Prince & the Revolution @ the American Music Awards in 1985

LA:Shrine Auditorium 1.28.1985

Madonna presents an award to Prince & The Revolution at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles

1.28.1985 Prince & Jill Jones downtown L.A. on the way 2 Carlos & Charles rest.

I was sittin' pretty with a beautiful friend ("Oh darling")
When this man tries 2 get in the car
("Hey Prince, come on, give us a smile, eh?")
No introduction, "How've U been?"
Just - "Up yours! Smile, that's right, U're a star!" (Star)

Sometimes I get the AMAs and the Grammys from those long ago years confused (I'm old now, give me a break! lol ) so while I *KNOW* I watched this that night, I cannot recall if this was the performance where Prince was taking off his jacket or shirt towards the end and it got stuck, and he was tugging and pulling at it and ended up almost knocking over a microphone stand. Was it?

At any rate, damn those were the days when the music awards shows were MAGICAL. I'd look forward for weeks beforehand, waiting in anticipation for the show - and then the day of, the day would draaaaaaag til evening. My friends and I would get together specifically to watch the awards shows together and then the next day, people at school would be talking about it, still high from the awesome performances the night before.

*sigh* Love love LOVE my 80s Prince memories...

Thanks for posting the cool pics!! They all looked so great that night!!

RubyButterfly said:

Sometimes I get the AMAs and the Grammys from those long ago years confused (I'm old now, give me a break! lol ) so while I *KNOW* I watched this that night, I cannot recall if this was the performance where Prince was taking off his jacket or shirt towards the end and it got stuck, and he was tugging and pulling at it and ended up almost knocking over a microphone stand. Was it?

At any rate, damn those were the days when the music awards shows were MAGICAL. I'd look forward for weeks beforehand, waiting in anticipation for the show - and then the day of, the day would draaaaaaag til evening. My friends and I would get together specifically to watch the awards shows together and then the next day, people at school would be talking about it, still high from the awesome performances the night before.

*sigh* Love love LOVE my 80s Prince memories...

Thanks for posting the cool pics!! They all looked so great that night!!

I think your talking about the show where I Would Die 4 U and/or Baby I'm A Star were performed and Prince ended up having croweds of people from the audience on the stage and he ran down the middle isle leaving them dancing with the band

OldFriends4Sale said:

RubyButterfly said:

Sometimes I get the AMAs and the Grammys from those long ago years confused (I'm old now, give me a break! lol ) so while I *KNOW* I watched this that night, I cannot recall if this was the performance where Prince was taking off his jacket or shirt towards the end and it got stuck, and he was tugging and pulling at it and ended up almost knocking over a microphone stand. Was it?

At any rate, damn those were the days when the music awards shows were MAGICAL. I'd look forward for weeks beforehand, waiting in anticipation for the show - and then the day of, the day would draaaaaaag til evening. My friends and I would get together specifically to watch the awards shows together and then the next day, people at school would be talking about it, still high from the awesome performances the night before.

*sigh* Love love LOVE my 80s Prince memories...

Thanks for posting the cool pics!! They all looked so great that night!!

I think your talking about the show where I Would Die 4 U and/or Baby I'm A Star were performed and Prince ended up having croweds of people from the audience on the stage and he ran down the middle isle leaving them dancing with the band

I did some Googling and I think you're right about the show I was thinking of. Thanks.

Thanks again for this thread and the pictures. I love reminiscing about these amazing performances!

I just wish the video of the actual awrd-giving is circulating. Already know the Purple Rain performance is. And if that's circulating, I know Madonna presenting Prince and the Revolution with the award is somewhere...

I love when he kicks the microphone stand over during the guitar solo.

Incredible performance.

You see thats why I can't stand it when I see comments on YT about Ruth Lorenzo making Purple Rain her own.

If you can't play guitar your only giving half the performance.

Amazing performance - he was on fire!!!!

Aint nothing better than Prince LIVE

So, so good.

It wasn't even a 'performance', either, you know? I mean you could tell he was really feeling it.

Have both this performance and the AMA 'Baby I'm A Star' on DVD. They're both probably my favorites of any of his live performances on television. Pure magic and in the case of 'Baby I'm A Star' pure funk!

Feeling it indeed - this is the epitome of why I love this guy! His emotional input into his performances make your jaw drop. And the fact he still, yes still turns out these kind of performances live is brilliant.

AMA performance was Funk fo sho - actually in my top 3 performances of Prince ever. The electricity in that room was wild! The entire audience was standing dancin clappin rockin in a purple shock! He tore the roof of that MFer!

[Edited 1/31/11 14:58pm]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Prince & the Revolution @ the American Music Awards in 1985

LA:Shrine Auditorium 1.28.1985

Bobby Z. was one pretty Mofo in this photo! I heart Bobby Z... So talented, too underrated.

Do you have any pics of Sheila from this night?

I have this whole shebang on VHS. Gotta get me some capturing equipment...

I love this performance. I love it when he kicks the mic stand and you can see Cyndi Lauper in the seats losing it. Watch it agian...

Hands down the BEST performance of PR EVER. I have never seen folks lose their minds so much at an awards show...they are normally "too cool for school" and barely nod their heads when someone is performing...now that's how to give a performance.

Man EVERYONE talked about that tv appearance the next day in school. From the metalheads to the preps to the new wavers and the hip hop junkies. P blew everyone away.

Without trying to compare, more people I knew talked about P's performance at the AMA's than

MJ's performance on "Mowtown 25". Now both were great, but P really had taken over the world

at that time. "Purple Rain" fever pretty much ran well throughout 1985 also.

During the PURPLE RAIN era, Prince ruled the world!

Were not worthy! Were not worthy!

lol ^^^^ your right

The 1984-1985 years were really exciting, videos, proteges PR tour, movie bsides and long version tv appearances the clothing and just taking Uptown to another level

eyewishuheaven said:

I have this whole shebang on VHS. Gotta get me some capturing equipment...

Even the award presentation to Prince?

ecstasy said:

eyewishuheaven said:

I have this whole shebang on VHS. Gotta get me some capturing equipment...

Even the award presentation to Prince?

Yep! Two of them: one accepted by Prince, one accepted by Wendy.

yes that's great there was purple rain fever and I wish I was older to experience it instead of through videotapes by the time the mid to late 80's hit, but fast forward 25 years later and motown 25 is more remembered. I'll watch the performance soon though, he is electrfying onstage for sure

OldFriends4Sale said:

Prince & the Revolution @ the American Music Awards in 1985

LA:Shrine Auditorium 1.28.1985

Prince & The Revolution performed "Purple Rain" at the 1985 American Music Awards and just absolutely killed it! The White Cloud was front and center in this clip and it looked and sounded great! I don't even remember what happened with the rest of the show after but it was pretty much over for me after that! I feel bad for whoever had to follow that act! I have heard and seen alot of his performances of "Purple Rain" over the years but this will always be one of my favorites. If you were lucky enough to see it at the time and weren't a fan you were when it was over!

Madonna presents an award to Prince & The Revolution at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles

1.28.1985 Prince & Jill Jones downtown L.A. on the way 2 Carlos & Charles rest.

I was sittin' pretty with a beautiful friend ("Oh darling")
When this man tries 2 get in the car
("Hey Prince, come on, give us a smile, eh?")
No introduction, "How've U been?"
Just - "Up yours! Smile, that's right, U're a star!" (Star)

Awww do we remember....I have these memories recorded!

That's the show where Huey stupid ass Lewis looked befuddled, disapointed, and downright dull when he read aloud that Prince beat out MJ and a few other nominees for one of the awards.

Stupid ass Huey Lewis.

Farken LOVE this performance.

Also, this was a time when the audience would only really give a standing ovation to Hall of Famers (unlike now where everyone stands for anyone ), but P had them ALL on their feet applauding after that performance.

callimnate said:

Farken LOVE this performance.

Also, this was a time when the audience would only really give a standing ovation to Hall of Famers (unlike now where everyone stands for anyone ), but P had them ALL on their feet applauding after that performance.

Yeah and you had all the other famous people right there dancing and sing right along. Now they sit is designated spots and they put regular people up near the stage to do the dancing and singing along...

1980's was the last of a different time, over all there seemed to be a kind of comradery your had veterans like Diana Ross, Tony Bennet, Tina Turner, Cher etc people who were in the business when you had to work hard to make it, people who started in the 50's 60's 70's rock bands who still live with mom, people who still lived in the neighborhoods they grew up in to people who were in mansions now, and they would literally sincerely applaud and celebrate each other.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Prince & the Revolution @ the American Music Awards in 1985

LA:Shrine Auditorium 1.28.1985

Wendy's outfit must have been the prototype for Sheila's Romance 1600 get-up.

[Edited 2/1/11 8:06am]

alphastreet said:

yes that's great there was purple rain fever and I wish I was older to experience it instead of through videotapes by the time the mid to late 80's hit, but fast forward 25 years later and motown 25 is more remembered. I'll watch the performance soon though, he is electrfying onstage for sure

Yea exactly I was gonna say that was the only other performance I remember seeing where folks were loosing their minds like that..Well deserved of course but Prince's performance was just as memorable and ground-breaking for him as well.

Efan said:

Wendy's outfit must have been the prototype for Sheila's Romance 1600 get-up.

[Edited 2/1/11 8:06am]

ha wow just noticed that, loved the outfits then