I've been wanting to start a thread like this for a long time. It's pretty self explanatory, but what I mean by era transitional photos is I want photos that show Prince right in the middle of changing eras and looks.

I mean like photos of prince between Prince and Dirty Mind, Dirty Mind to Controversy, Controversy to 1999, 1999 to Purple Rain, etc...

1987, New Years Eve:

This is a transition from the Controversy era to the 1999 era:

[Edited 4/21/14 5:12am]

These are also from his transistional phase from Controversy to 1999:

Oops, sorry for the double post...

purplemajesty23 said:

This is a transition from the Controversy era to the 1999 era:

[Edited 4/21/14 5:12am]

Transistion from 1999 to Purple Rain:

Controversy 2 1999

purplemajesty23 said:

Transistion from 1999 to Purple Rain:

Love it! I wonder if this was the inspiration for the look of Edward Scissorhands?

What he wore at the August 1983 1st Avenue Benefit show and at the James Brown show were he followed MJ are good examples of it. This one U posted below is the same as what he wore during Let's Go Crazy in the movie Purple Rain, just white

I'm not entirely sure, but I think this is Dirty Mind to Controversy (at least it looks like it)

purplemajesty23 said:

I'm not entirely sure, but I think this is Dirty Mind to Controversy (at least it looks like it)

Yes it is

Right at the end of the 1999 era

purplemajesty23 said:

This is a transition from the Controversy era to the 1999 era:

[Edited 4/21/14 5:12am]

Would make an awesome album cover. If an album 1999/Controversy era outakes was released that would be the photo to use.

thisisreece said:

purplemajesty23 said:

This is a transition from the Controversy era to the 1999 era:

[Edited 4/21/14 5:12am]

Would make an awesome album cover. If an album 1999/Controversy era outakes was released that would be the photo to use.

Lovesexy to Batman:

More Controversy to 1999 photos (grabbed these from Oldfriends... own thread for the '82 minnesota music awards)

You could technically say these are "proto-Purple Rain"

They're from the June 7, 1984 1st ave. show (a little bit before Purple Rain came out so kinda transitional...).

This was a great pic thread idea! Some of the pictures already posted I have often wondered exactly which era they were. I think the time (before the 'fro) between Musicology and 3121 and Planet Earth to Lotus Flower to 20TEN are the most confusing to me because he dressed in the suits for so long. I can tell when a pic was taken if I know the event/concert or sometimes by his hairstyle (like the permed out curls on the Grammy's with Beyonce), but otherwise it's kind of hard to tell.

.

[Edited 4/21/14 18:06pm]

purplemajesty23 said:

very cool thread idea

Controversy 2 1999:

Controversy 2 1999:

Not too sure about the last one but looks like it.

[Edited 4/25/14 20:26pm]

Prince 2 Dirty Mind:

Dirty Mind to Controversy:

Some great photos in this thread. I love the scruffy look of the Dirty Mind/Controversy era.

Here's another Dirty Mind to Controversy pic:

Dirty Mind to Controversay again:

Amazing Dirty Mind 2 Controversy transitional pics:

'

Found another one from the same shoot: