Paisley Park Tour - We could only peer into the three glass and dark wood double doors off the atrium where the Little Kitchen and small living room are located. With two-diner style booths and kitchenette, and a crimson velvet couch, coffee table and a TV remote where he left it. The flat screen TV playing a Minnesota Timberwolves basketball game, we are told that Prince ate most of his dinners here.
A basket full of folded blankets on the floor caught my eye, thinking of him relaxing under a blanket on the velvet couch.

Paisley Park Tour - Showcases a spiral notebook with Princes handwritten lyrics from 1977 to Soft and Wet. This song is on his first album, For You released in 1978. His Walkman and a few demo cassette tapes are also displayed.

Paisley Park Archivist Angie Marchese later explains in an interview that Dirty Mind was the earliest era Prince chose to highlight, so they included the earliest available artifacts leading up to it.

Paisley Park Tour - Princes Gibson L6S guitar displayed here, was his main guitar before he acquired the Hohner. Prior to him modifying this guitar, Prince played it on American Bandstand during his national television debut in January 1980. On American Bandstand, Prince starts to play Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad, he mimics playing the guitar, then puts it to his side when he starts to lip synch. When he gets to the part: "tell me baby, ain't that enough?" He does a little high-step dance, his guitar strap breaks and the guitar fell to the floor. Not missing a beat, Prince is trying to get Dez's attention, but André walks next to him to sing back-up harmonies with Dez.
Prince made many of the modifications to this guitar himself throughout his early career when he was touring behind albums like Prince and Dirty Mind. He sawed off the lower left corner of the body, crudely covered it and the headstock in leopard-print fabric, and he commissioned Knut Koupee to embed flashing LEDs along the body perimeter, powered by wiring coming out of the base. A year later Prince started commissioning experts to create his unique guitars.

Paisley Park Tour - Displays the denim jacket Prince wore during The Cross, peach drum kit, a peach suit with black tie, and the white furry jacket he wore while performing as his female alter ego Camille during the songs If I Was Your Girlfriend in the movie, and in the video/movie U Got the Look with Sheena Easton.

Paisley Park Tour - Includes his white pearl suit top, and two matching suits - one yellow, the other purple which have opposite colored buttons on the pant legs and down the front of the jackets with matching piping, buttons and flourishes on the sleeves.
This room was rather sparse on memorabilia, and I would have liked to have seen more on display.

Paisley Park Tour -
1988-1989 Lovesexy tour concert photos adorn the walls and video clips of Prince performing are also featured on a wall from the tour. Another wall is the album cover. Many outfits from this era have words embroidered on the sleeves, there are six in this display:
*Green cropped jacket and chain dangling metal pendants.
*White and black polka dot outfit with Japanese lettering on the sleeve.
*White shirt, black vest and black knee-high boots from the tour.
*Long blue coat with Lovesexy down one sleeve.
*Black brocade and turquoise floral print suit with matching high-heeled shoes.
*Mint and black outfit he wore in the Alphabet Street video.
*Prince’s customized white guitar designed by Jerry Anerswald played on tour

Paisley Park Tour - Office
Princes office is located adjacent to the atrium. Portions of his personal office have been roped off, but otherwise it has been kept as he used the space. A glass meeting table and chairs at one end. His desk on the opposite end with a purple landline phone, his bible, a magnifying glass, family photos, cat carrier, luggage and a briefcase sit close by. A tall, old school CD holder contains some of his favorite music by artists like Joni Mitchell and Sly and the Family Stone, and some of his own albums can also be seen. Prince was an Egyptian history buff a coffee table book about Egypt and a large art piece with Egyptian symbols hangs on one wall. I was not able to locate photos of his office online to include from the tour.
Video Editing Bay
As part of the VIP Tour, we were able to go inside Princes video editing bay in the next room off the atrium. A curved electronic console desk with a computer, a few monitors and a video screen mounted on the wall is where Prince would view and edit videos.
Although there is a large purple comfy looking couch and glass coffee table, we were invited to sit on the gold carpeted floor/step to watch a video clip. We were told Prince recorded everything, and most of it was likely in the vault. He would review the footage of rehearsals, sound checks and performances, critiquing how he and his band could improve or what could be scrapped for future performances.
Minda also told of the recent discovery of a secret room behind this room filled with unreleased video footage and music. Prince did not digitize everything; however, there are stacked shelves and piles of unreleased albums, live performances, video, etc., sitting in the vaults below Paisley Park, which remain off-limits, for legal reasons.

Paisley Park Tour -
Prince pioneered what has become known as the Minneapolis Sound, a synthesizer-based brand of funk. The birthplace of Lovesexy, Batman, Diamonds and Pearls, The Gold Experience, Sign O the Times and Emancipation, Prince recorded 30 albums at Paisley Park, many of his greatest hits, and possibly his last recorded work. Most recording artists typically sing in a smaller, soundproof recording booth. Prince, however, acted as producer on all 39 of his albums and therefore had to remain in the control booth.
Prince was more than a legendary singer and songwriter of funk and R&Bhe was a talented producer, editor, mixer, and talent scout. He brought together a wide variety of up-and-coming musicians, protégés, and collaborators who ventured to Minneapolis to record music. Many famous singers recorded music at Paisley Park, including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Paula Abdul, and Madonna, to name a few.

There are three isolation rooms around Studio As large central room:
* granite room to aid in enhancing digital recordings, with a grand piano and microphones. Prince loved the sound of the piano reverberating off the granite.
* wood room designed for acoustics, has the purple Rickenbacker guitar that an18 year old Wendy Melvoin played in Purple Rain. In addition to the guitar is a series of effects pedals and two mic'd amplifiers.
* vocal isolation booth.
In the control booth, melted candles sit next to Princes microphone and his chair remains in front of the mixing board where he sat to both sing and engineer his own voice simultaneously. His handwritten notes and lyrics believed to be the unreleased song Stay Cool, and typed lyrics to Look At Me, Look At U sit on a music stand just as it was left on April 21, 2016. Minda pointed out the Linn drum machine and OB-X synthesizer, key elements of the funky, layered Minneapolis Sound, still plugged in and ready to go.

Minda had us stand in the middle of the studio and played an instrumental sampling of yet-unreleased music recorded in mid-October 2015, by Prince and is apparently from the last sessions he did with MonoNeon, Adrian Crutchfield and Kirk Johnson. The title Soul Patch was confirmed on Prince's Twitter account as a new song, after a brief snippet from the track was played during a video to relaunch his Instagram account, Princestagram. This song was possibly intended for the tentatively titled Black Is The New Black album that Prince was working on.
Basic tracking on another instrumental song, Ruff Enuff by MonoNeon features Prince as producer, on keyboards and guitar, which took place on January 6, 2016 at Paisley Park Studios. It was released as a download and the Tidal Purple Pick of the Week on January 11. During a Twitter exchange about the track, a fan asked if this was the first track to be recorded in 2016, to which @Prince3EG replied: "YES, IT'S ALREADY GOT A SISTER: ON THE SAME ALBUM AS "FREE URSELF"...THEY SOUND GREAT 2GETHER!" It has been speculated that Free Urself is the title of an album that would contain the title track and Ruff Enuff, but this has not been confirmed. The title track was released using the artist credit Mono Neon, while Free Urself was credited to Prince.

[Edited 3/30/18 9:59am]

Paisley Park Tour -

The long hallway outside Studio A features a 6' high mural that Prince commissioned Sam Jennings to create in 2007.
This mural got its start when Prince was playing the Rio in Las Vegas in late 2006  early 2007. The Rio backstage area was located downstairs had a long corridor connecting the green room to the dressing rooms. Prince wanted to put some big images on the wall where everyone had to walk by during every show.
Wall wraps in Vegas sparked Prince's imagination, and that is when the talks first began for a Paisley Park Museum. Prince loved the idea of covering all the walls with massive murals spanning different eras. This was one of the first murals to go up at Paisley Park, and other murals continued for years after with different designers.
Using a photo of Prince by Afshin Shahidi from the Musicology Tour taken with a fish-eye lens, Sam played around with the colors and added the guitar that Prince is standing on, as well as the big lotus flower behind his head, which was originally intended for the Lotusflower album.
With arms outstretched to his sides, to Prince's left are the musicians who greatly influenced him which include Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, James Brown, and Tower of Power. To his right are the musicians he influenced most directly, including protégés Sheila E., Vanity, Morris Day and the Time, Apollonia, Wendy and Lisa, Sheena Easton and many more.

The Influence Hallway led us to the Galaxy Room, a small ultraviolet-lit space where Prince could relax and mediate. glow-in-the-dark stars, planets, and hidden love symbols come alive via blacklights from the ceiling fixtures. A video screen, acoustic guitar, funky chair, purple velvet wavy back love seat, small refrigerator, incense and candles also filled the room.
Walking into this space made you just want to sit down in all its peacefulness, and wonder what Prince may have been contemplating while in here.

As we entered Studio B, you cant help but notice the large curved portrait of Prince from the 3RDEYEGIRL era that greets you when you walk in. This is only place inside Paisley Park where you are allowed a photograph taken by your tour guide from a camera atop a tripod, and only offered on the VIP Tour. The photo op has you positioned next to him with his purple baby grand piano (electric keyboard) with handwritten lyrics and tambourines on top, behind you. The photo is saved on the $10 thumb drive purchased prior to the start of the tour.
A white hat sits casually on top another piano across from it found when they began turning Paisley Park into a museum, so they left it. More melted candles, a reminder of his presence.
Studio B at 1,000 square feet has one central room, one live room and one vocal room and utilizes analog (tape based) recording, as do all three of the music studios at Paisley Park. This studio also includes a vintage DeMedio Console, which Prince had special ordered. This is the same studio where Prince recorded countless hits, including songs from Sign O the Times, Graffiti Bridge and Emancipation.
As Thursday VIP ticketholders we also had the opportunity to sing and record along with Prince in the control booth, by selecting a segment from Raspberry Beret (my choice), Cream or U Got the Look. Once inside we were given headphones and stood in front of the mike with the written lyrics before us, we listened to our selection once through and then sang with Prince the second time through. I think I looooovvvvvveeee Prince!
While waiting for photos and recordings, others in our group mingled or played on Princes well-used ping pong table sitting in front of the control booth, with paddles and a ball ready to be played. Prince loved to take a break and challenge others to a game and was known to be a great ping pong player.

Designed as a multi-function dance rehearsal studio/basketball court, projection room with full recording capacity, this space has been transformed to celebrate all things Purple Rain. It still features the wood floors and mirrors used by dancers, but the single basketball hoop has been removed.
Walking into this room was very emotional for me. So much so, I had to ask for kleenex and was given a big hug from Bridgett Carey Slaton, whom I had met the day before for the first time. This is the era that I became aware of and fell in love with Princes music and him, buying all that I could find.
A First Avenue logo stenciled on one wall, and movie clips from the Purple Rain were playing on the other. A waist high Purple Rain floral papered wall separates you from some of the most iconic memorabilia of a favorite movie, album and song of mine. Prince's 1985 Oscar for Original Song Score (a category that no longer exists), his purple studded jacket and white ruffled shirt worn in the movie, his personalized leather bound Purple Rain manuscript filled with his own handwritten notes, a white cloud guitar, and one of the motorcycles used in the movie with license tabs from 1983, so unbelievable that I was that close to it all.
Noticing the scuff marks from Prince dancing in his high-heeled shoes on top of the purple electronic keyboard during his performances, it sinks in he is no longer physically with us. I could have stayed in this room all day.

Under the Cherry Moon was Princes 1986 directorial debut film in which he also starred. After disagreements with the original director, Prince took over directing the film himself. Shot in full color on location in France, the film was converted to black and white.
Princes character was a gigolo named Christopher, who along with his brother, Tricky, swindle wealthy French women. Christopher falls in love with heiress Mary and her father disapproves of their relationship.
Parade is Princes eighth album and soundtrack to the film which sold over two million copies, including his number one single Kiss. This would be the final album credited to Prince and the Revolution.
Displayed are movie stills on the walls, movie poster, Princes black and white paisley outfit from the movie, amplifiers and drum kit from the Parade tour, placed together on checkered flooring separating it from Graffiti Bridge.

The 1990 sequel to Purple Rain, written, directed and starring Prince in his fourth and final film role. The title comes from a now torn-down bridge that was in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The plot continues with The Kid and rival band, The Time, and their music battle for ownership of the Glam Slam Club.
Princes twelfth studio album, and soundtrack album of the same name, produced the hit singles Thieves in the Temple and New Power Generation, as well as Cant Stop this Feeling I Got released in the Philippines only.
A faux brick and girder façade, mixed with scenes from the movie create an industrialized look. Movie poster, album cover, his iconic black motorcycle, black leather jacket with the love symbol, and the checked cape from the song Elephants and Flowers.

[Edited 3/29/18 21:34pm]

Paisley Park Tour - Piano Room
Also known as the Arcade Room, because Prince used to play stand-up arcade games back in the day. At one time it likewise served as a daycare for the children of Prince’s collaborators.
Now home to a $100,000+ shiny black Schimmel Pegasus piano Prince purchased in the 1990s, it has a hydraulic lid inscribed with Prince's symbol. There were only 14 of these pianos ever built.
In the corner of this room sits Prince’s woodland-elf chair, that we recognized from Steve Parke’s photographs of Prince in a photo shoot amongst the flowers and reeds behind Paisley Park.

My father left his piano at the house when he left, and I wasn't allowed to play it when he was there because I wasn't as good as him. So when he left, I was determined to get as good as him, and I taught myself how to play music, and I just stuck with it, and I did it all the time. ~Prince

Soundstage / Concert Hall

The 12,240-square-foot soundstage was mainly designed to use for concerts, and/or tour rehearsals. It was also advertised to handle film and video production, commercial shoots, photo shoots and corporate events. The soundstage is directly connected via tie lines to all four recording studios, which makes multi-track recording possible.

Apart from Prince's various productions, the sound stage was mainly booked with commercial and film work in the 80's and the first half of the 90's, including TV commercials for Burger King, McDonald's, Cadillac, and Porsche; major films: Drop Dead Fred and Grumpy Old Men; and tour production rehearsals for. the Beastie Boys, M.C. Hammer, Freddie Jackson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Neil Young, Kool & The Gang, The Muppets, Bee Gees, Barry Manilow, and Jeff Beck.

It was used to re-shoot live scenes and segues for the Sign ‘O’ the Times concert film, when most of the original concert footage ended up being unusable, and Graffiti Bridge was filmed almost entirely in the soundstage including outdoor scenes.

Prince’s tour rehearsals in this room include Lovesexy, Nude, Diamonds and Pearls, Act 1 and Act II, The Ultimate Live Experience, Prince, and for the Welcome 2 Chicago residency.

The soundstage was also used to host Prince’s large Paisley Park parties and one-off performances, television specials like The Ryde Dyvine and Gett Off, as well as countless other music videos.

Around the perimeter of this massive room are smaller stages displaying instruments and costumes from Prince’s various eras: 1999, Purple Rain, NPG, Jam of the Year Tour, and 3RDEYEGIRL.

Prince's personal favorite powder blue Bentley and a purple Plymouth Prowler are also on display.

On a small stage, sits Prince’s custom purple Yamaha grand piano and bench right where he played for his Piano and a Microphone Tour.

On April 16, 2016, a DJ Dance Party was advertised for Paisley Park, being hosted by Pam The Funkstress, the doors opening at 10:00 p.m.

On April 16, 2016, a DJ Dance Party was advertised for Paisley Park, being hosted by Pam The Funkstress, the doors opening at 10:00 p.m.

After midnight on the morning of April 17, in what would prove to be his final public performa...n his home, Prince emerged to show off his custom piano playing Chopsticks for the crowd and holding up, but not playing The Purple Special guitar created just for him. Afterwards he cued some 30 minutes of the Atlanta 10 p.m. Piano & A Microphone show and told the crowd it was from his forthcoming release, and that was it. His piano and guitar are still in Paisley Park for all to see.

Super Bowl

Previously a reception area for parties, here you can watch Prince’s amazing rain-d...ftime Show from Miami. Rated one of the best halftime shows of all time and projected on three screens, I remember watching this performance live.

It had been pouring rain prior to and during the game, so the producer phoned Prince and told him I want you to know it’s raining, and Prince said, “Yes, it’s raining.” The producer asked, “Are you okay?” Prince replied, “Can you make it rain harder?” And play he did.

Beginning with Let’s Go Crazy, Baby I’m a Star right into Proud Mary, and back to Baby I’m a Star; transitioning to All Along the Watchtower, and Best of You to the finale when Prince changed to his purple symbol guitar to play Purple Rain, the stage now lit purple.

Prince begins to sing, I never meant to cause you any sorrow…I never meant to cause you any pain…, removes his soaking wet head scarf and tosses it aside, continuing to sing.

After the first chorus, Prince asks, “Can I play this guitar?”, as a white fabric screen unfurls upwards from the stage toward the sky, casting a stadium sized silhouette of Prince holding his purple symbol guitar purposefully in place, the iconic guitar riff begins.

He mesmerizes us all by continuing to sing and play in a downpour, engaging the audience to sing along, in one of the best versions of Purple Rain ever, and ends with a finger to the sky and Prince tossing his guitar in the air.

The Fence

In the days, weeks and months following Prince's death, fans from around the world brought notes, artwork, handmade gifts and memorabilia to leave beside and hang on the fence surrounding Paisley Park property. Staff collected every single item left in Prince's honor, discarding flowers, and preserving the items left. A portion of the fence is displayed in this area. Items are rotated so that everything can eventually be shown to Paisley Park visitors.

While on tour with Lori’s Kay Blake-Leighton, her Prince ~Paisley Park~ print was on display. It was a very emotional moment for her, seeing in‑person her work of heart on The Fence inside Paisley Park.

Although these photos were not taken by me, I do recognize some of the other art on display in these photos, Troy Gua’s framed La Petite Prince ~The Ladder~, and Dan “Pancake” Lacey’s canvas painting ~Beyond~.

Gift Shop

Exiting the former reception area leads you into a tent where the Paisley Park Gift Shop and Kitchen are located. Merchandise included shirts, hoodies, posters, books, tote bags, pins, and other souvenirs. I certainly spent my fair share buying two shirts, Paisley Park and Fashion hardcover books, lapel pins and symbol necklace, all placed in a purple bag.

Kitchen

From the Paisley Park Kitchen, you can order from a menu of Prince’s favorite vegetarian dishes that were prepared by his personal chefs Ray and Jewell Roberts. I ordered the Minnesota Grilled Cheese (apples, white cheddar, and gouda cheese on ciabatta bread) served with chips, and Cowgirl Cookies. Tables and chairs were arranged beyond the gift shop area where large portrait banners of Prince were hanging, and photography was allowed.

Great review and photos! Thanks for sharing!

OMG!!!! So much work!! So beatifully done!! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

Amazing scrapbook very beautiful

Wow, thanks for sharing this. You did an incrediblly beatiful job.

Amazing scrap book. So much purple love put into that for sure.

Wow. You should partner with Paisley Park and start selling that in the gift shop IMMEDIATELY. Again, wow.

Exquisite.

Really awesome, thank you!

Thank you everyone for your nice comments.

You did such a beautiful job with your scrapbook! Seeing the pics brought back my memories of when I visited PP last year in May. Lots of things I had seen while there but had forgotten already. Or maybe it was just visual overload when I was there and missed seeing some of the things/items on display. Thanks for sharing!!! Much Purple Love to U!!