Do you ever think that artists are haunted by the ghosts of there former selves?
I sometimes wonder if Prince ever feels like hes under pressure to be who he was in 1985. I know that sometimes even we beat ourselves up over things we have set for goals and have yet to accomplish.. we look back at past accomplishments and wonder why we cant achieve new ones now... I do believe even in P's older age he feels like hes bringing it to the table and we are just not accepting... I do come to the realization as a fan that as time goes by we all become different than we used to be and have different outlooks on life.. I do believe that in princes eyes he feels he is giving us no less than the best.. the truth is.. I loved his music then and I love his music now.. I have realized that was him then,,, this is him now.. I do believe that in the future all his music will be gems (with time) artists now days lack talent... people tell them what to sing about.. they express themselves how others want them to express themselves.. I feel fortunate to be a part of a generation where artists like Prince (pushed the envelope and played ball with the media) he wrote about what he wanted to write about... he wore what he wanted to wear and still does! the bottom line is I'm proud to be a fan of someone who truly brings music and emotion to life... A artist I'm proud to pass on to future generations..

So what are your opinions Do you think that P is haunted by his own streak of past fame..

Do you think He has given us his best?

I would love your opinions... (just something I pondered)

Nah.
Not so much.
There's more than FAMs.
There's fans!

See http://prince.org/msg/7/331993. People do care. People look farther. People understand.

there's more goes on inside a man than mere preoccupation with his career

a lot of memories, a lot of lonely hotel rooms, a lot of women

a lot of 'friends' wanting to know you, but you know they never will

the list goes on but i think for the most part Prince has given his absolute best no matter what character he played next

if he's haunted, then that's one big room full of a lot of ghosts

much love to you Prince

prince has not given us his best in quite some time. he is not haunted by himself he is haunted by the fact that his best work was colaborative even tho he gave no one else credit and therefore the more he avoids facing this truth in relation to his actual talent the more shallow his work becomes. i will say that the idea behind colonized mind is right on track with his other intelligent observations. our society is brainwashed, completely. if only prince had the right band to bring prince to new less lazy musical heights he could get his message out to many more people and truly regain his prince title. until he resolves this over standing of his true talent i propose we refer to him as the artist formerly known as prince. some might say god instructed prince to remove his name until he makes music worthy of the title but there is a good chance prince got greedy and wanted his name back before god said he was ready. thats why his first record 'rainbow chillin' was sooo bad, gods way of saying u are not gonna disobey me. then each successive record even worse until now we have drivel like chocolate box and cause and effect. prince should have earned his name back in the eyes of god but he did not and now prince must be punished by all of his fans boycotting his music and calling him the artist formerly known as prince until we get a record truly worthy of the prince name. also now that mj is dead isnt prince the new king of pop??? long live the king

The problem that Prince is having is that he's mature and feels that he can't write songs that he used to when he was a brash rebel. He also feels as he is getting older, he getting closer to death and he doesn't want God to judge him on his final works. Prince has recently claimed that his earlier antics were to set him apart from the crowd, which is true in some sorts, but honestly that's who Prince really is. If Prince stopped being afraid that his soul will be stained if he writes a dirty song, we would have that Prince back that dominated the 80's. Prince has to realize it's the music that moves us, not the image. We know he's older and we don't even expect him to be crawling on the stage and doing splits anymore, but damn if he still can't create another Erotic City. I know he has it in him and he has a ton already in the vault crying to be free. Prince needs to free himself of his fears of damnation because God is forgiving. God gave Prince the gift of music so you think that God would want him to use it no holds barred. Prince release yourself a be funky, free again!
[Edited 3/10/10 8:27am]

Nope, for him it's probably years of great memories, of a career he created for himself. His past was a learning experience, life lessons that led him to the path he is on today. He already said in "Cause & Effect" that he has no regrets, so that statement pretty much sums it up

I do think, however, that many of his fans are haunted by his past within their own fantasies, with hopes of him jumping into his 1980s persona, to fill a "void" in their lives..
[Edited 3/10/10 12:42pm]

Nope. It's not about persona.
It's about music.
The music has to speak to you, in a big way.

citrus said:

I really love what u write on here.

Sometimes it is hard to release your former self. Sometimes, that person you used to be had more achievements, had more passion, more accomplishments, and maybe even more capabilties.
Most of us have made fun of that guy in his 30's or 40's that cant let go of his highschool football days, but in all reality it is sad.
I for one can relate. I have lived a very full life. I have done and achieved so much in my life, but yet there is so much more I want to acheive. But the man I am now cant acheive most of those things anymore. (long story)
So yea, he will probably never admit it, but most men do have moments that they long to be what they used to be, and I include him in that majority.
No doubt he wishes he could leap off a piano and hit those splits one more time.
No doubt, he would love to be on top like he was most of his career in 1984-1991.
But you know...He has held his head up and stayed strong in what he believes is the right thing for him. Im sure he has contiplated signing a deal like he used to with Warner. But he hasnt. Im sure, in the middle of a performance, he has been tempted to try that split one more time on stage, but he hasnt. Im sure at one time or another, he has even been tempted to break out a ruffled shirt and purple trench coat, but...he hasnt.
I believe He has defeated his ghost on many occasions, and continues to do so.
Theres no future in the past.....
[Edited 3/10/10 10:38am]

I agree with Ronnwinter.

Doesn't Prince sing in Cause and Effect.....

"but if you stamp your passport with full of regret, you'll have nothing to remember but a lot to forget"

At a certain age, one realises that regret is a waste of the time that's over. I'm quite certain Prince is wise enough and old enough to have reached that point and has no ghosts.

All of your replys so far have been really nice and state alot of what I was trying to say... I agree with so many of you... thanks you all for sharing so far!

I doubt that Prince is haunted by what he has or hasn't done...any more than I'm haunted by the fact that I'm no longer doing the weather on TV (which is what I was doing in 1985).

Riding backwards is no way to enjoy a roller coaster.

ronnwinter said:

actually he breaks out the ruffled shirts and trenches all the time just about every album era he has trench coats and ruffled shirts... but I think I know what your talking about

Something MJ said leading up 2 his big London show was that he is getting older and won't be able to move the way he used to, so he wanted to do 1 last big show while he could still do all that

it's got to be a very humbling thing possibly depressing at times to face that

actually there is future in your past, we usually don't go far away from where we've been. And sometimes, manytimes trying to get to tomorrow we don't enjoy today right now or what we've seen done or who we've met

I think most people who are 'haunted' by the ghosts of their pasts
are people trying to run from their past

Sometime the more you run from something the more tired you get and the closer your past follows you.

It's like when tried to run from the success of Purple Rain and the whole image
but then a few years later you try a PR 2 in Graffiti Bridge because your career and money is running thin

Then more you embrace it the more you control it
the harder he fights against his image and video the more people are going to fight him, and find ways to get his music his images and videos

OldFriends4Sale said:

I truly agree

yes of course...it's nice to be on the top of the world and then not as fun when you aren't. Also you lose your talent as you get older...someone like Prince, it's like losing your super powers..cannot be a good feeling.

But I agree with those above who said it much more articulately. And he has handled it pretty well, at least publicly.
[Edited 3/11/10 12:21pm]

P doesn't feel any pressure. He always reinvents himself & starts on new slates, it's mainly his old fan base that's judging him from past work.
[Edited 3/11/10 12:22pm]

JesusFreak said:

Its more than just the music

In a word.....NO.

Graycap23 said:

agreed

mayrain said:

Being in a Prince state of mind, you think of what you've done, and what you can still do. Ghosts! I think not, his music speaks volumes of who he was, and who he is now.If we as his fams don't like it,stop listening to his music. It seems to me he has matured and his music has too. I like all types of music, if it moves my soul it's good for me. He has no reason to be haunted, He's just grown with the passing of time.