Google translation of THE FULL interview by Joakim Hediger:

DJ Joakim Hediger has been in audience with his idol, who in August
play on 10-Øren in Copenhagen





The time is exactly 03:00 Tuesday night, when my phone wakes me and the voice at the other end says that Prince will make interview with me about 12 hours ... in Paris!



Normally I would be irritated about being awakened at this time, but just that call, I have been waiting for since 1982 when I bought my first Prince album.



I know everything about the man. I have been following him for so many years that I know what he eats for breakfast, he loves chocolate milkshake, he was named Skipper as a small, etc. etc., but everything he knows very well himself - so what the hell should I ask him or more, what will he answer?!



On his way into the plane, I write like crazy questions, I hope he does answer in a couple of hours.



I look around the plane where the greatest people to take your position right now is whether they want coffee or tea on board, and here I sit, fighting sweaty and eating nicotine gum, because I in no way will smell of cigarette smoke when I meet with the man, the legend, the genius and the unattainable, the only worldwide!



I stand in front of the suite, my thoughts knocks around the entire body on me: What do you do - gives him the hand, you have to look him straight in the eye and speak of him directly, do you call him Prince or sir!



Well-dressed journalist
When I do not know the answer to it before the door opens to the suite and it was time for the first time I have to meet the man I have grown long before there was something called big belt bridge mobile phones and taxi receipts. We are presented with another of his personal manager. Prince stands smiling as he gives me his hand: You are the most well-dressed reporter I ever interview, sir, with his deep and rather low voice, while he finds that I have plastered my pointy shoes for the occasion.



Prince does not look bad either in his high stillettes, black pants and same color turtleneck sweater, with a gigantic piece of jewelry hanging around his neck, which may weigh a ton and a round John Lennon sunglasses in yellow.



We sit facing each other, I alone, he was surrounded by his 2 choir singers Shelby Johnson and Liv Warfield + his latest female discovery, the young and beautiful god guitarist Andy Allo, the latter sit and discuss with Prince about holes in jeans are in or out, Prince does not understand the concept of the holes and I break in: The more holes there are, the more expensive they are. 'Exactly! Sir Prince on shaky head: Baby, what you'll take on tonight, jeans?!



Prince makes a facial expression that is not to be wrong by, well I have let my jeans with holes to be home in Denmark. The ice between us (if there had has been ice) is broken and it was intended as an interviewer becomes the conversation last more than an hour of my life.

Old Classmate
My 81 questions I lie neatly in the pocket again and I let the man talk as if it were an old classmate I had not seen since the 9th grade, maybe because he does not like direct questions which later becomes distorted and misunderstood, such as when he was 2 weeks ago talking with a reporter from the newspaper the Guardian, who flushed with his visit to Morocco, Prince tells me that he had said was, 'they had fun in Morocco' and it was then became that he thought it was fun the women walked in a burka! But jonalister write what they want to hear, says Prince resigned.



There is no doubt that the music he wants to talk about, I've also got stung a list in hand before I walk in the door, with things I should not ask such. I do not have to ask some personal questions and I can not ask for his views on the Internet that he is fighting a brave battle with because, especially on You Tube, lies some thousands of video clips from his concerts and the like Prince is certainly not about.



He has previously stated that special sound of the clip is too bad compared to how it sounds in reality to his concerts. It is perhaps also why I have given strict orders that the interview under any circumstances be admitted, either by tape recorder or camera and I'll let my iPhone will be out the door.



Rhythm Total
We played in Montreal a few days ago, Prince dishes on his glasses, I must say it is one of our best gigs to date. We played for over four hours and people would just not let go. Every time we went by the stage, stomping people so hard on the floor, the building was about to collapse so we had to go in again and again - fantastic!



The man sitting opposite me not playing music, he IS music and his political views, I am damn not interested in.



There is rhythm in everything! he tells while ha snaps his fingers and a couple of the girls clap on 2 and 4, I am considering a split second whether I should pull a couple of dessert spoons up and play 'meatball escape over the fence', it is I is not crazy to but I've still damp hands to the sound would be completely go.



The reason that I as a Dane am sitting where I do in suite 401 at Hotel Bristol in Paris, mostly because of Prince's visit to Denmark on 6 and 7 August when he first holds his own festival, the NPG kind and Music Festival on 10 ears, at Amager:

A long jam session
Many times the problem with festivals, Prince looks directly at me, is that everyone has their own gears, so there are very long scene changes and everyone has an opinion about how light the scene must be so, it relieves us of here. This is a long jam session, it will be the good thing about the festival is that it is artists I like. (So ​​those who want to hear Lars ELilholdt "Kald det kærlighed" (Translated "Call it love"), should be going to find another festival).



Who to invite you in to play at the festival?



I'm currently working on a variety of such. Chaka khan, Mint Condition and Mary J. Blige. Mary was warm for us in Los Angeles and jammed with us later that evening on stage and when she stands there with a full band - damn, girl som kan sing! It should say, however, the time of writing, none of these artists have been confirmed yet! You are safe just pt. Is Raphael Saadiq and Larry Graham (the latter visited Denmark last Monday).



On this trip I play more guitar and we play more cover songs than we have done tideligere, one of the new covers we play are Marvin Gaye's Let get it on, the Prince makes one of his famous "funky face" at the thought the number that one would otherwise not think he had reason to add more numbers to the set list when the band has done over 300 numbers up they can choose. Apropo cover versions, Prince leans back on the sofa and laughs:



Nothing compares 2 U
There are still many who come to me and ask why I play Nothing compares 2 U by Sinéad O'Connor (if there should be a simple reading is in doubt, it is a song Prince himself has written and published long before there was someone who knew what Sinéad was).



How long do you use that rehearse for a tour?



It's not that we are in a practice room, the way we do it is that I invite friends and acquaintances at a party at home in my house, where we try out new editions of the guests, or we jammer for afterpartys on div. clubs and if they work on the audience, we take them on the set list.



The door opens to the suite and out rolls a cart with green tea, coffee and misc. water, as they apparently wanted by the door can sense that this interview is not immediately ends soon. Prince stand and pours tea up when he talks about a concert in Los Angeles last month, when suddenly there stood a woman on stage in a dress that looked like his mother and singing paint the microphone, it turned out that it was Cindy Lauper - I would love to have her on tour, she still has an amazing voice. I find it's a good idea to take "his" mother "on a ride so she can ensure that he comes in good time in bed, Prince laughing at my" joke "and sipping his green tea. I button up a Coke to celebrate that I got Prince to laugh loudly



Hard boss
Recently I talked with Stevie Wonder about it, to stand on stage and get 50,000 people in rapture and Stevie said it exactly right: "It's like Being a DJ" and that is exactly what it is we have so many numbers to choose from so we can just tear off the shelves, depending on how the mood is very evening.



How are you as a boss, are you giving people a hard time if they play wrong?



It's actually me who plays most wrong laughs Prince - it sounds now, not the others in the sofa as if they would give their boss right in that.



What music do you buy to yourself?



I do not buy music that I play even what I hear, I own no iPod, the sound is terrible in this one. I am 100% for music recorded analog, you lose too much nerve and sound if it is digital.



When asked how he comes up with one catchy guitar riff after another, the answer is short and cash: I studied the best and with a not so hidden pride, he noted that riffet to '1999 'is still the most funky guitar riff he has ever come up with and the man has the right.

Is there any number with another artist you wish you had written?



All bands are good
Prince keeps a long pause and stare pensively into the suite, I munch a second time on my nicotine gum: I wonder if said something wrong with the long break?! 'Take Me with U "I would like to have written, hey no, it's me who wrote it, maybe it would had been a hit if I was doing cover versions of my own songs, he jokes before he gets up and goes a little around the room:



I try if I can get Prince to tell me what bands he can not stand: All the bands are good in their own way, there is much I do not like, but I do not want to talk bad about other colleagues, I have no reason to.



I tell him about a time he pulled me up on stage in Las Vegas and got me to sing Play That Funky Music. But I could not remember the whole text, so he yelled "I think we need the subtitles for this guy," Prince slaps himself on his little haunches of laughs and apologizes that he unfortunately can not remember it - said the Prince just apologize to me there ?!?! I sip more of my cola - wow!



American Football
Prince is now starting to talk about his favorite sport, namely football, he asks interested in the kind of football we play in Denmark, since he has not completely check out the rules yet but is starting to learn them. Right there, I regret to disappoint him when I know as little about football, as a nun knows the words to Do Me Baby.



Princes manager stands up and gives evidence that we need to quit, we raise all of us 5 and Prince tells me that they might play a club gig later tonight. I promise to be there if something will come and assure him that I certainly will be looking to his concert the day after, along with 40,000 other die hard fans. Cool See You Later, Prince gives me his hand again before he disappears down the hall, with an army of security people.



Day 2 in Prince-country
The day after the interview, the concert day, I've got a passport which means that I now face backstage at the Stade de France, where 40,000 are about to present itself on the lawn in front of the stage, it is a giant machine that is started when Prince is in town.



A lot of production people, managers, wardrobe people, promo-sized and runnere with irons and blow up just bathe bolts get backstage to look like a Saturday morning in Lyngby big mall.

Prince's musicians enjoy chatting in the hallways and his Danish bass guitarist Ida Nielsen comes over to me and apologize for the interview I have to do with her can only be about 45 minutes, then Prince right to approve tonight's stage clothes she already has, nothing is random when it has to do with Prince, I'm not a second in doubt that the outfit enough to fall in good taste at the evening's main character.

Prince on two wheels
At that moment Prince cycling (!) by, he looks at me, and says "Bon jour". Before I have time to find my French vocabulary rather, he cycled up on stage to jam with the band warming. Ida and I find out that we can take it the interview now.



A few minutes before Prince finished the scene I am ushered into the backstage again, so I do not topple the Prince away when he walks by, so I stand and nod-known to the band as they one by one leaving the scene. The past comes to meet me is Maceo Parker, as Prince has been dialed in for the occasion, he hobbled down the hall in his apparently too small shoes, he looks at me and says: These boots er definitely NOT made for walking!



For me it's a very surreal experience, just to be there, but I do not get time to take a breath, because suddenly asks me, putting me into a waiting Mercedes will drive me to the afterparty, when Prince did not have enough game tonight (the show lasted only 3 hours)!



I have gradually become part of the band I feel when I with police escort roars through the streets of Paris and is put in front of Restaurant La Société, where the Prince's personal manager, follow me past the ca. 1000 waiting fans who all have got wind of afterparty'et and directly into the small restaurant that can only accommodate 150 people. I will be placed in a sofa right next to the band's table.



the Night's first drink

[Edited 7/13/11 5:30am]

I stand at the entrance and sip the night's first drink when I get out of corner of your eye can see Prince and a couple of very big guys sweep past me, I get just thinking that it was because .... When I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder I turn and face Prince in his own little person, dressed in white from head to toe! Did you like the show? He asks "Damn i was in heaven you" I answer back, "Im glad you liked it 'he says and gives me his hand with the other because he still has his left hand on my shoulder, we smile at each other and he proceed.



I take a sip more of my drink and an extra nicotine gum before I drop shots on the floor ... because here, we just need to stop, what happened right there ... Was Prince who saw me and turned around, to hear what I thought about the concert and not me who grabbed him, telling what I thought about it!?



Renowned pin-up girl
I am committed to my desk again, where band members begin to arrive at their table, Prince is more 'than a good mood and greet the band welcome to his table, where also the world's most famous pin-up girl Dita von Teese is making herself. I stand with Kim Worsøe (which arranges all Princes Europe tour) and talking good old days, when Prince again comes over to me, this time we have to talk about his amazing new guitarist Andy Allo, which we somehow need to find out how to get promoted best as he sees many opportunities in her.



Maybe she will play warm-up for me instead of it with her own band, what do you think? He asks me! I must give him right, she is a divinely-granted talent and we agree that we must have done something about it. At the moment I feel like a part of the inner circle, I stand here with Prince and talk about the future of one of his bandmates! He apologizes to me that they no longer had to play tonight, when they went more than half an hour over time according to the Parisian rules.



Music unites people
There were so many songs we never got to play tonight include Let get it on with Marvin, who I have told you about yesterday. I assure him once again that the concert they gave tonight was more than just fantastic, thanked him and making a sign to his band that now is time the second evening's concert is about to start.



At 06:00 o'clock when I arrive at my hotel on Friday morning and I meet the 2 choir singers at the front desk who is know to check out, as they must in an hour on to Poland for another show. Prince run them hard, but with the love of the band's music, there is no trace of fatigue to see. They must be between countries in Denmark, so I meet the band again, this time at the airport where there are greeted good morning and the last words I get from choir singer Liv Warfield before we go into the plane is: 'We did say att music bringes people together, right? "and I promise it did in the 48 hours I was in Paris!

Translated with Google..... (NOT exactly a good translation, sorry about that...)

source: http://ekstrabladet.dk/mu...584482.ece

[Edited 7/13/11 5:32am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:38am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:39am]

Here follows the short edit of the interview, which was printed in Ekstra Bladet last sunday:

[img:$uid]http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/2275/ekstrabladet01.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3665/ekstrabladet02.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/692/ekstrabladet03.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4233/ekstrabladet04.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/2848/ekstrabladet05.jpg[/img:$uid]

[Edited 7/11/11 14:07pm]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:29am]

Nothing of interest is said

Prince doesn't own an iPod cuz he does not like the sound.

Prince is joking whether he wrote Take Me With U.....

only small talk, I can't understand how they really talked for a whole hour,

None of Joakims 81 question was asked/ answered, instead it was a conversation...

But.... it sounds like this Prince fan - Joakim Hediger - had a great time in Paris.

[Edited 7/9/11 23:30pm]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:32am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:33am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:33am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:35am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:37am]

Oh I Forgot: No new pics by Prince or the band,

this article is using old pics only

The Guardian's rubbish isn't mentioned at all...

no burqas,

nothing wheter he will record another album - or not..

that's maybe the best thing about it.

thedance said:

The Guardian's rubbish isn't mentioned at all...

no burqas,

nothing wheter he will record another album - or not..

that's maybe the best thing about it.

Thanks nonetheless for your effort to scan the article!

this article is not online at ekstrabladet.dk, (at least I can't find it).

and, my english language could be better.. therefor it's a little difficult to translate the whole article.

IF other danes wanna tell more precisely what is written, then please:

go ahead.....

^ Yes the 3 vinyls in pic #1, they are actually:

Dirty Mind,

Controversy,

1999....

the NEW released heavy weight 180 grams LP vinyls.

IF you like to play good old vinyls go and get them, quickly..

[Edited 7/10/11 4:43am]

[Edited 7/11/11 2:55am]

[Edited 7/11/11 14:06pm]

In case you wonder:

Yes I do have other vinyls with Prince...

[img:$uid]http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9308/ekstrabladet06.jpg[/img:$uid]

Too bad the interview isn't really telling anything,

I had high expectations.

[img:$uid]http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/68/houseofprince.jpg[/img:$uid]

^ One thing that is really irriteting is this paper, Ekstra Bladet, keep telling jokes about Prince is a cigarette brand too, in scandinavia:

that headline "Prince - with and without filter" incredibly silly.....

sigh...

SO dissapointed with interview. I really expected more from Joakim hediger, or did I ....hmmmmm.....

^ HSH: I have read on Facebook: the paper, Ekstra Bladet, did cut Joakim Hediger's long interview down to about 15% of what he had original written.

I don't know why EB did that, maybe the rest was boring too, or they just made a mistake - throwing the best parts away, who knows..?

Or maybe the paper was just looking for some controversy like what was written in The Guardian, and they could not find any...?

anyway,

the result of what was printed is very disappointing, a complete waste of those 17 dkr. buying this very crappy tabloid: Ekstra Bladet. It really is a terrible "paper".....

Let's hope Joakim Hediger's full interview with Prince from Paris will surface one day. But it really needs to be better than the small "sample" which was printed yesterday.

thedance said:

Nothing of interest is said

Prince doesn't own an iPod cuz he does not like the sound.

Prince is joking whether he wrote Take Me With U.....

only small talk, I can't understand how they really talked for a whole hour,

None of Joakims 81 question was asked/ answered, instead it was a conversation...

But.... it sounds like this Prince fan - Joakim Hediger - had a great time in Paris.

[Edited 7/9/11 23:30pm]

I don't own an iPod either.

What do you mean by him joking about whether he wrote Take Me With U?

^ 802.. my english language could be better, here is what was said:

Joakim Hediger, Q: "is there one track with another artist, you wish you had written?"

Prince, A: ""Take Me With U" I would like to have written this, hey no.. it is myself who has written this song. Maybe it would had been a hit, if I had made cover-versions of my own songs", he (Prince)jokes.

thedance said:

^ 802.. my english language could be better, here is what was said:

Joakim Hediger, Q: "is there one track with another artist, you wish you had written?"

Prince, A: ""Take Me With U" I would like to have written this, hey no.. it is myself who has written this song. Maybe it would had been a hit, if I had made cover-versions of my own songs", he (Prince)jokes.

Ah, okay. Thanks!

Why does anyone even bother to 'interview' him?!

By the time the preamble (make that pre-ramble) is done, you're lucky if you can scrape together enough quotes to make a decent sized paragraph!!

Dj'en Joakim Hediger har været i audiens hos sit store idol, der i august
spiller på 10-Øren i København

Kl. er præcis 03:00 tirsdag nat, da min telefon vækker mig og stemmen i den anden ende fortæller, at Prince vil lave interview med mig om 12 timer…i Paris!

Normalt ville jeg blive småirriteret over, at blive vækket på dette tidspunkt, men lige præcis dette opkald har jeg ventet på siden 1982, hvor jeg købte mit første Prince-album.

Jeg ved alt om den mand. Jeg har dyrket ham i så mange år, at jeg ved hvad han spiser til morgenmad, at han elsker chokolade-milkshake, at han blev kaldt skipper som lille osv. osv., men alt det ved han jo godt selv – så hvad pokker skal jeg spørge ham om eller mere, hvad vil han svare på?!

På vej i flyet skriver jeg som en sindssyg på spørgsmål, jeg håber han gider svare på om et par timer.

Jeg kikker rundt i flyet, hvor det største folk skal ta' stilling til lige nu, er om de vil ha kaffe eller te ombord, og her sidder jeg, kampsvedende og storgnaskende på nikotin-tyggegummi, da jeg på ingen måde vil lugte af cigaretrøg, når jeg skal mødes med manden, legenden, geniet og den uopnåelige, som den eneste i hele verden!

Jeg står ude foran suiten, tankerne banker rundt i hele kroppen på mig: Hvad gør man - gir man ham hånden, må man kikke ham direkte i øjnene og tiltaler man ham med de eller du, Prince eller sir?!

Velklædt journalist
Jeg når ikke, at finde svaret på det før døren åbner til suiten og det er blevet tid til, jeg for første gang skal møde manden jeg har dyrket længe inden der var noget der hed storbælts broen, mobil telefoner og taxa boner. Vi bliver præsenteret for hinanden af hans personlige manager. Prince rejser sig smilende, mens han gir mig hånden: Du er den mest velklædte journalist jeg nogensinde er blevet interview af, sir han med sin dybe og temmelig lave stemme, mens han konstater at jeg har pudset mine spidse sko i dagens anledning.

Prince ser nu heller ikke værst ud i sine høje stilletter, sorte bukser og samme farve rulle krave sweater, med et gigantisk smykke hængende om halsen, der må veje et ton og en rund John Lennon sol brille i gul.

Vi sætter os overfor hinanden, jeg alene, han omgivet af sine 2 kor sangerinder Shelby Johnson og Liv Warfield + hans nyeste kvindelige fund, den unge og gude smukke guitarist Andy Allo, sidst nævnte sidder og diskuter med Prince om huller i cowboy bukser er in eller yt, Prince forstår ikke konceptet med de huller og jeg bryder ind: Jo flere huller der er, jo dyre er de. 'Præcis! sir Prince rystende på hoved: Baby, hvad ta´r du på i aften-jeans?!

Prince laver et ansigts udtrykt der ikke er til, at ta´ fejl af, godt jeg har lade mine med hullerne blive hjemme i Danmark. Isen (hvis der overhoved har været is) er brudt og det der var tiltænkt som et interview bliver nu til en samtale der vare mere end en time af mit liv.

Gammel klassekammerat
Mine 81 spørgsmål ligger jeg pænt ned i lommen igen og jeg lader manden snakke, som var det en gammel klasse kammerat jeg ikke havde set siden 9., måske fordi han ikke bryder sig om direkte spørgsmål der senere bliver fordrejet og misforstået, som f.eks. da han for 2 uger siden snakkede med en journalist fra avisen the Guardian, der sprude til hans besøg i Marokko, Prince fortæller mig, at det han havde sagt var, 'de havde haft det sjovt i Marokko', og det var så blevet til, at han syntes det var sjovt af kvinderne gik i burka! Men jonalister skriver hvad de vil høre, siger Prince opgivende.

Der er ingen tvivl om, at det er musik han vil snakke om, jeg har da også fået stukket en liste i hånden inden jeg træder ind af døren, med ting jeg ikke må spørge om, som f.eks. at jeg ikke må stille nogle personlige spørgsmål og jeg ikke må spørge til hans syn på internettet, som han kæmper en brav kamp med da der, specielt på You tube, ligger tusinde vis af video klip fra hans koncerter og det bryder Prince sig bestemt ikke om.

Han har før udtalt, at specielt lyden på de klip er for dårlig i forhold til hvordan det lyder i virkeligheden til hans koncerter. Det er måske også derfor jeg har fået strenge ordre på, at interviewet under ingen omstændigheder må optages, hverken med båndoptager eller kamera og jeg skal lade min i - Phone blive ude for døren.

Rytme i alt
Vi spillede i Montreal for et par dage siden, Prince retter på sin brille, jeg må sige det er en af vores bedste koncerter til dato. Vi spillede i over fire timer og folk ville bare ikke lad os gå. Hver gang vi gik af scenen, trampende folk så hårdt i gulvet, at bygningen var ved, at kollapse så vi måtte gå på igen og igen – fantastisk!

Den mand jeg sidder overfor spiller ikke musik, han ER musik og hans politiske holdninger er jeg sgu lige glad med.

Der er rytme i alt! sir han mens ha knipser med fingrene og et par af pigerne klapper på 2 og 4, jeg overvejer et kort sekund om jeg skal hive et par dessert skeer frem og spille 'frikadellens flugt over plankeværket', den er jeg nemlig ikke helt tosset til, men jeg har stadig for fugtige hænder til, at klangen ville blive helt go.

Grunden til, at jeg som dansker sidder hvor jeg gør i suite 401 på hotel Bristol i Paris, er mest pga. Prince´s besøg i Danmark den 7. og 8. august hvor han for første gang afholder sin egen festival, the NPG art and Music festival på 10 øren, på amager:

En lang jam-session
Det der mange gange er problemet ved festivaler, Prince kikker direkte på mig, er at alle har deres eget gear med, så der er meget lange scene skift og alle har en mening om hvordan lyset på scenen skal være osv., det slipper vi for her. Det bliver en lang jam session, det der bliver det gode ved festivalen er, at det er kunstnere JEG kan li. (Så dem der vil skråle med på Lars Lilholts kald det kærlighed, skal nok finde en anden festival).

Hvem invitere du så med til, at spille på festivalen ?

Jeg arbejder i øjeblikket på en masse forskellige som f.eks. Chaka khan, Mint Condition og Mary J. Blige. Mary var opvarmning for os i Los Angeles og jammede med os senere samme aften på scenen og når hun står der med fuld band – damn, that girl can sing ! Det skal dog sige, i skrivende stund er ingen af de nævnte kunstnere er bekræftet endnu! Dem der er sikre lige pt. Er Raphael Saadiq og Larry Graham (sidst nævnte gæstede Danmark sidste mandag).

På denne tur spiller jeg meget mere guitar og vi spiller flere cover numre end vi har gjort tideligere, en af de nye covers vi spiller er Marvin gaye´s Let get it on, Prince laver et af sine velkendte 'funky face' ved tanken om det nummer, man skulle ellers ikke mene han havde grund til, at føje flere numre til sætlisten, da bandet har øvet over 300 numre op de kan vælge imellem. Apropo cover versioner, Prince læner sig tilbage i sofaen og griner:

Nothing compares 2 U
Der er stadig mange der kommer til mig og spørger hvorfor jeg spiller Nothing compares 2 U med Sinéad O'Connor (hvis der skulle være en enkel læser der er i tvivl, er det et nummer Prince selv har skrevet og udgivet, længe inden der var nogen der vidste hvad Sinéad var for noget).

Hvor lang tid bruger I på, at øve op til en turne?

Det er ikke sådan, at vi står i et øve lokale, den måde vi gør det på er, at jeg invitere venner og bekendte til fest hjemme i mit hus, hvor vi så prøver nye numre af på gæsterne, eller vi jammer til afterpartys på div. klubber og hvis de virker på publikum, tager vi dem med på sæt listen.

Døren åbner til suiten og ind ruller en vogn med grøn the, kaffe og div. vand, da de åbenbart ude ved døren kan fornemme, at det her interview ikke sådan lige slutter foreløbig. Prince stå og hælder the op, da han fortæller om en koncert i Los Angels sidste måned, hvor der pludselig stod en kvinde på scenen i en kjole der lignede hans mors og sang malingen af mikrofonen, det viste sig at det var Cindy Lauper – jeg ville elske, at ha hende med på tur, hun har stadig en fantastisk stemme. Jeg konstatere det er en god ide, at ta´ hans ”mor” med på tur, så hun kan sørge for, at han kommer i ordentlig tid i seng, Prince griner af min ”joke” og sipper til sin grønne the. Jeg knapper en cola op for, at fejre at jeg fik Prince til, at grine højlydt

Hård chef
For nylig snakkede jeg med Stevie Wonder om det, at stå på scenen og få 50.000 mennesker i ekstase og Stevie sagde det helt rigtigt: ”It´s like being a DJ”, og det er lige det, det er, vi har så mange numre at vælge imellem, så vi kan bare rive ned fra hylderne, alt efter hvordan stemningen er netop den aften.

Hvordan er du som chef, gir du f.eks. skide baller hvis de spiller forkert?

Det er faktisk mest mig der spiller forkert, griner Prince – det lyder nu ikke på de andre i sofaen, som om de vil gi deres chef ret i det.

Hvad køber du selv til af musik?

Jeg køber ikke musik, jeg spiller selv det jeg vil høre, jeg ejer heller ikke en i – pod, lyden er forfærdelig i sådan en. Jeg er 100% til musik indspillet analogt, man mister for meget nerve og lyd hvis det er digitalt.

På spørgsmålet om hvordan han kommer op med det ene ørehængende guitar riff efter det andet, er svaret kort og kontant: Jeg har studeret de bedste og med en ikke så skjult stolthed konstatere han, at riffet til '1999' stadig er det mest funky guitar riff han nogensinde er kommet op med og manden har jo ret.

Er der noget nummer med en anden kunstner, du ville ønske, du havde skrevet?

Alle bands er gode
Prince holder en lang pause og stirre tænksomt ud i suiten, jeg gnasker en ekstra gang på mit nikotin tyggegummi: har jeg mon sagt noget forkert, med den lange pause?! 'Take me with U' ville jeg gerne ha skrevet, nårh nej, det er jo mig selv der har skrevet den, måske ville det være et hit hvis jeg lavede cover versioner af mine egne numre, joker han inden han rejser sig og går lidt rundt i lokalet:

Jeg prøver om jeg kan få Prince til, at fortælle mig hvilke bands han ikke kan fordrage: Alle bands er gode på hver deres måde, der er meget jeg ikke bryder mig om, men jeg gider ikke snakke dårligt om andre kollegaer, det er der ingen grund til.

Jeg fortæller ham om en gang han hev mig op på scenen i Las Vegas og fik mig til, at synge Play that funky music . Men jeg ikke kunne huske hele teksten, så han råbte ”I think we need som subtitles for this guy”, Prince klasker sig på sine små lår af grin og undskylder, at han desværre ikke kan huske det – sagde Prince lige undskyld til mig der?!?! Jeg sutter en tår mere af min cola – wow !

Amerikansk fodbold
Prince begynder nu, at snakke om sin yndlings-sport, nemlig amerikansk fodbold, han spørger interesseret til den form for fodbold vi spiller i Danmark, da han ikke har helt tjek på reglerne endnu men er ved, at lære dem. Lige der må jeg desværre skuffe ham, da jeg ved lige så lidt om fodbold, som en nonne kender teksten til Do me baby.

Princes manager rejser sig og gir tegn til, at vi skal til at slutte, vi rejser os alle 5 og Prince fortæller mig, at de muligvis vil spille et klub gig senere i aften. Jeg lover, at være der hvis det bliver til noget og forsikre ham om, at jeg bestemt også vil være, at finde til hans koncert dagen efter, sammen med 40.000 andre die hard fans. Cool see you later, Prince gir mig igen hånden inden han forsvinder ned af gangen, med en hær af sikkerheds folk.

Dag 2 i Prince-land
Dagen efter interviewet er det koncert dag, jeg har fået en pas som gør, at jeg nu står backstage på Stade de France, hvor 40.000 er ved at indfinde sig på plænen ude foran scenen, det er et kæmpe apparat der er i gang når Prince er i byen.

Et hav af produktions folk, managere, garderobe folk, promotore og runnere med strygejern og op pustlige bade bolte får backstage til, at ligne en lørdag formiddag i Lyngby stor center. Prince´s musikere hygge sludre i gangene og hans danske bas guitarist Ida Nielsen kommer over til mig og undskylder, at det interview jeg skal lave med hende først kan blive om 45 minutter, da Prince lige skal godkende aftenens scene tøj hun allerede har på, der er intet der er tilfældigt når det har med Prinsen at gøre, jeg er dog ikke et sekund itvivl om, at det outfit nok skal falde i god smag hos aftenens hoved person.

Prince på to hjul
I det samme kommer Prince cyklende (!) forbi, han kikker på mig og sir ” Bon jour”. Inden jeg når at finde mine franske gloser frem, er han cyklet op på scenen for, at jamme med opvarmnings bandet. Ida og jeg finder ud af, at vi vist godt kan ta´ det interview nu.

Et par minutter før Prince er færdig på scenen bliver jeg gennet ind backstage igen, så jeg ikke vælter Prince omkuld når han går af, så der står jeg og nikker anderkende til bandet, da de en efter en forlader scenen. Den sidste der kommer mig i møde er Maceo Parker, som Prince har fået ringet ind i dagens anledning, han humper ned af gangen i hans åbenbart alt for små sko, han kikker på mig og siger: These boots are definitely NOT made for walking!

For mig er det en meget surrealistisk oplevelse, bare det at stå der, men jeg får ikke tid til, at sunde mig, for pludselig bliver jeg bedt om, at sætte mig ind i en ventende Mercedes der vil kører mig til afterparty, da Prince slet ikke har fået spillet nok her til aften (koncerten varede også kun 3 timer) !

Jeg er efterhånden blevet en del af bandet føler jeg, da jeg med politi escort drøner igennem Paris' gader og bliver sat af ude foran Restaurant La Société, hvor Prince´s personlige manager følger mig forbi de ca. 1000 ventende fans der alle har fået nys om afterparty´et og direkte ind i den lille restaurant der kun kan rumme 150 personer. Jeg bliver placeret i en sofa lige ved siden af bandets bord.

Nattens først sjus
Jeg stå ved indgangen og sutter nattens først sjus, da jeg ud af øjenkrogen kan se Prince og et par meget store gutter stryge forbi mig, jeg når lige at tænke, at det var da….da jeg pludselig mærker en hånd på min skulder, jeg vender mig og der står Prince i egen lille person, klædt i hvidt fra top til tå! Did you like the show? Spørger han ” Damn I was in heaven man” svarer jeg tilbage,'Im glad you liked it' siger han og gir mig hånden med den anden, da han stadig har sin venstre hånd på min skulder, vi smiler til hinanden og han gå videre.

Jeg tager en tår mere af min sjus og et ekstra nikotin tyggegummi, inden jeg taber sjussen på gulvet…for her bliver vi lige nød til, at stoppe op, hvad skete der lige der…Var det Prince der så mig og vendte om for, at høre hvad JEG syntes om koncerten og ikke MIG der greb fat i ham for, at fortælle hvad jeg syntes om den!?

Kendt pin up-pige
Jeg går ind til mit bord igen, hvor band medlemmerne begynder at ankomme til deres bord, Prince er i mer´ end godt humør og hilser bandet velkommen til hans bord, hvor også verdens mest kendte pin up pige Dita von Teese sidder og gør sig til. Jeg står med Kim Worsøe (som arrangerer hele Princes Europa turne) og snakker gode gamle dage, da Prince igen kommer over til mig, denne gang skal vi snakke om hans fantastiske nye guitarist Andy Allo som vi på en eller anden måde må finde ud af hvordan vi får promoveret bedst, da han ser mange muligheder i hende.

Måske hun skal spille opvarmning for mig isteden med hendes eget band, hvad syntes du? Spørger han MIG! Jeg må gi ham ret, hun er et gudsbenådet talent og vi bliver enige om, at VI må få gjort noget ved det. På nuværende tidspunkt føler jeg mig som en del af inderkredsen, jeg står her med Prince og snakker om fremtiden for en af hans band medlemmer! Han undskylder over for mig, at de ikke måtte spille længere her til aften, da de gik mere end en halv timerover tid ifølge de Parisiske regler.

Musik samler folk
Der var så mange numre vi ikke nåede at spille i aften bl.a. Let get it on med Marvin, som jeg jo fortalte dig om i går. Jeg forsikre ham endnu engang om, at den koncert de gav her til aften var mere end bare fantastisk, han takker og gør tegn til sit band om, at nu er det nu, aftens anden koncert skal i gang.

Kl. er 06:00 da jeg rammer hotellet fredag morgen, jeg møder de 2 kor sangerinder i receptionen der er ved, at tjekke ud, da de om en time skal videre til Polen til endnu et show. Prince kører dem hårdt, men med den kærlighed det band har til musikken, er der ikke spor at træthed af se. De skal mellemlande i Danmark, så jeg møder bandet igen, denne gang i lufthavnen, hvor der bliver hilst god morgen og de sidste ord får jeg fra kor sangerinden Liv Warfield inden vi går ind i flyet er: 'We did say that music brings people together, right?', og det skal jeg love for den gjorde i de 48 timer jeg var i Paris!

>>> Google Translation will follow...

[Edited 7/13/11 4:30am]

Google translation og THE FULL interview by Joakim Hediger:

DJ Joakim Hediger has been in audience with his idol, who in August
play on 10-Øren in Copenhagen





The time is exactly 03:00 Tuesday night, when my phone wakes me and the voice at the other end says that Prince will make interview with me about 12 hours ... in Paris!



Normally I would be irritated about being awakened at this time, but just that call, I have been waiting for since 1982 when I bought my first Prince album.



I know everything about the man. I have been following him for so many years that I know what he eats for breakfast, he loves chocolate milkshake, he was named Skipper as a small, etc. etc., but everything he knows very well himself - so what the hell should I ask him or more, what will he answer?!



On his way into the plane, I write like crazy questions, I hope he does answer in a couple of hours.



I look around the plane where the greatest people to take your position right now is whether they want coffee or tea on board, and here I sit, fighting sweaty and eating nicotine gum, because I in no way will smell of cigarette smoke when I meet with the man, the legend, the genius and the unattainable, the only worldwide!



I stand in front of the suite, my thoughts knocks around the entire body on me: What do you do - gives him the hand, you have to look him straight in the eye and speak of him directly, do you call him Prince or sir!



Well-dressed journalist
When I do not know the answer to it before the door opens to the suite and it was time for the first time I have to meet the man I have grown long before there was something called big belt bridge mobile phones and taxi receipts. We are presented with another of his personal manager. Prince stands smiling as he gives me his hand: You are the most well-dressed reporter I ever interview, sir, with his deep and rather low voice, while he finds that I have plastered my pointy shoes for the occasion.



Prince does not look bad either in his high stillettes, black pants and same color turtleneck sweater, with a gigantic piece of jewelry hanging around his neck, which may weigh a ton and a round John Lennon sunglasses in yellow.



We sit facing each other, I alone, he was surrounded by his 2 choir singers Shelby Johnson and Liv Warfield + his latest female discovery, the young and beautiful god guitarist Andy Allo, the latter sit and discuss with Prince about holes in jeans are in or out, Prince does not understand the concept of the holes and I break in: The more holes there are, the more expensive they are. 'Exactly! Sir Prince on shaky head: Baby, what you'll take on tonight, jeans?!



Prince makes a facial expression that is not to be wrong by, well I have let my jeans with holes to be home in Denmark. The ice between us (if there had has been ice) is broken and it was intended as an interviewer becomes the conversation last more than an hour of my life.

Old Classmate
My 81 questions I lie neatly in the pocket again and I let the man talk as if it were an old classmate I had not seen since the 9th grade, maybe because he does not like direct questions which later becomes distorted and misunderstood, such as when he was 2 weeks ago talking with a reporter from the newspaper the Guardian, who flushed with his visit to Morocco, Prince tells me that he had said was, 'they had fun in Morocco' and it was then became that he thought it was fun the women walked in a burka! But jonalister write what they want to hear, says Prince resigned.



There is no doubt that the music he wants to talk about, I've also got stung a list in hand before I walk in the door, with things I should not ask such. I do not have to ask some personal questions and I can not ask for his views on the Internet that he is fighting a brave battle with because, especially on You Tube, lies some thousands of video clips from his concerts and the like Prince is certainly not about.



He has previously stated that special sound of the clip is too bad compared to how it sounds in reality to his concerts. It is perhaps also why I have given strict orders that the interview under any circumstances be admitted, either by tape recorder or camera and I'll let my iPhone will be out the door.



Rhythm Total
We played in Montreal a few days ago, Prince dishes on his glasses, I must say it is one of our best gigs to date. We played for over four hours and people would just not let go. Every time we went by the stage, stomping people so hard on the floor, the building was about to collapse so we had to go in again and again - fantastic!



The man sitting opposite me not playing music, he IS music and his political views, I am damn not interested in.



There is rhythm in everything! he tells while ha snaps his fingers and a couple of the girls clap on 2 and 4, I am considering a split second whether I should pull a couple of dessert spoons up and play 'meatball escape over the fence', it is I is not crazy to but I've still damp hands to the sound would be completely go.



The reason that I as a Dane am sitting where I do in suite 401 at Hotel Bristol in Paris, mostly because of Prince's visit to Denmark on 6 and 7 August when he first holds his own festival, the NPG kind and Music Festival on 10 ears, at Amager:

>>>> MORE follows....

[Edited 7/13/11 4:54am]

The full INTERVIEW, Continued....

A long jam session
Many times the problem with festivals, Prince looks directly at me, is that everyone has their own gears, so there are very long scene changes and everyone has an opinion about how light the scene must be so, it relieves us of here. This is a long jam session, it will be the good thing about the festival is that it is artists I like. (So ​​those who want to hear Lars ELilholdt "Kald det kærlighed" (Translated "Call it love"), should be going to find another festival).



Who to invite you in to play at the festival?



I'm currently working on a variety of such. Chaka khan, Mint Condition and Mary J. Blige. Mary was warm for us in Los Angeles and jammed with us later that evening on stage and when she stands there with a full band - damn, girl som kan sing! It should say, however, the time of writing, none of these artists have been confirmed yet! You are safe just pt. Is Raphael Saadiq and Larry Graham (the latter visited Denmark last Monday).



On this trip I play more guitar and we play more cover songs than we have done tideligere, one of the new covers we play are Marvin Gaye's Let get it on, the Prince makes one of his famous "funky face" at the thought the number that one would otherwise not think he had reason to add more numbers to the set list when the band has done over 300 numbers up they can choose. Apropo cover versions, Prince leans back on the sofa and laughs:



Nothing compares 2 U
There are still many who come to me and ask why I play Nothing compares 2 U by Sinéad O'Connor (if there should be a simple reading is in doubt, it is a song Prince himself has written and published long before there was someone who knew what Sinéad was).



How long do you use that rehearse for a tour?



It's not that we are in a practice room, the way we do it is that I invite friends and acquaintances at a party at home in my house, where we try out new editions of the guests, or we jammer for afterpartys on div. clubs and if they work on the audience, we take them on the set list.



The door opens to the suite and out rolls a cart with green tea, coffee and misc. water, as they apparently wanted by the door can sense that this interview is not immediately ends soon. Prince stand and pours tea up when he talks about a concert in Los Angeles last month, when suddenly there stood a woman on stage in a dress that looked like his mother and singing paint the microphone, it turned out that it was Cindy Lauper - I would love to have her on tour, she still has an amazing voice. I find it's a good idea to take "his" mother "on a ride so she can ensure that he comes in good time in bed, Prince laughing at my" joke "and sipping his green tea. I button up a Coke to celebrate that I got Prince to laugh loudly



Hard boss
Recently I talked with Stevie Wonder about it, to stand on stage and get 50,000 people in rapture and Stevie said it exactly right: "It's like Being a DJ" and that is exactly what it is we have so many numbers to choose from so we can just tear off the shelves, depending on how the mood is very evening.



How are you as a boss, are you giving people a hard time if they play wrong?



It's actually me who plays most wrong laughs Prince - it sounds now, not the others in the sofa as if they would give their boss right in that.



What music do you buy to yourself?



I do not buy music that I play even what I hear, I own no iPod, the sound is terrible in this one. I am 100% for music recorded analog, you lose too much nerve and sound if it is digital.



When asked how he comes up with one catchy guitar riff after another, the answer is short and cash: I studied the best and with a not so hidden pride, he noted that riffet to '1999 'is still the most funky guitar riff he has ever come up with and the man has the right.

Is there any number with another artist you wish you had written?



All bands are good
Prince keeps a long pause and stare pensively into the suite, I munch a second time on my nicotine gum: I wonder if said something wrong with the long break?! 'Take Me with U "I would like to have written, hey no, it's me who wrote it, maybe it would had been a hit if I was doing cover versions of my own songs, he jokes before he gets up and goes a little around the room:



I try if I can get Prince to tell me what bands he can not stand: All the bands are good in their own way, there is much I do not like, but I do not want to talk bad about other colleagues, I have no reason to.



I tell him about a time he pulled me up on stage in Las Vegas and got me to sing Play That Funky Music. But I could not remember the whole text, so he yelled "I think we need the subtitles for this guy," Prince slaps himself on his little haunches of laughs and apologizes that he unfortunately can not remember it - said the Prince just apologize to me there ?!?! I sip more of my cola - wow!



American Football
Prince is now starting to talk about his favorite sport, namely football, he asks interested in the kind of football we play in Denmark, since he has not completely check out the rules yet but is starting to learn them. Right there, I regret to disappoint him when I know as little about football, as a nun knows the words to Do Me Baby.



Princes manager stands up and gives evidence that we need to quit, we raise all of us 5 and Prince tells me that they might play a club gig later tonight. I promise to be there if something will come and assure him that I certainly will be looking to his concert the day after, along with 40,000 other die hard fans. Cool See You Later, Prince gives me his hand again before he disappears down the hall, with an army of security people.



Day 2 in Prince-country
The day after the interview, the concert day, I've got a passport which means that I now face backstage at the Stade de France, where 40,000 are about to present itself on the lawn in front of the stage, it is a giant machine that is started when Prince is in town.



A lot of production people, managers, wardrobe people, promo-sized and runnere with irons and blow up just bathe bolts get backstage to look like a Saturday morning in Lyngby big mall.

Prince's musicians enjoy chatting in the hallways and his Danish bass guitarist Ida Nielsen comes over to me and apologize for the interview I have to do with her can only be about 45 minutes, then Prince right to approve tonight's stage clothes she already has, nothing is random when it has to do with Prince, I'm not a second in doubt that the outfit enough to fall in good taste at the evening's main character.

[Edited 7/13/11 4:59am]

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[Edited 7/13/11 5:11am]

[Edited 7/13/11 5:14am]

The FULL Interview... continued:

Prince on two wheels
At that moment Prince cycling (!) by, he looks at me, and says "Bon jour". Before I have time to find my French vocabulary rather, he cycled up on stage to jam with the band warming. Ida and I find out that we can take it the interview now.



A few minutes before Prince finished the scene I am ushered into the backstage again, so I do not topple the Prince away when he walks by, so I stand and nod-known to the band as they one by one leaving the scene. The past comes to meet me is Maceo Parker, as Prince has been dialed in for the occasion, he hobbled down the hall in his apparently too small shoes, he looks at me and says: These boots er definitely NOT made for walking!



For me it's a very surreal experience, just to be there, but I do not get time to take a breath, because suddenly asks me, putting me into a waiting Mercedes will drive me to the afterparty, when Prince did not have enough game tonight (the show lasted only 3 hours)!



I have gradually become part of the band I feel when I with police escort roars through the streets of Paris and is put in front of Restaurant La Société, where the Prince's personal manager, follow me past the ca. 1000 waiting fans who all have got wind of afterparty'et and directly into the small restaurant that can only accommodate 150 people. I will be placed in a sofa right next to the band's table.



the Night's first drink

I stand at the entrance and sip the night's first drink when I get out of corner of your eye can see Prince and a couple of very big guys sweep past me, I get just thinking that it was because .... When I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder I turn and face Prince in his own little person, dressed in white from head to toe! Did you like the show? He asks "Damn i was in heaven you" I answer back, "Im glad you liked it 'he says and gives me his hand with the other because he still has his left hand on my shoulder, we smile at each other and he proceed.



I take a sip more of my drink and an extra nicotine gum before I drop shots on the floor ... because here, we just need to stop, what happened right there ... Was Prince who saw me and turned around, to hear what I thought about the concert and not me who grabbed him, telling what I thought about it!?



Renowned pin-up girl
I am committed to my desk again, where band members begin to arrive at their table, Prince is more 'than a good mood and greet the band welcome to his table, where also the world's most famous pin-up girl Dita von Teese is making herself. I stand with Kim Worsøe (which arranges all Princes Europe tour) and talking good old days, when Prince again comes over to me, this time we have to talk about his amazing new guitarist Andy Allo, which we somehow need to find out how to get promoted best as he sees many opportunities in her.



Maybe she will play warm-up for me instead of it with her own band, what do you think? He asks me! I must give him right, she is a divinely-granted talent and we agree that we must have done something about it. At the moment I feel like a part of the inner circle, I stand here with Prince and talk about the future of one of his bandmates! He apologizes to me that they no longer had to play tonight, when they went more than half an hour over time according to the Parisian rules.



Music unites people
There were so many songs we never got to play tonight include Let get it on with Marvin, who I have told you about yesterday. I assure him once again that the concert they gave tonight was more than just fantastic, thanked him and making a sign to his band that now is time the second evening's concert is about to start.



At 06:00 o'clock when I arrive at my hotel on Friday morning and I meet the 2 choir singers at the front desk who is know to check out, as they must in an hour on to Poland for another show. Prince run them hard, but with the love of the band's music, there is no trace of fatigue to see. They must be between countries in Denmark, so I meet the band again, this time at the airport where there are greeted good morning and the last words I get from choir singer Liv Warfield before we go into the plane is: 'We did say att music bringes people together, right? "and I promise it did in the 48 hours I was in Paris!

Translated with Google..... (NOT exactly a good translation, sorry about that...)

source: http://ekstrabladet.dk/mu...584482.ece

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