God, how can anybody NOT be excited by this??! I pray it's true.

Atlanta Bliss? A new guitarist? AND 'I Wish U Heaven' in the setlist (one of my all-time favourites)?

This better not be a wind-up!!!

When I read all this it gives me that 'SOTT/Lovesexy' band vibe.

Time will tell, I suppose...

letsgocrazy said:

I sincerely HOPE SO.

Such a beautiful song and I haven't heard it in so so long, but I still remember it and how lovely it is.

It's weird how a song can leave such an impression on you to the point where you'd still classify it as one of your very favorite songs ever even though you'd only heard it a couple times, eons ago. But that's what ML is for me.

When I read it as being included in the set list I just about fell off my chair!

Now I am hoping like mad he has a PP party soon and plays it. It would be a dream come true.

OK, so setlist (not in order):


Have A Heart
Avalanche
Family Name
The Work pt.1
Mellow
Kiss (new "acoustic"? version)
Willing & Able
Walk Don't Walk
When You Love Somebody
I Feel For You
Little Red Corvette
Shy
Dark
I Wish U Heaven
Paisley Park
Moonbeam Levels
The War Script (New Song)
Love Stories (New Song)
I Ain’t No Fool (New Song)
Incantation (New Song)
The Silent Majority (New Song)
Wow (New Song)
Love Is The Answer (Todd Rundgren cover)
Jesus (Curtis Mayfield cover)
Too High (Stevie Wonder cover)


And the band:
- Renato Neto : Keyboards
- Rhonda Smith : Bass
- John Blackwell : Drums
- Ella King: Guitar
Esther Godinez : Percussionist
- Eric Leeds: Saxophone
- Atlanta Bliss (!) : Trumpet


[This message was edited Thu Mar 27 9:14:39 PST 2003 by MiaBocca]

Nightcrawler said:

nice! thank you! please do comeback with more!
those other translations are just not good, I'm sorry. (thanx anyway)

Damn, I hope this is all true. Weird if it was March 8, and we're only finding out about it on March 27, though.

Those new song titles stick out like a sore thumb from Kiss and Little Red Corvette (what are those songs doing back again?), and they definitely do sound like post-TRC song titles.

Although I'm really not that interested in hearing LRC, Kiss et al, it would mean that if this was a setlist he would use on a tour, it would be almost entirely different than ONA Live (with a few exceptions, like Avalanche and Family Name) while still providing a few big hits for old-school Prince people.

This is exciting stuff. After not hearing anything in a long time and reading the possible 'retirement' thread yesterday, I started to think maybe it was true, and although sad, I felt he deserved to do what he wants to do. Reading this today, I'm more excited about his music than in a long time!

MiaBocca said:

Thank you SOOO much for putting this set list all together and trying to make sense of that article. It's much appreciated.

But I am wondering about Esther Godinez being listed as a horn player. Everything I've read about her lists her as being a percussionist (conga drums specifically) & vocalist.

Interestingly, check out this CityPages article about her from October of 1999 that I found just now doing a Google search on her. It mentions her working with Prince even back then. I guess I'm pretty uninformed as I'd never heard of her in connection to Prince until recently.

http://www.citypages.com/...le8105.asp

Okay, here´s some more of the transation. More to come:

First a big thank you to my host Frederic Goaty, who invited me one more time, one year and a half after my nostalgic report of the only visit that Miles Davis ever gave to Paisley Park on new years eve 1998 (Jazz Magazine no. 519, October 2001), to show my admiration for the never exhausted Prince. I got to admit that even as I have had the chance to witness many Prince-concerts in the United States and Europe over the last twenty years, the one I was able to see on Saturday, 8th march, left me breathless speechless as seldom before! If future Prince-concerts are like this fantastic performance (on an upcoming tour to promote a new CD? Who knows...), the year 2003 is going to be even more exciting than 2002!
A rare thing: The concert started at 11 pm, which is surprising for a late-sleeper like Prince. There are 200 people at most in the great concert-hall, the same hall where he played an unforgettable acoustic-concert at the third Celebration last year. I recognize some friends, among them Sara Remke, co-owner of the Black Dog Café, who organises great "anti-war-parties", where everybody comes to show his disgust about the horrible actions of our not-voted president. Ricky Peterson (still in great shape!); Scottie Pakulski (who will disappear soon to take care about the sound); the owner of the Bunker (who I greet but I don´t remember his name), THE club in Minneapolis (where Michael Bland and Sonny Thompson play every Monday) and James Diers (singer of the "Love-Cars" and manager of the fantastic jazz-trio "Happy Apple", our local "jazz stars")... During the whole concert - which was more like, it´s true, a very focused "live"-repetition - Prince didn´t really talk, except for some shy "thank you´s" here and there, "D´ya like this one?" "You had forgotten that song, uh uh?", etc.
The NPG 2002 - Renato Neto on Keyboard, Ronda Smith on the bass and John Blackwell on the drums - is today extended by the Hornheads (what a joy to see these artists always so jazzy-funky!), Esther Godinez (percussionist from Minneapolis, childhood-friend of Sheila E and former member of George Bensons band), Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss (welcome back!) and a new rhythm-guitarist, Ella King, of whom is said that she comes from Los Angeles where she worked as a session musician for television and cinema for several years.

I just remembered...

Wasn't there a rumour that Sheila E had been recording at Paisley Park a couple of months ago? This could tie-in with Esther Godinez. Hmmm...??!

AmethystAngelMN said:

Edited

I keep coming back to this thread and rereading the awesome set list and the incredible band lineup, and I imagine what might be coming up soon on the horizon and each time I read through it all again I am left looking like this:

There were lots of rumors floating around regarding a party in March... This is it? Guess we forgot to ask to be invited.

mmm...amazing set list..."moonbeam levels", arrr...


mmmm....edit.
[This message was edited Thu Mar 27 8:18:21 PST 2003 by Handclapsfingasnapz]

AmethystAngelMN said:

Me too. And everytime I read it, I believe it more. That's how rumors become 'facts' I suppose. This really does sound like it could be real, though.

So, where is XXcepshunal, huh?? Come on, you said, OFFICIALLY, that is is all over - this report would suggest otherwise. Comments?

(Mindflux has these comments playing on his mind - XX said (paraphrased) "I'm just waiting on the looks on all your faces when he offically announces it on Larry King" )

Mindflux said:

I guess Prince forgot to mention this March 8th PP gig to XX last time they had one of their heart to hearts.

(That was mean of me. Sorry, XX, just had to rib you a little bit. )

Got some more lines of the translation:


First a big thank you to my host Frederic Goaty, who invited me one more time, one year and a half after my nostalgic report of the only visit that Miles Davis ever gave to Paisley Park on new years eve 1998 (Jazz Magazine no. 519, October 2001), to show my admiration for the never exhausted Prince. I got to admit that even as I have had the chance to witness many Prince-concerts in the United States and Europe over the last twenty years, the one I was able to see on Saturday, 8th march, left me breathless speechless as seldom before! If future Prince-concerts are like this fantastic performance (on an upcoming tour to promote a new CD? Who knows...), the year 2003 is going to be even more exciting than 2002!
A rare thing: The concert started at 11 pm, which is surprising for a late-sleeper like Prince. There are 200 people at most in the great concert-hall, the same hall where he played an unforgettable acoustic-concert at the third Celebration last year. I recognize some friends, among them Sara Remke, co-owner of the Black Dog Café, who organises great "anti-war-parties", where everybody comes to show his disgust about the horrible actions of our not-voted president. Ricky Peterson (still in great shape!); Scottie Pakulski (who will disappear soon to take care about the sound); the owner of the Bunker (who I greet but I don´t remember his name), THE club in Minneapolis (where Michael Bland and Sonny Thompson play every Monday) and James Diers (singer of the "Love-Cars" and manager of the fantastic jazz-trio "Happy Apple", our local "jazz stars")... During the whole concert - which was more like, it´s true, a very focused "live"-repetition - Prince didn´t really talk, except for some shy "thank you´s" here and there, "D´ya like this one?" "You had forgotten that song, uh uh?", etc.
The NPG 2002 - Renato Neto on Keyboard, Ronda Smith on the bass and John Blackwell on the drums - is today extended by the Hornheads (what a joy to see these artists always so jazzy-funky!), Esther Godinez (percussionist from Minneapolis, childhood-friend of Sheila E and former member of George Bensons band), Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss (welcome back!) and a new rhythm-guitarist, Ella King, of whom is said that she comes from Los Angeles where she worked as a session musician for television and cinema for several years.
With the exception of some tracks of "The Rainbow Children" (Mellow, Family Name, The Work) and "One Night Alone" (Have A Heart, Avalanche), the show consisted only of new songs - without a doubt from his next album of which rumors say that it´s no longer called "2000 Free: The Revelation Year" but (I find it hard to believe, but why not...) "The Purple House" - of cover-versions and rearranged classics. First impression: The overall sound of the band reminds of the recent tour "One Night Alone", but the funk and the blues are even more prominent. The proof: Prince and his almost-big band start the party with an incredibly different version of Kiss, which is very bluesy (you get the impression that Prince has made a new song out of the original demo-version of the song, that he has completely forgotten the "Parade"-version to invent something new, incredibly modern and traditional at the same time). Shy, on the other hand, is much faster and John Blackwell swings and grooves on this one. But that´s not all: Dark, I wish U Heaven, Walk Don´t Walk, Willing And Able, Come (the lyrics of which have been "cleaned"...), When U Love Somebody, I Feel For U, Little Red Corvette, Moonbeam Levels (yes!) and Paisley Park also profit of a great work of rearrangement. Three astonishing cover-versions spice the concert up: Love Is The Answer from Todd Rundgren (very close to the original version from 1977 recorded by Todds group, Utopia, for the record "Oops! Wrong Planet"), Jesus from Curtis Mayfield ("There´s No Place Like America Today", 1975) and Too High from Stevie Wonder ("Innervisions", 1973) which could well have been written for Prince... Finally, we got the chance to experience six new songs: The War Script, Love Stories, I Ain´t No Fool, Incantation, The Silent Majority and Wow.
The War Script is one of the most worried songs ever written by Prince.: With a rock, almost hard-rock-background (distorted guitars, Blackwell "JohnBonhamlike"), he sings about his rage and fears - a fear in a Saul Williams-like manner - face to face with the ongoing war of the Bush-government. If he should hear it one day (nothing is less probable), George will not like it. On the contrary, you, you are going to love it!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I'm sorry...this has me ROFLMAO...

Nightcrawler said:

Thank you! Post more, please!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I know french ...but that doesn't help I know

pejman said:

i can't...stay off...this thread!!! i am so jonesin 4 a paisley party now!!!

How exciting! I can't wait!

as usual...

Blue

TheBluePrince said:

i know the feelin.

An album of cover versions and re-worked classics called "The Purple House"?

[disgruntled Marge voice, with crossed arms] 'Hmmm...'

n Dansa

I know the feeling...jonesing for news, a show anything.

booyah said:

Setlist edited in my above post

Okay, I got it worked out. Here is the full translation. Sorry if the language is bad, I am not a native english or french-speaker. That´s what my school-education was good for:



First a big thank you to my host Frederic Goaty, who invited me one more time, one year and a half after my nostalgic report of the only visit that Miles Davis ever gave to Paisley Park on new years eve 1998 (Jazz Magazine no. 519, October 2001), to show my admiration for the never exhausted Prince. I got to admit that even as I have had the chance to witness many Prince-concerts in the United States and Europe over the last twenty years, the one I was able to see on Saturday, 8th march, left me breathless speechless as seldom before! If future Prince-concerts are like this fantastic performance (on an upcoming tour to promote a new CD? Who knows...), the year 2003 is going to be even more exciting than 2002!
A rare thing: The concert started at 11 pm, which is surprising for a late-sleeper like Prince. There are 200 people at most in the great concert-hall, the same hall where he played an unforgettable acoustic-concert at the third Celebration last year. I recognize some friends, among them Sara Remke, co-owner of the Black Dog Café, who organises great "anti-war-parties", where everybody comes to show his disgust about the horrible actions of our not-voted president. Ricky Peterson (still in great shape!); Scottie Pakulski (who will disappear soon to take care about the sound); the owner of the Bunker (who I greet but I don´t remember his name), THE club in Minneapolis (where Michael Bland and Sonny Thompson play every Monday) and James Diers (singer of the "Love-Cars" and manager of the fantastic jazz-trio "Happy Apple", our local "jazz stars")... During the whole concert - which was more like, it´s true, a very focused "live"-repetition - Prince didn´t really talk, except for some shy "thank you´s" here and there, "D´ya like this one?" "You had forgotten that song, uh uh?", etc.
The NPG 2002 - Renato Neto on Keyboard, Ronda Smith on the bass and John Blackwell on the drums - is today extended by the Hornheads (what a joy to see these artists always so jazzy-funky!), Esther Godinez (percussionist from Minneapolis, childhood-friend of Sheila E and former member of George Bensons band), Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss (welcome back!) and a new rhythm-guitarist, Ella King, of whom is said that she comes from Los Angeles where she worked as a session musician for television and cinema for several years.
With the exception of some tracks of "The Rainbow Children" (Mellow, Family Name, The Work) and "One Night Alone" (Have A Heart, Avalanche), the show consisted only of new songs - without a doubt from his next album of which rumors say that it´s no longer called "2000 Free: The Revelation Year" but (I find it hard to believe, but why not...) "The Purple House" - of cover-versions and rearranged classics. First impression: The overall sound of the band reminds of the recent tour "One Night Alone", but the funk and the blues are even more prominent. The proof: Prince and his almost-big band start the party with an incredibly different version of Kiss, which is very bluesy (you get the impression that Prince has made a new song out of the original demo-version of the song, that he has completely forgotten the "Parade"-version to invent something new, incredibly modern and traditional at the same time). Shy, on the other hand, is much faster and John Blackwell swings and grooves on this one. But that´s not all: Dark, I wish U Heaven, Walk Don´t Walk, Willing And Able, Come (the lyrics of which have been "cleaned"...), When U Love Somebody, I Feel For U, Little Red Corvette, Moonbeam Levels (yes!) and Paisley Park also profit of a great work of rearrangement. Three astonishing cover-versions spice the concert up: Love Is The Answer from Todd Rundgren (very close to the original version from 1977 recorded by Todds group, Utopia, for the record "Oops! Wrong Planet"), Jesus from Curtis Mayfield ("There´s No Place Like America Today", 1975) and Too High from Stevie Wonder ("Innervisions", 1973) which could well have been written for Prince... Finally, we got the chance to experience six new songs: The War Script, Love Stories, I Ain´t No Fool, Incantation, The Silent Majority and Wow.
The War Script is one of the most worried songs ever written by Prince.: With a rock, almost hard-rock-background (distorted guitars, Blackwell "JohnBonhamlike"), he sings about his rage and fears - a fear in a Saul Williams-like manner - face to face with the ongoing war of the Bush-government. If he should hear it one day (nothing is less probable), George will not like it. On the contrary, you, you are going to love it!
Love Stories is a strange broken-heart-lovesong with electronic chromatics, repetitive, danceable, which sounds finally like a great outtake from "1999" and a possible hitsingle - if only this song could be released fast and benefit of some radio-promotion... I Ain´t No Fool is not very far from Love Stories, but more hot, more R´n´B. Here again, Prince shows us his anger concerning the politics in his country in a more ironic way. Prince, a new protest-singer?
Incantation is an instrumental suite in three parts, which gives the horns a chance to show us their best side. Fans of Weather Report and Miles Davis of 72-75 should not be left indifferent. And Prince plays an explosive solo (a not very radio-friendly revenge-song...)
The Silent Majority is a dark ballad. The lyrics, once again very politic, talk about American paranoia, no matter if black or white. Once again a title which - if released - should let nobody indifferent. (I´ve got to admit, this song made me think of the "fuck you"-scenes in the last Spike Lee-movie).
Wow, finally, is a gospel pop song in the vein of Forever In My Life, with which Prince concludes the evening, at 1.15 am, to be exact.
It is impossible to say if Princes next concerts are going to be similar, if the set list will be identical, or even if the NPG will be the same as that evening... All that I got as information (thanks to my friend), is that the homepage of the music Club is currently "under construction" (the "experience.03" will be, I was promised, exceptional), that the new album (even better information) is already finished and will be released in june, when Prince is likely to be not celebrating his 25 years of career and his 45 short years by celebrating them...

thanx, nightcrawler!!!

wow! thanx for all that Nightcrawler!
anyone have any idea what that last line was supposed to mean?
"the new album (even better information) is already finished and will be released in june, when Prince is likely to be not celebrating his 25 years of career and his 45 short years by celebrating them...

say what?