OMG...LOL...I remember having just bought the Dirty Mind album. I was 16 and I'm up in my (attic) bedroom spinnin' it and apparently my father wasn't feelin' the lyrics to "Sister," especially the part when Prince shouts out, "She's a M.F. can't u understand!" So my bedroom door gets booted in (after I heard the footsteps comin' up the stairs.), he goes over 2 the turntable, literally SCRATCHES my album in one stroke (what a sound THAT was when the needle was whooshed across the album!), breaks the record over his knee and throws it across the room in 3 pieces. Loser. That's okay. I ended up buying it on CD anyway when I got out on my own, so whatevah. Other than that, the song "Sexy Dancer" has always held a special place in my heart and always will. It's TIGHT!

My Mother's copy of this:

God you guys are old

i was very young *ahem* when purple rain was out and i remember the hype surrounding it and seeing clips of prince riding around on that motorcycle. i think i was jelous of all that attention (i was only about 8). i thought why is everyone making a fuss over this guy (i was ahead of my time, because i knew the hairstyle was destined to become a fashion casualty!!)
next i remember the kiss video and was not impressed that a man was squaking like a girl. sign o' the times was a bit more like it! i think i quite liked i wish u heaven too but i was still too young to understand.
so, long story short. eh, the batman album really snagged me as a teenager. i had a copy from vinyl and a friend had an old casette of 1999 (the uk version with just 9 tracks). shortly after i got some cassette singles batdance, partyman, arms of orion and then i really got the collection kick-started with some stolen 12" singles. the rest is history. by the time graffiti came out i already had the singles for thieves and had heard all the earlier albums,most of the b-sides and tons of bootlegs.

first time I saw him was in a vague Purple Rain scene under the traintrax.
[Edited 2/28/10 15:42pm]

Awww, younglings...

My first memory of a P song is IWBYL, which I liked. I'd heard Soft and Wet too but didn't know who it was at the time. The first time I saw him was a grainy little photo in a newspaper and I thought he was one of the Sylvers...(the younglings won't remember them)

Anyhoo, the first time I became aware of who he was is when my boyfriend bought me the 1999 album as a peace offering. I was hooked when I got to International Lover! Then I checked out his picture on the album sleeve and I was like "whoa!" this is a grown-azz man right here! Mercy!

Needless to say, my boyfriend was forgiven...and I wore that album out, LOL!

Seeing 'batdance' and 'partyman' on ITV's chart show. Or was it top of the pops?

Watching him dance like a foo' and cute as heck during the musicology tour....how cute was that!!! He looked like he was having sooo much fun up on stage....that kind of joy goes everywhere.

Madison88 said:

He seemed really joyful during that time and it was infectious.

veronikka said:

Me too! Of course, I had heard some of the 1999 songs...
My friend said he heard the Purple Rain was getting good reviews and asked me to check it out with him. That was the first time for me seeing Prince onstage.
I was hooked. That movie was magical.

veronikka said:

how I loveeee that picture

The first time I show this Guitar I wanted to kiss it. Prince donated guitar to the Smithsonian Institution. My first memory of Prince is when my Aunt brought the Controversy album for me. I love that album because it reminds me of my Aunt she past away. It is not the Guitar Prince used in Controversy tours. But I love the color exquisite taste..
[Edited 3/1/10 1:28am]

My dad was watching the video for Cream on a VHS tape he'd used to record it, and my mom commented that she hated Prince for being, "a dirty little man."
[Edited 2/28/10 19:48pm]

The When Doves Cry video made me take notice. I thought Prince was so fine. I couldn't wait to see the movie Purple Rain. After that I knew he would one day be mine.

zaza said:

Just looked at your profile pic Jan. Can't believe how close you managed to get to your childhood dream.



Erik

erik319 said:

!!!

My first memory of Prince. Hmmm... He was just sort of 'around' when I was a kid. I was obsessed with Adam and the Ants and I remember first seeing Prince on the back of Look in or Smash Hits, 1999 outfit and thinking 'He's cool'

I heard his stuff on the radio between 1982 and 1988 and liked them, but the first thing I actually bought was Batdance I think. I then dug a bit deeper, but didn't really get into him.

Then Gett off came out, I bought it, didn't even thing it was the same Prince! haha. and then I just got hooked and absorbed EVERYTHING. Within about 2 months, I'd pretty much got all the albums and singles he'd released and then got started on the bootlegs. I can still remember finding the Black Album on CD. I remember shaking, putting it into the CD player as though it was something sacred. haha.

nearly 20 years ago now. Doesn't time fly?

Thanks for helping to bring these memories back to me. Good thread

Erik

Listening to little red corvette at my grandparents, while horseracing was on tv...

i thought it was about cars and horses

i was only a kid

around the same time..listening to controversy on a mix tape

veronikka said:

i had a poster of that on the back of my bedroom door ...
not a movie release, but a wrecka stow version

prb said:

Mistake alert!!!

zaza said:

i hooked up with my now husband around the time cream was released
ahhh, memories

mancabdriver said:

zaza said:

prb said:

zaza said:

prb said:

zaza said:

young whipper snappers, no respect for their elders

prb said:

My earliest vivid memory is watching the Cream video, although I have a vague memory of liking the Raspberry Beret video when I was really young.

"Lets Go Crazy"

8 years old.

It was OVA!

Kara said:

Vivid is in the Cream video??