself encountered. On the Monkees tour, well, 10 -13 year old white girls would have been scared to death of Jimi. That's hardly the same thing as grown ass folks at a Stones show. I'm not going to make excuses for the crowd like others are doing on here. Like it was Prince's fault. "Oh, it's because he played the song "Jack U Off". or "It's because he wore bikini briefs...that's why they booed." Or "They were tired...they just wanted to see Mick." That's bullshit. They had a problem with this little brother, having the nerve to perform the way he did on this grand of a stage. To do his "thang" in front of 100,000 people. To dress the way that he did and (gasp) to have the nerve to play a few rock songs. And play them well. That is what I believe stuck in their crawl more than anything. Like I stated earlier, I believe they felt Prince simply wasn't "staying in his place" being a black performer. The "who does he think he is?" type of shit. I think that triggered the boos. And that is racist.

SquirrelMeat said:

r u sure.

listen if he werent who he is a lot of people on this site would discriminate against him. he is a short, black, afeminate man in a tall white alpha male world. thank god he did what he did and waved his freak flag because his life would have been hell otherwise. i still think he's "tolorated" and my stomach turns everytime he plays an NAACP gig because we all know as black folks we are the worst when it comes to talkin shit about people and how they look. Good for prince (the comedians who talk shit about him turn to mush when he walks in the room), his talent is such that he MAKES you respect him even when looking at him your instincts (or socialization) tell you that you shouldnt.

lets count how many tall guys on this site start threads about his height and talk shit to the women here for finding him sexy. The funny part is prince is the alpha male in the situation cus while your bitching about how he shouldnt be a sex symbol ( of course like some of you 6'4 male models ) he MAKES u take your ass to the recka stow.

..
[Edited 4/3/08 2:31am]

Bewdy said:

You know from reading your rants blackguitarist, I would suggest that you are indeed the racist, You seem to have such a massive chip on your shoulder about this (without actually backing it up with any facts, such as accurate eye witness comments such as other posters on here). As far as I can see, you justification is, prince was black, the crowd was white, it's racism.

Your saying things like you are glad other 'brothers' are on this thread, which suggests that you don't value the comments of other people on this thread (assuming they are not 'brothers') you have a proper us against them attitude, man you need to wake up it's the 21st Century,you need to start being 'colour blind', as prince would put it himself. And put your race issues behind you.[/quote]
I knew somebody would "bite" on the fact that I stated "other brothers" because that's the only thing u have to reach out for. That's your problem and it proves nothing. Except for the fact that I made note of it. Don't concern yourself with how I address other black people, such as myself.A nd just because I gave my opinion on the case, and it doesn't coincide with what u want to believe, it makes me the racist? Man, that's the oldest trick in the world. To do the ol' olkie dough...To try and switch the tables around. I don't care what your opinion is about me because I can seriously careless about u. But if speaking my mind openly and freely puts a chip on my shoulder, then whatever. Again, that's all your problem. U can't deal with someone else's opinion shows a major weakneass in u. And you're the one who needs to wake up if u think that reversal shit is going to work on me. That's one of the weakest responses I have ever seen on here. I'm racist because I gave specific reasons on why I believe P got the response he got. And to say I didn't is a flat out lie.

prime said:

Listen to the lyrics, they are both sung from the male point of view.

Squirrel already said it and showed why, but Camille is most definately male. Camille is just Prince.



/
[Edited 4/3/08 2:29am]

dreamshaman32 said:

I agree...Good post.

NouveauDance said:

This is played out in the Lovesexy live show. The opening half of the show, Prince is playing Camille who becomes possessed by Spooky Electric for Bob George, shot dead, and then reborn as Prince. Definitely him!

blackguitaristz said:

I second that!!!