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Thread started 05/12/17 6:35pm

gorgbrowneyes

Books To Learn about Prince

Hi everyone, so I just recently bought Mayte's book about her life with Prince, and it's good so far, but I realized that I need a book more about his music and his creativity, rather than his personal life. There are a few books out there but I am not sure which book to pick first. Do any of you have recommendations of books that really goes into his music and genius mind?
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Reply #1 posted 05/12/17 6:40pm

PeteSilas

gorgbrowneyes said:

Hi everyone, so I just recently bought Mayte's book about her life with Prince, and it's good so far, but I realized that I need a book more about his music and his creativity, rather than his personal life. There are a few books out there but I am not sure which book to pick first. Do any of you have recommendations of books that really goes into his music and genius mind?

search function. but dmsr, by per nilsen, poplife by dave hill are the best, possessed has some later info but is mainly a hackjob by a disgruntled author. he also has a new book out posthumously about p but i haven't seen it in stores. I saw the mayte book but I really ain't interested for the same reason iwasn't interested in Priscilla presley's book on elvis, the women these guys pick don't necessarily have anything interesting to say.

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Reply #2 posted 05/12/17 7:17pm

PennyPurple

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The Rise of Prince 1958-1988 by Alex Hahn & Laura Tiebert. You can get it on Amazon.

.

There is a book thread on this book, maybe it might help you decide if you are interested in it, before you buy it.

http://prince.org/msg/7/441586

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Reply #3 posted 05/12/17 7:18pm

ForceofNature

I am halfway through "Let's Go Crazy - Prince and the Making of Purple Rain" by Alan Light and its really good so far

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Reply #4 posted 05/12/17 7:27pm

PeteSilas

ForceofNature said:

I am halfway through "Let's Go Crazy - Prince and the Making of Purple Rain" by Alan Light and its really good so far

it is, very good, although, like the period it represents, very strongly focussed on one project.

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Reply #5 posted 05/12/17 9:00pm

laurarichardso
n

gorgbrowneyes said:

Hi everyone, so I just recently bought Mayte's book about her life with Prince, and it's good so far, but I realized that I need a book more about his music and his creativity, rather than his personal life. There are a few books out there but I am not sure which book to pick first. Do any of you have recommendations of books that really goes into his music and genius mind?

--Buy DMSR or Pop Life. I am getting ready to read Jim Walsh's book.
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Reply #6 posted 05/13/17 1:31am

NorthC

But are those two books easy to get? As far as I know, there out of print. If you can't find them, Matt Thorne's book is a good alternative and it's the only one that goes right up to the 3EyeGirl era.
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Reply #7 posted 05/13/17 2:23am

PeteSilas

NorthC said:

But are those two books easy to get? As far as I know, there out of print. If you can't find them, Matt Thorne's book is a good alternative and it's the only one that goes right up to the 3EyeGirl era.

dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.

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Reply #8 posted 05/13/17 5:02am

laurarichardso
n

PeteSilas said:



NorthC said:


But are those two books easy to get? As far as I know, there out of print. If you can't find them, Matt Thorne's book is a good alternative and it's the only one that goes right up to the 3EyeGirl era.

dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.


--I have the Jon Brean book and it is good but it is not worth 300.00. Maybe I can sit down and put on here what is in it.
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Reply #9 posted 05/13/17 6:26am

PeteSilas

laurarichardson said:

PeteSilas said:

dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.

--I have the Jon Brean book and it is good but it is not worth 300.00. Maybe I can sit down and put on here what is in it.

It is good, i'm not saying what people think it's worth, that's just the price i saw online. supposedly it's long out of print, prince had bought the rights or something. It was revelatory back in 85 or whenever it was released, the pics of young prince in his middle school pics with the same type of clothes I used to wear in mine was quite something as well as the birth certificate. I think it had his first interview and a pic from his high school newspaper, he was probably ashamed of that shit in 85 when he was the hottest thing in the world.

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Reply #10 posted 05/13/17 6:40am

KoolEaze

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laurarichardson said:

PeteSilas said:

dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.

--I have the Jon Brean book and it is good but it is not worth 300.00. Maybe I can sit down and put on here what is in it.

I don´t own a copy but have read it a while ago and I was a bit underwhelmed. Expected a bit more but then again, my expectations were probably too high. I guess the reason why it´s so expensive is probably because it´s out of print and Prince bought the rights.

It´s a decent book but nothing special in this day and age.

I agree with you regarding the other books. Pop Life is still a great and informative read albeit a bit dated. But definitely a must-have Prince bio. If I recall correctly it was one of the few biographies that Prince liked, too. I´ve read somewhere that he sent Dave Hill a Christmas card and flowers.

So, is the Jim Walsh book out yet? I think that one´s going to be really good.

" I´d rather be a stank ass hoe because I´m not stupid. Oh my goodness! I got more drugs! I´m always funny dude...I´m hilarious! Are we gonna smoke?"
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Reply #11 posted 05/13/17 6:42am

bsprout

I just started reading the recently published 'Dig if You Will the Picture', by Ben Greenman. It's pretty good and so far the focus is primarily on the music.

I also enjoyed 'The Rise of Prince.'
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Reply #12 posted 05/13/17 6:53am

NotACleverName

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gorgbrowneyes said:

Hi everyone, so I just recently bought Mayte's book about her life with Prince, and it's good so far, but I realized that I need a book more about his music and his creativity, rather than his personal life. There are a few books out there but I am not sure which book to pick first. Do any of you have recommendations of books that really goes into his music and genius mind?

PRINCE: The Man and His Music by Matt Thorne. While this author does bring some personal elements of Prince's life into the story, it really is about the music.
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence......." ~ DESIDERATA ~ Max Ehrmann
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Reply #13 posted 05/13/17 1:41pm

laurarichardso
n

KoolEaze said:



laurarichardson said:


PeteSilas said:


dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.



--I have the Jon Brean book and it is good but it is not worth 300.00. Maybe I can sit down and put on here what is in it.

I don´t own a copy but have read it a while ago and I was a bit underwhelmed. Expected a bit more but then again, my expectations were probably too high. I guess the reason why it´s so expensive is probably because it´s out of print and Prince bought the rights.


It´s a decent book but nothing special in this day and age.


I agree with you regarding the other books. Pop Life is still a great and informative read albeit a bit dated. But definitely a must-have Prince bio. If I recall correctly it was one of the few biographies that Prince liked, too. I´ve read somewhere that he sent Dave Hill a Christmas card and flowers.


So, is the Jim Walsh book out yet? I think that one´s going to be really good.


Jim Walsh book is out I have been thinking about getting it and starting a book club about it.
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Reply #14 posted 05/13/17 2:04pm

luvgirl

laurarichardson said:

KoolEaze said:



laurarichardson said:


PeteSilas said:


dmsr should be, poplife might be hard but i haven't looked. I did see that the john bream book i had was being sold for about 300 or 400, whether that was what people were paying or what the person was asking i don't know. steven ivory had an ok book too, thefirst one i read about prince and inspite of his being a writer for a teen mag, it was a great bio. probably the earliest one with that kind of detailed info.



--I have the Jon Brean book and it is good but it is not worth 300.00. Maybe I can sit down and put on here what is in it.

I don´t own a copy but have read it a while ago and I was a bit underwhelmed. Expected a bit more but then again, my expectations were probably too high. I guess the reason why it´s so expensive is probably because it´s out of print and Prince bought the rights.


It´s a decent book but nothing special in this day and age.


I agree with you regarding the other books. Pop Life is still a great and informative read albeit a bit dated. But definitely a must-have Prince bio. If I recall correctly it was one of the few biographies that Prince liked, too. I´ve read somewhere that he sent Dave Hill a Christmas card and flowers.


So, is the Jim Walsh book out yet? I think that one´s going to be really good.


Jim Walsh book is out I have been thinking about getting it and starting a book club about it.


You should do that LauraRicharson. I'd definitely join you. It'll motivate me to get back to reading. I've been slacking off lately.. biggrin
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Reply #15 posted 05/13/17 2:37pm

Wlcm2thdwn3

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Prince- A life in music. Matthew Carcieri

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Reply #16 posted 05/13/17 2:59pm

HerecomethePur
pleYoda

From the PP archives:

Prince: Inside The Purple Reign by Jon Bream (Purple Chrome edition)

Prince: Inside The Purple Reign by Jon Bream (Book Club edition #0001)


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Reply #17 posted 05/13/17 3:37pm

HerecomethePur
pleYoda

Prince: Rock's Purple Reign by Jon Bream

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Reply #18 posted 05/13/17 8:08pm

laurarichardso
n

luvgirl said:

laurarichardson said:


Jim Walsh book is out I have been thinking about getting it and starting a book club about it.


You should do that LauraRicharson. I'd definitely join you. It'll motivate me to get back to reading. I've been slacking off lately.. biggrin

--I am going to get the book this week and read it and we set it up. Mr. Walsh knew him and I am interested in what he has to say.
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Reply #19 posted 05/13/17 8:22pm

PennyPurple

avatar

laurarichardson said:

Jim Walsh book is out I have been thinking about getting it and starting a book club about it.

Now that's an original idea. idea2

I think someone is a little jelly. lol

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Reply #20 posted 05/13/17 8:46pm

laurarichardso
n

PennyPurple said:



laurarichardson said:


Jim Walsh book is out I have been thinking about getting it and starting a book club about it.

Now that's an original idea. idea2


I think someone is a little jelly. lol


No I am actually thinking about moving this somewhere else. Or making via org notes to many people on this board not interested in what people who knew him had to say but in some fantasy non-sense.
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Reply #21 posted 05/13/17 8:53pm

PennyPurple

avatar

laurarichardson said:

PennyPurple said:

Now that's an original idea. idea2

I think someone is a little jelly. lol

No I am actually thinking about moving this somewhere else. Or making via org notes to many people on this board not interested in what people who knew him had to say but in some fantasy non-sense.

What a joke. lol Have a little jelly with your toast

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Reply #22 posted 05/13/17 8:55pm

laurarichardso
n

PennyPurple said:



laurarichardson said:


PennyPurple said:


Now that's an original idea. idea2


I think someone is a little jelly. lol



No I am actually thinking about moving this somewhere else. Or making via org notes to many people on this board not interested in what people who knew him had to say but in some fantasy non-sense.

What a joke. lol Have a little jelly with your toast


--So said many the person who believes bobbleheads and vultures.
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Reply #23 posted 05/13/17 9:06pm

sonshine

avatar

I just found a large hardcover book at Half-Priced Books called Prince life & times Revised & Updated Edition by Jason Draper that looks good. I havent dug into it yet. Appears to use his major album releases in chronological order as the "chapters" of the book from For You thru the Hit n Runs with a final chapter about the few Piano and a Microphone shows he had done. There were several copies available in the store. I also found a lot of insight and information in the various tribute magazines published following his passing, some better than others.
[Edited 5/13/17 21:07pm]
It's a hurtful place, the world, in and of itself. We don't need to add to it. We all need one another. ~ PRN
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Reply #24 posted 05/20/17 4:08am

Laydown

Ive never cared about princes personal life in terms of family,lovers,etc. His music comes from his experiences sure but thats his personal life. Love released a personal journal of Cobain,money hungry cunt she is. I dont want to read that shit

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Reply #25 posted 05/20/17 4:16am

Laydown

Laydown said:

Ive never cared about princes personal life in terms of family,lovers,etc. His music comes from his experiences sure but thats his personal life. Love released a personal journal of Cobain,money hungry cunt she is. I dont want to read that shit

Some things should remain personal.No matter how obsessed i am about prince music,his personal affairs were his and they should remain personal out of respect for him and for what he gave us from those experiences he had.

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Reply #26 posted 05/20/17 4:59am

lemoncrush19

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gorgbrowneyes said:

Hi everyone, so I just recently bought Mayte's book about her life with Prince, and it's good so far, but I realized that I need a book more about his music and his creativity, rather than his personal life. There are a few books out there but I am not sure which book to pick first. Do any of you have recommendations of books that really goes into his music and genius mind?


if u want to learn about prince the one and only way would be to listen to prince (his music, interviews, speeches, performances, movies etc.) instead of reading someone else's opinion about him.

mayte's book tells u HER point of view not HIS. and so does every book about prince u can buy since prince did NOT write one of them. only prince could tell u about prince ... and he did! just listen to him!
the only love there is is the love we make heart
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