PurpleSkipper58 said:

As a 16 year old in high school, I'll admit that I don't have much friends. And sometimes it's sad, but Prince (or Prince's music) is my true best friend... There's no one I know that I can go and really talk to and be really happy... There's no one I know that I can go and I know'll they'll cheer me up when I'm down The only thing nowadays I can go to is Prince's music.... (Ok well music in general but mostly Prince of course, that's how it is lol) Hopefully one day, I'll find someone that I can really connect to and hold a true conversation that's long and worthwhile and someone that I can relate to... But until then.. Prince's music is where my heart's at... Prince's music is my escapism... And Prince's music is my best friend P.S: "It's all for L.O.V.E", peace and be wild

OMG... You truly touched my heart with your words. Prince did much the same for me at a much earlier point in my life. His music inspired me beyond my circumstances and I suspect that he'll do the same for you as well

Consider this a response from a friend

Its hard to say how much it means to me because its always been there, 33 year now

Im sure some of us here have simular stories, situations. When i was young Prince was not popular amongst my peers
None of my friends or anyone i've meet has been a fan like me. He is more my personal joy.. and im cool with that

Believe it or not the Org is where i go to talk, get my prince fix
Cheer up, and welcome to the community

During the 90s Prince was my favorite and his music was very important and the most important artist music wise to me. Nowadays I still follow him but his music really isn't that important to me anymore sadly. He is still in my top 10 or so artists but closer to the bottom of that list. I still notice him and support him as far as his albums but sadly his new music honestly really doesn't move me anymore with the exception of the Lotusflower album. I still and will still notice and follow him but as far as a spiritual connection that I had once with his music is gone.

I do buy the albums.

I do not miss a heartbeat though when I return from a holiday and discover he did another one of his hits and run 'tour' things in Europe.

The setlists are telling it all.

.

In the past this was different, also what the music meant to me was different.

.

His art is the way he communicates and outside of concerts it leaves to be desired quite a bit.

You said it very well PurpleSkipper. I feel the same way in many respects. I have been listening to his music, his art for about 30 years. It has always been my constant go to place. A real sanctuary of peace and funkiness. It has helped me through my darkest times and helped celebrate my happiest times and has been a constant for all the times in between. All my inner friends and family know how important his music is to me. I admire many aspects of his career and his music speaks to my soul.

So how much does Prince's music and art mean to me? It means everything to me. Everything

the first prince song i really got into was 'controversy'. when i first saw what he looked like via photos, i'm all "man he is fine looking.' i was in luv, love, lalala love. i mean not in the kind of love you feel for a mate, i mean the kind of reverence one feels when one is in total awe.

i've dreamed about meeting and talking with him at length, just to get a glimpse of his mind and to hear is voice.

i mean he's just human, but he is a very gifted individual.

how much does he mean to me? well i'd say he holds a very special part in the creative part of my mind and heart. i really give appreciation to the creator of all good for sending prince into the space in time of which i exist.

FragileUndertow said:

Its hard to say how much it means to me because its always been there, 33 year now

Im sure some of us here have simular stories, situations. When i was young Prince was not popular amongst my peers
None of my friends or anyone i've meet has been a fan like me. He is more my personal joy.. and im cool with that

Believe it or not the Org is where i go to talk, get my prince fix
Cheer up, and welcome to the community

Absolutely agree, the org is my fix too...along with meeting a variety of fans at concerts over the years

Less and less, I am afraid.

As a young kid I discovered When Doves Cry and the Purple Rain movie and was fascinated by this intriguing new popstar that combined 'kickass' music with an exciting image. Prince oozed sexuality and was always surrounded by scantily clad beautiful ladies, which made a big impression on my 12 year old rebellious teenage mind. Especially as my deeply christian parents hated him and called him the Prince Of Darkness! The fact that he was a multi-instrumentalist who made complete albums on his own also contributed to my fascination with Prince, who has been a huge influence on my own musical ventures. In the years following Purple Rain I became a mega-fan, and Prince's music continued to be 'kickass'. He was my absolute musical idol and also a rolemodel for me as a horny teenager struggling with a religious background.

But -starting with Lovesexy- I found that his music became spottier and spottier, I had to wade through more and more (in my eyes) crappy tunes to find the real Prince gems. Also I started visiting raves in the early nineties and thought that underground house, jungle and techno music was more interesting and exciting than let's say stuff like Diamonds & Pearls. Prince's outrageous looks didn't fit the times anymore and his behaviour (the whole Slave/WB thing) put me off as well. Although I kept buying the new albums on the day of release, my interest in Prince faded year after year.

By the time Emancipation was released I had lost all hope, but still kept following him, hoping for new flashes of funky brilliancy. But his albums continued to disappoint mostly, except one or two interesting tracks perhaps. So although all of my friends still know me as a 'Prince freak', in reality my interest has worn off year after year, release after release. Yes, he once was my musical idol and hero, and although I still have immense respect for him, he doesn't mean as much to me anymore.

[Edited 2/25/15 10:32am]

Has gotten me through some of my best and worst times, all I wanted was to hear was his voice in my ears, it felt like home. His music makes me smile, laugh, cry, feel good, even feel frustrated at times, but it is all good! A gift! Thank you Prince. Thanks for the question! Remember to keep your heart open to receive friends and family, I am sure you are loved!

[Edited 2/25/15 9:07am]

[Edited 2/25/15 9:09am]

in a word, "everything".

PurpleSkipper58 said:

As a 16 year old in high school, I'll admit that I don't have much friends. And sometimes it's sad, but Prince (or Prince's music) is my true best friend... There's no one I know that I can go and really talk to and be really happy... There's no one I know that I can go and I know'll they'll cheer me up when I'm down The only thing nowadays I can go to is Prince's music.... (Ok well music in general but mostly Prince of course, that's how it is lol) Hopefully one day, I'll find someone that I can really connect to and hold a true conversation that's long and worthwhile and someone that I can relate to... But until then.. Prince's music is where my heart's at... Prince's music is my escapism... And Prince's music is my best friend P.S: "It's all for L.O.V.E", peace and be wild

I am quite a bit older than you, and it took me awhile but I finally figured out what a "friend" really is.

It's NOT automatically someone that you hang with, or play sports with, or study with. Believe it or not, those people usually turn out to be associates. People that you knew for a portion of your life. That's not to say that you shouldn't enjoy their company; it just means that if you don't have those groups in your life right now, that for sure doesn't mean you don't have friends.

What I have found to be the truer definition of "friend" is this - pretty much everyone you've interacted with in a positive way.

Be nice to everyone you meet. Offer help to people as much as you can and when they take you up on that offer, do more than they thought you would. Treat everyone with courtesy. Do what you say you will do. Make as many people as you can feel good about themselves. It is impossible to compliment someone too much, but I heartily encourage you to try.

What you will find is that the vast majority of people you treat this way will stand up for you and with you when you need them. It's truly amazing, but I have seen people that I barely know do incredible things for me.

I've asked them why they helped me when we really didn't know each other very well. Every single time their answer was, "You were nice to me. I never forgot that".

Think about your own life. Think about people that were nice to you. You'd help them if they needed it, wouldn't you? You bet you would. Well, the same is true in reverse.

If you've been a nice person (and I have a feeling you have), then you truly have more friends than you know. Keep being nice and I am positive you will soon have more friends with whom you can relate than you will be able to count.

Now, to answer your question - Prince's music has been a blessing. I am overjoyed to have discovered Prince and experienced his music and performances over these many years. How lucky was I to become a fan of a man who has put out more music than almost anyone else ever has? And how lucky am I to enjoy almost that entire output?

I am blessed. Best answer I can give!

Averett said:

FragileUndertow said:

trax said:

free2bfreeda said:

funkaholic1972 said:

RodeoSchro said:

PurpleSkipper58 said:

RodeoSchro said:

I am quite a bit older than you, and it took me awhile but I finally figured out what a "friend" really is.

It's NOT automatically someone that you hang with, or play sports with, or study with. Believe it or not, those people usually turn out to be associates. People that you knew for a portion of your life. That's not to say that you shouldn't enjoy their company; it just means that if you don't have those groups in your life right now, that for sure doesn't mean you don't have friends.

What I have found to be the truer definition of "friend" is this - pretty much everyone you've interacted with in a positive way.

Be nice to everyone you meet. Offer help to people as much as you can and when they take you up on that offer, do more than they thought you would. Treat everyone with courtesy. Do what you say you will do. Make as many people as you can feel good about themselves. It is impossible to compliment someone too much, but I heartily encourage you to try.

What you will find is that the vast majority of people you treat this way will stand up for you and with you when you need them. It's truly amazing, but I have seen people that I barely know do incredible things for me.

I've asked them why they helped me when we really didn't know each other very well. Every single time their answer was, "You were nice to me. I never forgot that".

Think about your own life. Think about people that were nice to you. You'd help them if they needed it, wouldn't you? You bet you would. Well, the same is true in reverse.

If you've been a nice person (and I have a feeling you have), then you truly have more friends than you know. Keep being nice and I am positive you will soon have more friends with whom you can relate than you will be able to count.

Now, to answer your question - Prince's music has been a blessing. I am overjoyed to have discovered Prince and experienced his music and performances over these many years. How lucky was I to become a fan of a man who has put out more music than almost anyone else ever has? And how lucky am I to enjoy almost that entire output?

I am blessed. Best answer I can give!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, knowledge and kind words! that was very much appreciated!

My pleasure!

Prince means a whole lot to me as a sheer creative spirit. Even when he's just copying himself, he's still out there laying those tracks. As if Picasso never made no two paintings that were sort of the same idea...

Give it up for the man, he's relentlessly driven to pursue his vision, sometimes for art's sake, sometimes for cash, ideally for both -- and if you think Dali, Picasso, Mozart, Beethoven never thought about making money and giving some of what we would call today their "brand", you have an idealized view of geniuses. They're often been described as basically assholes, but ultimatelly it's what they expressed and how they expressed it that lived on.

Prince is basically the person most versed in playing and recording an almost comprehensive body of work representative of music from 1960 to today, if not earlier, and to do it by himself in a substantial manner on all instruments. He didn't do it all by himself, but he did an incredible amount of it solo and that is a shift in musical achievement historically along with Stevie and others -- 'xcep Prince explored far more genres than anybody and for that he is basically the guy with the brassiest balls in musical history for atempting that on tape.

So yes, I like Prince.

I've been into Prince since I'm 12 and I'm now 38. His music and lyrics contributed to shaping my philosophy, conception of art, spirituality and sexuality when I was a teen and ever since. I probably wouldn't be exactly the same person if Prince hadn't existed, his music has been the soundtrack of my life for 26 years. Nuff said