LauraTiebert said:

PennyPurple said:

Page 70; Starting in 8th grade school bussing took Prince to Bryant Jr High, he would often stay at the home of his Aunt Olivia Nelson because it was closer to school, and spend the weekends at the Anderson's home.

.

Page 80-81; North High School was the closest to the Anderson's, it had almost a 50% minority population which was a legal trigger for desegregation, which resulted in Prince being bussed to Central which was 30 minutes away.

Prince usually stayed with either Paul Mitchell's family or his Aunt Olivia during the week while at Central High School, according to Paul. I can't remember if this is in the book, but Paul said Prince would drink all the Kool-Aid and make Paul's sister mad. Sort of a similar tale to Terry's, when he told of Prince coming into his family's kitchen and eating all the food.

I see where these stories are funny and I understand them sharing, sorta...But really, when you offer someone hospitality aren't they expected to eat and drink?

I hope they were remembering fondly.

this is to Alex and Laura ...Do we know how Prince felt going to ,i am presuming ,a majority white school? how did Andre and Morris and other friends feel about it ? I am asking mainly because a person i know had a brother who went to school with P and Ps had come to her home a few times because her brother was in a band...anyway she is a few years younger than P and among some things she told me she said that he was better off financially than he makes out

[Edited 5/18/17 10:05am]

LBrent said:

LauraTiebert said:

Prince usually stayed with either Paul Mitchell's family or his Aunt Olivia during the week while at Central High School, according to Paul. I can't remember if this is in the book, but Paul said Prince would drink all the Kool-Aid and make Paul's sister mad. Sort of a similar tale to Terry's, when he told of Prince coming into his family's kitchen and eating all the food.

I see where these stories are funny and I understand them sharing, sorta...But really, when you offer someone hospitality aren't they expected to eat and drink?

I hope they were remembering fondly.

Paul was definitely chuckling about it and the context in which he said it was that Prince was essentially treated as part of his family, including not being spared sisterly wrath for drinking all the Kool Aid.

LauraTiebert said:

LBrent said:

LauraTiebert said:

LBrent said:

I see where these stories are funny and I understand them sharing, sorta...But really, when you offer someone hospitality aren't they expected to eat and drink?

I hope they were remembering fondly.

Paul was definitely chuckling about it and the context in which he said it was that Prince was essentially treated as part of his family, including not being spared sisterly wrath for drinking all the Kool Aid.

Oh, good. I can understand that.

My brothers woud drink the last of the milk or juice and PUT THE EMPTY CARTON BACK IN THE FRIDGE!!!

Pissed my parents off to no end. I'm the youngest so I would simply tiptoe away as they got yelled at.

laurarichardson said:

LBrent said:

Because it felt so insular and wasted potential and sad to me.

Yes, I realize that he was doing what he "wanted", but that even makes me sadder. That he'd want not to participate. Prefer to sit on the sidelines.

I think I've seen him sorta participating a bit in pics before and after this time period, but maybe he just needed to be really lazer focussed during that time period and did'nt see the point in cavorting on the beach.

Or maybe he didn't like sand...or any of a gazillion reasons.

At any rate, it makes me sad. I can only feel how I feel. Sorry.

I get it but I remember a interview with the writer Angela B Davis from Essence magazine and she said that Prince told her "he did not mean to come off as rude but sometimes what was going on in his head was more interesting then what was going on outside of his head."

Laura, I had never heard that quote and I totally understand what P meant.

That's hilarious and oh so wrong in the best possible way.

Thank you.

[Edited 5/18/17 15:58pm]

Chapter 14: Exaggerations (pp. 163 - 168)

--Increased media interest during the European leg of

Dirty Mind tour prompted Prince to create intrigue

through a combination of revelations about his broken

family and misinformation about his racial background

(at different times, both parents described as part Italian

mixed with the racial blend of the day).

--Estranged from family due to decreased contact from

his father. Reasons for this are unknown.

--Less social connection with friends too, with Andre about

to leave the band and only superficial relationships with

women.

-- An exception to his growing isolation is his developing

friendship with Lisa.

--He courted diversity of his audience including gay as stated

in interviews, his lyrics such as Jack U Off, and dress.

--The attendance at some of the European concerts were extremely

small (e.g. 75 in London!), but Prince performed with passion

regardless of the size of the crowd.

--End of the tour was the end of Andre being in the band.

gandorb said:

Chapter 14: Exaggerations (pp. 163 - 168)

--Increased media interest during the European leg of

Dirty Mind tour prompted Prince to create intrigue

through a combination of revelations about his broken

family and misinformation about his racial background

(at different times, both parents described as part Italian

mixed with the racial blend of the day).

--Estranged from family due to decreased contact from

his father. Reasons for this are unknown.

--Less social connection with friends too, with Andre about

to leave the band and only superficial relationships with

women.

-- An exception to his growing isolation is his developing

friendship with Lisa.

--He courted diversity of his audience including gay as stated

in interviews, his lyrics such as Jack U Off, and dress.

--The attendance at some of the European concerts were extremely

small (e.g. 75 in London!), but Prince performed with passion

regardless of the size of the crowd.

--End of the tour was the end of Andre being in the band.

Thank you gandorb.

I'm wondering since his relationship with Dez was beginning to change, if it was because Prince wasn't so religious back then, or since Dez was starting to feel uncomfortable with some of the songs, Prince thought maybe he (Dez) wasn't living up to the job as well as Prince thought he should and knew Dez was starting to lose interest?

Also it seems that all of Prince's relationships started to fall apart..... His parents, Andre, Dez.

PennyPurple said:

gandorb said:

Chapter 14: Exaggerations (pp. 163 - 168)

--Increased media interest during the European leg of

Dirty Mind tour prompted Prince to create intrigue

through a combination of revelations about his broken

family and misinformation about his racial background

(at different times, both parents described as part Italian

mixed with the racial blend of the day).

--Estranged from family due to decreased contact from

his father. Reasons for this are unknown.

--Less social connection with friends too, with Andre about

to leave the band and only superficial relationships with

women.

-- An exception to his growing isolation is his developing

friendship with Lisa.

--He courted diversity of his audience including gay as stated

in interviews, his lyrics such as Jack U Off, and dress.

--The attendance at some of the European concerts were extremely

small (e.g. 75 in London!), but Prince performed with passion

regardless of the size of the crowd.

--End of the tour was the end of Andre being in the band.

Thank you gandorb.

I'm wondering since his relationship with Dez was beginning to change, if it was because Prince wasn't so religious back then, or since Dez was starting to feel uncomfortable with some of the songs, Prince thought maybe he (Dez) wasn't living up to the job as well as Prince thought he should and knew Dez was starting to lose interest?

Also it seems that all of Prince's relationships started to fall apart..... His parents, Andre, Dez.

Dez has stated in a coupla TV interveiws that he grew increasingly uncomfortable with the performance content and ended up having a religious epiphany that led him to want to leave the band.

That may be true, but knowing that he'd said that and having seen the interveiw myself after 4/21, I was a bit surprised that in a post 4/21 Revolution reunion performance Dez recreated the part with Wendy where she and P simulated oral sex onstage.

Hmmmmm...not judging, just wondering what's different about the "act" now...

Hmmmmm

LBrent said:

laurarichardson said:

LBrent said: I get it but I remember a interview with the writer Angela B Davis from Essence magazine and she said that Prince told her "he did not mean to come off as rude but sometimes what was going on in his head was more interesting then what was going on outside of his head."

Laura, I had never heard that quote and I totally understand what P meant.

That's hilarious and oh so wrong in the best possible way.

Thank you.

[Edited 5/18/17 15:58pm]

What's going on inside your head being more interesting than the conversation at hand sounds like something an introvert would say - the book "Quiet" is very informative on that topic.

annalizer said:

LauraTiebert said:

Paul was definitely chuckling about it and the context in which he said it was that Prince was essentially treated as part of his family, including not being spared sisterly wrath for drinking all the Kool Aid.

Is this one of the incidents when Prince and Paul or Terry, got into it in the kitchen over food and Prince threw his rake/cake cutter (depending where you're from)at him and ran out of the house and Paul/Terry chased him down the street with a golf club? Sorry, can't remember which chapter that was. HitnRun sound familiar? I remember Bernadette said he did that a lot. Lol [Edited 5/18/17 12:06pm]

HitnRun! Love that - never thought of it in this context. And yes - it was Terry who got into the fight with Prince and Andre over raiding his family's kitchen.

LauraTiebert said:

annalizer said:

PennyPurple said:

gandorb said:

Chapter 14: Exaggerations (pp. 163 - 168)

--Increased media interest during the European leg of

Dirty Mind tour prompted Prince to create intrigue

through a combination of revelations about his broken

family and misinformation about his racial background

(at different times, both parents described as part Italian

mixed with the racial blend of the day).

--Estranged from family due to decreased contact from

his father. Reasons for this are unknown.

--Less social connection with friends too, with Andre about

to leave the band and only superficial relationships with

women.

-- An exception to his growing isolation is his developing

friendship with Lisa.

--He courted diversity of his audience including gay as stated

in interviews, his lyrics such as Jack U Off, and dress.

--The attendance at some of the European concerts were extremely

small (e.g. 75 in London!), but Prince performed with passion

regardless of the size of the crowd.

--End of the tour was the end of Andre being in the band.

Thank you gandorb.

I'm wondering since his relationship with Dez was beginning to change, if it was because Prince wasn't so religious back then, or since Dez was starting to feel uncomfortable with some of the songs, Prince thought maybe he (Dez) wasn't living up to the job as well as Prince thought he should and knew Dez was starting to lose interest?

Also it seems that all of Prince's relationships started to fall apart..... His parents, Andre, Dez.

Apparently Dez covered his experience in his own book - has anyone read it and knows what this experience was? P's religious inclinations at the time weren't exclusive - that is, he saw the expression of God in everything: love, sex, the variety of people, lifestyles, etc. P offered Dez the option of sticking around but wanted a 2 year commitment which Dez wasn't prepared to do. One of the things people forget is that relationships are constantly changing in your 20's as you each discover who you are and what life path you want to persue. The 80's club scene was also heavily driven by the underground and gays, both highly loyal audiences musically speaking, so a foothold in those camps would send waves out into the mainstream.

LBrent said:

laurarichardson said:

LBrent said: I get it but I remember a interview with the writer Angela B Davis from Essence magazine and she said that Prince told her "he did not mean to come off as rude but sometimes what was going on in his head was more interesting then what was going on outside of his head."

Laura, I had never heard that quote and I totally understand what P meant.

That's hilarious and oh so wrong in the best possible way.

Thank you.

[Edited 5/18/17 15:58pm]

He said he heard music all the time in his head and he had to get it out. I think it was good if he let people know what was going on and that he was not just being an ass by ignoring them.

I am not sure what to make of hearing music in your head 24 hours a day it sounds horrible but he made it work to his advantage.

laurarichardson said:

LBrent said:

Laura, I had never heard that quote and I totally understand what P meant.

That's hilarious and oh so wrong in the best possible way.

Thank you.

[Edited 5/18/17 15:58pm]

He said he heard music all the time in his head and he had to get it out. I think it was good if he let people know what was going on and that he was not just being an ass by ignoring them.

I am not sure what to make of hearing music in your head 24 hours a day it sounds horrible but he made it work to his advantage.

That Prince quote cracked me up.

I am a little fuzzy on the details of this story but I remember a video clip (the Touré talks?) of a panel of Prince experts. The moderator told a story about Prince recounting to him how he hears music 24/7, and how it's like a blessing and a curse for him. The moderator had been invited to one of his rehearsals at Paisley and was watching from the stage. Prince is doing a guitar solo or something and walks over to him and says something like, "Can you imagine hearing this in your head all day?". The moderator tells this story in a mocking but loving tone (sort of like, "Oh, Prince, you musical genius narcissist." lol)

bsprout said:

laurarichardson said:

He said he heard music all the time in his head and he had to get it out. I think it was good if he let people know what was going on and that he was not just being an ass by ignoring them.

I am not sure what to make of hearing music in your head 24 hours a day it sounds horrible but he made it work to his advantage.

That Prince quote cracked me up.

I am a little fuzzy on the details of this story but I remember a video clip (the Touré talks?) of a panel of Prince experts. The moderator told a story about Prince recounting to him how he hears music 24/7, and how it's like a blessing and a curse for him. The moderator had been invited to one of his rehearsals at Paisley and was watching from the stage. Prince is doing a guitar solo or something and walks over to him and says something like, "Can you imagine hearing this in your head all day?". The moderator tells this story in a mocking but loving tone (sort of like, "Oh, Prince, you musical genius narcissist." lol)

I'd seen P quoted in articles and on TV interviews he'd mentioned hearing music in his head all the time that often kept him from sleeping, but I had always thought he meant it figuratively not literally. And like y'all say, I'd always written it off as a musical genius just remarking about the level of/his devotion to music.

Now I wonder of he meant literally hearing sound, sorta like tinnitus which is a sound that the sufferer hears all the time and can't stop.

What if he genuinely meant that he heard the actual sounds? That would be maddening.

Misslink88 said:

PennyPurple said:

Thank you gandorb.

I'm wondering since his relationship with Dez was beginning to change, if it was because Prince wasn't so religious back then, or since Dez was starting to feel uncomfortable with some of the songs, Prince thought maybe he (Dez) wasn't living up to the job as well as Prince thought he should and knew Dez was starting to lose interest?

Also it seems that all of Prince's relationships started to fall apart..... His parents, Andre, Dez.

Apparently Dez covered his experience in his own book - has anyone read it and knows what this experience was? P's religious inclinations at the time weren't exclusive - that is, he saw the expression of God in everything: love, sex, the variety of people, lifestyles, etc. P offered Dez the option of sticking around but wanted a 2 year commitment which Dez wasn't prepared to do. One of the things people forget is that relationships are constantly changing in your 20's as you each discover who you are and what life path you want to persue. The 80's club scene was also heavily driven by the underground and gays, both highly loyal audiences musically speaking, so a foothold in those camps would send waves out into the mainstream.

It would be interesting to hear about Dez's experience. What was the name of his book?.

.

Who wants to summarize the next 2 chapters? I'm going to be pretty busy this weekend, my son is getting married in July and I am throwing a wedding shower this weekend for my future daughter-in-law.

Hey Penny, I could do the next chapter today unless you have other plans? Is that okay?

[Edited 5/20/17 6:20am]

PennyPurple said:

Misslink88 said:

Apparently Dez covered his experience in his own book - has anyone read it and knows what this experience was? P's religious inclinations at the time weren't exclusive - that is, he saw the expression of God in everything: love, sex, the variety of people, lifestyles, etc. P offered Dez the option of sticking around but wanted a 2 year commitment which Dez wasn't prepared to do. One of the things people forget is that relationships are constantly changing in your 20's as you each discover who you are and what life path you want to persue. The 80's club scene was also heavily driven by the underground and gays, both highly loyal audiences musically speaking, so a foothold in those camps would send waves out into the mainstream.

It would be interesting to hear about Dez's experience. What was the name of his book?.

.

Who wants to summarize the next 2 chapters? I'm going to be pretty busy this weekend, my son is getting married in July and I am throwing a wedding shower this weekend for my future daughter-in-law.

It's called My Time with Prince and was published in 2003. There's a good interview with Dez here http://prince.org/msg/5/432985

LBrent said:

gandorb said:

Hey Penny, I could do the next chapter today unless you have other plans? Is that okay?

[Edited 5/20/17 6:20am]

That's perfect, thank you!

Misslink88 said:

PennyPurple said:

It would be interesting to hear about Dez's experience. What was the name of his book?.

.

Who wants to summarize the next 2 chapters? I'm going to be pretty busy this weekend, my son is getting married in July and I am throwing a wedding shower this weekend for my future daughter-in-law.

It's called My Time with Prince and was published in 2003. There's a good interview with Dez here http://prince.org/msg/5/432985

Thank you!

Chapter 15: Frankenstein's Monster

-- Prince purchased a house in Chanhassen and painted it purple, perhaps

beginning his special relationship with the color!

--Prince started development of the group Time,. Initially soul singer Alexander O'Neal

was supposed to have the role of the flamboyant hustler and , but he left due to

Prince's complete control of the project and was replace by Morris Day. Morris was originally

planned to be the drummer.

--Prince also hired locals Terry Lewis (bass), Jimmy Jam and. Monte Moir (keyboards), Jellybean Johnson (drums), and Jesse Johnson (guitar).

--Despite Day's initial difficulties in tackling the unfamiliar role as lead singer, the band grew

into a very tight funk unit. Their first album "The Time" was a soul hit (#7) and outsold Dirty Mind.

Prince considered Jesse Johnson to be a true rival on the guitar.

-- For his next album, Prince was inspired by the electronics of the new wave bands such

as Kraftwerk and Devo. Also perfected the "vocal scream" technique and was

excited by the Linn LM-1 drums that were samples of real drums rather than electonically

created. This allowed him to record with drums without coordinating with other

musicians.

--Prince and Susan Moonsie became an item but his love of casual sex was a no-go for Susan.

--He released the song Controversy, considered his most complex yet with the interplay between his

guitar and synths.

--The album Controversy was surprisingly not as universally acclaimed as Dirty Mind, as some

were turned off by it's politics and it's musical hodge-podge.

--Toured mid size arenas with the Time, which resulted in a battle of the bands that

some viewed as being in the favor of The Time.

--Do Me Baby created some controversy of it's own, with some

viewing it as an example of Prince's selfishness for not sharing

credit with Andre and others considering it rightfully a Prince song

due to how he develops a song to make it his own creation.

[Edited 5/20/17 8:16am]

[Edited 5/20/17 8:31am]

gandorb said:

Chapter 15: Frankenstein's Monster

-- Prince purchased a house in Chanhassen and painted it purple, perhaps

beginning his special relationship with the color!

--Prince started development of the group Time,. Initially soul singer Alexander O'Neal

was supposed to have the role of the flamboyant hustler and , but he left due to

Prince's complete control of the project and was replace by Morris Day. Morris was originally

planned to be the drummer.

--Prince also hired locals Terry Lewis (bass), Jimmy Jam and. Monte Moir (keyboards), Jellybean Johnson (drums), and Jesse Johnson (guitar).

--Despite Day's initial difficulties in tackling the unfamiliar role as lead singer, the band grew

into a very tight funk unit. Their first album "The Time" was a soul hit (#7) and outsold Dirty Mind.

Prince considered Jesse Johnson to be a true rival on the guitar.

-- For his next album, Prince was inspired by the electronics of the new wave bands such

as Kraftwerk and Devo. Also perfected the "vocal scream" technique and was

excited by the Linn LM-1 drums that were samples of real drums rather than electonically

created. This allowed him to record with drums without coordinating with other

musicians.

--Prince and Susan Moonsie became an item but his love of casual sex was a no-go for Susan.

--He released the song Controversy, considered his most complex yet with the interplay between his

guitar and synths.

--The album Controversy was surprisingly not as universally acclaimed as Dirty Mind, as some

were turned off by it's politics and it's musical hodge-podge.

--Toured mid size arenas with the Time, which resulted in a battle of the bands that

some viewed as being in the favor of The Time.

--Do Me Baby created some controversy of it's own, with some

viewing it as an example of Prince's selfishness for not sharing

credit with Andre and others considering it rightfully a Prince song

due to how he develops a song to make it his own creation.

[Edited 5/20/17 8:16am]

[Edited 5/20/17 8:31am]

Alexander O'Neal has since admitted to a cocaine and alcohol addiction (over 31 years) and there was talk of him asking for more money than P was willing to give his performers. More than likely these two things lead to his dismissal. P's "control" over the project was required to establish him to WB as a successful producer of other bands as he'd stated that was one of the things he wanted to do. Employers have a right to expect their employees to adhere to their rules. The Time was incredibly successful and O'Neal has said it was the best thing that could have happened to him because he figured if he was good enough for Prince to consider him, he was good enough for the music industry and went on to have his own successful solo career.

When I think of Alexander ONeal all I hear is

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday love

in my head.

Why did he choose purple as his color? Did it have a meaning?

.

Private Joy's lyrics were for Susan Moonsie, I can kinda see that, since he was trying to keep her from knowing about Jill Jones and others.

.

Ooh
My little secret, my private joy
I could never let another play with my toy
My little angel from heaven above
Oh oh oh oh oh I think I'm falling in love
And I ain't gonna tell nobody nobody 'bout my little pretty toy
All the other kids would love to love you but you're my little private joy
My private joy
You're my private joy
Private joy
Such a pretty toy
Joy, you are my private joy

.

Prince played Do Me Baby at the last concert he did.

.

Here we are in this big old empty room
Staring each other down
You want me just as much as I want you
Let's stop fooling around
Take me baby, kiss me all over, play with my love
Bring out what's been in me for far too long
Baby, you know that's all I've been dreaming of
Do me baby, like you never done before
Ho, ooh give it to me till I just can't take no more
C'mon, do me baby, like you never done before
Ho, ooh, I want you now, I just can't wait no more, can't wait, oh