He inspired/influenced me as follows :

I learned to play different instruments ,write songs ,poetry ,write stories

grew my hair long and permed/relaxed it( that was back in the day )

sex

appreciating different genres of music and art

appreciating the beauty of women

Spirituality

Originality

lol . that's all i could remember ,for now

I think partially because of when I really got heavy into Prince, around the Parade/Sign/Lovesexy period -- I will always be able to look back to his influence in the way I perceive my spirituality... and certainly the way I think about the connection between creativity and spirituality, or the "other realm." Prince has also influenced, or at least reinforced, my knowledge about the music business and the role/plight of the artist within it. Definitely an influence, and almost always a source of knowledge from a certain point of view.

Still don't know what the hell "89 flowers on their back" refers too, however : )

A Lot!

Style, Grooming, My Profession, Musical Taste,

A zillion things. He unknowingly helped raise Me!

A lot.

I absolutely HATE my friends, and they love me for that.

yeah, Prince used to be no less than God to me..

.

(He ain't God to me no more... after all those average albums since 1995/ The Gold Experience, he suddenly became very "human" album-wise 1996 to 2010...)

EMPEROR101 said:

A Lot!

Style, Grooming, My Profession, Musical Taste,

A zillion things. He unknowingly helped raise Me!

He seemed like my cool older brother ( in my head, lol ) .

1. I never would have listened to Little Richard without him. I never would have listened to R&B or "neo-soul" as they called it in 2000 (think early Alicia Keys) My family was HARD ROCK (white) with 2 Prince CDs in there huge collection (Purple Rain and ATWIAD) It was a miracle I found them at all, sneaking into my dad's CDs was akin to sneaking into Joe Jackson's closet for his guitar 0_0. Now half the music I listen to is "Black" or whatever. Not that Prince isn't Rock too, thats how at least 2 CDs were in Dad's collection in the first place. Thanks Prince.

.

2. I write Poems. I hope to publish "7 Stages of Grief and Other Poems" (on of a few titles I am thinking of. He taught me to play with words.

.

3. I married really young...because I was very religious, but I couldn't wait much longer hearing oversexed lyrics...

.

4. Since I like to play with words (Thanks to Prince)...I am a linguist! I brought my talents to the Navy and translated important things, and was on a part of a team that helped save lives (I can't say more)

.

SO yea all positives (except maybe marrying at 18 but I can't regret that now, I got great kids and never divorced)

.

Basically the art part of my life was affected...

I had an asymmetrical haircut and wore a single earring for most the summer of 1985.

That's about it.

When I was 12 in 1984 I wanted to be Prince, I thought he was the coolest creature on earth!

His beats and music were crazy innovative and exciting, I admired the whole "one man band" thing, Prince was always surrounded by scantily clad women, and he oozed sexuality and coolness on every level. Whas there ever a better role model for a teenager???

Nowadays I still enjoy listening to him occasionally, but adoration levels have dropped significantly. He has definately inspired me to make my own music, I will give him that though...

We would have been best buddies! & all my best buddies would have considered you one of the Tribe!

funkaholic1972 said:

When I was 12 in 1984 I wanted to be Prince, I thought he was the coolest creature on earth!

His beats and music were crazy innovative and exciting, I admired the whole "one man band" thing, Prince was always surrounded by scantily clad women, and he oozed sexuality and coolness on every level. Whas there ever a better role model for a teenager???

Nowadays I still enjoy listening to him occasionally, but adoration levels have dropped significantly. He has definately inspired me to make my own music, I will give him that though...

I love stories like this.......

violectrica said:

1. I never would have listened to Little Richard without him. I never would have listened to R&B or "neo-soul" as they called it in 2000 (think early Alicia Keys) My family was HARD ROCK (white) with 2 Prince CDs in there huge collection (Purple Rain and ATWIAD) It was a miracle I found them at all, sneaking into my dad's CDs was akin to sneaking into Joe Jackson's closet for his guitar 0_0. Now half the music I listen to is "Black" or whatever. Not that Prince isn't Rock too, thats how at least 2 CDs were in Dad's collection in the first place. Thanks Prince.

.

2. I write Poems. I hope to publish "7 Stages of Grief and Other Poems" (on of a few titles I am thinking of. He taught me to play with words.

.

3. I married really young...because I was very religious, but I couldn't wait much longer hearing oversexed lyrics...

.

4. Since I like to play with words (Thanks to Prince)...I am a linguist! I brought my talents to the Navy and translated important things, and was on a part of a team that helped save lives (I can't say more)

.

SO yea all positives (except maybe marrying at 18 but I can't regret that now, I got great kids and never divorced)

.

Basically the art part of my life was affected...

Trufax: My daddy told me the he and mom went to Purple Rain in a Seattle Theater. They were so moved by the movie that they went into the record store and bought the album immediately. They went home and conceived me.

[Edited 5/5/13 10:58am]

At 13, I came aboard with the Purple Rain film/album in '84, and one thing that really resonated with me (among other things) was seeing Prince survive (and overcome?) the effects of a tumultuous home life.

Not even a little bit.

philosophically uptown & DMSR helped me be me

EMPEROR101 said:

We would have been best buddies! & all my best buddies would have considered you one of the Tribe!

funkaholic1972 said:

When I was 12 in 1984 I wanted to be Prince, I thought he was the coolest creature on earth!

His beats and music were crazy innovative and exciting, I admired the whole "one man band" thing, Prince was always surrounded by scantily clad women, and he oozed sexuality and coolness on every level. Whas there ever a better role model for a teenager???

Nowadays I still enjoy listening to him occasionally, but adoration levels have dropped significantly. He has definately inspired me to make my own music, I will give him that though...

Haha, thanks!

my love 4 prince started when i was like 2nd grade and man my whole world became prince . i fashioned myself after him the way i chose my friends the way i wrote music and he expanded my musical taste i feel in love with the guiatr. due 2 him i leaened piano,guiatr and keyboards by ear. i dont consider myself a fan more of a friend of great music, his music touches my soul and breathes life in2 me.sometimes people on here might not understand why i defend him so much growing up gay in the south their were times when i felt like he was my escpae i locked myself in my room and surrendered 2 the funk.

^^^ That's beautiful cbarnes3121!

It's Funny-

I have a few Gay friends and none of them seem to be attracted to Prince-

I have always imagined that he would be the Posterboy for Gay Males..

but obviously he's not-

The people i know are much more attracted to Tupac: (yes even dead TUPAC)

than they are into Prince.

Genesia said:

I had an asymmetrical haircut and wore a single earring for most the summer of 1985.

That's about it.

I had that too.

the lil dude inspired me to start playing guitar i remember when i was like 13 purple rain came on tv and i was like "I GOTTA LEARN GUITAR!!!!!!!!" started to practice on my dads old acoustic and begged him to buy me an electric and i took a guitar class in high school so yeah

EMPEROR101 said:

^^^ That's beautiful cbarnes3121!

It's Funny-

I have a few Gay friends and none of them seem to be attracted to Prince-

I have always imagined that he would be the Posterboy for Gay Males..

but obviously he's not-

The people i know are much more attracted to Tupac: (yes even dead TUPAC)

than they are into Prince.

i wasnt attracted 2 him sexually i saw him as my musical savior more like a father figure.

imago said:

A lot.

I absolutely HATE my friends, and they love me for that.

Yes!

Very Sexual

Strong work Ethic

musically?... quite a bit

other ways?... not at all

imago said:

A lot.

I absolutely HATE my friends, and they love me for that.

Musicially a great deal.

He also is the one who told me about Yellow Book which I'd never heard of. (Not the phone book)

Meant to post this on 6/7. But it’s still the 7th on America’s West Coast.

Prince’s music has had a profound influence on my life. His songs made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the world, even when I was. Each one was my drug of choice–powerful enough that I was never tempted to partake in any illicit drugs or alcohol. When I lost myself in deep depression for nearly a decade, his songs served as beacons, guiding me through darkness and fog. The joy they gave me was the one thing that I could count on to always make me feel better, no matter how terrible or scared I felt. At my lowest point, his music became my anchor to this world, keeping me rooted here when all I wanted to do was leave.

As a person, Prince both inspired and influenced me in subtle ways. He was the first free thinker I became aware of. As an artist of such high integrity, he exemplifies principle and conviction. Through his lyrics, and from thoughts shared in interviews, he helped me feel a bit more empowered and autonomous as a female living in a world I have often found to be extremely hostile to women. In this way and others he helped to restore my faith in males.

There is within him such a tremendous capacity for love. At first, it took a while for me to see it, but when I did it was striking, and made for a very comforting, healing presence in my life. I believe this is why my depression was not able to corrupt him or his music in my eyes, after having done so with everyone else.

What I think inspires me most about Prince is that as long as I’ve known of him, after all these years, he still marches to the beat of his own drum; He never really conformed or allowed himself to be assimilated into whatever society at large–or fans, for that matter–expected of him. I want to be like that when I grow up . That is so %#&!@ brave. I’ll always love him for that.

His songs have been my closest friends, holding my hand through my greatest challenges, always there for me whenever I had need of them. However, I recognize that I would not have had these gifts if not for Prince. Had he not stood his ground and fought to write his own music, had he not honored his creativity and the directions it led him, had he not made sacrifices to bring forth into the world such beautiful, vibrant creations, there is a remote possibility my life story might have ended quite differently.

So on this very special day, it is my honor to wish Prince a very happy birthday, best wishes and the fulfillment of his most heartfelt desires in this new year of his life.

Thank you for existing.

Love u.

Bluu

Graycap23 said:

Musicially a great deal.

He also is the one who told me about Yellow Book which I'd never heard of. (Not the phone book)

u mentioned it, sp what is Y.B.?