Did the androgynous 80's help make Prince a Purple star? Of course he's a musical genious and a brilliant performer, but would P be where he is at today if there was no acceptance of the androgynous images of the 80's. The eye liner, pancake makeup, hair, ruffled shirts, silouhette outfits and the pumps, if this image was not accepted back in the 80's, could P have climbed the ladder to stardom without all the androgyny?

"ALL THE CRITICS LOVE ME IN NEW YORK"

[Edited 12/9/10 8:47am]

i would like to say: YES

Let's see... didn't Little Richard also wear makeup and flamboyant clothes and hairstyles? I believe they still consider him a success, don't they? lol.

I believe that many of the things Prince sang may keep him at arm's length with a lot of people. The artists around the world will always acknowledge Prince as a genius, but then you'll have the stuck up people who will "only" remember the cursing, sexual references, etc. This is a shame because if they were to look at the total amount of work Prince has done, their minds may change. I watched The Beautiful Experience again, and it's been a while, and when The Most Beautiful Girl.... came on, I almost cried because of how beautiful and wonderul a song that was. If anyone does not think he is a success, they should look at the whole account of the man's work, not just one era or one album.

Interesting question. It's backwards though. It's amazing that Prince reached the level of mainstream success that he did...despite his androgynous appearance.

Sure, LA and NYC are hip to it. But to have kids in the middle of Iowa into you in 1984...acting/looking the way Prince did...that is something big/important.

Prince was/is a rock star. So what he wore was not out of place

If we look at the Glam Rockers of the 80's people like ROd Stewart and Mick Jagger Michael Jackson and so many others, androgyny & flamboyance was very integrated,

the 1960 1970 1980's were very open as far as appearance

Very different than today, but most musicians entertainers wore costumes and outfits and put on a visual show

If he wasn't who he was he'd be successful but not the Prince we know

a) The adrogyny hasn't stopped. He still wears makeup, ruffled shirts, silhouette outfits, etc.

b) The adrogyny wasn't accepted in the 80s (or 90s) and it isn't accepted now. I know people who are convinced that Prince is gay simply because of the amount of makeup he wears.

c) The people who like him, do so regardless of the eccentrities. The people who don't, do so usually because of the eccentricities.

Interesting . . .

[Edited 12/9/10 8:56am]

just1lousydime said:

a) The adrogyny hasn't stopped. He still wears makeup, ruffled shirts, silhouette outfits, etc.

b) The adrogyny wasn't accepted in the 80s (or 90s) and it isn't accepted now. I know people who are convinced that Prince is gay simply because of the amount of makeup he wears.

c) The people who like him, do so regardless of the eccentrities. The people who don't, do so usually because of the eccentricities.

The androgyny started so early with guys like Little Richard, and even David Bowie. I believe it was accepted in the 80's and so on... I know a lot of people who like Prince, but didn't buy every single album he made and I never remember them saying anything about his makeup or dress. They mostly spoke of the music. Of course, that just may be my opinion but I have lived up and down the entire eastern seaboard and I have always heard that from people with the exception of people who just wanted to hate for hate's sake.

T Rex was prob. one of the first rock performers to do it and others followed, but I think the mix between "Swingin' London" and Warhol's Factory is what sparked all things glam and androgyny.

Betsey Johnson was part of Warhol's Factory.

Of course Little Richard is a part of it, but as far as what happened in the 80s, Bowie was the one who really put it out there. Then you saw the Stones glamming it up. And Led Zeppelin started wearing frilly stuff.

In the 80s, KISS took their pancake makeup off, but they never stopped wearing makeup.

I think in Prince's case, he was just exposed to a wide range of music , and kind of built his own style, but I think as the stages became bigger, he took things to the next level with how he looked, top to bottom.

jason7sh said:

Interesting . . .

No - fake.

Radio became segregated in the late 70's but androgyny was always a staple of rock and roll and the disco era. what happened with Prince is that androgyny became more acceptable and common place in R&B-the first market he was accepted in before he broke out with Dirty Mind. Prince and MJ were the trailblazers of the era and brotha's who maybe five years earlier called prince a fag were wearing make-up just to get laid or get a record deal.

He brought this androgyny in to the 90's...