I've missed this video over the years. I used to have it on VHS about 15 years ago (also had The Sacrifice of Victor on it). I LOVED it because the music was something I'd never heard Prince do before. We hadn't heard much, if anything, from COME yet (I forget the dates in 1994 when either was released), and certainly hadn't heard anything from The Gold Experience, or otherwise (like "Interactive" and "Acknowledge Me"). I could not get enough of the video.

I recently acquired a copy again, and I've been having so much fun watching it again today. I encoded it to put on my AppleTV. The quality is okay, not great, but not bad. It's from a French TV broadcast, because it has subtitles. I was amazed how much I remembered from this.

I don't know about you, but it's definitely one of my favorites. On my list still is Victor, Houston 1981....I guess that's really it. Well, and Oprah, and the Emancipation concert on VH1, as well as the L4OA special. Just takes time, that's all.

PS Best part of The Beautiful Experience: The computer screen saying "I Know Who You Are", and she says, "Fuuuuuck you." HAHAHAHA Love that still.



Oh, another cool part at the time was him shaving Morris Hayes head during "Days of Wild", and him just drinking a cup of water during "NOW", as well as just unzipping his pants. Something about that was just so fucking cool at the time.
[Edited 5/27/09 23:58pm]

ernestsewell said:

I'm totally with U there. I love that video, wish it could go on lotusflow3r, but I doubt it; Prince would edit too much stuff, lyrically speaking.

He was great back then, the name change brought out a wild side that was a bliss to witness.

God I miss this video so much!! I havent seen it in years.

I remember I just about caught this when it was broadcast on tv in the UK - I hadnt known it was being shown and I tuned in just in time to catch the start and press record on the VCR!

I was so excited hearing and seeing the new material - I remember thinking Shhh was just amazing, and Days of Wild blew me away. And yes, the part where he shaves Mr Hayes head was great!

This is my favorite Prince band line up ever: Michael B, Sonny T, Tommmy Barberella, Morris Hayes and Mayte. It doesnt get better than that in my book.

I am 100% amazed by The Beautiful Experience, I remember recording this on VHS back in 1994 from dansih tv DR1,

wow a lot of great performances,

if I only had this on an official released dvd.

God, I LOVE my bootelgs.

Excellent!! But could have been better if it was a straight up video compilation rather than having a "storyline".
I dont mind Nona Gaye but I feel some of her scenes ruined it for me and when we were watching scenes from her monitor that kind of bugged me.

It is his best movie after Purple Rain.

Great video!

I have a DVD copy and just love it!

MrMul said:

TOTALLY agree!

i never seen it wish i could

Yeah the video has great songs/clips.
I lost my VHS.
I am desperate about watching the race clip again, and Days of Wild also. He was so... wild back then.

Awesome video! I was at the filming and right in front of Prince. I about fell out when I saw myself in the video when I first saw it at Glam Slam. I am pretty sure this was never "officialy" released other than shown on tv. I remember at the time they were saying Prince was going to have a new line up, and the only difference was that Levi was gone. I paid 100.00 for the ticket, but it was well wortht it. Glad to have it on dvd for awesome memories.

ernestsewell said:

Oh man, I love this one too, and I also haven't seen it years. It originally aired in Spring 94, so other than TMBGITW it was the first time I'd heard any of this stuff (though I'd read about some of the tracks in magazines). I recall MuchMusic actually advertised it as "A Night In Erotic City", not The Beautiful Experince, so I was a bit surprised when the program actually started.

The day Much aired it, it was on twice, at noon and 8 pm. I was in high school at the time, and it was one of the few days that I went home at lunch to try and catch part of it. I remember turning it on during The Jam (which I'd never heard, so I thought it was a Prince track) and then catching Shhhh, Loose and Papa before I had to head back to school. I was blown away and doubt I focused much during class that afternoon.

I tuned in again that night and taped it. I was dismayed to learn that Much had edited out Days of Wild (which I'd defintely heard about before, and was expecting to be killer), despite the fact that the ad for they'd aired had included a clip of it, but other than that, I was in love. Although I had enjoyed Diamonds and Pearls and Symbol, there was something a little lacking about both of them, so the quality of material in the Beautiful Experience had me ecstatic. I particularly loved Come and Acknowledge Me.

I watched that tape over and over again, and I know my friends and my sister were mighty sick of it by the time my Mom accidentally taped over it about a year later. Le sigh.

Someone else in this thread mentioned hearing that Prince was supposed to have a new band for this show, and I can confirm that I read a piece in Billboard around that time that said that Prince had put together a new band called 10,000 (which was also the name of his ill-fated new magazine, of course).

Such an exciting time to be a Prince fan, even if, as a 15 year old, I didn't have many (any) fellow fans in my peer group.
[Edited 5/28/09 20:41pm]

SHHH on this show is an absolute killer!!! Farken love it!

And absolutely ruined on The Gold Experience. Much like everything else was after that.