Official Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Sandi Mendelson
Hilsinger-Mendelson East

Kathleen Schmidt
VP, Director of Publicity, Atria Books

a meditation
a soulful journey
a musical philosophy

from the man, the musician, the artist
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21 NIGHTS
By Prince and Randee St. Nicholas
His First Book, Coming in Fall 2008 from Atria
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NEW YORK, NY – May 5, 2008 – Masterful composer, multi-faceted musician, international megastar and cultural icon—Prince—presents his first book, 21 NIGHTS, a stunning multi-media volume offering a rare glimpse into the life, lyrics, and mystique of one of the most notable and prolific performers of our time. This beautifully designed photographic essay flows from Prince’s sensational, unprecedented, record-breaking, sold-out 21 concerts in 21 nights at London’s O2 Arena in 2007. Juxtaposing his dueling worlds of music and solitude, it will incorporate Prince’s evocative poetry and lyrics to new songs and other selections, and 124 full-color, sumptuous, never-before-published images by celebrated photographer Randee St. Nicholas. As part of the dimensional experience, it will also feature “Indigo Nights,” a CD capturing Prince’s speak-easy, after-hours, raw, live after-show sessions of pure unadulterated jams.

For the first time in 21 NIGHTS, Prince is seen behind the scenes. Randee St. Nicholas, renowned for her rich visuals, deft touch, and distinctive style, was given access to Prince’s life and career, providing a nuanced and unparalleled view of the artist, accompanying him onstage, backstage, and into his sleeping quarters. “Indigo Nights,” which includes the live version of the song “3121,” will not be available in any other format. 21 NIGHTS will be published internationally in Fall 2008 by Atria, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.

“We are tremendously honored and excited by this opportunity to present this lyrical and visually rich book from Prince that captures the spirit and voluptuous sound of his brilliant 21-night residency at the O2 concert hall in London,” noted Judith Curr, Publisher, Atria Books. “21 NIGHTS is an innovative multi-media book project created by a musical visionary and uncompromising artist, an invitation to experience a side Prince has not revealed until now.”

An Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award winner, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, in his first year of eligibility. In 2007, Prince won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for the film “Happy Feet,” which grossed more than $300 million in the U.S. alone. Defying categorization, his widely acclaimed music has ranked highly, decade after decade, in the categories of Funk, Neo Psychedelia, Alternative, Rock, New Wave, Pop, Soul and Jazz.

Prince’s 21 London dates at the O2 Arena in 2007 generated an unprecedented $44 million in ticket and merchandise sales in just one month. The 24,000-person venue was sold out for all 21 concerts. The first 16 dates sold out in one hour; the remaining tickets by the following day. His most recent song, when made available via iTunes, garnered 40,000 downloads in the first two weeks. His last four albums have averaged more than 4 million copies worldwide-—without a traditional label deal. His album “3121” debuted at #1 on the charts. Prince’s last major U.S. tour, in 2004, was the highest grossing concert tour of that year, topping those of Madonna and the Rolling Stones, and generating $250 million, even though tickets were at half the cost of either of the afore-mentioned acts.

Randee St. Nicholas is a artist/photographer who began her commercial career in the music industry photographing such iconic artists as Prince, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Chris Cornell, Jakob Dylan, Dwight Yoakum, Shelby Lynn, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, The Bee Gee’s, Melissa Ethridge, and BuckCherry, just to give an idea of her photographic range. Her reputation for mixing glamour with edge was also sought after in the entertainment world giving her the opportunity to photograph celebrities as well. Her extensive client list includes Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Drew Barrymore, Howard Stern, Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage, Gabriel Byrne, Martha Stewart and countless others. Her work has been seen in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Rolling Stone, Arena, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Giant, Vibe, and Flaunt to name a few. Her success in photography also led her to a directing career beginning with music videos and branching out into commercials. To date she has directed some 160 music videos, dozens of commercials and is in preproduction on her first feature film to shoot early next year.

Atria Books is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonsays.com

...it will also feature “Indigo Nights,” a CD capturing Prince’s speak-easy, after-hours, raw, live after-show sessions of pure unadulterated jams.

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2. http://prince.org/msg/7/267816

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All info has been posted and is being discussed on the 21 Night in London Sticky thread. Not trying to be rude but just letting you know.

http://prince.org/msg/7/267816

Good thingz cum 2 thoze who wait...a special thanx 2 Prince.

I want one how do I get my hands on one of these???