Courtesy of Housequake.com

On ‪#‎FunkFriday‬, the release of the May 29, 1981 Prince interview from Mick Boskamp. This apparently needed to take almost 34 years to surface. So take out your headphones, raise your sound levels and listen carefully.

The interview took place just before Prince's first ever show on European soil. History in the making folks. Here's some additional info from Mick himself from his Facebook page http://on.fb.me/1tQdB9S.

"My interview with Prince on the 29th of May in the year 1981 at the Sonesta Hotel in Amsterdam was prior to the concert he gave @ The Paradiso. The first time he ever performed in the Netherlands. That concert was one of the best I ever saw. And the room was almost empty!

The phone call 19 minutes in is pretty funny. Prince gets rid of the caller in a hurry!

broken link? or not available anymore

https://soundcloud.com/mi...29-05-1981

interesting around the 16:00 mark when he says he doesn't know if he is black or not

thanks for posting this!!

[Edited 1/10/15 6:46am]

3rdeyedude said:

iZsaZsa said:

3rdeyedude said:

https://soundcloud.com/mi...29-05-1981

interesting around the 16:00 mark when he says he doesn't know if he is black or not

thanks for posting this!!

[Edited 1/10/15 6:46am]

His music.

yeah, let's just go with that

iZsaZsa said:

3rdeyedude said:

https://soundcloud.com/mi...29-05-1981

interesting around the 16:00 mark when he says he doesn't know if he is black or not

thanks for posting this!!

[Edited 1/10/15 6:46am]

His music.

He was constructing the "mystique" way back then!

datdude said:

wasnt this released on a bootleg pic disc many years ago?

luvsexy4all said:

wasnt this released on a bootleg pic disc many years ago?

.

No it wasn't. Never was published before.

BartVanHemelen said:

luvsexy4all said:

wasnt this released on a bootleg pic disc many years ago?

.

No it wasn't. Never was published before.

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

I have always wondered if he knew about being for sale and that is why he does not like being recorded.

I have it too..

laurarichardson said:

BartVanHemelen said:

.

No it wasn't. Never was published before.

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

I have always wondered if he knew about being for sale and that is why he does not like being recorded.

laurarichardson said:

BartVanHemelen said:

.

No it wasn't. Never was published before.

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

.

Prince did several interviews in 1981. AFAIK the one circulating is the Steve Sutherland (Melody Maker) one. http://www.discogs.com/Pr...ase/811245

Mick Boskamp has sent me the full transcript for the unreleased May 29, 1981 Prince interview.
----------------------------------------------------
Mick Boskamp: The first album is totally different from the last one. Can you tell me something about it?
Prince: Hmm-hmm...

MB: The evolution you make...
P: One is that I have different managers...

MB: Yeah...
P: I listen to the managers... a great deal. They would tell me how to write the songs and how to play em... And how to sing em... producers okay. tell me saying things like,.. this kind of album would be nice and you did or whatever and the new managers did what the old man did. saying it's important for you to establish a black American base. (yeah) Regardless what wanted to do or whatever. Another reason is ehr.. I think I've matured a great deal. the way I approach my work is ehr. I think ehr... you know in there beginning I was a little different (uh-huh) My lifestyle was a little different. I wasn't allowed as much freedom as I am now ehrm... I tried to do anything I wanted to back then but I feel .... free ...... and now it's ... this new album I was allowed to do anything I wanted. What happened was ehr... it started out as demo tapes I had no I idea that it was gonna be an album and I just wrote songs and I recorded songs that ehr meant more to me there more of an existence. and that was that.

MB: your form Minneapolis?
P: Hmm-hmm.

MB: Is there a happily music scene back there?
P: Uh-huh.

MB: No? Not at all?

P: No, nothing

MB: Nothing?
P: nothing weird no. They make an attempt and ehr... I guess ehr.. the last guy told me there wasn't much of a music scene here... just... not a local music scene... well, I think there's a little bit more than here. but it's not really important.

MB: Can you introduce your band members? Bobby Z.
P: yeah...

MB: Where's he from?
P: He plays the drums. He's a friend of mine. I didn't even know he could play drums He was ehm, he was an errand boy he worked for my manager, my first manager. And... I thought sooner or later I'll have to get a band and ehm.. Bobby and I were hanging out, talking and he would help me with little things in the studio... and ehm... He told me he could play drums, so... And I said okay, and I listened to him and he ended up getting the job. And Dez, he's the guitar player, he ehr.. I actually don't know where he comes from.. there's a lot of rumours going around where he came fromHe looks very strange... To most people, I'm used to him, but. just to describe him.. he looks very strange. And ehm... I don't know exactly where he came from he just popped up by our rehearsal studio one day and asked if he could play guitar....... and ehm. Matt he plays keyboards, ehr... I think ehm... see I, I know a lot about them and then I know little. I know little about their background and a lot about their personality. ehr... I'll tell you how it got with me though.. Bobby, told me about this guy who wanted to play music but his father didn't want him to, And he was going to some real... traumatic experiences behind him. May. he was a great player but maybe he wouldn't be so good in the band because of this... he's really schizophrenic he can be real... messy sometimes, you know. And ehm... it's, it's stupid 'cause he's said ehrm... when I talked to his father a little later and his father he said that he wanted Matt to be a doctor... and I guess it's sort of a compromise, Matt where's this suit on the stage, while

he plays rock and roll, so... I don't know... Ehrm.. Lisa, I met through a friend in ehrm.. Los Angeles when I lost my first keyboard player. And Andre I've know since.. birth I think...

MB: Keyboard player he also co-wrote the song Dirty Mind...
P: Hmm-hmm.

MB: Well, on the albums you play all of he instruments yourself and not using a band. Why?
P: one reason is ehrm.. a very small reason, I wanted to do it because I recorded at very strange hours. another reason is.... it's hard for me to play with people who don't know exactly where a song comes from And ehrm.. it hard to explain.... an overall idea to five people it's easier for me to do it. and play a tape of the song to make up the whole picture. And it's real cohesive

MB: Are you satisfied with the sound the band producing on stage?
P: Yeah, very much so. It's, it's far more aggressive. Because... one reason: we play this stuff a great deal, another reason: then they know it really well another reason is ehrm... I think they're older than I am and ehrm live and the studio is two different things, but I am satisfied with what they're doing.

MB: The last album sells pretty good in America... even without airplay. Can you explain that?

P: Ehrm... I think a lot of people getting hip from press. ..... once they see who's playing the music always increases sales. I think people sort of write.... wrote it off as some kind of publicity stunt or a joke at first. And once they see us play they realise that we are like the odd one. it might be our fault but that's too bad and if it didn't get two or three { and publicity's not so much}

MB: Ehrm... Every album you made you thank God first and then you then you thank a lot of people. Do you believe in God?
P: yeah

MB: And you also write very controversial lyrics .On the first album ,ehrm... is there any song directly written to God?
P: Ehrm... ... No. On the next album there'll be. "Sin And Salvation", .... that's basically what I know. Ehrm.. Torn between two lovers, maybe... I don't know.

MB: But do you believe in God?...
P: I think I'll explain myself a little better. I do it better in reading than I do... talking. I'm sure I will... I want ....stage in matter in my life to explain.. i'm practising..........

MB: You don't really want to do interviews? You're not you're not really fond of it...
P: No not really. and the reason for it is that ehrm.. I'm stronger behind a microphone. Unless it's a radio microphone.. heheh... and ehrm, I'm stronger with... my guitar in my hand and I write better letters than I do.. than I make telephone calls.

MB: But it has nothing to do with being two persons?
P: Ehrm? No-no-no, I don't think so. I think it's ehrm....

MB: Next album. working on it?
P: Not yet.

MB: not yet...
P: ehrm... I'm waiting for.. I have to say after visiting London and being here for a day a lot of thing are running around in my head. No titles of songs or ideas what they'll sound like but... just feelings, you know. It's a real interesting {seeing it} this way. It's real free and people.. people believe in themselves. and London is real {form}, which makes you wonder about the silence and the whole... you know parts of the world.

MB: Your last album... there are some European influences on it... musically. Agree with that?
P: Ehrm, I don't know. I don't know, I've haven't been in touch with Europe... is all I want to say.

MB: But as you told me about London, the music scene there in London is very ehrm.. musically aggressive, Punk influences, etcetera etcetera. And on the album cover you wear a button: Rude Boy.
P: Hmm-hmm, That was a present from ehrm, from my manager Jamie. who ehrm.. though it appropriate ... of because who I am, but ehrm I.. to this day I ask people and they can't tell me what I means. It came from somewhere but... I get different things from everybody, so ...

MB: But it has no special meaning? Okay
P: No, no... I wonder if she thinks {I'm warning it}. That's why. that's why I'm sure {she'll miss it.}

MB: do you consider yourself rude?
P: No.

MB: How do you write your songs I mean how do you come up with the ideas for lyrics?
P: Ehrm... true life experiences. When something occurs I'm used to didn't write left out. That's one of the main differences in the albums. It's get ehrm.. I used to write from visions and fantasies and they way I thought perfect loves should be and I don't do that so much anymore. I'll say what it is, I think..

MB: I think you're a great producer when you listen to the albums
P: Thank you

MB: are you gonna produce other people?
P: I don't think so. not for a while. I've... I don't know I think I'll be. I think I'll be into something else before I start producing records. {I've been ehr ...... doing recently So I'm not gonna do it for two years or so }

MB: You're sure?
P: yeah

MB: So what do you want to do.
P: Just something different. I ehrm... I'm very into what I'm doing now. I think it's a good medium to express myself and ehrm I think in time I'll grow tired of it.

MB: It's kind of a shock to me
P: Thah!

MB: But there will be a fourth album?
P: Yeah... I'm sure {it wraps}. Like I say I do have some ideas you know, and I'm sure once I get back from London and I spend another night here and go to out Paris I'll be dying to write {about{, see I don't write that much...

MB: Maybe that's one of the reasons that the last album... there so much. Well there's a lot of songs on it but the time, recording time is very... very little, eh?
P: well I ehrm..

MB: Each side is... 12 or 15 minutes
P: Yeah I think so... I think that has something to do with it. I didn't write that much songs during this time period. I, I never record in excess. I never record more songs than, you know, you can put on your next album. 'Cause I never worked on songs in a totally different space by the time the next album comes out and the.....

MB: You told me you record at strange hours. Middle of the night?
P: uh-huh. yeah. Three or four, like that.

MB: Is that because you get an impulse? To do that.
P: Yeah... uhm... I think I am afraid of some light, sometimes. And I don't do .. I don't stay up... very much during the days, and so I record... working on a record.

MB: You're not someone who plans an album?
P: Oh no...

MB: I think it is ehrm, it is wrong that a lot of people now you're talking to me.. have compared yourself into new wave. A lot of people say it's a special blend between, between Black music and New wave music. Do you agree with that?
P: No. First of all I don't know if I'm black or not. Second of all ehrm... I lived in a place that gets no new wave music at all. All we have is country and western. even more country than Western.... the songs and the towns. New wave's harder and ehrm... You know, I don't know. It's just harder... I hope

MB: What kind of audiences do you attract when you perform?
P: Well a lot.. a lot of different types. It depends on where we out. And what support act. you know. Ehrm.. if we're down south we get primarily black. Because ehrm.. black and white don't mix down south. either you get a white either audience or you get a black audience. And it.. you walk in a line you'll get more ehrm {brave}, heh...I guess... So on. Id New York it's like.. a lot of black a lot of white. a{long with being} straight and gay, conservative and not conservative. there goes.

MB: What do you like best; performing, writing?... being in your studio
P: ...I don't know... I Like... I like whatever I'm doing at that particular time. Ehrm... if it's time to record or... I feel like I want to. {Whatever at that moment I don't wanna be doing... } Like right now I would not want to be

recording. I wanna play, right now so.. that's ehrm {.... now I'm doing whatever I'm} supposed to be doing. It's like a cycle it's like... when it's time to go to sleep then I wanna go to sleep. Ehrm...

MB: Well you think a lot of people they don't... live.... you don't have a... watch?
P: No.

MB: So you're not living on it?
P: No. I don't care what time it is. (laughs )

MB: like a lot of people do (P: yeah) they plan everything. Eating at 122 o' clock. sleeping at eig... ten o'clock getting up at seven.
P: ...No I do not plan it. I just go by a lot of impulses.

MB: Two weeks ago I spoke someone who also does that. Stevie Wonder was here two weeks ago, He doesn't make plans too.
P: Oh.

MB: The first album was influenced by Stevie Wonder. Is that wrong if I say that?
P: I don't ehrm.. first of all I don't listen to popular music. I had to play too much of it when I was a teenager...

{PHONE RINGS}
P: Hello?... Yeah... yeah... no.... (hangs up.)

Ehrm... I had to play his music and anybody else's who had a hit and it turned me off to listening to it because I, I had to analyse their music. 'cause I .. I ehrm... had to teach the keyboard player her part. And get all the vocal structures out of it... and.. I had to pick everything apart and it made me know exactly what the artist was gonna do next And so whenever we had to learn it, he got another hit and we had to learn that one of his songs. And we knew just exactly what to do, where it was gonna go and with that it became very boring after a while. And whenever I did listen to music I, it was only cause I was making it. you know. So I learned down the records. Cause I had to. I had to play 'em anyway. I had to learn it's sickening to play an original song and have people go out and grab popcorn. And then come back whenever you get to this number one it all}...

MB: You play a lot of instruments
P: Sometimes...

MB: what kind ... well on the album
P: in the first one I did. The second. one.. I played... not as many. On the third one there's {virtual} not half of it.

MB: What instruments. do you like best?
P: Ehrm... that's hard to say... 'Cause it... instruments are really I don't know. Depends on my mood, I won't touch the drums if ehrm... I'm happy, Cause ehrm I can only play the drums when I'm... angry or feel aggressive or strong. Some days you feel stronger than you do other days... like if I'm tired I won't touch the drums and stuff... and if I'm ehrm... exited I won't peh.. aly the piano. I like playing the piano when I'm lonely etcetera... and ehrm... The guitar... Nahhh I think it's the guitar. I think I like the guitar the best 'cause I can be angry and sensitive on that. that's probably my favourite on stage. ehrm...

MB: I think I have enough.

P: Hmm okay.

MB: I won't tire you anymore with questions.
P: Well I'm not tired. (MB: what?) Are you sure you have everything.

MB: Sure...
P: Okay.

MB: There's maybe one thing I wanna know. But that's probably a long story
P: No... tell me.

MB: Where you have been brought up. Something of your passed.
P: Okay, ehrm... ehrm... I started playing when I was 7. And that was piano and that was after my father left. And ehrm.. I don't know, did you read any of the biography, or whatever? (MB: No they didn't give it to me) Okay, his name is.. His stage name was Prince Rogers. And that's why I got the name Prince. So it is my real name. It's not a publicity gimmick. Ehrm, I hated it when I was coming up. But mom used to {...........when I would do it } it's better than Leroy. I ran away when I was 12. After my mom remarried And that's when I learned to play guitar. I couldn't carry my piano around and ehrm... I learned to play drums shortly thereafter....and I once you learn those three everything else is relatively easy. And I went to New York when I was 17, after I got out of high school, I was sick of playing other peoples music. I went to New York to get a record deal. and I lived with my sister Sharon. Who was real dear to me during that time. She was gonna be my manager. And ehrm.. a couple of people wanted to produce an album for me but they wanted me to just be a singer and I didn't want to do that. So I came back to Minnesota and hooked up with some other people who let me make another demo tape on my own. And we took it around to A&M, Columbia, Warners and... they {bidded} on it and we went for Warner Bros. And then that came {through...}

MB: So is that the sister you mention on the song on the album?
P: Uh-huh.

MB: Maybe one question. What kind of show are your bringing tonight?
P: Ehrm

MB: What kind of material are you playing ?
P: Ehrm. Let's s see. I think, I think there is one.. I know there is one new song, ehrm... and the rest of it is stuff ehrm... you know, last two albums. And it's really aggressive and it's real bold. I'm using words {like that} to describe it. If I was to describe it I would say it's real 'us' And ehrm... We totally get into what we doing and sometimes we become oblivious to our surroundings. We're looking for an exciting time. I hear they're more... ehrm... ... They're more acceptable to things that are not so acceptable.

MB: Okay, I have enough. (P: you're sure?!) Sure.
P: Thank you

MB: Thank YOU.
P: Nff...

Courtesy of housequake.com

That was bloody great! One of the best and most sincere interviews I've ever heard from P actually. The interviewer was giving P so little to work and P was giving so much back! 'Are you sure you've got everything?'

I loved hearing him talk about playing in a function band the Rude Boy pin and, ah god, just great!

BartVanHemelen said:

laurarichardson said:

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

.

Prince did several interviews in 1981. AFAIK the one circulating is the Steve Sutherland (Melody Maker) one. http://www.discogs.com/Pr...ase/811245

I had a feeling it was a different one. Used to own that picture disc. I think that one was also on cassette too but I could be wrong. I can't imagine being a true introvert like Prince and combining that with celebrity status. No wonder he needs Jehovah. I would probably have picked drugs.

paisley2002 said:

You are correct.. this is the one i have..

BartVanHemelen said:

laurarichardson said:

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

.

Prince did several interviews in 1981. AFAIK the one circulating is the Steve Sutherland (Melody Maker) one. http://www.discogs.com/Pr...ase/811245

BartVanHemelen said:

laurarichardson said:

No it was not published but it was put on a picture disc. I have it in my collection.

.

Prince did several interviews in 1981. AFAIK the one circulating is the Steve Sutherland (Melody Maker) one. http://www.discogs.com/Pr...ase/811245

Correct.

I don't think he disses the Mpls scene per se. He says there's nothing "weird" alluding to there being nothing new that stands out. Which to be fair... in 1981 wasn't untrue. It wasn't like NY or London. He then also says that "the last guy told me there wasn't much of a music scene here" - presumably "the last guy" is the previous interviewer telling him there wasn't much of a music scene in the city they were in.

It's so weird to hear him say he's going to be bored with music soon. Did he already have plans to be a filmstar at this point?

P: Yeah I think so... I think that has something to do with it. I didn't write that much songs during this time period. I, I never record in excess. I never record more songs than, you know, you can put on your next album. 'Cause I never worked on songs in a totally different space by the time the next album comes out and the.....

Is a WFT moment.

Noodled24 said:

I don't think he disses the Mpls scene per se. He says there's nothing "weird" alluding to there being nothing new that stands out. Which to be fair... in 1981 wasn't untrue. It wasn't like NY or London. He then also says that "the last guy told me there wasn't much of a music scene here" - presumably "the last guy" is the previous interviewer telling him there wasn't much of a music scene in the city they were in.

It's so weird to hear him say he's going to be bored with music soon. Did he already have plans to be a filmstar at this point?

P: Yeah I think so... I think that has something to do with it. I didn't write that much songs during this time period. I, I never record in excess. I never record more songs than, you know, you can put on your next album. 'Cause I never worked on songs in a totally different space by the time the next album comes out and the.....

Is a WFT moment.

probably why it didnt come out..he lied too much in thhis interview

luvsexy4all said:

probably why it didnt come out..he lied too much in thhis interview

.

Oh for crying out loud. Boskamp was writing for a pop mag at the time, and Prince was virtually unknown.

bashraka said:

P: Sometimes...

MB: what kind ... well on the album
P: in the first one I did. The second. one.. I played... not as many. On the third one there's {virtual} not half of it.

I thought P played everything on Dirty Mind apart from Dr Fink's Synth parts on the title track and Head?